Conquering the Celestial Mountains

Description

Published by Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1958, 1st English Language Edition, Paperback, No D/w (none issued), 130 pp, black-and-white illustrations, some wear at edges, V.G.   This scarce book describes the first ascent by a Russian Expedition of Peak Pobeda (7,439 metres) in 1956, the highest peak in the Tian Shan mountains (or Jengish Chokusu as it is known in Chinese).  The peak is on the Russian (now Kyrgyzstan)/Chinese border.  Vitaly Abalakov was the driving force on the climb which put all 11 expedition members on the summit, only a year after 11 Kazakhstan climbers had perished on the mountain in 1955. The volume also includes the first ascent of Muztagh Ata in 1956.