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Earlier this year a small group of doctors and nurses headed out to Kyrgyzstan in order to visit Lenin Peak. They had been invited by the Slava Topol Project to help create a series of medical posts that are planned to open in 2025. Here’s Yasmin Down to tell us about her experience…

Hi I’m Yasmin! I work as an ICU nurse and am about to finish UCLan’s Diploma in Mountain Medicine (DiMM). I have been living in Munich for the last two and a half years, but will be starting on a graduate medical programme in Chester this September. I love to get out into the mountains for any activity, but especially a high-alpine adventure, whether that’s climbing, skiing or both! I first heard about Lenin Peak and the Slava Topol Project during a talk on the first residential module of the DiMM. This actually painted a pretty gloomy picture of the mountain - a low success rate, a lack of search and rescue services and a very disgusting sounding toilet system high on the mountain yet somehow I was instantly sold and offered myself up as a volunteer … and what a great decision that was! 

As many of you know, Peak Lenin (7134m) sits on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and is the highest mountain in the Trans-Alay range of Central Asia. Although regularly advertised as ‘the world’s easiest 7000m peak’, its summit success rate is less than 25%! This, alongside, approximately 15 serious incidents per year - one third of which are fatal - appears to tell a very different story. 

Memorial at BC to eight women who died on an ascent of Lenin Peak in 1974

Lenin Peak holds a lot of history. Reminders of this can be seen close to both Base Camp (BC - 3600m) and Advanced Base Camp (ABC - 4200m). For me, one of the most moving is a memorial that lies at the foot of Pik Petrowskij, just 15 minutes walk from BC. This stainless steel plaque commemorates 8 women from the former Soviet Union who died whilst attempting the first all-female ascent of Peak Lenin in 1974. The group were caught in a storm shortly after reaching the summit and unfortunately no one survived.  

A little further on, in the direction of Traveller’s Pass, there is a glistening boulder amongst fields of beautiful garlic flowers. It is here that 43 climbers are remembered, all of whom died during one of the largest mountaineering disasters in history. On the evening of 13th July 1990 an earthquake, originating in Afghanistan, caused a serac above Camp 2 to collapse, triggering an avalanche that swept through the camp. Sadly, there were only 2 survivors. Far below, at the foot of the glacier it is sometimes possible to identify the clothing, equipment and remains of the victims. These are regularly collected and buried at the BC memorial.

The Slava Topol Project team at Lenin Peak ABC. From left to right - Dave Wade, Sarah Wysling, Tash Brook, Stephen Tayor, Jeremy Windsor, George Rodway and Yasmin Down

Dave Wade (American Ski Patroller and Emergency Medical Technician) and Stephen Taylor (British Academic and Mountaineer), were climbing on the mountain in 2023 when they came across a climber at 5300m who was suffering from high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE). Although they were able to successfully rescue the mountaineer, the incident highlighted the need in to improve the search and rescue services on the mountain. Along with Jeremy Windsor (a Consultant Anaesthetist and Director of UCLan's Centre for Mountain Medicine) a plan began to emerge.

The Slava Topol Project has set out a 5-year plan, whereby volunteer medics and members of search and rescue teams will come together with the existing infrastructure and camp teams to refine current search and rescue services, provide medical care and deliver high-altitude education. 

Slava Topol

Our aim on this first visit was to meet with the different camp teams and ascertain what medical services are currently available. We spent time familiarising ourselves with BC and ABC, chatting to the medics working out there as well as identifying the sites of next year’s camps and the medical supplies that will be needed. I cannot wait to get back out there and see the results!

Despite the many tragedies on Peak Lenin it is an incredible and exciting place. Amongst beautiful landscapes and threatening glaciers there are friendly, warm and welcoming locals and mountaineers. It holds a special charm that will entice you to come back again and again! 

*The project is named after the late Slava Topol (Vayacheslav Sheiko) who was admired by many for his incredible climbing and skiing ability. Unfortunately, Slava died whilst guiding on Lenin Peak in 2022. His family, who continue to own Topol Camp, have been generous supporters of the project and provided a warm welcome to the volunteer medics during their time in Kyrgyzstan

The Slava Topol Project seeks to improve safety on Lenin Peak. To find out more and make a donation please click on this link.

If this is your sort of thing why not take a look at other posts on the blog.

Better still, why not join the British Mountain Medicine Society! More information can be found here.

For more on the University of Central Lancashire's Diploma in Mountain Medicine take a look at this.