"I Vova. Hyundai hoch. Hitler Kaput " Bashny.Net

Translation articles («Der Spiegel», Germany)

Author: Robert Steiner (Robert Steiner)

The New York Times

They bathe in the lake at a temperature of minus 15 degrees, with a simple outfit rise to the most difficult peaks: with Russian extremals climbers from other countries can take on the most incredible destinations. Declaration of love to the real heroes of the mountains.

I first met Russian climbers when I was 17, and I worked a week or two in a shelter on the glacier Leschauxhuette. It was snowing when four bearded individual in a surprisingly old clothes, with huge backpacks and gold teeth in his mouth up to the glacier. They are not advised during bad weather to climb the north face of Grand Jorasses mountain (Jorasse), but, of course, to no avail.

On the first day it goes far they have failed, and we thought that they would return. On the second day they went more slowly, and we had almost caused the helicopter. On the third day - then it began to snow again - we thought they were dead. But then at night we at some point have seen the lights on top of the bivouac. Before that, I had absolutely no idea that you can climb so slowly and with such bad weather conditions, but, nevertheless, have fun.

Since then, many years have passed. During this time, I went up to the Russian new routes, broke with them countless camps froze and suffered, drank and danced, rises to the top and almost lost his life. I learned Russian and married a Russian. And for a second I did not regret it.

His first partner in the ascent I met in Freiburg. Then I skipped classes at the university, and he - language courses. Special areas for training for climbing was enough to start cooperation. «You - climbing? I - climbing. We climbing! »- I was surprised when Mike pulled reaching to the knees and woven his own procrastination (insurance, through which the rope is attached to a rock - it is usually equipped with two carabiners connected with a loop - note the magazine Der Spiegel), his retinue Share manually, huge, made of duvet jacket and climbing boots, which I, at best, could be identified as slippers, and with all this, he climbed to the eighth level.

Attending while another Schwab icon Mountain Rescue drew our attention to the obvious shortcomings on the part of security. Misha Comment: «You - Mounting Police? I - Mischa from Russia! »(You - mountain police? I - from Russia, Misha!).

Naked men in the parking lot

Yes, Russian - others are quite different. Especially those who are older and belongs to the generation, formed in the Soviet period. Climbing for them - it's not a sport, but «obras schisni». Therefore, you can often hear the words: "If you work interferes with the ascent, throw work!»

In the winter of 2006, I invited my friends from the Siberian Krasnoyarsk in the Alps. I knew that my friends from the "country of evergreen tomatoes" first met at a temperature of minus 50 degrees in the mountains Kodar, they are skilful conquerors big walls (big wall), as well as experienced professionals for winter conditions. The first thing they did was swimming in the lake for hardening Thunersee (Thuner See) - expired at 15 degrees.

Were present at the training subglacial divers from the police by surprise nearly drowned, and some motorists almost drove into the lake when they saw naked men in the parking lot trying to dry with the help of jogging.

After 14 joint mining camps, my friends in very bad weather conditions extremely difficult to choose a route on the north face of the Eiger (Eiger), which is still the most direct. Foolishly, they used radio transmitters operating at frequencies of the Swiss police. As a result of this dialogue took place: "Hi, this is the Swiss police. You may not use this radio in Switzerland. Unplug it immediately! »(Hello, this is Swiss Police. You are not allowed to use this radio in Switzerland! Shut it down now!) What to do? Nobody speaks in English, Vova desperately trying to remember a few words of Foreign who remember him mainly from war movies.

«Hallo! Ich Vova. Ich Eiger. Hände hoch - Hitler kaputt! »

In the same year we climbed the north face of the peak Pogrebetskiy in the Tien Shan. Difficult route at an altitude of over 6,000 meters. As it often tried to pass on to anyone I did not succeed. Our captain was Mihalitsin. It was so thick that I initially mistook him for our chefs. But then his stomach proved our salvation. Mihalitsin five consecutive days dragged on themselves fatally heavy backpacks, camping, and almost did not use any food.

He could have become a real polar explorer. While at home all trained hard and climbing, he ate and drank - this is his way to exercise. It is said that he spent many years did not see summer. As soon as it becomes warm in Siberia, he gathered his things and disappeared in the icy regions of the vertices, and only return in the autumn when the first snow has already fallen.

Unusual team

The key to the success of this group of Krasnoyarsk has always been team spirit. Its members practiced a lot, supporting talent, awakened the desire for more. Equipment was simple but appropriate. They slept four or five of us in a tent, which under German law can not be sold, and as a double. First crawled into the tent, and from the lack of space draws in the knees, and the other is closely adapts to it as a puzzle. This heat, at 400 grams per person tent weight. The disadvantage: when one member of the team starts to spasm and he had to turn over all had to do the same.

When it was necessary to install a hammock on a rock (a special device that is attached to the cliff, and is used as a night camp - note the magazine Der Spiegel), they used one for four. Model of the brand "made himself" was attached to the wall, and then it shot dragged on. I have often slept on this platform, including in 2008, along with three climbers from Chelyabinsk at the time consisted of 42 "rope" climbing the great wall in Karavshin. A strange team: a specialist in long-range missiles, sea fisherman and I - from the Swabian village teacher.

First of all I was struck by Eugene Dmitrienko. I have never met a person who would be so good to climb and would be so little known. I do not know how often he arranged a bivouac on the wall - probably hundreds of times. He counts many firsts and winter ascents - Troll Wall, Aksu, Erydag, Eiger, Trango Towers, Latok. It is also called "a man of seven guys." According to him, more and more insurance - a "sport climbing and not for climbers" and the corresponding void visible on his belt. His "anchors" are used throughout Russia, and he even invented an inflatable platform, in which there are no metal parts. He lives in Rostov-on-Don, where he trains young climbers.

We could talk for a long time. For example, on Gleb Sokolov, about Khan Tengri about Zakharov, on the south wall of the peak "Communism" of Shabalin, on the north wall of Mount Everest, about Ruchkin and Jeanne. About how Arkhipov without a mask at an altitude of 8300 meters in a matter of hours playing cards and won "those who have used breathing apparatus." Or Hrischaty, which took place on the most striking traverse in the world - 74 kilometers from Khan Tengri to Peak Victory. Maybe talk about that another time.

The Iron Curtain disappeared 20 years ago, however, the barriers between the two worlds of mountaineering still remain. Our view is always turned to the West, and we know little about what is happening on the other side, we know little about the people and the routes in the past, and in the present. Maybe now is the time to open your eyes.

And to send it back. After all, none of us has been able to repeat the great routes 80s.





Source: