As it was the second International Assembly of Winter mountaineering and using a short period of nice weather, two Russian pairs has opened two new routes on very steep eastern wall of the peak Grand Capucin (3838 m). Despite of very hard weather conditions (silty cold and the wind) both pairs has reached the peak after two camps that the first had and four the other had. New coming of foul weather made very difficult their return, especially for Alexander Ruchkin and for Rinat Zaitov. These two have spent two days longer in deep fog to return to Aaiguile du Midi. There have lost nothing of mountaineering instruments except of stations of transplantation for going down by rope on "Russian Winter" along the both routes.

1 ascend: Michael Devy and Alexander Klenov from 13 to 15 February 1999..
Difficulty category: ED - 400 m (12 lots with length till 50 m) - A3/6C

Maximum lots difficulty- all used gear was taken from the wall.
Approach: from French border, from the lift Aiguille du Midi and the asylum Cosmigues or from Italy  through the asylum Tokshtsch. The apoproach is simple till north-eastern wall.

Start: to the right from the route "Petit", camps: two are on the platform on plots of R3, R6 and one on the down approach.

Down Approach: the first-passers have made 12 down approaches by the rope by the way of up-approaching.

Alexsander Klenov-Michael Devy.

The first ascend: Alexander Ruchkin and Rinat Zaitov from 13 to 17 February 1999.

Difficulty category: ED+ - 400 m (13 lots with length till 60 m) - A4/6C. Maximum plots difficulty- all used gear was taken from the wall.

Approach: classical, as in previous description.

Start: to the left of the route "Petit", camps on the platform on plots R1, R5, R6, R10.

Descend: 11 down approaches by rope along the route "Russian Winter".

Alexander Ruchkin

1 - Hiver Russe (ED - A3/6C max - February, 1999)
2 - Voyage hivernal (ED+ - A4/6C max - February, 1999)