Gora Dykh-Tau | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 5,205 m (17,077 ft) |
Prominence | 2,002 m (6,568 ft) |
Isolation | 64 km (40 mi) |
Listing |
Seven Second Summits Ultra |
Coordinates | 43°3′N 43°8′E / 43.050°N 43.133°E |
Geography | |
Location | Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia |
Country | Russia |
Parent range |
Lateral Range Caucasus Mountains |
Topo map | 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]
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]
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).
Various Soviet military maps annotated in the Cyrillic script can found on the internet; two of the maps cover the Dykhtau area. [1]