In 1955, as a help for mountain sports development in People's Republic of China, Soviet mountaineers invited the Chinese alpinists into Pamir mountains, where they make joint ascent (first climb) up to Octyabrski peak (6780 m). In 1956 Soviet climbers received an invitation to visit Chinese mountains. They were faced with ascent up to unclimbed summits of Mustagata (7546 m) and Kongur (7579 m). 19 Soviet and 12 Chinese mountaineers under the leadership of Eugenie Belezky climbed Mustagata. The Kongur assault proved to be much more complicate. Overcoming the ice falls, sharp edges and ice walls, 6 Soviet and 2 Chinese climbers under the leadership of Kirill Kousmin subjugated this mountain also.
To be won in the first climbs of Mustagata and Kongur, Chinese mountaineers dreamed to organise an expedition to the world's highest peak - Jomolungma (?). They were strength their confidence in this idea after successful climb to Gungashan peak and joint Soviet-Chinese ascent to the Lenin peak (7134 m) in 1958. Soon Soviet mountaineers received an invitation to take a part in expedition outlined on 1959. Absence of 8000m-peaks ascents experience and insufficient exploring of approach and assault ways from the north urgently requested for detailed reconnaissance of the future ascent's region. Supplied Chinese partners with huge amount of equipment and outfits for the assault of the Earth high-altitude pole, Soviet mountaineers took a part in the reconnoitring expedition also.
Autumn 1958 the party of Chinese and Soviet mountaineers under the leadership of Syui Din arrived to the Rongbuk glacier. The party operated from 15/10 till 20/12/58, including 46 days above 4000 m and 14 days above 5000 m up to 6000 m. During the exploring process joint groups managed to climb up to the North pass (Chang-La), to make preliminary stores of equipment and to chart the route of the summit assault.
The assault groups staff was
- Lyu Lyanman, Chgao Goguan, Chen Chgunchan, Hu Davan (China), Tansen, Houmpu (Tibet) and L.N.Filimonov (USSR) - to be climbed up to 6900 m.
- Shi Zsin, Van Fuchjou, Pen Shuli, Shao Zsypin (China), Dava, Vandu (Tibet) and E.A.Belezky and A.I.Kovyrkov (USSR) - to be climbed up to 6900 m.
Totally the reconnoitring expedition consists of: 10 Chinese and 3 Soviet mountaineers, 3 meteorologists, 4 topographers, 10 Tibetan porters, 4 radio operators, serving staff, caravan operators, 350 pack animals, 50 horses. The main expedition was planed to the spring 1959. Both sides, Chinese and Soviet, were actively preparing to the future assault of Jomolungma.
Joint expedition did not take place because of armed conflict between India and China. Occurred disturbances in Tibet made summit approach an impossible. In 1960 Chinese mountaineers under the leadership of Shi Chjanchyun realized the Jomolungma ascent, but already without Soviet mountaineers. 25/05/60 at 2:30 (4:20 Peking time) Chinese climbers Van Fuchjou, Zui Inhua and Tibetan one Ganpo climbed to the summit from the North by the north-east ridge (first climb), thus carried out the first night ascent to Everest as well. Became aggravated relations between our countries through Chinese side fault eliminate the possibility of joint actions for mountaineers of both countries in future.
Nevertheless the practice of the Soviet mountaineering confirmed that our high-altitude climbers quite trained for 8000m-peak climbs. You know, already in 1958 among the Soviet mountaineers there were more than 200 explorers of summits above 7000m, and most of them have been on 7000m-peaks not once. But there were some reasons, mostly economic, why the way to Himalayas for Soviet mountaineers was closed for many years. Next time the Soviet climbers had been near Everest only in spring 1980 during route reconnaissance of the 1982 year expedition (3 person, reached height - 6500 m). Spring 1982 11 Soviet mountaineers stepped on the top of Mt. Everest, climbed the new route from the south by the left buttress of the south-west wall with outlet to the summit by the west ridge and descent by the ascent way (the new eighth route to Everest). The next Second Soviet Himalayan expedition took place in 1989 to Kanchedjanga. But later, especially after the USSR disintegration, a few expeditions per year took place, during which our mountaineers proved that are ready to solve the most difficult problems in Himalayas: Kanchedjanga traverse, Lhotse South wall, Makalu West wall, Baruntse West wall etc. Today among the Russian mountaineers, Sergei Bogomolov has 6 ascents to 8000m-peaks, Vladimir Bashkirov (died on Lhotse spring 1997) had 7 climbs. Among former-USSR mountaineers the best results has Anatoli Boukreev from Kasakhstan - 11 summmits above 8000 m, totally 18 ascents (21 ascents if to count Kanchendjunga traverse as 4), including 4 ascents up to Everest from both sides.
Information is collected by Arkadi Klepinin ("Alpex") by the request of Jean Marc Porte (MONTAGNES MAGAZINE/France)
