Pseashkha Iuzhnaia
3,251 m
Russia
Also known as South Pseashkho, Псеашха ЮжнаяAlso known as
South Pseashkho · Псеашха Южная
- Elevation
- 3,251 m
- Prominence
- 848 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 18 Sep 2026
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all travel to Russia because of the war in Ukraine; its ability to help British nationals is very limited.
gov.uk
Routes
1Sources differ: 1B (Russian) for the ridge from Uzlovaya to South Pseashkho; 1A to Uzlovoe Plecho (B. A. Tarchevsky, 'Massiv gory Pseashkho' (privetsochi.ru)) · 1B if the steep glacier below Uzlovaya is used (syroejjka.livejournal.com trip report)
The usual route to South Pseashkho, the trig-pointed second summit of the Pseashkho massif above Krasnaya Polyana: from the Psekhako ridge past the Bzerpi cornice down to the upper Pslukh, along its tributaries to the cirques below the Stroitel pass, then a broken ridge over Uzlovoe Plecho and Uzlovaya above the steep Upper Pslukh glacier. Two to three days.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 13.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,970 m
- −379 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,251 m
- Time Up
- 8h 58m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 6h 50m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the Pikhtovy station on the Psekhako ridge (reached by the Laura or Alpika cable cars from Esto-Sadok) walk to Medvezhyi Vorota and along the reserve trail on the slopes of Tabunnaya to the Bzerpi cornice (2–2.5 hours). Continue about 1.5 km towards the Pseashkho pass, then leave the trail and drop right to the headwaters of the Pslukh (40 minutes), ford it and pick up a path on the south slope of West Pseashkho. It traverses with steady height gain, crossing the hanging valley of the first Pslukh tributary (camp under a flat rock) and, half an hour on, the second tributary, where the path ends at about 2,150 m. Climb on the right of the second tributary (the path lies between the two branches where they join) for 1–1.5 hours to a cirque with a small lake below the Stroitel pass, the best camp, or above the 2,650 m rock step to platforms near the Sakharny glacier. From there there is no path: gain height to the left, staying right of the stream, which ends in a gorge higher up, to a second cirque with a shrinking glacier and a small lake by the Middle Pslukh glacier (about 1 hour). A simple, very broken ridge leads over boulders to Uzlovoe Plecho (3,192 m, 1A; 1.4 km and 540 m from the Sakharny glacier camp). Continue north along the ridge, keeping above the upper edge of the Upper Pslukh glacier, which falls away at up to 50° (ice axe ready; crampons if you use the glacier), to Uzlovaya (3,196 m, a metal post on top), 1–2 hours from the cirque. Then follow the ridge east for about 500 m to South Pseashkho (3,251 m), where a damaged metal trig pyramid marks the top; local advice is to bypass a gendarme below the summit on scree to the right (south) and climb from there. Return the same way; the party in one undated report turned back about an hour short of the summit to reach camp by dark.
Start
Горный приют "Пихтовый"1,656 m
- Laura A1/A2 or Alpika Service 3S cable car to Pikhtovy on the Psekhako ridge
- Train or bus from Adler to Esto-Sadok/Krasnaya Polyana, then the Laura (Gazprom) or Alpika Service cable cars to the Psekhako ridge
Waypoints
- Lift: Горный приют "Пихтовый"1,656 m
Cable car station on the Psekhako ridge (Laura / Alpika lifts)
- Trailhead: урочище Медвежьи Ворота1,592 m
Start of reserve route 8A
- Hut: Бзерпинский карниз2,071 m
Reserve camp with small huts and tent platforms
- Shoulder: Узловое Плечо3,057 m
Broken ridge over boulders
- Feature: Узловая3,183 m
Metal post on top; Upper Pslukh glacier steep below to the west
- Summit: Псеашха Южная3,251 m
Key Passages
- Ford of the upper Pslukh
- Pathless ascent from the Stroitel cirque
- Broken ridge to Uzlovoe Plecho
- Ridge above the 50° Upper Pslukh glacier
- Gendarme below South Pseashkho bypassed on the right
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 45%Overview
South Pseashkho (Pseashkha Iuzhnaia, 3,251 m) is the second summit of the glaciated Pseashkho massif, 20 km from Krasnaya Polyana in the Caucasus Reserve, marked by a metal trig pyramid. A Russian 1B ridge scramble above a steep glacier, it is usually done in two to three days from the Psekhako ridge lifts.
The Pseashkho massif rises on the Main Caucasus Ridge system about 20 km from Krasnaya Polyana, at the head of the Urushten, Malaya Laba and Pslukh rivers. Its name is usually explained from Adyghe as 'mountain of many waters'. South Pseashkho (3,251.2 m) is linked by a sharp 775 m rock ridge to North Pseashkho (3,256.9 m), the highest point of the massif, which drops to the Kholodny glacier in a 500 m wall; 500 m to the west stands Uzlovaya (about 3,196 m) and, south of it, Uzlovoe Plecho (3,192 m). The massif holds eleven glaciers, including the Pseashkho glacier, the largest in Krasnodar Krai, all shrinking.
The usual route from the south-west follows the Pslukh valley and its tributaries to high cirques and then a broken ridge above the steep Upper Pslukh glacier. Many parties stop on Uzlovoe Plecho or Uzlovaya thinking they have reached South Pseashkho; the trig pyramid on the true summit is the check, and North Pseashkho has none.
The massif is inside the Caucasus Reserve. The reserve's route 8A to the Bzerpi cornice and Kholodny camp passes the foot of the massif, but the Pslukh valley and the summits are outside it and need separate permission.
Climbing Notes
No rope work for an experienced party in good conditions, but the ridge is loose and exposed above a 50° glacier, so you need an ice axe, sure footing on broken rock and snow, and good route-finding: there is no path above the second Pslukh tributary. Plan three days: lift and walk to the first or second tributary, on to the Stroitel cirque, then summit and back to camp, with a fourth day out. Start the summit day early and carry a headlamp. Obtain reserve and national-park passes and register with EMERCOM beforehand.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; lifts serve the ski area but the massif is in deep snow
- Feb
- Winter
- Mar
- Winter
- Apr
- Avalanche season
- May
- Deep snow; route 8A not yet open
- Jun
- Route 8A usually opens in June; much snow on the ridge
- Jul
- Best period
- Aug
- Best period; glaciers bare and icy
- Sep
- Stable weather, cold nights
- Oct
- Reserve routes close by the end of October; early snow
- Nov
- Winter
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Caucasus State Biosphere Reserve pass (route 8A)Required
Route 8A 'Medvezhyi Vorota – Bzerpi cornice – Kholodny camp' is the reserve's open route at the foot of the massif; independent groups must have at least three people. Leaving it for the Pslukh valley or the summits needs separate permission from the reserve's tourism department.
kavkazzapoved.ru - Sochi National Park passRequired
Needed for the section from the upper Gazprom (Laura) cable car station to Medvezhyi Vorota; issued via npsochi.ru.
kavkazzapoved.ru
- Hut Booking
- The Bzerpi cornice has small reserve huts and tent platforms, booked with the route 8A pass. No huts in the Pslukh valley.
- Fees
- Reserve visit and overnight fees and national-park fees apply; cable car tickets for the Laura or Alpika lifts
- Rules
- Leaving an approved route or camping outside designated sites (Bzerpi cornice, Kholodny camp on route 8A) is an administrative offence without the reserve's permission
- Route 8A opens and closes by reserve order, normally June to October
- No fires outside designated places, no collecting plants
- The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Russia
- Getting There
Krasnaya Polyana (Sochi)
Sochi (AER)
- Train or bus from Adler to Esto-Sadok/Krasnaya Polyana, then the Laura A1/A2 or Alpika Service cable cars to the Psekhako ridge and on foot to Medvezhyi Vorota
- Off-road vehicles can drive a mountain road to Medvezhyi Vorota
Hazards
- Glacier
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- River crossing
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,063 m
Бзерпинский карнизHutBooking required