The 45th anniversary of Hristo Prodanov’s ascent of Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak at 8,516 meters, occurred on April 30, 1981. Prodanov’s achievement marked several milestones: he became the first Bulgarian to summit an 8,000-meter peak, and the fourth person globally to reach the summit without supplemental oxygen. Prodanov led a 21-member Bulgarian national expedition, “Himalayas 81,” dedicated to the 1,300th anniversary of the Bulgarian State.
After several days of trekking from Lamsangu, the group reached the Khumbu Icefall and subsequently established intermediate camps up to Camp 4, located in the “death zone.”
Due to weather changes, the initial ascent plan was modified. On April 30, a core group, including Prodanov, began the final assault. Prodanov set out at 7 a.m.
without oxygen. After navigating deteriorating weather conditions, including high winds and snowfall, Prodanov successfully traversed the final sections. He reached the summit of Lhotse at 1:55 p.m.
local time. Upon reaching the peak, Prodanov planted the Bulgarian tricolor flag and left a capsule containing soil from his homeland. Despite poor radio communication, he successfully signaled his ascent.
The subsequent descent was arduous, involving dangerous obstacles. The remaining members of the expedition followed, eventually reuniting safely at the base camp. Prodanov’s accomplishment remains a significant achievement in Bulgarian mountaineering history.
Topics: #bulgarian #prodanov #first
What an incredible historical achievement for Bulgarian mountaineering.