Pik Lenina, Third Winter Ascent. In February, only a few days after the second winter ascent, an independently operating light-weight Moscow team made the third winter ascent of Pik Lenina. They used snow caves in crevasses at 4800, 5800 and 6100 meters along the Arkin route on the 3000-meter-high north face. Ropes fixed by the Leningrad expedition were used. On the summit day, they had to climb 1000 vertical meters. It was very cold and it stormed heavily, especially in the summit area. At 7000 meters, C. Chepchev had to withdraw because of developing frostbite. The other two, A. Brattsev and I. Razuvayev, reached the top at four RM. The pair was back in their ice cave at 6100 meters late in the night. The completion of the ascent in wintry conditions by a small team of mountaineers is something new in Soviet expeditions practice.

Jósef Nyka, Editor, Taternik, Poland