Posted: Sep 03, 2010 03:27 am EDT
(ExWeb/Madrid) Nearly 15 people got stuck for seven days in a fierce storm between 7,000 and 6,400m on Tien Shan’s Peak Pobeda last week, as they were on their way back from the 7439m summit. Russian climbers Yuri Efremov, Andrey Baynazarov and Kirill Mokhov died before reaching the airlift rescue point at 5,500m Dikiy Pass.

The stranded group of climbers topped-out Pobeda at 2pm on August 23rd, RussianClimb reports. The summit team included thre Polish Aleksandra Dzik, Krzysztof Starek and Jakub Hornowsk; plus about ten Russian climbers from various precedence.

The weather was fine at summit time, but mountain cirrus clouds announced an approaching storm.

Efremov (60) got sick right on the summit, reportedly suffering a heart stroke. His mates provided medicines and helped him down. Reaching 7,400m back, they were wrapped in a whiteout and very strong wind. Soon the group was forced to stop and pitched their bivouac tents. The storm would last for over a week, leaving the summiteers stranded with only three small tents for shelter. There was contact with the rescue team over the radio, but the climbers needed to make it down to the so-called Dikiy Pass, at about 5,500m, I order to be airlifted.

A fight for survival

A first attempt to proceed down 48 hours later was useless – the stranded climbers were forced back to the tents in the gale. Efremov died that day in spite of treatment. Mate Kirill Mokhov was also in a poor state by then, losing consciousness intermittently. He passed away on August 26th.

That morning the weather improved slightly, permitting the stranded climbers to reach a cave at Vazha (800m below the first bivouac place); the Poles followed then one day later.

Aug 28, the group decided to shovel down their way – some reached back 6,400m, others continued down to 6,100m. Andrei Bainazarov died on the following day though. Survivors finally reached Dikiy Pass on Aug 30th, from where they were finally airlifted.

The news reached Russian media only yesterday – by then, all survivors were under treatment due to frostbite.

According to Risk.ru, the Russian climbers were climbing to commemorate the 65th anniversary of their country’s WW II victory.

Some background by A. Verkhovod

“Peak Pobeda, 7439m, is one of the northernmost (and most dangerous) 7000+ mountains in the world,” Kazakh Andrey Verkhovod reported. It’s located in the Tien Shan range, right at the China –Kyrgyzstan border. It’s one of the 5 peaks comprising the Snow Leopard title.

“Pobeda counts on just one winter ascent, by a team lead by Valeriy Khrishchatyi in 1990. Since then, no one has even tried to repeat the feat,” Andrey added. “Pobeda is well known for very unstable weather, loads of snow and high avalanche risk.”

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