Khan Tengri, North Face, 1986. One of the most notable Soviet climbs of 1986 was the new route on the 2800-meter-high, very difficult north face of Khan Tengri (6995 meters, 22,950 feet) in the central Tien Shan. Eight climbers from Moscow, led by V. Koroteev, began on August 8. They bivouacked at 5350, 5725, 6100, 6350, 6550 and 6850 meters. The last bivouac was close to the summit. At 4900, 5000 and 5400 meters nearly vertical rock barriers were climbed. At 6500 meters, a 70°, 180-meter-high chimney led to the summit cone. The summit was reached on August 21, 1986. The rock was somewhat rotten. In 1974, Soviet teams led by Boris Studentin and Eduard Myslovski each climbed routes in the central part of the north face.

Józef Nyka, Editor, Taternik, Poland