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 - - -