In late October, five Georgian mountaineers made the first ascent of an unnamed mountain on the remote eastern side of the Chaukhi massif in Georgia’s Greater Caucasus Mountains.
The climbers — Giorgi Tepnadze, Bakar Gelashvili, Temur Kurdiani, Vakho Blagidze, and Tornike Tepnadze — established a technically engaging route graded 5B on the Caucasian scale (equivalent to M5+).
The expedition’s main objective was to honor their late climbing partner, Archil Badriashvili, who died in August 2024 from a lightning strike while climbing. The team named the mountain Archil Peak as a tribute.
Three of the climbers, Tepnadze, Gelashvili, and Kurdiani, were Badriashvili’s usual rope mates. The trio formed the core of many of Badriashvili’s major expeditions, including multiple first ascents in the Himalaya and Hindu Kush that earned them international recognition. These include a 2022 Piolet d’Or for the northwest face of 7,300m Saraghrar Northwest.
The Chaukhi massif. Photo: Exploregeorgia.com
Local community supports the naming
The climbers noted that they are cautious when naming peaks or routes. However, the local Khevsur community encouraged them to name the peak after their friend.
The Khevsurs are an ethnographic subgroup of Georgians living in the remote highland region of Khevsureti, one of Georgia’s most isolated areas. Historically renowned as fierce warriors, they developed a culture that emphasized courage, independence, and a strict code of honor. Their villages feature distinctive defensive stone towers and fortified dwellings, many clinging to steep mountainsides.
Khevsur religious practices blend Georgian Orthodox Christianity with pre-Christian pagan elements. Over centuries of isolation, the Khevsurs have maintained close-knit communities, and their longstanding friendships with visiting climbers — dating back to the team’s 2016 expeditions in the area — reflect the region’s renowned hospitality.
Khevsurs. Photo: Georgiaabout.com
This ascent builds on the team’s earlier activity in the area. In 2016, Badriashvili and Tepnadze completed the first ascent of the east face of nearby 3,842m Asatiani Peak. And in 2024, Tepnadze, Gelashvili, and Kurdiani added another new route there.
The Chaukhi massif comprises peaks ranging from 3,400m to 3,858m. It is known as the Georgian Dolomites due to its dramatic rock spires.
Archil Badriashvili. Photo: Piotr Drozdz/Piolet d’Or
