Lenin Peak

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Historical background of Lenin Peak

The inner part of Pamir Mountain System stayed unexplored until second half of the 19th century. Although, Philip Yefremov - a captive traveller of Russian origin - has involuntarily begun exploration of this unknown part of the Central Asia as early as in 1774-1782. Then he became first ever European who travelled across Alay Range.

Taldik Pass 1901 year

First-ever attempt to scientifically penetrate deeper into heart of this enigmatic mountain country has been made by Russian explorer Aleksey P. Fedchenko. It was him who was to discover Zaalay Range and its highest summit in 1871. Here below is a quote from his diary:
“Lying at the angle of 115o, i.e. nearly straight to the East, we could see a peak that however its proximity looked higher than others. I have already noticed the peak from the pass below as a very high point of the range. The summit was almost continuously obstructed by clouds, and one had to gaze at it for quite long before coming to the idea of the shape of the mountain. The shape was quite distinctive: a pyramid the base of which was much bigger than its height. Irregular pyramid though: its northern slope steep while it’s southern one gently sloping into mountain massif. No single speck of black we saw, the entire mountain was covered in snow…”.
Fedchenko was travelling from Fergana Valley to Allay Valley across Alay Range where from he first saw the peak from the Tengizbaev Pass:
“… Later, from the bottom of the Alay Valley, I saw the peak that seemed to be the highest. As to its height, for lack of geodesic instrument measurements I had to approximate by using indirect data. That is, I assume, the peak by its height is close to 25,000 feet (7,620m).”
To all appearances, in the above quote Fedchenko is telling us about the peak that later on was named as Peak Lenin and that he has named as Peak Kaufman (after first Governor-General of the Turkestan Kray).
Next page in the history of exploration of the high-mountain area was turned over by the Pamir Expedition organised by the Academy of Science of the USSR in 1928. In the course of going, the expedition has explored Zaalay Range and named all of its summits that did not have their local names yet. Thus Peak Dzerjinsky, Peak Sverdlov, Peak Krasin got their own names and the highest point of the range (regarded as highest geographic point of the USSR at that time) renamed to Peak Lenin. The same year, in September, having accomplished the expedition’s main tasks, German and Austrian members attempted on a climb the peak. They mapped their route to start from the south (from today’s Tajikistan side) and go along the eastern ridge from the saddle 5,820m of the Zaalay Range (later on the saddle was named as Krylenko Pass).

The climbers suffered of freezing cold, especially on their last metres of ascent to the top they eventually reached on 25th September 1928 at 15:30. Here are the names of the German mountaineers who first got to the top of the Peak Lenin: E. Allwein, K. Winn and E. Snider. Later they had found their feet with ordinary leather mountaineer’s boots on severely frostbitten. That is why after successful descent the mountaineers had to undergo long-time medical treatment in town Osh.
Regrettably, the Germans did not manage to put up any cairn and left no other material evidence or any short note at the apex that would justify the fact of their ascension. No photographs had been made from the top either. All this has later given their critics grounds to doubt their so quick and successful ascent to the formidable “seventhousander”.
In 1929, Soviet scientists along with a group of Soviet mountaineers led by N. V. Krylenko set off to carry on with exploration of the “Roof of the World” (Pamir’s nickname). From then on all Soviet Pamir expeditions had mountaineering groups or even parties as essential part of their staff. The mountaineers attempted on the same route as Germans did a year before. But their efforts failed to reap a success. One after another, exhausted participants were legging behind and giving up carrying on the uphill. As a consequence of that, the only one determined to storm the summit was Krylenko. Still, his common sense has prevailed over his ambitions and, after climbing in very strong storm, he turned back and descended to the camp being just 280m short of the top. Later Krylenko and his companion Nagumanov ventured on a risky descent northwards to the Alay Valley while the rest of the group carried on downhill to the south to the base camp. The decent to the Alaly Valley had been extremely difficult and risky. At the altitude of 4,100m, Krylenko and Nagumanov have reached the head of a glacier that then had been named as Lenin Glacier. From there they could not see for the pass they started from. Instead, whole massif of Peak Lenin, top to bottom, up to the black rocks shy of the peak’s highest point has appeared before them in all its majestic beauty. The mountaineers had then realised that the northern slope, for the future, provides better opportunities for many a mountaineering route to the top. As the path to the summit was shorter and access to the Lenin Glacier easier from the Allay Valley side. This guesstimate has come true, as today all of most popular routes to the highest point of the Zaalay Range go on the northern slope of the Peak Lenin.

New wave of advancement towards Peak Lenin began in 1934, this time from the north: from Achick-Tash Gorge in the Alay Valley, along the western arm of the Lenin Glacier. The “offensive” had been organised by Red Army sportsmen-mountaineers led by two most experienced high-altitude climbers of the USSR - Abalakov brothers (Yevgheniy and Vitahliy). Base camp (BC) had been set up at the altitude 4,200m on a grassy spot found ten kilometres upstream the glacier. An impressive achievement – world’s record in mass ascension of people to the altitude of 7,000m has been established by participants of the Pamir March on the 29th September 1934. However, this time the summit had not been reached. After a short respite at the BC, second attempt had been made to reach to the top. Despite heavy snowfalls hindering the going, a group of experienced climbers had got to the top of the Peak Lenin on the 8th September 1934, for the first time now from the north. A cairn had been put up at the apex, dressed in purple broadcloth, upon which a bust of the “great leader of all proletarians” Vladimir Lenin had been put (the bust no longer exists).
The year 1935 had been celebrated by first-ever automobile road laid out along the Kizilsuu River across the Alay Valley. This had considerably eased organisation of multiple expeditions heading to the foot of mountain giants of the Central part of the Zaalay Range.
Another Soviet Pamir expedition to the area of Peak Lenin had been organised in 1937. For the first time in the history of mountaineering, this expedition had had a flight of airplanes attached. Pilots headed by M. Lipkin were to deliver loads and people to camps. They also were to airdrop foodstuff and mountaineering gear on the slopes of the mountain. One of such airdrop raids ended up with Lipkin’s plane, forced by strong downward air currents, emergency landing on the mountain slopes at 5,200m (later on the rocks on the western sub-apical ridge had been named as “Lipkin’s Rocks”). Take off from the limited-space spot turned to be impossible for the plane. In the Autumn of 1937, a party of sappers managed to take most valuable parts of the engine and navigation instruments off the plane while its hull still is and can be seen there on the Peak Lenin slope. After many long years, the plane was partly stripped by mountaineers for souvenirs. Today one of the most popular routes to the summit lies through the “Lipkin’s Rocks”.
Till 1948, Peak Lenin was believed to be 7,127m high. Then after more accurate topographic work conducted, the peak has risen up. It proved to be true that the altitude 7,127m relates to the northern point of the apical cupola where, traditionally, route notes are left by mountaineers in the cairn. From the cairn, a broad ridge starts gradually sloping upwards keeping to the south towards loose rocky formations. Approximately 250-300m past, the ridge ends up in a group of rather low rocks. That is where the highest point of the Peak Lenin, which now is 7,134.3m high above sea level, is found.
The top of the Peak Lenin had seen many notorious Soviet climbers (Vladimir I. Ratzec, Y. G. Arkin and others). In 1952, for the first time Peak Lenin had been traversed west eastwards: from well-known Razdelnaia Mountain uphill along the ridge to the apex and then downhill along the way of the first explorers of the 1928.

The history of mountaineering at the Peak Lenin knows events of brilliant achievement and heavy loss and tragedy. Simultaneous ascensions of masses (dozens) of mountaineers (called as “Alpiniadas”) were particularly popular and still are regarded as splendid achievement of the Soviet past. The mass ascensions allowed upbringing of high-class high-altitude mountaineers. On the other hand, this increased risk and resulted in some tragic accidents.
1968, first-ever parachute descent organised at the Peak Lenin ended up with a tragedy. Miscalculated strong side wind had drifted the parachutists over the ridge and made them landing amidst rocks. This caused four people to dye (in memory of them, a monument then had been erected at the “Onion Glade”) and many more injured. The same year, Valentin Suloev hits a success on his first-ever ski downhill from the summit.
The year 1974 has left indelible imprints in the hearts of all Soviet mountaineers. All eight members of the USSR’s national female team headed by Elvira Shataeva had been caught by harsh weather at the altitude about 7,000m and died at Peak Lenin. Stormy wind, extremely strong wind carrying egg-shell snow charges had devilled their tents, exhausted and killed the women. Below is a quote from the book by Vladimir Shataev (Elvira Shataeva’s husband):

“7th August, two o’clock AM, a heavy snow storm hits the summit, the storm in most encyclopaedic meaning of this word. How do I explain what this really means?.. The storm comes down from the skies to take roofs off, break walls through, tear wires up, root trees out and fall masts down … Still it is lots more fierce up there on the mountain where the wind is fresh-strong and not weakened by the ridges… The one entangled by the wind is like a mosquito hosed in by a vacuum cleaner – similarly helpless and, essentially, not understanding what is happening… The storm has torn the tents to shreds, blown all the staff away, mittens and stoves included, and scattered them around on the slope. Some things have been saved, most importantly – portable radios. They reported on the incident at 10 AM radio session. Fifteen minutes passed the report, in spite of terrible weather, a rescuing team of mountaineers set off from the BC aiming to save the girls. Without asking, purely on their own initiative French, English and Austrian mountaineers, too, set out on their way to help the entrapped women. Japanese mountaineers have left their camp at 6,500m and were heading towards the ridge. For two fruitless hours, risking their lives, they were doing their utmost to finding out the victims in the misty blizzard... Alas, all was in vain!”
The storm that broke out did not allow mountaineers who camped nearby the scene of the tragedy to find and rescue the victims. And only radio was transmitting the last sobs and words of farewell from them… Only 200m by height … One could not help shuddering when looking at the men crying… Neither of the most experienced climbers had managed to reach the victims. Later the same year, they have been buried at the snow-covered plateau (6,100m). Next year (1975) mountaineers from the entire USSR have gathered together at the Peak Lenin to take part in rescuing operation. Six died women then were re-interred at the “Edelweiss Glade”.
Another tragedy happened at the slopes of Peak Lenin on the 13th July 1990 when an earthquake had triggered huge avalanche rushing down the slope from 6,148m, slightly to the left of the Razdelnaya Mountain, and burying mountaineering campsite at 5,300m (at so called “frying pan”). Multiple groups of climbers from different countries of the world were camping there preparing themselves for the ascent. And nothing betokened any disaster. All of a sudden, late in the night, a minor earthquake caused an ice block to fall off the slope and trigger an enormous ice-snow avalanche. In counted seconds, the avalanche swept on its way all tents and covered 45 people with a thick snow blanket. Out of 45 mountaineers, only two survived: Aleksey Koren from Leningrad and Miro Grozman from Slovakia. 43 died, out of them 20 were sportsmen from Leningrad. The horror of the tragedy multiplied by the fact that despite thorough long-time searching assisted by helicopter and specialist rescuers only one body was found – a body of Yelena Eremina. Until now, the mountain keeps its secret. That has been greatest mountaineering tragedy in the history of Peak Lenin.
In this life anything can happen. And along with tragedies, the history of conquering of Peak Lenin knows many a happy and successful ascents. Number of those coming here with a desire of getting the top of the great “seventhousander” is growing year on year. And every next year the number of those succeeded in so doing grows bigger. The year 2006, for instance, has seen a record number of successful ascents. Make your own judgement: from the quantity of 165 climbed participants (our clients) - 53 have successfully made it and certainly will remember an unique and thrilling moment forever when whole Pamir was below their feet! Absolute record by now!
The history of Peak Lenin is not completed and is being written every year. And this is you who can write in a new page, a page of your own!
In 2006, in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the Republic of Tajikistan, in accordance with decree issued by President Emomali Rahmonov, Peak Lenin (7,134m above see level) has been renamed into Peak Abu Ali ibn Sino while the Government of Kyrgyzstan has left the old name unchanged.

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