Only yesterday, the bodies of the third victims of the Northern Circus avalanche were removed from the snow. 7 people, this is the biggest accident since 2003, when seven "brave snowboarders" who were building the springboard were killed in a blizzard on the Rattles cone. In the present case, the situation seems to be different. And the weather was 100x100, and the breeze was just for coolness, and the people were not on a blowout cone ... Frankly speaking, I didn’t want to meddle with my private opinion so early, when at the very peak the emotions of relatives and friends of the victims, with which I express deep and sincere condolences and share their sorrow. Fortunately, he himself was a direct accomplice in the discovery of two of them. But the continuous trill of phone calls with a request to voice an opinion about this sad event makes us abandon normal etiquette and say a few words. I emphasize that this is the private opinion of a private person. The eve of events. Those who attended the "Piloting the PLC" class, and those who were present at open lectures in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Pyatigorsk, I hope, remember a number of statements zealously imposed by the author of these lines:

Freeride is a real martial art, where the stake is LIFE. An enemy that cannot be defeated can only be dodged or a truce is temporarily concluded. On the enemy's terms, by the way. There is no referee here who will shout “Brack!” And the fight will stop.

The wind is the greatest sharper, capable of turning centimeters of snowfall in a "place around the corner" into thousands of cubic meters of snow waiting for its "hero".

Beware of too smooth, even slopes, sweetly beckoning to "ruffle" them.

The straightest route in freeriding is the shortest. Where they don't return.

EVERYONE WHO IS ON THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE ME WANTS MY DEATH.

Nowhere in the world do avalanche services guarantee the safety of off-piste slopes, rescuers are not responsible for the safety of those on them, insurers do not consider them an insured event, even with the coolest policies (remember the alpine yellow shields with a huge "NO ......" them). Freeride is everywhere - a business "under your own responsibility."

In addition to this, let me remind you that there was a "wolf" on the second stage of Cheget and an accompanying warning that "skiing is prohibited", the same sign was at the entrance to the Trash. Starting from a blizzard on the 27th, in the EMERCOM of the Elbrus region of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the avalanche anti-avalanche detachment (EVPLO) daily transmitted a notification about the "danger of local boards descending on off-piste slopes to significant volumes" with the recommendation "to prohibit the presence of people in the zones of avalanche foci, mineral cones." EVPLO is a federal unit with a clearly defined area of ​​responsibility: the protection of federal and municipal facilities and the population in this territory.
In addition, the issuance of recommendations for the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the administration, the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the aspect of avalanche danger. Over the previous 10 days, only 17mm of precipitation water equivalent fell. None of the objects included in the "list of objects protected by EVPLO" was not and there is no threat. There was also no basis for active influence. The notification, as it turned out later, exactly corresponded to the current local situation on the "wild" slopes, was given in a timely manner. ... So the grandees of the Elbrus region did not touch this part of the circus, bypassing its side. And so the Verkhotura stood flat, unkissed. On the 3rd in the morning - wonderful weather. According to Kirill Anisimov, a witness of the collapse, two riders drove from the third couloir from the Chicken's paw to the previously untouched slope, causing a collapse that seized them and covered those who were traveling to the Second Cone and to the right.
The rest is known from the shooting and information on the Internet resources. The main reason: due to the systematic treatment of the north of Cheget by avalanches on the basis of meteorological conditions, which gave the basis for such treatment, since 2003. there were no significant precedents of "popos" in this sector.
A lot of riders who consider themselves riders, but vryatli are such, migrating from Elbrus to Cheget in search of "powder", imperceptibly. but I began to believe that Cheget freeride is such an attraction, like a roller coaster. And breathtaking, and not dangerous. The consequence is complete disregard (ignorance is not an excuse) 6 of the above theses. With all outgoing. The report is finished. ik

Over the past 4 days, there was enough time to collect
objective information on the state of affairs.

1. Procedure for acceptance by Rostechnadzor of ALL Elbrus ropeways
completed successfully. This is pleasing, because, let me remind you that the past 3-4 years, with
<ТОМ ЕЩЁ>reign, sorry, scrofula grew into: upset stomach and
back - until the last decade of December.

2. The tests and delivery of Cheget cable cars to Rostekhnadzor are nearing completion. By their
I saw the commission on Parnaya with my eyes.

3. From the Elbrus roads, PERSONALLY climbed on both pendulum: all
works. The French and the third line are still standing due to the lack of people.

4. Access to the Elbrus region is open, as well as the possibility of climbing
The pendulum is real daily. Evidence of this is the joint descent with
Outlook with my beloved Rostovites. This is where I was
raspberry-raspberry with port wine, songs and dances! (site administration
notifies that no animal was harmed at the same time).

5. The old woman on Cheget is already functioning (personally checked, up to Aya)),
the rest will turn after Rostekhnadzorov acceptance just about. The only question is
again, in the presence of passengers.

6. Alas, so far there is enough snow for a quite bearable descent on Cheget only up to
Aya, CB and C slopes are avalanche dangerous: a decent board fell from the Dome in
The muldu is under it, and the Northern Circus on November 13 th
mineral cones near the river without reaching. And let him - he unloaded himself -
everyone has less worries. But you can go to Aya, she-Bo, if you take a closer look
look where - and without scratches.

7. On Elbrus - above the Gara-bashi - chocolate. From G.B. to the World - alas, bye
normally only on the road to the right of the cable car. From Mir to St. Krugozor -
quite, if you adhere, including, and our companions the day before yesterday
traces. Got one good (damn) scratch on the descent. Who isn't there?
scratched! But the individual (and not small) pieces were simply adorable.
Traverse to Horizon, surprisingly, almost without stones. Only here and there too narrow.
Below the Horizon is clearly too early, although up on a ski tour (for those who.
of course, it's better to suffer) - quite acceptable.

8. The weather is lovely. Sunny, little wind, light frost during the day, at night
- up to -15. But the snow, of course, is needed. What is the summary for the upcoming 5 days
we will try to report regularly.

Total: A. It would be necessary to throw snow (without fanaticism, of course). B. Somehow
get out of the vicious circle: the cable cars stand until there are no people (however,
The pendulum on Elbrus is, nevertheless, a thing that works even with a minimum
riders), and the people do not go while the cable cars are standing. What can we think of? B. S
complete replacement of the cable car directorate, I declare responsibly
with their sane management has noticeably moved into better side... Give it
The God!

Good luck, Friends!

Yet

Snow tamers
They predict the vagaries of the mountains, shoot the slopes with anti-aircraft guns and live in barrels. Avalanche control - how does it work?

The Elbrus paramilitary avalanche detachment protects the upper reaches of the Baksan valley from the Azau glade to the Neutrino village.

Igor Komarov, aka Ikom

This is one of six such units in Kabardino-Balkaria (there are more than twenty of them in the North Caucasus), but its section is the most popular among tourists - this is the very resort Elbrus region with the highest ski slopes and cable cars in Europe. Avalanche service is dangerous, difficult, and invisible when done well. Their daily work is to tame the willful element, which, thanks to them, does not sweep away everything in its path.

Avalanche hunting

Avalanche tracking team leader Igor Komarov, he is the person who feels the snow, he is Icom(as he is called in rider circles) most of his life studies and systematizes avalanches in the Elbrus region.

Who is an avalanche? - Ikom begins. - This is the penultimate profession in terms of numbers. After - only chimney sweeps. All over the world, avalanche control services are organized in different ways. It all depends on funding. It is good that in Russia they did not make the same mistake as in the Alps, and they did not transfer us to local budgets. We remain a subdivision of the federal Roshydromet.

Snow fighters warn and act. They warn you through the Ministry of Emergencies, but act directly on the slopes of the mountains. But it all starts not with messages and shots, but with observation and reflection. Is the snow mass stable? Are spontaneous avalanches possible? Is the threat to the cluster real?

The avalanche station "Cheget" belongs to the detachment. It is located on a slope at an altitude of three thousand meters, there are two specialists on duty in shifts. They, like the meteorologists of the Terskol station, conduct observations and assess the stability of the snow cover. To do this, digging pits ("we climb into the hearth itself" - laughs Komarov). Allowable snow thickness plus favorable weather - clearing the alarm.

2.

Snow pit- a vertically dug hole, used to determine the depth of the snow cover and study its layers.

Snow board- a dense layer of snow compressed by the wind.

Meteorological data and operational reports are not everything. Experienced experts analyze the avalanche situation by eye. Rather, almost by eye. Komarov observes avalanche foci through a 30-fold telescope and, by his own expression, feels snow. Such a skill comes after several years of working on the same slope. There are places where avalanches come down all the time, but there is the treachery of the mountains! - once every ten years.

After analyzing the situation, we send to the Ministry of Emergencies a forecast of an avalanche situation with recommendations for prevention. They cannot be ignored - the price is too high.

Opened and put on a shelf

The domestic technique for forecasting avalanches is unique. It relies on objective data and does not depend on the "subconscious" perception of the researcher. Whatever they say, only she gives an accurate definition of the degree of danger and offers suitable ways to eliminate it.

3.

The theory began with a curiosity. In the seventies, the laboratory of snow and avalanches at the High-Mountain Geophysical Institute (Nalchik) different ways investigated the stability of the snow cover. A group of scientists processed the data and got the result - and he contradicted everything that was known at that time about the melting of snow. Their work was printed and put on the shelf - the conclusions were too unexpected.

Since 1980, considerable money has been allocated to research the problem: for all-Union construction projects it was necessary to figure out how to calculate the avalanche collapse line. And it was the conclusions of the VGI, which had been gathering dust in the closet for ten years, were confirmed.

Assessing the stability of avalanche-prone layers, Western science focuses on the slipping of the snow mass. This theory does not explain most of the collapse. In it, stability testing is intuitive. The avalanche man will be able to make reliable conclusions only after having worked for five years in one mountainous region.

4.

The model on which the domestic work method is based is based on the fracture mechanics of an internal weakened formation when it reaches its ultimate compressive strength. Experts have learned to calculate how much additional thickness of snow the weakened layer will withstand. This is how a system for linking avalanche collapse contours "by area" and landforms appeared.

To put it simply, the inner layer collapses (at the same time, a characteristic dull "grunt" is heard), and the snow board falls. In milliseconds, a layer of snow exhibits the properties of a rigid body - a conductor of vibrations.

How do children step into a frozen puddle? Do they step from the side? From the edge? No, they are aiming in the middle. And the "grunt" is obtained along the edge.

You push in one place, and the result is in another.

Shoot down, can't be left

The avalanche tracking group reports to the detachment commander that the stability of the snow layers in the outbreaks is approaching critical. Only then is the decision taken to shell the slope.

5.

- It is easier and safer to disassemble the avalanche piece by piece so that it does not go off like a whole colossus, says Komarov.

- “We are sometimes told - they say, your work destroys mountains. Tell me then why in national parks USA, where the strictest environmental laws, avalanches use artillery systems from recoilless to self-propelled guns and large-caliber howitzers? Nobody thinks it is harmful. We, as well as with them, carried out serious preliminary studies: with a sixty-centimeter layer of snow, the pomegranate of our complex does not disturb the underlying cover. Is that field mice can go deaf "
___
Igor Komarov,

When the order “to liquidate, you cannot wait” is received, the impact group enters the battle.

A small nuance: the avalanche anti-avalanche units of Roshydromet are militarized, and each of their employees is certified to work with weapons. In the service of avalanches - 100-mm anti-aircraft guns KS-19. The guns are in position for the entire avalanche season, from October 1 to May 31. The range of their shot is up to sixteen kilometers.

We get the weapons from the Ministry of Defense. They are used to protect federal facilities. Work with private enterprises - under a contract. Active impacts are hundreds of times more effective than engineering structures.

6.

The commander of the detachment warns the local administration, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Federal Air Transport Agency about the planned shooting no later than three hours before the shelling. Then work begins at the artillery position: deployment, preparation of the system and reconciliation of coordinates.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for cordoning off the site. They are the ones who make sure that there are no strayed tourists and all kinds of adventure seekers in the avalanche control area. From that moment until the end of the shooting, everything that happens in the area is under the responsibility of the cordon commander. Until he gives the go-ahead, it is absolutely impossible to shoot.

Storm and poor visibility are not a hindrance to work: the coordinates of the necessary points are indicated on a special tablet. They can work for twenty days, "not seeing the sky," says Icom.

The art of the avalanche artilleryman is already important here. Therefore, we are capricious people - we are few, but we are valuable.

From the wick and shovel

Valuable and small avalanche fighters - there are 29 people in their detachment - are based in the village of Terskol, in the Elbrus region. They live in mobile "barrel houses", the same ones are inhabited by polar explorers in the Far North.

7.

- They are called TSUB-2M, we decipher the name with humor - the central universal barrel.

“When we filmed the book The White Curse, we did all the avalanches for the film crew. The film included, probably, one tenth. There was a moment like this. The filmmakers came, set up a camera, and said, “let's go.” We caused a decent avalanche specifically for the section of the road in the Adyl-Su gorge. The director thanked him and said: "Now we put the car on the road and - the second take!" "
___
Igor Komarov, avalanche tracking team leader

The overwhelming majority of avalanche practitioners do not come from the university glaciology departments to the avalanches “from the wick and the shovel” (this is how avalanche practitioners are called, as opposed to theorists). The head of the artillery group thirty-five years ago was a theater lighting designer, the commander by training was an astrophysicist, and Komarov was a mining engineer. I highly recommend reading Otwater Montgomery's book Avalanche Hunters. He says - everything is like in life.

Avalanche practitioners get into a sobering-up station - all of a sudden. Otwater Montgomery, by the way, is the leading avalanche expert in the Western Hemisphere. And his education is a specialist in English literature eighteenth century.

Work at the station and on the slope, life in a "barrel" and mountain romance. But heroism cannot be monetized.

8.

- Remuneration is a sore point of service. A young ambitious man will not come to us for this money. Leading engineers are already retired, but they continue to work. What will happen when they leave, I do not know. The average monthly salary of an avalanche engineer is slightly less than the salary of a municipal tram conductor. All employees make ends meet by participating in contractual work.

Angry Baboon Pose

Komarov lectures and conducts safe skiing master classes for riders.

As an avalanche and as an instructor, you are probably infuriated by people who climb off-piste and provoke mountains?

Not at all. Off-piste areas cannot be closed to the public, you cannot grab your hand and not let you in. Even if you grab it, how long can you hold it? Those who, "not knowing the ford, climb into the water" are enraged.

9.

- And if it is written: "It is impossible, the slope is closed"?

Who will write this? Ministry of Defence? Yes, you can close a strategic facility or CTO territory, but not just a freeride zone. This cannot be done in any "katalny" place in the world. The inscription is just a reminder that your insurance policies do not work behind it and that in the event of an accident, claims can be sent, say, to the laundry. Therefore, prevention and education are important.

10.

On the board, you tumbled for two hours in the "paddling pool", got into the pose of an angry baboon and scratched yourself, you know not where - this is how beginner riders sometimes do. Trust me, normal riders, when they come to the mountains, want to know how to ride safely. They are ready to learn to see acceptable and unacceptable riding conditions.

In the world, eighty percent of avalanches are not spontaneous, but are caused by the actions of people (Komarov impressively knocks on a tree), who went onto the slope. More often it is killed by the descent of small snow slabs, large avalanches are much less frequent. It is necessary to "read" the relief, to move along it correctly. Bypass hopelessly dangerous areas. In general, to be like an avalanche - both a tactician and a strategist.

Text: Ekaterina Filippovich, Photo: Anton Podgayko
"This is the Caucasus", January 2016

Shall we agree on terms?

Igor Komarov (exclusive for RASC)

Terms

BOARD is the minimum, basic, dynamic unit of snow cover on a slope. Limited The contours of the greatest stress. Exactly D., in the overwhelming majority of cases, comes into motion under the influence of the rider. D. can collapse under the influence of the rider, even in the absence of indications for spontaneous avalanches on this slope.

CAMERA- aggregate D. separated by relief, where the snow cover is not sufficiently dissected by discontinuities (outcrops of rocks, grassy ridges, dense old forest, ice seracs, etc.). Simultaneous collapse of all, or part, of the boards that make up TO. usually occurs when the rider is exposed to a situation where the condition of the slope is approaching spontaneous collapse.

AVALANCHE FOCUS- one (single chamber), or several TO. having a common transit zone and a cone (cones - in the case of a multichannel transit zone) offset. Collapse the whole the area of ​​the avalanche center occurs at an exceptional degree of readiness of the slope for spontaneous collapse. Such a collapse can be provoked, including due to the influence of the rider.

LO GENERATION ZONE- the upper part of the avalanche center, in which the accumulation of the snow mass and its changes, leading to the avalanche descent, take place. The bulk of snow accumulates in the nucleation zone, which, as a rule, constitutes the bulk of spontaneous avalanches.

LO TRANSIT ZONE- most often, grooved (couloirs) areas LO located in the middle and bottom LO, usually having more than З.З., incline.

MINERAL CONE (removal cone) LO- a cone in the zone of stopping avalanches that reach the bottom of the valley, formed by stone material transported into the valley along with the avalanche snow.

Several tablets are offered to you. The tablets are divided into squares. Horizontal numbering from 1 to 39. Vertical - from 49 and further (so that there is no confusion between horizontal and vertical). The order of finding a point:
Roman numerals I, II, etc. - tablet number.
19-77 - square on the tablet.
If you need to select a more precise place in the square, then use the "artillery snail"

1	2	3
8	9	4
7	6	5

Determined "by eye", written at the end through a slash ie I 19-77 / 4
If something "continuous" is described (for example - "Trash"): III (15-58 / 1: 3) - (17: 18-63)
Practice a couple of minutes and everything will be fine, by the way, (58-15/1:3)-(63-17:18) denotes the same place - right?

So, let's define the terminology.

Photo schemes of "boards" on Cheget

Cheget North, Center, South top of the board photo scheme

Cheget Center, South top of the board photo scheme

North slope of Mount Cheget, general plan. Tablet IV.

Along the ridge: On the right, going beyond the border of the tablet (> 30-> 49) - the familiar peak of Azau-Cheget-Kara-Bashi. Simpler - HORNS.

• 25:26-49 - PIE.
• 20-50 - BALDA CHEGET(what can be more simply called the Cheget peak, as such, is not visible from the cable car, there is a large cornice on it and from above there is a meteorological precipitation meter. 3475 meters above sea level).
• 19-50 - LARGE COOLIAR.
• 18-50 - SHOULDER BALDA, what can be seen from the upper cable car, like the top.
• 15-51 - gendarme CHICKEN PAW... (The rocks under it are in the shape of a chicken paw, to the right was the restart of the Russian freeride championship in 2001)
• 12-53 / 9 - the upper booth of the Shagaban yoke.
• 10-54 / 3 - "Cheget" snow-avalanche station, AVALANCHE AT PIKE(there is also an "avalanche in Terskol" - the base of the detachment)
• 08-54 / 4 - DOME. (on it - triangula)

Avalanche cones:

• 30: 25- (60:66 - Number 9
• 25: 16-62: 67 - Number 10
• 16: 11-62: 67 - Number 11
• 10-66 - Number 12
• 08-66 - Number 13
• 04-65: 66 - Number 14
• 01-65 - Number 15 (according to the classification of Moscow State University).

Avalanche foci (LN) according to the SQUS classification:

• 30: 27-49 - cone 9 - LO 61
• 27: 21-50 - cone 10 - LO 60
• Balda Cheget - shoulder - Big couloir - cone 11 - LO 59
• rock massif shoulder Baldy - cone 11 - LO 59A
• to the left (in the photo) of the shoulder of Balda to the square. 06-57 / 2 - REPEATER and cones 13, 14 - LO 58
• 17-53 - 12-56 - cone 12 - LO 58A
• 06-57 / 8 - cone 15 - LO 57

Avalanche centers 58 and 58A are NORTH CIRCUS.

The names of the Northern Circus lobby:

• overlooking Cone 11 - "Big Couloir"(its beginning is 19-50);
• on a cone 12 - "Tear of the Komsomolskaya Pravda"(beginning 12-60 / 4);
• on a cone 13 - "Big Stone"(beginning 10-60 / 2);
• on a cone 14 - "A Snowboarder's Dream"(beginning 08-58 / 9);
• further to the left of the RELAYER (pictured) - "Beanbag"- on cone 15 (beginning 05-57 / 4);

Moving on to Tablet III

Tablet III. North of Cheget.

• 39-50 - Balda's Shoulder;
• 29: 30-55 - Chicken Paw;
• 30-55 / 2 - 1st Couloir behind the Chicken Paw;
• 32-54 / 8 - 2nd Couloir behind Chicken Paw;
• 33-54 / 3 - 3rd Couloir behind the Chicken Paw;
• 30-55 / 7 - 1st Chicken Paw Plank;
• 29-56 / 2 - 2nd Plank of Chicken Paw;
• 30-55 / 7-28-56 / 3 - 3rd Plank of Chicken Paw;
• 26-56 / 9 - Lobby under Rusinov's house;
• (27-59 / 2) - (28-58 / 6) - entrance to 58A;
• 23-57 / 7 - Shagaban's upper booth, couloir under the upper booth;
• (19-58 / 7) - (1960/6) - Direct;
• 18-58 / 7 - the lower booth of Shagaban (booth, not couloir);
• (17-58 / 6) - (16-60 / 4) - Sail;
• (14-58 / 5) - (17-63) - Trash can (DO NOT CLEAN!);
• (17-63) - (08-64 / 4) (repeater) - oblique to the Repeater;
• (13-58 / 5) - (10-61 / 2) - Dome;

Tablet V - Rattle. Top right - Sail, Trash in profile.

	Boot options: TIFF picture. 2258x3317. Size 7.2 Mb JPEG picture. 697x1024. Size 163.3 Kb
	Boot options: TIFF picture. 2206x3268. Size 6.9 Mb JPEG picture. 691x1024. Size 124.1 Kb Tablet VI - to the left (on the photo) Rattles of the couloirs of the Lesnoy Left (closer to the Rattle), Lesnoy Right (further from the Rattle). Couloir "Puddle of Vigor" (in the left half of the tablet), the Dome, the ridge separating the "Dollar" and the "Northern Circus" (from the Dome to the right and down), Chicken Paw, Balda's shoulder, above the rocks below the Dome - MULDA UNDER THE DOME is perfectly visible. In the rock faults below the trough there are Narrow (right on the tablet) and Wide (left) couloirs. A lone stone below-to the left of the Narrow couloir is the FANG. LO 55 falls into the forest corridors. In the Puddle of Cheerfulness - LO 54. To the left - in Dollar - LO 53.

Tablet II. North of Cheget. Dollar.

(Roman numerals in brackets - the number of the "board" according to the "board zones" scheme)

• 37-58 - Right Forest Couloir;
• (34-58) - (37-70) and further (cone 18) - Puddle of Cheerfulness;
• 37-53 / 5 - Repeater;
• 29-53 - Narrow Couloir
• 25-52: 54 - Wide couloir
• Above the rocks - MULDA, above it the DOME
• 23-52 - Snow Shields
• 29-53 / 4 - FANG, to the left (pictured), to the right
• 21-52 / 5 - House of Moscow State University (now there are 2-3 protruding beams), from it to the left and down the zone
• 15-54 / 5 - Cafe "Ay"
• (22-52 / 1) - (18-53 / 9) - Oblique over Ai
• (25: 27-53) - (14-63) - Female call on the Dollar
• (06: 07-58) - (11-64) - Male call on the Dollar
• (14-56 / 2) - (11-57) - Couloir School Yoke
• 17-57: 60 - Corner to Dollar (Corner)
• (14-57) - (16-61) - Board above the School yoke
• (19-59) - (16-62) - Direct to Dollar
• 21-59 / 1: 61/2 - Short to Dollar
• (53-36) - (52-32) - (25-54) - (18-56) - (11-58) - (02-60 / 3) - Dollar
• 26: 29-79 - Dynamo rollout (Polyana)
• (23-68) - (37-77) - Currant (couloir)

Tablet I. Center and South of Cheget.

The tracks under the supports are the tracks EXACTLY under the supports.

CENTRE- trails on the board I to the left of the cable cars, limited (24-39) - (19-59) - (16-63: 67) by descending into the "pipe" - couloir under the lower odnokraselka (Old woman), overlooking the Cheget glade, or through SUNNY MULDU: (17-64: 66) - (33-63: 66) along the "tractor road to the Donguz-orun river and further, along the river to the Cheget glade. Includes boards, see tablet II, (24-52) - (23 -55), 31: 32-58: 60, 31: 32-61, (26: 23-69) - (23: 28-61), (18-64) - (26-63)

Middle south- on the right is the border with the Center, on the left (24-39) - (14-56) - (11-60) - (04-65) with an exit directly to the Donguz-Orun river or to it through the Tractor Road. Includes boards: (18: 21-54) - (18: 20-56), a row of local low-power boards without numbers below, [X] (12-62) - (07-66), - the first chamber (11-60 / 5) - (15-60 / 1) - (11-61 / 7) - (15-61 / 8), the second chamber (09: 10-61) - (4: 5-65)

Extreme south- the zone from the border with the middle south to the ridge of the Southern Circus (20-38) - (12-51 / 5) - (01-57 / 7); Southern Circus 20-38 (B. Cheget), Southern slope of Kurina Paw (12-52). It is divided by latitude into UPPER and LOWER (along the ledge, below which the steepness of the slope sharply increases - (01-57 / 5) - (04-57 / 5) - (07-57 / 1) - (08-57 / 1) - (10-59 / 3)), includes cornice 03-59 / 3 armored personnel carrier - 03-63 / 8;
The bed of the Donguz-Orun River, flowing from Lake Donguz-Orun-Kel, bounded by the moraine of the Donguz-Orun glacier and the slope of Mount Cheget - the PIPE OF THE FAREST SOUTH. From the "Pipe of the South" - oblique to the glacier with access to the glacier couloirs:
1st couloir of the glacier 03-61
2nd couloir of the glacier 01-61
3rd, 4th, 5th - absent on the tablet, located to the left (on the tablet) of the second couloir.
Behind the Ridge of the Southern Circus from Baldy Cheget downwards - the Ayu-chat gorge - Medvezhka.

Zone Dollar

Northern Circus Zone

Zone Grande

It's all about Cheget names. Something about what there might be to expect (using suggested terminology)

Northern circus
not a place for learning and experimentation. In an avalanche-prone period, a substantial proportion of the risk of being caught in a large or small avalanche in the whole circus remains in 90% of cases. The upper part of the "Big Couloir" - "No Fall Zone" - is steep and dangerous, you cannot fall, almost always extreme. Entering the Bolshoi Kuluar from the North Circus - any avalanche that descends from the ridge of the Baldy Cheget region goes into its tray. Avalanches are large and very ...

Tear of the Komsomolskaya Pravda
the most difficult of the "lower" lobbies of the Northern Circus. Everything that goes to LO 59A-58A rumbles over it. Nowhere to run.

Big Stone
decent boards of the beginning of this couloir hang over the forest; there is nowhere to run when cutting boards or leaving LO 58. The lethal outcome is 100%.

Snowboarder's Dream
Has 2 "trunks". With a small amount of snow, it becomes extreme for snowboarders. Even small avalanches jumping off the rocks after a snowfall can cause very big trouble. Large avalanches from the North Circus - 100% out.

1st, 2nd, 3rd couloirs behind Chicken Paw
require high degree snow stability. Especially the 3rd one.

1, 2, 3 boards under Chicken Paw
most prone to unexpected gatherings, try not to prance there at all.

Straight, Sail, Trash
after a snowfall to go immediately means to "get" for sure. Require preliminary preparation experts. The lobby in LO 58A is dangerous in 60% of cases.

All corridors of the Northern Circus require excellent visibility, perfect knowledge of the route, very stable snow. Try not to travel there without experienced guides! And even with them, the risk remains.

Beanbag
extreme in the worst sense of the word always. I don’t want to talk about her anymore.

Forest
under the condition of stable snow in this part of the Dollar and CORRECT entry into the funnel of the couloir, they present mainly technical difficulties. No Fall Zone. Suitable only in certain years.

Puddle of Cheerfulness
the same, but entering the couloir funnel is more dangerous. Suitable for travel annually, but not always all season.

Wide and Narrow
after snowfalls at the beginning of the season, light snow conditions require exceptional professional driving skills. Even after 3-4 passes, the boards may come off. Boards of zones XIII B and C to the left and to the right Fang can give huge avalanches with no chance of survival.

All corridors going down to the Dollar through the forest are dangerous in 60% of cases. Especially close to playing Russian roulette Injection and the board over School yoke.

Male entry
especially fraught with wet surfaces, with a weak board in the upper treeless part. Inner Corner Above Feminine Sunset II 27: 29-56: 57 - Mousetrap, in the event of an avalanche from Fang II 29-53 / 4, it fully justifies its name.

Cheget under pillars, Center, Middle South
are run in by rescuers and there are a lot of people traveling. But immediately after a heavy snowfall, and even with a rising wind, at the beginning of the season - wait for the specialists to roll around this place. And listen to what the guides and avalanches are talking about. For you can get there, not on a large scale, but seriously. The board (under the burnt tree) is one of the most creepy places. And if there is still a chance in the first camera (it stops above the zone [X]), then the second camera, when entering in the upper part, is a Russian roulette with ONE PULLED out cartridge. There are 9 corpses in my memory. Champion on Cheget.

Extreme south
special attention should be paid to the lower steep part. At the expense of strong winds often hard boards are scary, which you do not even know about, riding on top. Due to the southern exposure of the slopes "mokrukha" (both literally and figuratively) begin to descend first on Cheget. Dangerous wet boards in the spring on the Kosaya on the glacier. The lobbies I-V from the Glacier are fraught with powerful boards in the upper part, which inflate there very quickly and lie on bare glacial ice. Teddy bear- high danger in 80% of cases. There is nothing to do without a guide.

The southern slope of the Baksan Valley

Boot options: TIFF picture. 3342x2300. Size 7.4 Mb JPEG picture. 1024x705. Size 196.2 Kb The development of terminology, I think, is the prerogative of the guys who constantly work on it. But still: The Bolshoy Couloir opposite the restored hut in the lower third of the Elbrus highway - I LO 76, the couloirs leading to the Azau yoke - LO 75 and 74 - all can be worked only partially. When leaving - always consult with the rescuers. Oblique couloir through the rocks (tablet VII - center) - Nurisovsky couloir. Nuris Arybkhanovich Urumbaev died in it - he was a great avalanche. Consider this. Also on this tablet on the right you can see the Wolf's Mouth Canyon. It is often a travel card with guides.

Supplement (October 2009)

LO 48, 49V-A, 49.

Total area of ​​Z.Z. is more than 300 hectares. Threatens the Cheget Glade. It is processed by EVPLO.

From LO 53 (directly Dollar) - 57 (Rattle)

In extraordinary situations, avalanches can form from all foci at the same time. LO 53-55 are processed by EVPLO to prevent avalanches from reaching the Dynamo complex, it is an off-piste skiing area with all outgoing ones.

Processing the Rattle (LO 57) is FORBIDDEN for good technical reasons!

LO 58 (North. Circus) - LO 66-67 (GDP) - threaten as the upper part of the village. Terskol and all communications Terskol - Azau. It is processed by EVPLO in order to protect the village and communications.

LO 76 - 69.

LO 76 threatens the MPKD, the lower Elbrus route, the upper booth of the towing lift in the Azau glade. Can only be partially processed.

LO 75 - directly affects the axle boxes. lift Azau and the lower part of the track. It is processed only partially, safety guarantees, due to its location on the LH removal cone, are not given to the yoke!

LO 74, 73 - threaten buildings and communications in the Azau glade (including road roll-out, parking lot, etc.), are subject to processing. In the lower part of the LR, only the right orogr. the sides of the couloirs, therefore, it is not worth walking along the mineral cones of these LOs and near them.

LO 72 - threatens the structures of the MSU glaciological station and the structures located in front of it. Processing is not possible. Part of the safety must be provided by engineering structures in the hearth. Their effectiveness has not yet been clarified.

LO 71 - on the given time, there are no exits to the road. With the development of construction, problems may arise. Processing is possible.

LO 70 is not a large, but extremely insidious avalanche, goes directly onto the road near the bridge over the river. Gara-bashi. Due to the power transmission line going to the Terskol Peak observatory, processing is difficult (requires a lot of approvals), but it is carried out, although not so quickly and in a narrowed format.

LO 69 - threatens the uppermost structures under the left (orogr.) Slope of the valley, in the uppermost part of the village. Terskol (including - art. Position of EVPLO). Can be handled (problems are the same as in LO 70).

LO 77.77A, above the cattle yards of the village. Terskol (in common people - Shanghai). Threatens Shanghai and power substations, as well as a tug. the lift opposite the TMO. Processed. Protection is hampered by the need in front of it, the evacuation of all people in Shanghai, as well as livestock from the sheds adjacent to the mineral cone of the Leningrad Region. That does not allow for urgent processing.

LO 42A, 42 (not visible in the photo) - they threaten the buildings under the left (orogr.) Slope of the valley between the turn to Cheget and Polyanoy Narzanov, as well as the road from the Itkol t / g - Narzanov glade. To be processed. Processing is difficult due to the fact that the position itself is in the zone of the avalanche's "lumbago" (there is no other place for full processing of this area).

INTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION IN THE UPPER ROOKS OF BAKSAN, OFTEN, WITHOUT AGREEMENT WITH AN AVALANCHE SERVICE, HAS CAUSED THAT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE HOTELS IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANTI-AVALANCHE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. Good - in low season, but if on New Year- what to do with the "disenfranchised"?

And choosing the right route needs to be learned. Do not drive madly - only knowledge combined with constant observation and awareness of the environment will give an invaluable insurance policy - intuition that will awaken experience.

Life-affirming postscript
1) Good advice: before driving on steep "wild" slopes, make sure / agree that during this time NOBODY starts to descend higher than you. And you yourself always remember that besides you, standing on the ridge, someone can already be much lower, behind the bend, go along a different route and there will be no traces in your sector. Don't take the sin of murder on your soul. Last season, miraculously, no one was in the Grand Couloir when entering from the Northern Circus. Someone tried to get into it from Baldy Cheget. 20 thousand cubic meters of snow flew to the Cone to the river. And 2 hours later, the well-known extremist sent a "splash" from IV 17-54 to the Tear of the Komsomolskaya Pravda. Together with myself. It's a miracle that no one was there either. The fact that the author remained on the surface almost reaching the beginning of the lobby is a regularity. They didn't want to take it where everyone goes. Bye. Runners wherever they get - unite! Possession of information is life!
2) These three photos show the development of an avalanche in our beloved Northern Circus. Pay attention to the order of distribution. Descent time - November 28 (SIC!) Air wave speed - more than 200 km / h in the third phase. Volume - not less than 200 thousand m 3.

Calm riding, riders. And long life.