Dykh-Tau
| Gora Dykh-Tau | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,205 m (17,077 ft) |
| Prominence | 2,002 m (6,568 ft) |
| Listing | Seven Second Summits Ultra |
| Coordinates | 43°3′N 43°8′E / 43.050°N 43.133°E |
| Geography | |
  Gora Dykh-Tau Location of Dykh-Tau in the Caucasus mountains  Gora Dykh-Tau Gora Dykh-Tau (Kabardino-Balkaria) | |
| Location | Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia |
| Country | Russia |
| Parent range | Lateral Range Caucasus Mountains |
| Topo map(s) | Map and Guide to the Caucasus: Bezingi, Bashil, Adaikhokh[1] |
Dykh-Tau or Dykhtau (Russian: Дыхтау, Karachay-Balkar: Дых тау that is derived from Turkic "dik dagh" which means Jagged Mount), is the second-highest mountain in Russia and Europe, standing at 5,205 m (17,077 ft) above sea level. It is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia; its peak standing about 5 km (3 mi) north of the border with Georgia.[citation needed]
Access
[edit]Dykh-Tau is best accessed from the north (Russia). Bezingi village may be reached from Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria with infrequent public transport, here a 4WD vehicle must be hired. Thus Bezingi Alpine Camp is reached at 2,180 meters (7,150 ft). From here it takes a further 2 days to reach the base of the climb.[2]
Climbing routes
[edit]This is one of the Caucasian Peaks, facing the Bezingi Wall across the Bezingi Glacier. The first ascent in 1888 by Albert Mummery and Heinrich Zurfluh of Meiringen was a major achievement at the time.[3] Their route up the SW Ridge is no longer used as the normal route which is now the North Ridge graded 4B (Russian Grading).[citation needed]
Starting from Misses Kosh the ridge is accessed by crossing the West Ridge of Misses-Tau then continuing to the Russian Bivouac located by a hanging glacier descending from the North Ridge of Dykhtau, 4 hours from Misses-Kosh. Once a notch between Misses-Tau and Dykhtau is gained, the North Ridge is followed to the summit. Allow 2 and a half days from the Russian Bivouac, there are several good bivouac sites on the North Ridge (Details and map Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine).
Mapping
[edit]Various Soviet military maps annotated in the Cyrillic script can found on the internet; two of the maps cover the Dykhtau area.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Map and Guide to the Caucasus: Bezingi, Bashil, Adaikhokh (Map) (1st ed.). 1:100,000 with mountaineering information. Cartography by EWP. EWP/WCP. 1994. ISBN 0-906227-53-4.
- ^ Caucasus from Elbrus to Kazbek (Map) (1st ed.). 1:200,000 with general information. Map Guides. Cartography by EWP. Robin Collomb and Andrew Wielochowski. 1992. ISBN 0-906227-54-2.
- ^ Mummery, Albert. – via Wikisource.
External links
[edit]- "Gora Dykh-Tau, Russia". Peakbagger.com.
- summitpost.org: Dykhtau