Lhotse | 1990 S Face
A USSR expedition to Lhotse in 1990 via S Face, led by Alexander Shevtchenko. Summit reached on 16th October 1990. 20 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 708 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | LHOT90301 |
| Peak ID | LHOT |
| Year | 1990 |
| Season | 3 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | S Face |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | USSR |
| Leaders | Alexander Shevtchenko |
| Sponsor | USSR Lhotse 1990 Expedition Profsport |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 23rd |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | - |
| Basecamp Date | 1990-09-09 |
| Summit Date | 1990-10-16 |
| Summit Time | 1800 |
| Summit Days | 37 |
| Total Days | 0 |
| Termination Date | - |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 8516 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 6 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 4000 |
| Total Members | 20 |
| Summit Members | 2 |
| Member Deaths | 0 |
| Total Hired | 0 |
| Summit Hired | 0 |
| Hired Deaths | 0 |
| No Hired | True |
| O2 Used | True |
| O2 None | False |
| O2 Climb | True |
| O2 Descent | False |
| O2 Sleep | False |
| O2 Medical | True |
| O2 Taken | False |
| O2 Unknown | False |
| Other Summits | - |
| Campsites | BC(09/09,5090m),C1(12/09,6000m),C2(14/09,6550m),C3(20/09,6800m),C4(24/09,7100m),C5(30/09,7350m),C6(06/10,7800m),SnowCave(11/10,8250m),Smt(16/10) |
| Route Notes | Route actually climbed was essentially same as planned route with variations no more than 50m to right or left. Most important variation was between C5 and C6 because falling rock and ice pieces on planned route and poor belays and where as to left of plan steeper but safer and good belay; difficulties: 150m below C1 and technical route from C4 all the way to summit; a vertical rock with avalanches of snow and ice and rock. Above C4 problems were loose rock, technical difficulties, ice covering on rocks made belays difficult and fierce winds began on 13th Oct. Fixed total of 4 km of rope. Had planned one group to climb in alpine-style but on arrival saw could not do so on their route with prevailing snow ice conditions and some did climbing via couloir. This way but could not get above 7600m because of danger from poor belays and falling things. On 11th Oct snow cave made by and occupied by 4 members. Very cold and windy hence no tents but cave. Fixed ropes above C6 (to 7900m only). Had to fix ropes above cave and 13th Oct all 4 men tried to reach summit and went above 4 fixed ropes but too windy and frosty and big mushrooms overhangs which made belay difficult (some fell 20m with snow but not hurt) so turned back just near summit. Only 4-5 ropes below top) at 8460m. On 13th Oct 3 members arrived at snowcave and 7 slept there. 14th first group very tired from climb of 13th without oxygen and a member (head cold) down only 150m and put tent there for night because visability nil on most difficult part of route and no fixed ropes here (doctor got bad frostbite) and 15th on down to C3 and 16th to C1 after reaching fixed ropes. 14th 2 members remained in cave; from cave not possible to follow others route and on 15th 2 members reached for better route: traversed to couloir and up a little (2 ropes) and back to cave, knowing couloir would go. 16th Oct Karataev and Bershov at first thought they would descend W Face but were informed by BC no one there. Left cave at 8:30 am (waited for sun, befelled by no oxygen and under estimated distance of summit). Took 2 ropes and 1 bottle of oxygen for later use - took much time to reach ledge (rock covered by snow on last 20 minutes below ledge and then hard rock) which got to 4:00 pm Karataev sick with flu, moved slowly and joined Bershov only at 5:15 pm 30-40m below summit. Had used oxygen on hard rock in morning for 3 hours. Finally on top about 6:00 pm together, stayed few minutes in strong wind with gusts from different directions. When descending felt he was a bed sheet on clothes line; Karataev now got pneumonia and frostbite (lost his glove and took moment to put on another one). One returned to cave at 2:45 am and other at 4:45 am and had to wait radio on stove just turned off so as to report safe arrival. First made liquids to drink (spent some hours), other slept till evening. Began descent 18th morning and reached small cave and met by Turkevich and others who helped them in descent. Turkevich could have gone to summit but turned back to help Karataev and Bershov. A member and Turkevich were strongest of team and did very hard work making route. On 18th descended only to point previous men, made cave there at 8150m. 19th to C4 and 20th one member to C1 and other 3 members to C4 only. 1st summit bid by Turkevich on 7th Oct with 3 members (to C4 also and a member who got pneumonia and down) who went to nearly to snow cave. Started from C4 without tent and other biv equipment; no fixed rope; reached difficult section and found good route; got to 8150m; spent night of 7th in small cave; on 8th could not reach C4 and group from that camp went up and made temporary camp for them all. Cesen: his reputation very good, but why he came down S Face difficulties? Beghin and Profit could climb only 1 km/day. |
| Accidents | Members pneumonia; several frostbite cases with 2 serious |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | Mustang |
| Commercial Route | - |
| Standard Route | - |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | - |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2450981 |
| Year | 1990 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | Used |
| Route (lowercase) | s face |
Members
20 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergei Igorevich Bershov | M | 1947 | USSR | Climber | Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR | Alpine instructor | Details Other expeditions |
| Vladimir Karataev | M | 1954 | USSR | Climber | Divnogorsk, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, USSR | Sports trainer | Details Other expeditions |
| Rinat Khabibulin | M | 1960 | USSR | Climber | Almaty (Alma-Ata), Kazakhstan, USSR | Engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Vladimir Khitrikov | M | 1954 | USSR | Climber | Dnepropetrovosk, Ukraine, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Evgeni Klinetski | M | 1960 | USSR | Climbing Leader | Jukovski, Russia, USSR | Sports organization official | Details Other expeditions |
| Valeri Kohanov | M | 1958 | USSR | Climber | Krasnoyarsk, Russia, USSR | Biologist | Details Other expeditions |
| Gennadi Kopeika | M | 1960 | USSR | Climber | Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR | Film-maker | Details Other expeditions |
| Peter Kozachok | M | 1954 | USSR | Climber | Dnepropetrovosk, Ukraine, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Alexei Makarov | M | 1964 | USSR | Climber | Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Anatoli Nepomniachi | M | 1942 | USSR | Climber | Taganrog, Russia, USSR | Head of psychology dept, radio institute | Details Other expeditions |
| Vladimir Obichod | M | 1955 | USSR | Climber | Moscow, USSR | Physical education teacher | Details Other expeditions |
| Vladimir Monogarov | M | 1926 | USSR | BC Manager | Kiev, Ukraine, USSR | Physiology professor | Details Other expeditions |
| Viktor Pastukh | M | 1957 | USSR | Exp Doctor | Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR | Physician | Details Other expeditions |
| Alexander Pitra | M | 1963 | USSR | Climber | Druzhkovka, Ukraine, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Alexander Pogorelov | M | 1957 | USSR | Climber | Rostov-on-Don, Russia, USSR | Sports manager | Details Other expeditions |
| Alexander Shevtchenko | M | 1948 | USSR | Leader | Naltchik, USSR | Sports organization official | Details Other expeditions |
| Igor Svergun | M | 1966 | USSR | Climber | Kharkov, Ukraine, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Sergei Tarasov | M | - | USSR | Climber | Ufa, Russia, USSR | Worker on tall buildings | Details Other expeditions |
| Nikolai Totmyanin | M | 1958 | USSR | Climber | St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Russia, USSR | Engineer | Details Other expeditions |
| Mikhail Mikhailovich Turkevich | M | 1953 | USSR | Deputy Leader | Donetsk, Ukraine, USSR | Alpine guide | Details Other expeditions |
References
6 recorded references.
| Expedition ID | Journal | Author | Title | Publisher | Citation | Yak 94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHOT90301 | AAJ | Nyka, Jozef | - | - | 65:220-221 (1991) | - |
| LHOT90301 | MM | - | - | - | 137:8 (Jan 1991) | - |
| LHOT90301 | MM | - | - | - | 138:9 (Mar 1991) | - |
| LHOT90301 | - | Akselrod, E. L. | Senstasiia, Kotoruiu ne Zametil | Iuzhnaia Palmira, Dnepropetrovsk, Russia | - | - |
| LHOT90301 | AAJ | Boettcher, Wolfgang | - | - | 82:407 (2008) | - |
| LHOT90301 | - | - | http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199122003/Asia-Nepal-Lhotse-South-Face-Direttissima | - | - | - |