Gumachi,

After some thought, I decided to put Gumachi peak on this page. Gumachi is a peak which is climbed a lot. It has a spectacular summit ridge and can be climbed without much experience, gear and planning.
Gumachi is rated 1B to 2A according to the Russian grading system. In comparison, Elbrus is a 2A and that tells you this peak is a little bit harder, technically speaking, because Elbrus is higher in altitude. It means that any peak which is above 5000m automaticaly gets 2A category. Gumachi is often traversed. The normal way to do it is to ascent the peak from the NE's snowy ridge and climb down on rocks to SW. Some commercial climbing companies have lately started to use Gumachi as an acclimatization peak for Elbrus, even though it's located in a different part of the Caucasus. It takes 1+1 day of trekking and 1+1 hour of driving to travel in between Elbrus and Gumachi base camps.
But it wasn't case for use. We drove there to climb multiple peaks, total of 6 and then drove of to climb Elbrus.

Most people arrive in Mineralniye Vody when going to the Caucasus. From there the most convenient mode of transport is of course to go by pre-rented mini buses, but there are also good bus connections from Min Vody, to the main valleys of the Caucasus. If going by bus, opt for one heading for Terskol or Elbrus Village. Sometimes you have to change buses on the way. Many people also hitch hike from Min Vody. Sometimes it's a free ride, but more commonly you end up going in a mini-bus where you have to pay a small fee. Upon arrival to a big, steap lift you can choose to rent another van or hike to a alpine camp "Ullu-Tau". We rented a van, because it about 12km hike to camp and with all the gear and food supply its irracional to hike the distance.

If you don't have a map for the area, ask for routes at the base camp. The officials staying there knows where the crevasses on route are dangerous and where the peaks are located. It may sound a bit strange, but the area are full of peaks of approx. the same height and it can be tricky to locate the one you wanna climb.

The fee of entering Adir Su National Park is at the time writing € 0.6/day and it's payable in Russian rubles at the entrance of the park.
You have to have "Adir Su" written on your visa invitation to Russia or the military will not let you pass the checkpoint in Adir Su Border area. The army checkpoint is located roughly one km after the entrance of the park.

The best season is May to September, but the peaks are climbed in all seasons. Winter or off-season climbs reduce the rock fall and crevasse danger which is a potentially a hazard on the approach to the mountains.
The snow conditions can be very soft in the warmer months. We climbed Gumachi peak in July.

The locals in the area seems to be very updated on the conditions higher up in the valleys and the administrative people staying in base camp have all the information you need about the conditions on the mountain. The army guys at the checkpoint and the park hq staff also seemed knowledgeable.

There are many choices to reach the mountains and the best is to ask base camp adm. for advice about the crevasse situation at the time. The normal route to the mountain is either on the moraine below the glacier or on the right hand ridge above it. You'll end up on the lower reaches of Djan Kuat glacier anyway and those two alternatives are at the same level of difficulty.

Walk slightly to your left and half-circle around Peak Skaliye. Watch out for hidden crevasses. If you wanna attempt the normal route, walk /climb up to the easy Gumachi Pass at 3582m (2A). The route we took. Some 40 degree snowslopes will take you to the beginning of the Gumachi summit ridge. If you haven't roped up yet, better do it here. The ridge can be prone to corniche building so walk carefully. Even if it´s not a steep ascent and not more than an easy walk, the ridge is quite narrow and if you fall on either side, it´s a long way down.

Finally on Top!

When on the summit, you'll find the peculiar "stake of Gumachi". Someone (Germans according to the base camp people) have brought cement and a 2 meter long aluminum stake to the summit and attached it in a solid way.