Chaukhi Range, Second Traverse
Georgia, Caucasus, Chaukhi Range
Author: The Editors.
Climb Year: 2025.
Publication Year: 2026.
In 2015, Archil Badriashvili soloed the first traverse of the Chaukhi Range, crossing 11 summits above 3,500 meters, with one bivouac. He started with Javakhishvili, looped east and south over a handful of peaks, including Asatiani and Pirosmani, then headed back west, eventually ending with Tikanadze (see AAJ 2017).
In late July 2025, Sopo Chelidze and Temo Samsonadze made the traverse in the opposite direction, starting with Tikanadze and ending with Javakhishvili, over three days. Chelidze, founder of the Women’s Alpine School in Georgia, was the first woman to complete this arduous link-up.
—The Editors
Media Gallery
The Chaukhi Range traverse, originally completed from left to right in the photo, in 2015, then repeated a decade later in the opposite direction, moving from right to left in the photo.
Team Photo
Sopo Chelidze (left) and Temo Samsonadze on the final summit of the 11-peak Chaukhi Range traverse.
Sopo Chelidze