Alexei Bolotov

**Biography of Alexei Bolotov**

Alexei Bolotov, born on January 20, 1963, emerged as one of Russia's premier mountaineers, celebrated for his remarkable achievements in the Himalayas. Noteworthy among his accomplishments are the first ascents of the Direttissima on the North Face of Jannu in 2004 and a pioneering route on the West Face of Makalu in 1997. These extraordinary feats earned him the prestigious Piolet d'Or, with an additional nomination for his ascent of Thalay Sagar in 1999. His exceptional climbing skills were recognized by the Russian Federation, which honored him with the "Order of Courage" for his ascent of Makalu and the Homeland Service Medal II Grade for conquering Lhotse Middle in 2001.

Bolotov's Himalayan journey began with his first major peak, Lhotse, following early climbs on his home turf in Kyrgyzstan, including Chantengri Peak (6995m) and Pobedy Peak (7439m). As the new millennium unfolded, he quickly became renowned for his exceptional success rate in the Himalayas. His impressive ascent list includes Everest (2002), Dhaulagiri (2005), Cho Oyu (2006), K2 (2007), Annapurna (2008), Manaslu (2009), Gasherbrum I and II (2010), and Broad Peak and Kangchenjunga (2011).

Tragically, on May 15, 2013, Bolotov lost his life above the Khumbu Icefall at approximately 5600 meters. At the age of 50, he was attempting to establish a new route on Everest's southwest face alongside Kazakh climber Denis Urubko when a broken rope led to his fatal fall. His body was later recovered by Sherpa and Urubko, assisted by climbers Simone Moro and Maurizio Folini, and was flown to Kathmandu.