The ascent of Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak at 8,516 meters, is marked by the 45th anniversary of Hristo Prodanov’s successful climb on April 30, 1981. Prodanov’s achievement established him as the first Bulgarian to summit an 8,000-meter peak and the fourth person globally to reach the summit without supplemental oxygen. Prodanov led the “Himalayas 81,” a Bulgarian national expedition organized to commemorate the 1,300th anniversary of the Bulgarian State.
The team undertook a rigorous trek, establishing intermediate camps through the formidable Khumbu Icefall before reaching Camp 4, situated in the ‘death zone.’
Due to adverse weather conditions, the final assault on the mountain commenced on April 30. Hristo Prodanov began the decisive ascent at 7 a.m., proceeding without oxygen apparatus. After navigating treacherous terrain and enduring deteriorating weather, Prodanov reached the summit at 1:55 p.m.
local time. At the peak, he planted the Bulgarian tricolor flag and left a capsule containing soil from his homeland. The descent was fraught with peril.
While Prodanov secured the summit, his teammates, Metodi Savov and Ognyan Baldzhiiski, followed, but faced equipment issues and struggled to maintain contact. Despite the challenges, the entire expedition successfully returned to the base camp by May 2. Prodanov detailed the extreme difficulty of the final push, emphasizing the profound emotional impact of reaching the summit after such a demanding undertaking.
Topics: #bulgarian #prodanov #first
