East of the higher and better-known peaks of the Caucasus, the Chaukhi massif is one of the most popular mountain regions of the range. It is only about 100km north of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, followed by a short walk to base camp at around 2,600m. The existing routes climb rock and snow, from F to TD+/ED1, with vertical intervals of 800–1,250m between base camp and the summits. Most peaks are between 3,400m and 3,850m, and almost every summit is named after a beloved Georgian figure. Every year there are several official mountaineering events, with around 30 participants, sponsored by the United Federation of Georgian Mountaineers and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, which offer training and preparation for both beginners and the more experienced.

The hardest climbs in the region are found on the west-northwest buttress and east face of Asatiani, and also on Mt. Agmashenebeli in the southeast. The so-called Sindaura wall on Agmashenebeli is the hardest north face in the Chaukhi range. However, due to longer access to the south side of the range, most base camps are still made on the northwest side.

First winter ascents in the central Chaukhi began in 2011 with climbs of Javakhishvili and Asatiani (3,820m, highest in the massif; some sources say 3,842m), by myself and a group of friends. Since then, one or two climbing parties have visited the region each winter. The hardest winter route to date is the Jokhadze on Javakhishvili, Chaukhi's second-highest peak, climbed in 2015.Over July 10-11, 2015, Giorgi Tepnadze and I climbed a new route on the right side of the west-northwest buttress of Asatiani. We climbed nonstop (though we carried bivouac equipment), completing the ascent and descent in a round trip from base camp of 23.5 hours. The first pitch was quite close to the only other route on the buttress (5B, Khabazi-Kuchava-Ugulava, around 1996). This pitch had a wet section, and protection proved tricky. The first dozen meters on the fourth pitch had no protection. The sixth pitch was wet and had a brittle overhang; we had to resort to aid for 15m, though we climbed the rest of the route completely free.

Above this, we were on ground known from our ascent of the face the previous year by the established route, and as it became dark we put on headlamps and continued climbing together. The place where we had bivouacked in 2014 was now full of ice, so we kept going, traversed a foresummit, descended to the right, and within half an hour were on the summit. It was 20 minutes after midnight. We rested before starting the descent to our base camp. Our new route rose about 800m (1,200m above base camp), with difficulties of Russian 5B, 6b A2.

– Archil Badriashvili, Georgia