Caucasus climbing
- Caucasus Russia
- Gestola
- Mount Bzhedukh
- Climbing Erydag-Bazarduzu
- Mount Bazarduzu - Dagestan, Russia
- Mount Erydag - Dagestan, Russia
- Adyl su mountain course
- Mount Khalatsa
- Peak MNR
- Irik Chat alpine course
- Bezengi Guides
- Acclimatization Bezengi A
- Acclimatization Bezengi B
- 4x4 tour in Georgia and Armenia
Mount Koshtan Tau
Northern Central Caucasus. Russia, Kabardino-Balkaria. Climbing Koshtan Tau, 5151 m.
Altitude: 5151 m
Program category: Mountain Climbing
Difficulty: high (SPECIAL SKILLS ARE REQUIRED)
Duration: 12 days
Season: July - October
First climb: Hermann Wooley, 1889
Program price from: 2800 Euro
- 20.08.21 - 31.08.21Minigroup, special cond 2:1 180000 RUR booking
Northern Central Caucasus, Bezengi valley. Climbing Koshtan Tau (5151 m). Classic climb of Koshtan Tau (5151 m) by the North Crest (Classic route, 4a Russian Grade)
Program "Climbing Koshtan Tau" is available on the reservation at least 90 day prior the trip - special permission needed for entering the border area.
Guided climb of Koshtan Tau - is the exclusive mountain program of MCS AlexClimb.
On the north side of the majestic dome of the second highest peak in Europe - Dykh Tau, rises the ice pyramid of the mountain, which, with all its exceptional merits, remains, as it can be said, in the shadow of its famous "five thousander" neighbors. The name of this summit is Koshtan Tau (translated from the Balkarian language - “mountain with a pasture at its foot”), and after Elbrus, Dykh and Shkhara is the fourth highest peak of Europe. The history of climbing Koshtan Tau began in the period of “golden age” of the achievements in mountaineering at the end of the 19th century, when all truly meaningful and worthy alpine routes to the summits, which have become the absolute classics of Russian and world mountaineering, were heroically completed. For the first time, a human foot stepped to the snow dome of the peak of Koshtan Tau in 1889, the next year after successful ascents to the most difficult for that time Dykh Tau, Shkhara and Ushba (1888) summits. The team expedition of the Austrian Alpine Club, with the support of the Royal Geographical Society, under the leadership of the Club President Hermann Wooley, climbed to the top of Koshtan Tau by the route via the North Ridge - this route until today remains the most relevant and logical route to the summit of Koshtan Tau.
Climbing Koshtan Tau, of course, belongs to the “Golden Classics” of the Caucasus climbing collection, that is one of the routes that combine serious technical difficulties for climbing, and an element of the high mountaineering aesthetics, as well as any climbing routes of the amazingly beautiful mountains. In terms of aesthetic attractiveness, climbing of Kostan Tau significantly wins over its closest neighbors such as Mount Dykh Tau or Mount Shkhara, and can be compared with the ascent of Gestola, the summit which symbolizes the entire area of the Bezengi Valley. Just as a slender pyramid of Gestola rises in the sky over the Bezengi gorge, so Mount Koshtan Tau dominates over fantastic Mizhirgi gorge, reflecting the first beams of dawn on its summit. Standing alone from the other mountains and easily recognizable due to its correct form, the Mount Kostan Tau pyramid is clearly visible from all points of the Great Caucasus - be it Elbrus or Kazbek, Laila or even Aragats in Armenia - the characteristic snow triangle of Kostan Tau easily determines the direction of your sight towards the most severe and majestic of the whole Caucasus massif - Bezengi peaks.
Climbing Mount Koshtan Tau is a serious complicated alpine climbing goal; there are no easy ways to climb its summmit. The most “easy” classic route is rated in the Russian classification as 4a - the same category includes all the peaks of the “Golden Classics of the Caucasus” - the most difficult and dangerous of the Caucasus Mountains - Ushba, Dykh Tau, Shkhara - that is a real decoration of our collection of ascents and a reason for pride for any even the most experienced professional in mountaineering!
This 10-day program "Climbing Koshtan Tau, Russia" is designed for people who have no illisions about what they can expect in the mountains. Climbing route of Koshtan Tau is technically difficult and dangerous, requires a discipline, coherence, good physical form and possession of practiced skills in belaying and dealing with different types of mountain terrain. Regardless your climbing experience, we recommend passing the MCS AlexClimb Course of general physical preparation and Cours of Mountain Technique (advanced level) before participating in this program.
The First Principle of MCS AlexClimb
The First Rule, by which we are guided in the development of our mountain programs - is safety. Professional Guides lead the group, the highest quality certificated equipment and the most modern navigation equipment are used. This guarantees the highest possible level of your safety in the mountains, which is the most important side of our work. As for Kamchatka programs - in addition to our climbing safety issues, the armed ranger accompanies the group to protect participants from too close contact with the wild life.
Program Schedule
The AlexClimb Bezengi climbing schedule (climbing Koshtan Tau 2021):
Guided ascent of Koshtan Tau (5151 m) from the North, 4A Russian Grade
Difficult Climb, High level
Program "Climbing Koshtan Tau from Bezengi" is available on the reservation at least 90 day prior the trip - special permission needed for entering the border area.
Day 1 - International flight to Moscow, hotel accommodation***
Day 2 - Domestic flight to Minvody, transfer to the Bezengi Base Camp, accommodation
Day 3 - Acclimatization
Day 4 - Acclimatization
Day 5 - Setting the Camp 0 (2700 m)
Day 6 - Climbing to the Camp I (on the top of moraine, 3700 m)
Day 7 - Climbing the North Ridge to the Camp II, 4300 m
Day 8 - Summit Day, climbing Koshtan Tau 5151 m, descent to the Camp II, 4300 m
Day 9 - Spare Summit Day
Day 10 - Spare Summit Day
Day 11 - Return to the Bezengi Base Camp, accommodation
Day 12 - Transfer to Minvody and domestic flight to Moscow, hotel accommodation***
Day 13 - Return International Flight
Prices and conditions
The price of the "Climbing Koshtan Tau North Ridge, season 2021":
From 2800 Euro - price for the participation in the program for 1 participant at the 1:2 guide/client ratio
The final cost of climbing Koshtan tau depends on the following factors:
- your actual mountaineering experience (the possible program format depends on this),
- guide / client ratio - 1:1, 1:2, 2:1
- the need for additional services (porters, cook),
- dates of the program
You have to be ready for:
- Climbing the route of the top difficulty. The risk and physical load levels are extremely high;
Conditions: previous climbing experience, good physical form, the Brief AlexClimb course of mountain technique is recommended.
The price includes: Professional mountain guide services, rent of the communal equipment (ropes, belaying and navigation equipment, cooking gear), hotel accommodation, transfers from the point of the beginning of the program to its end (Nalchik), using the communal basic medical kit, local registering and climbing permits, food for outdoor part of the program.
The cost does not include: Russian visa charges*, International and domestic flight expenses** to and from the point of the beginning of the program (Nalchik), one day in Moscow if you have long transfer***, obligatory climbing insurance, rent of the personal equipment, food and drinks while being in cities, using the satellite phone.
Group capacity: 2
Guides: 2
*AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can provide Russian Visa support for you. More information on request.
**AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can book the flights for you.
***AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can book hotel for you in Moscow and organize, transfers sightseeing and recreations according to your preferences - basic Moscow package cost is 270 Euro wich inclides pick up and drop off in the airport and one night in the Hotel 3*.
Detailed conditions and limitations on the program "Russia. Classics of Bezengi - climbing Koshtan Tau" can be read in the Offer section
Our Principles
AlexClimb Rule #1 - Safety First
From the very beginning of our activity, here nearly 16 years, the first Principle of work of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb is the Safety Priority. On the basis of this Principle all process of training is based, all programs and rounds are developed and carried out only within this main principle. We consider that at professional approach to development of programs, at personal discipline and correctly put motivation - occupations by mountaineering and rock-climbing are COMPLETELY safe. And from the return - all troubles and accidents in our sport come from nonprofessionalism, from ignorance or neglect by elementary standards of safety, from irrational motivation, from revaluation of own forces and opportunities. All these prerequisites we COMPLETELY EXCLUDE in our work - ours Rock-climbing, Ice climbing and Mountaineering are based on one Principle - the Safety Priority. In rock-climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing, the Priority of Safety of MCS AlexClimb-is your personal security and comfort irrespective of, than we are engaged - we train muscles and we work technology of the movement in the sports hall and on the rock climbing wall, we make the way through snowstorm to top or we relax on golden sand of the Caribbean beach after hot day of trainings on rocks. The Safety priority - the main credo of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb.
AlexClimb Rule #2 - Leave No Trace
Closely interacting with Nature, working with the active programs in mountains, woods, lakes and rivers, we perfectly understand the importance of carefull and respectfull bahavior towards the Nature, for its resources. From the very beginning of our outdoor-activity we adopted rules of Leave No Trace technique - the standard of behavior of the person accepted in all the civilized world in relation to environment and especially - to the wild nature. After all on the relation of people to the nature near which they exist, itself can draw dalekoidushchy conclusions on the relation of these people to... Where and as we didn't travel - we don't reserve any garbage, we try to reduce whenever possible our influence on environment to a minimum. We clear earlier zagryazyonny tourist parking of the left garbage, we take out and we take out to utilization places that to us other people left there. We consider that only thus, at personal individual consciousness of each citizen, each tourist, climber or autotraveller, we will be able to keep the nature surrounding us in its state, natural, suitable for life, - in it pledge of the healthy future for ourselves and our children.
