Mystery of the Lhoste Middle

"God created our world round so we all can sit around Him and nobody's vision is impeded" - Sri Chinmoy

Looking at Everest region map published by NationalGeographic Magazine, such a magic projection of highest polar zone of Earth, I have a pretty feeling of aesthetic meditation. My look glides slowly along mountain ridges,valleys, and rivers. Without any special goal my attention concentrates on the center of the map. Everest, South fore-summit, South col, Main Lhotse, Lhotse Shar. I feel myself like an explorer. There are not so many points with altitudes higher than 8000 meters. A point between Lhotse Main and Lhotse Shar has altitude 8414 meters. What is it? Just a mark in the ridge? This point is visible from Everest summit as a summit with steer northwest wall. It amazes by its pointed form like one of French Alps spires, shining by sharp edges of its roofs. Until the last time this summit - Lhotse Middle - appeared in the Guinness book as the highest point of Earth where man has never trod.

A Little History

History of developing Himalayas and Karakorum says that there are only 14 summits with altitude higher than 8000 meters. Anapurna allowed climbers to reach his summit first of them, but at the high price. But mountain massifs are
not Egyptian pyramids. A mountain crows often by a several summits. Kanchenjunga has the most of all - 5 summits. Each of its summits was climbed separately. 25th in this list was K2 West that were climbed by Japanese climbers in 1982. According to Reinhold Messner list, Lhotse massif has three obvious summits: Main (8501 meters), East (8414 meters) and Lhotse Shar (8386 meters). Lhotse East has also other name: Lhotse Middle, 26th summit in the Messner's list.

There is only one classical, relatively easy route along the northwest wall to the Main summit. Others, south routes are very difficult. The more impressive of them is Russian 1989 route along the South wall to the Main Lhotse.

My concepts of Lhotse were shaped mainly by reminiscences of my friend and coach Alexander Pogorelov. He took part in a first South wall direttissima on Lhotse, 1989. Alexander didn't reach summit like Karataev and Bershov, but his group was very close to the success. Pogorelov, Turkevich, Kopeyko and Hitrikov first reaches at that time 8350 meters point. They fixed ropes on the most difficult part of the route from 7600 to 8100 meters during 4 days and moved then in alpine style, practically without food and bivouac gear, having only two ropes and a short ice-axe. Pogorelov and his friends spent three nights at the altitude higher than 8000 meters. Second bivouac at the 8200 meters was arranged just in a snow pit. Carving their way in a "empty" snow of the tracery snow ridge they rushed to the summit by all their essence.

I remembered after this story that Lhotse ridges higher 8000 meters are the exhausting work in a trench in a "empty" snow and an endless space around that consists from the risk to fall together with the snow roof of the knife-sharp ridge. They performed huge volume of a difficult technical job and then descended by a miracle, after 10 days on the wall. I remember also such feelings when we together with Pogorelov saw similar relief on the southwest wall of Khan-Tengri (6995 meters). Leader had at that time two dangerous falls and was stopped by belay rope. Something about that I expected to see on Lhotse Middle.

The Idea

As always, if we talk about the real deed, there are inspirers in climbing, persons who are able to light others by his fire. They are generators of ideas. People gathers in their magnetic field to set to this hard work - "to be a pioneer". The idea to ascent Lhotse Middle belongs previously to Vladimir Bashkirov.

Any idea runs some way from its birth to the realization. The way to Lhotse Middle was not so easy, although the first Bashkirov's suggestion about the route contained inside itself today's success. But nevertheless it took several expeditions to climbers made certain of beauty and clarity of new line. This was not a standard solution of the Lhotse Middle problem, but on closer examination it turned out that it was the only answer.

The first expedition that made this ascent its aim was 1997 Russian Lhotse Middle expedition. Unfortunately, it finished tragically for Bashkirov. Directly before Lhotse expedition Vladimir Bashkirov had been working as guide in Indonesian Everest expedition and ascent on Everest. High altitude ascents took too much power and the moment when human organism's reserves are coming to the end is often too vague. Mountains are indifferent to your last victories as well as your social status; only the high readiness is good for a dialog with the harsh element.

Vladimir died, probably due to coronary deficiency, during descent from Main Lhotse summit. That year climbers glanced only at the ridge that leads to the east, to the uncertainty, but demonstrates from the first steps its severe temper.

Next, 1998th year, Bashkirov's friends organized an expedition to reach Lhotse Middle via Lhotse Shar. The expedition succeed partially, the four of Sokolov,
Timofeev, Foigt and Vinogradski reached only Lhotse Shar summit, but it was the success in itself.

Year 2000th two expeditions intended to ascent Lhotse Middle. First, in the spring it was the Georgian-Russian attempt, again via the Main summit. Then, in the autumn, expedition of Russian Ministry of Emergencies, that planned dizzy route on the South wall of Lhotse massif. This expedition ended tragically too - Vladimir Bondarev died in the snow avalanche.

To the year 2001st this attempts caused some resonance around the world - three expeditions intended to reach Lhotse Middle. Korean and Spain teams planned the
traditional traverse. Korean climbers set the BC under  Lhotse Shar, but after they had examined the situation, they moved their BC to the Khumbu glacier. Spain pair of climbers planned to set their camp-5 behind Main Summit of Lhotse and conquer Lhotse middle from there. It's not a secret that climbing the tracery ridge, full of roofs and cols, on the altitude 8400-8500 meters is very difficult technical and, above all, psychological problem. Climber's spirit and determination must go with other weather and physiology factors. Risk degree is very high.

The Route

So, Russian team had an experience of last year and the much perspective route to the Middle summit via Kanchung (northeast) wall of massif. As you remember, this route was offered by Vladimir Bashkirov, but many climbers supposed it ambiguous, due high risk of snow avalanches on northeast and north slopes of Lhotse massif, due steer rock and firn slopes with altitude 8200-8400 meters. Nobody knew also where is the gate to Kanchung wall: via South Col or via North ridge of Lhotse Main. The important traits of Northeast Wall route are its logicality and protectability from Nepal side winds, which are prevalent here. Besides, this route leads directly to the Middle summit, without any intermediate points, which takes away often not only power, but also an aspiration. During traverse, it's easily to turn back after intermediate summit (Lhotse Main or Shar) is reached. But now there was the only target - if we turn back, then we lose the summit. It's useful somewhere: to drive oneself into a corner: The only exit is to climb.

A number of favourable conditions help us: the right choice of route, good team from many Russian regions, good financing by Russian businessman Pavel Kadushin and good circumstances.

Next positive side - our manager Victor Kozlov, who heads our expedition and film crew. Due to his efforts we've got permit ¬1 on Lhotse Middle by Nepal Ministry of Tourism.

The Team

Nikolay Cherny is the most experienced climber between us - he took paret in the First Soviet Everest expedition in year 1983rd. He was our sportive leader and permit leader on Lhotse Main (Nepal Ministry of Tourism didn't give at first the permit on Middle summit, so we had to buy permit on the Main Lhotse to get chance to start climbing). Nikolay endured all the uneasy, barely noticeable job to rule porters, sherpas, kitchen workers, and other problems with base camp and expedition loads. Very wise man.

Sergey Timofeev combined jobs of leader of his group and captain of our team. May 16th he became the leader of "normal" but (these days) virtual route on Lhotse Middle. We got the permit directly in our base camp on Khumbu glacier from deputy Minister of Tourism.

Evgeny Vinogradsky, Alexey Bolotov, Nikolay Gilin, Jury Yermachek and Sergey Timofeev are climbers from Ekaterinburg. They are skilled high-altitude climbers, and have the rich Himalayan history. The most significant their ascent is West wall of Makalu first ascent. Vinogradsky four times ascents Everest.

Vasily Elagin, Vladimir Yanochkin, Victor Volodin and Nikolay Cherny are from Moscow. Their high-altitude experience command me respect, especially Cherny's and Elagin's ascents.

Peter Kuznetsov from Krasnoyarsk has first ascent on North wall of Everest.

Gleb Sokolov first started high altitude trophys on Khan-Tengry and Pobeda peaks on Tyan-Shan. From 1996th year he take part permanently in Himalayan expeditions.

Many of them took part in some attempts on Lhotse Middle. Sergey Timofeev together with Bogomolov and Babanov lowered down from Lhotse Main dead-sick Bashkirov.

Igor Borisenko from Moscow and Sergey Shakuro from Novokuznetsk together with producer and author Victor Kozlov have been making a film that may be called "The history of first ascent on Lhotse Middle".

I didn't have to moment of start of ascent any ascents above 8000 meters and was conceived by skilled high-altitude climbers as a debutant, dark horse, whose incompetence may be dangerous.

High Altitude Mountaineering

What are differences between high altitude and technical climbing? Maybe the main difference is that good technical climber climbs good, but good high-altitude climber breathes good. The skills to use the rarefied air as much as possible, without extra oxygen, is usually the native virtue of a man. This virtue not much depends of training. But technical climbing "grew up" now. Recently (in the 70th of XX century) climbers had done very difficult technical ascents on summits from 6000 meters to 8000 meters and invaded in the area of high-altitude mountaineering that don't have usually essential technical difficulties. It's the natural process: the man rushes always to pull out bounds of permitted. Any society is doomed to become extinct without similar extreme activity due to fat and satisfied life. But the extreme is not only the driving force of evolution, but also is the alternative to aggression that we inherit together with ours mother's milk. "If there is not any predator in the pond, then a fish weakened and died", said Chinese saying.

The attraction of Lhotse Middle was its inaccessibility. But when I saw it directly, from distance of 350-400 meters, as a sharpened, sky-rocketed toward ionosphere tower, crowned by a scroll of a firn roof, I understood that it is one of a number of a beautiful summits of the world.

Planning great attainment, we have to realize what is the main goal. Any addition objects always decrease the probability of victory.

The Strategy

One of character of our expedition was primarily the aiming to reaching the Middle summit. It's because we refused any extra goals: traverse and climbing the vertical walls. It's because we used extra oxygen and Himalayan, not alpine tactic. Last expedition's experience persuaded us to this strategy. Seeing at photos we have, we understood that reaching Lhotse Middle is the very difficult problem. Kanchung wall of Lhotse massif looks very harsh. The most difficult climbing waited for us in the summit area. Later, when we looked at the summit from the East side of South col, our impression about difficult of the route became only stronger. Is it possible to find safe way along the snow slopes of northwest wall? What are the steepness and condition of rock sections? Is snow ridges and buttress reliable or no? How long we will climb this relief? Will be there aid climbing or free climbing only? These questions asked each of us to himself.

The Climb

1st April 2001: Our expedition had reached a base camp on Khumbu glacier early enough, April 1st, ropes on glacier were still not fixed. Other expeditions didn't hurry to start their ascents. Our group together with Simone More and Denis Urubko have been fixing ropes to Camp 3. A West slopes of Lhotse shined laid-back by a black reflection without snow:

To the end of April the route to the South col was done and our group (Gilin, Ermachek, Sokolov, Koshelenko) had ascended upward to set up the Camp 4. Meanwhile two other groups (Timofeev-Vinogradsky-Bolotov-Kuznetsov and
Cherny-Elagin-Yanochkin-Volodin) descended down to Deboche for a rest. It was a hard working. In spite of sherpa's help we had to carry loads of 15-17 kg. It was not too small for a first ascent above 8000 meters. When I'd reached the South col, our tent was already installed; Gleb Sokolov and Denis with Simone already set the camp. There was not much snow; it seemed like we are on debris of a
shipwreck due to last years expedition's garbage. The main task of the advanced group was to find a gate to the Kanchung wall of Lhotse masif. We did this task not so good, partially due to the bad weather, partially due to insufficient acclimatization (we didn't use extra oxygen). 

1st May: Sokolov, Gilin, Ermachek at 1st May had carried some loads to the East side of a South Col and descended down. I felt some dissatisfaction and waited for Timofeev's group to help them. Next day we five together had reached our loads and atmosphere condition let us to have a good look at the rock walls of the Middle summit; this view didn't gave us
any optimism. There was not any way that was pleasing to us; slopes were really too steep and danger due to snow avalanches. Sergey Timofeev decided to seek a way via North ridge of Lhotse Main. I was advised to descent, and my friends put on the oxygen masks and went up along the Geneva ridge. May 2nd and 3rd they carried gear and ropes at point about 8100 meters. I met them when we relaxed in the green zone.

In the next days the weather became worse and Cherny's group couldn't ascent above 7300 (Camp 3). The three of this group descended to the BC, Vladimir Yanochkin remained in the Camp 3 with an intention to act at his risk. He hadn't any radio and we could only get any information about him from other expeditions. Yanochkin reached only our ropes on 8100 and his words about closeness of Middle summit were taken in by a majority of our climbers with some amount of distrust.

10th May: May 10th after the rest in Deboche our group have been ascending again. We had to find a way from the North ridge to the inside corner that lead to a lowering of the ridge between Main and Middle summits. After the bad weather all the upper camps were covered vastly with a snow and we as a leading group had to work with a snow spade. The most surprise was waiting for us on the South col. Yanochkin didn't tie the entry into our tent as needed (he wanted to help us to get in the tent) and, unfortunately, wind and snow made use of it before us. When I looked inside, I've seen as Gleb Sokolov with some emotions on his face tore ice from our sleeping bags. This was a depressing picture: a snowdrift inside the tent metle a little and our warm clothes and sleeping bags breathes by a moist freshness and a permafrost.

We had spent a night and reached in the morning the point 8100 meters. The weather was not so bad; the wall of Middle summit was sometimes visible. East and northeast slopes were overladen with a fresh free-flowing snow. A motion to the Kanchung wall was like a suicide. Gleb Sokolov was ascending along the ridge, for reconnaissance, Gilin and me were taking photos and film, Ermachek was next to us. Then Gleb called us. There was a gendarme in the ridge like a caryatid. I had atteched myself to the rope and ascended into the cloud. To the right from me overhanged huge ice serak, downward leaded steep ice slope. There was
impossible to state distances inside the strong fog that blends with the white slopes. We talked with Gleb and made decision to go farther. But above the gendarme the slope became steeper and more difficult. I returned into the
cloud. Crisp slope, serak that lead by its wall into the infinity and we - only two points on the huge unconscious area of this mountain.

Moving by touch under the overhangings of fragile blue ice, along the narrow stripe of a loose snow, I was comparing each my step with the inside voice of my heart. Oxygen mask disturbed me and making difficult technical actions, I
removed it often. A snow was sometimes so loose that we together with its began to slip to the edge of the ice slope. I touched the snow by my hands and asked him don't fall with an avalanche. The most dangerous was the place of ending of the ice serak. The ice wall loosed there its steepness, turning into the slope. Some moment I felt that I lose my equilibrium, but it ended well. Our rope ended in the distance of 5 meters from firn. Gleb fixed rope using pair firn anchors and we've got a chance to catch our breath, examining a situation. 30-40 meters above us hard firn turned to downy snow slope. We stayed without any move. This seemed like natural break line of possible snow avalanche. We looked to the east and seen between clouds our future route and Lhotse Middle summit. It seemed from here a little else than from the South col. We realized clearly that the route is real and the summit may be reached. My heart hammered gaily. But this
600-meters-length danger slope with a rare firn islands - islands of illusion of a safe balaying:

We returned to the South col. Gilin suggested to return. Gleb and me were about to make next day attempt to go farther. But we had not enough ropes and firn anchors. The night storm finally tipped the scale of our doubts. Yura
Ermachek after the hard night was unwell. In the next morning the weather kept on to storm, it seemed like the Earth became to rotate faster.

That day mystery of Lhotse Middle opened slightly for us his coverings. But why this mountain was out of attention of climbers until 1997th? Probably, because not every climber has the discoverer's vision, or because of talented
climbers aspired primarily to popular mountains and walls, to realization of their style. There is also a fashion in mountaineering like as everywhere. There was an opinion that epoch of first ascents on 8000-meters-summits went by. Lhotse Middle is not so evident summit, because of its position between Lhotse Main and Shar. Many climbers knew from time immemorial that Kanchenjanga has 5 summits, but there not any legend on Lhotse summits. Middle Summit is slightly visible from the South, behind massive walls of Main Lhotse and Lhotse Shar. From the East is lonely Kanchung area. On the South col Everest attracts all the
people.

From the 1997th appeared also psychological barrier, because this summit kicked off all the attempts to ascent it. There was creating the impression on Lhotse as on hard-hitting summit. This veil of inaccessibility covered it, causing doubts. But yesterday we met her face to face and it seemed not so bad. We need 2-3 days of good weather above 8000 meters and we'll reach it.

In the camp on 6400 meters we met Timofeev's group. Our words about situation had double effect. I can't to say that their reaction was joyful - we didn't reach the inside corner, didn't performed our task. But we found new facts about the route, it gave us hopes on reaching the summit.

Victor Kozlov talked us by a radio that the weather in the nearest days will be bad and Timofeev with his group realized to descent in the BC together with us. It turned out, that this forecast was mistaken, but instead May 16th we've got the permit on Lhotse Middle in the ceremonial atmosphere. Victor Kozlov's joy was the greatest. He have been pressing for this permit for several years.

17th May: Our schedule was corrected due to new circumstances, our tactic was changed slightly, our strategy stayed invariable. 17th Yanochkin and Volodin carries loads to the beginning of ropes we fixed; 18th Bolotov and Kuznetsov and 19th Timofeev and Vinogradsky ascents farther; Sokolov and Koshelenko had to start ascent at 20th, but at the instance of Nikolay Gilin we've started a day after. Ermachek descended down to recieve medical treatment. Vasily Elagin was now in our group, but ascended to 7000 meters, he refused his attempt because he caught a chill. He couldn't imagine that he could stop somebody on the way to the
summit.

In the meanwhile our success was increasing. Yanochkin and Volodin had made two cargo ascents to "caryatid" gendarme and descended. Bolotov and Kuznetsov passed 300 meters of the slope; next day Timofeev and Vinogradsky helped them.
Their group had reached the inside corner and set the camp-5 in the beginning of traverse of Kanchung wall (8120 meters).

23rd May: - The Summit

Gleb Sokolov on the summit of Lhoste Middle (8414m)

The leading group had now the chance to reach the summit, but there was the most difficult part of the route ahead of them. May 23rd our three reached the South col. There was slightly windy, but it was not a bad weather for 8000
meters altitude. We hadn't any radio contact with the Timofeev's group. The base camp couldn't contact with them too, but we explained this by an influence of the North ridge between us. The common excitation grew up. This feeling joint the rush to be in that day with our friends, our hopes on the success, our emotions about their fortune and the perception of approaching of the denouement. Clouds covered all the valley below than 6000 meters and Gleb started again debates about monsoon character.

In the 17:00 we heard at last our leading group. Audibility was very bad, but we heard some times the word "the summit". We in our tent and the people in the base camp asked each other: "do they say "the summit""? "Do you hear it"?

Later, in the 18:00 Timofeev confirmed than group is descending from Lhotse Middle summit. After congratulations, answering our question about the route condition and fixed ropes, he said to us that we have to bring two more ropes.

At 5:00 in of morning our three had left the Camp-4 on the South col. Then we had passed by a known way via Geneva ridge to the North ridge and reached at the 7:00 the Camp-5, that was set by our friends on the turning from the
ridge, below the huge overhanging serak. The sun was already high, but valleys were covered by clouds. Our way shined in the Sunrays. It was very warm and calm weather. We congratulated our friends with the ascent again. We realized after they answer our questions that they didn't climb the big firn roof on the summit, being afraid of its fall. They also didn't advise it to us. Evgeny Vinogradsky and Peter Kuznetsov said me that two ropes will be enough and I could to get ropes they had dropped by the way.

We descended along serak. The snow condition in comparison with the previous was excellent. During a week of a good weather the snow consolidated. Avalanche danger remained, but was not so fatal. We passed quick the snow slope and start ascending along rock ledges covered with snow to the center of the inside corner. Our leading group kept to us good tracks, but we need nevertheless move carefully. There was very difficult climbing, especially in the beginning of the inside corner. By the way I had found the rope that was promised to me by Peter and I cut about 70 meters. Gleb carried next rope. Nikolay Gilin took periodically a film with a video camera. We had passed by the snowed rocks and reached the ridge. The beautiful tower of Lhotse Middle was in front of us. Its shape was like the tongues of flame with the scroll of the summit roof. To the right and below, touching slightly the line of clouds, was visible the pyramid of Lhotse Shar. The rope leaded us to the base of the tower. Our friends' tracks meandered fluently on the snow ridges, disappearing on the rocks and showing up again. This pointed spire was definitely the key part of the route. Later we were told that Alexey Bolotov who leaded difficult sections climbed 12-15 meters vertical rock wall only after two unsuccessfull atempts. This was the most serious obstacle on the way to the summit. Alexey did it by free climbing, without any anchor. He had climbed all the rope and then fixed it by the firn anchor in the horizontal firn "knife" that is turning to the scroll of the summit roof. This was the point where fixed ropes ended.

Our group decided to improve the result and to risk reaching the summit roof. I had dropped my oxygen cylinder, took, as a second, Gleb's ice axe, 5 firn anchors and started to traverse the snow ridge's wall. All the last time I expected to find here loose, "empty" snow, but found the strong firn. I climbed the rope. Nikolay Gilin carried to me next rope. The roof's wall of 80 degree was seven-movement-length. The roof looked from the south as a half of a funnel. Thin fragile edge curved to the north, reminding about ephemerality of all the substances. Some deep breathes for a sure. Some light steps to the center of the roof. The rope is fixed by the firn anchor, but there is no any assurance that this snow cap won't dash down with the hissing. Some moments later I've found that the world didn't turn over. Gilin and Sokolow were near me. Gleb was sitting as a cowboy on the ridge when snow begun sliding down from under his boots. Gleb caught the equilibrium exclaiming something about "Oh, my god, how I dislike it!".

We've been taking photos but felt every moment that we are on the sinking ship. At 12:00 we had decieded taking photos in the safest place, below the roof.

We were returning from the Lhotse Middle summit. Beautiful moments of feeling my destination stopped me before I leaved the ridge. Some more pictures of the summit with our tracks to it, magical clarity, sunlight and intensive feeling of gratitude to Him - Creator of all the good. It was absolutely clearly from here that the world is round.

Later, May 27th at 11:00 Yanochkin and Volodin moving along fixed ropes, reached the summit. The weather was to that moment already unstable and they had to carve his way a new in many places.

Summary

Nine climbers from 12 have reached the summit: Alexey Bolotov, Petr Kuznetsov, Evgeny Vinogradsky, Sergei Timofeev, Yuri Koshelenko, Nikolay Gilin, Gleb Sokolov, Vladimir Yanochkin, Victor Volodin. 

Length of the route from the South col to the summit is about 3000 meters. We
all used extra oxygen from 8000 meters. The 5-years length history of attempts to ascent the Lhotse Middle first time was ended.

Leaders of ascent: Nikolay Cherny, Sergey Timofeev.

Climbers: Evgeny Vinogradski, Nikolay Gilin, Yuri Ermachek, Alexey Bolotov, Peter Kuznetsov, , Gleb Sokolov, Yuri Koshelenko, Vasily Elagin, Vladimir Yanochkin, Victor Volodin;

Film crew: S.Shakuro, I.Borisenko;

Expedition organizer: Victor Kozlo