Vitaly Abalakov

Vitaly Mikhaylovich Abalakov (Russian: Вита́лий Миха́йлович Абала́ков) (13 January [O.S. 31 December] 1906 in Krasnoyarsk – 26 May 1986 in Moscow[1]) was a Soviet chemical engineer, mountaineer and inventor.

Vitaly Mikhaylovich Abalakov
Born
Krasnoyarsk
Died
Moscow
Alma materD. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia
Occupationchemical engineer, mountaineer and inventor

Brother of Yevgeniy Abalakov, another famous alpinist, he made the first Soviet ascent of Lenin Peak in 1934 and two more ascents of this mountain. In 1936 he also made the ascent of Khan Tengri, where he lost several fingers and part of his foot.[2]

In 1938, he and others from his team were arrested by NKVD and were under investigation until 1940. He was accused of "open public propaganda" of western mountaineering techniques and "diminishing" domestic alpinists' achievements and being a "German spy".

Abalakov is credited with such inventions as camming devices in the 1930s, Abalakov thread (or V-thread) gearless ice climbing anchor, and many other climbing equipment innovations.[3][4]

Awards
  • Order of Lenin (1957)
  • Order of the Badge of Honor (1972)
  • Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (1943)
  • Honoured Trainer of the USSR (1961)

See also

Bibliography

References
  1. Great Russian Encyclopedia (2006), Moscow: Bol'shaya Rossiyskaya Enciklopediya Publisher, vol. 1, p. 9
  2. Royal Geographical Society, The Alpine Club (2011). Mountaineers. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-409-38331-4.
  3. Matt Samet (2011). The Climbing Dictionary: Mountaineering Slang, Terms, Neologisms & Lingo: An Illustrated Reference. The Mountaineers Books. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-594-85503-0.
  4. Расстрельное время


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