Pik Olympia, Tien Shan, Kirghizstan. The UIAA (International Union of Alpine Associations), which represents 77 mountaineering associations world-wide, celebrated in 1994 the 100th anniversary of the Olympic movement. One of its youngest members, the Federation of Alpinism and Rock Climbing of the Republic of Kirghizstan organized for officials of the UIAA an expedition to a virgin peak, later named Pik Olympia (5026 meters, 16,490 feet). The following countries participated: Austria, France, Georgia, Iran, Kirghizstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. At 10:30 A.M. on August 7, from Advance Base, we could follow with binoculars Ukrainian Ivan Harinyak, Frenchman Louis Volle, Russian Vladimir Shataev, Georgians Lev Sarkisov and Zurab Kuchava and Kirghiz Vladimir Kommissarov struggling with the crux. They had spent the night in a snow cave with little food and liquid. Coincidentally, they had all the vodka with them, thus leaving us only tea to celebrate the united officials’ climb on the previous day. That day, most of us had reached the ridge after which almost all decided to descend. It was snowing again and so the chances of the summit for us in Advance Base were nil. Our hopes were fixed on the six, who reached the summit some three hours later. Pik Olympia is on the long north-south ridge which from Pik Nehru on the west ridge of Pik Pobiedy rises between the Diki and Proletarski Tourist Glaciers on the left bank of the South Inylchek Glacier. [Excerpted from the Quarterly Bulletin of the UIAA, N° 147, September 1994.]

Renee Hopster, Nederlandse Klimen Bergsport Bond