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Snow Leopard: how to become a hero in the former USSR in only five peaks
Jul 8, 2004 15: 50 EST
Moscow, 1967 - Red Flags, impressive parades, and Marxists slogans blaring on the streets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the glorious October Socialist Revolution. State propagandists worked long hours figuring out how they could instill, even more, the revolutionary spirit among the people of the USSR…under certain conditions. First and most important: there is nothing beyond the abilities of the Soviet super-power. Second, it must be something epic, heroic. Third, it has to be a challenge, not completely impossible but attainable only for a few chosen ones. On that cold day of the cold war, the solution was easy. Let’s go for the mountains!
The deal was to climb the four highest peaks of the USSR: Communism (7495m), Lenin (7134m), Khorzenevskaya (7105m), and Pobeda (7439m). Ed. note: Look at the end of the feature for different names, spelling and heights. They are all located in the Pamirs, except for Pobeda, which lies deep in the central Asian Tien Shan range. All those to accomplish such a feat would be awarded with a medal, and the rather cumbersome title, “Conqueror of the Highest Peaks in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.” Better known to everyone as, “Snow Leopard.”
Winds of Glasnost
Peak Pobeda, right between the USSR and China, was soon taken out from the list due to tension between both countries, and replaced by neighboring Khan Tengri (6995m).
Time passed by, things changed. Soviet Socialism failed, the Union broke up, frontiers moved, doors opened, and the statues crumbled down, but the mountains remained. Pobeda was put back on the list in 1990. Since that moment all five then needed to be climbed in order to obtain the title. Oh, also the names changed. The former Communism, later Stalin Peak, is now known as Ismail Somoni (yeah, it is the name of a local politician). They are not in the Soviet Union anymore. They belong to Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan, or border sharing China.
In those 22 years a lot of climbers became Snow Leopards. Some were even before the Title was invented, as they had already climbed all the mountains demanded for it. The Pamirs and Tien Shan were the only high mountain areas were soviet climbers could improve their skills and open new routes. Very few non-Soviet climbers visited the area, and only with explicit permission to do so. Today, according to 2003 data, only 33 ‘foreigners’ have attained the ‘Snow Leopard.’
Lights and shadows
The Pamirs and Tien Shan mountains are no longer closed to foreigners, but they are still an almost unknown place of amazing beauty. Beware, because it is becoming increasingly popular. Both the Pamirs, ‘The roof of the world’ and Tien Shan, ‘Heavenly Mountains’ are two of those rare spot on Earth where maps still have blank spaces. There are plenty of virgin mountains there, unnamed, unclimbed, and awaiting you. Their ragged peaks, glaciers, lakes, forests and valleys could be a wonderland not only for climbers, but also for hikers, explorers, travelers and scientists.
There are some drawbacks though. Information or even maps are difficult to find, and those that do exist require a command of the Russian language. The tourism industry is not yet widely developed in the area, although there are some outfitters growing rapidly. Then, those attempting the peaks should forget about dozens of porters and high-altitude Sherpa. The approaches are most often covered by dust roads on 4x4 vehicles, or by air in old shattered planes and helicopters. Just getting there is an expedition in itself!
Other problems can be the location. Get a map and look for those mountains in Central Asia, then start to pay attention to the news about that area of the world. Most stories that come up will be bad. Tajikistan suffered politic and social problems for a long time, and even now some may expect nasty surprises, as neighboring countries are problematic.
How to get there
Most of the peaks are safe and many expeditions, most of all on Khan Tengri, visit them every summer. The real difficult task is the exploratory trips or climbs, in which case scouting trips and advice from local companies, consulates, etc. is needed. The same goes for expeditions taking place in China’s side of Tien Shan.
The nearest airports to get to the Pamirs are Dushanbe, in Tajikistan, and Tashkent, in Uzbekistan. To get to the Tien Shan, Khan Tengri and Pobeda - Almaty, in Kazakhstan is the best bet.
For those interested, pay attention to our follow up series on the Snow Leopard Mountains, and our coverage of a Russian exploratory expedition in Central Tien Shan.
Changing times, changing names, changing… heights?
Information is not clear even in those aspect. Nevertheless, here you are the ‘oficial’ names and heights, according to AdventureStats.
Comunism:
Different spellings and names: Pik Kommunizma, Pik Imeni Ismail Samani. Height, depending on the source:7495 or 7482m. Country: Tajikistan. Range: Pamir. Coordinates: 38°56'26" N ; 72°00'47" E 03 09 1933
Pobeda:
Different spellings and names: Pik Pobedy, Tomur Feng –Chinese name- Jengish Chokusu. Height, depending on the source: 7439 or 7435m. Country: Kyrguyzstan/ China. Range: Tien Shan . Coordinates: 42°02' N 80°08' E 30 08 1956
Lenin:
Different spellings and names: Pik Lenina. Height: 7134. Country: Tajikistan. Range: Pamir. Coordinates: 39°20'43" N 72°53'02" E 25 09 1928
Korzhenevskaya:
Different spellings and names: Pik J. Korzhenevskaya. Height: 7105m. Country: Tajikistan. Range: Pamir. Coordinates: 39°03'20" N 72°01'26" E 22 08 1953
Khan Tengri:
Different spellings and names: Khan Tengri , Khan Tangiri Shyngy. Height, depending on the source: 7010 or 6995m. Kyrguyzstan/ Kazakhstan. Range: Tien Shan. Coordinates: 42°12' N ; 80°09' E 11 09 1931
Image of camp on Khan Tengri, courtesy of Mountain.ru.
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