Respect the one beside you. Love him.
That is what you were born for – to create, to love, not to wreak havoc.

Avram Avramov still lives not only with his pleasurable reminiscences of the grand Bulgarian accomplishments in 1984, but also with the bitterness brought by rumors about untold secrets, the criticisms and attacks regarding the former ruling system setting up the expedition. Therefore, it is good to recollect the truth about the year 1984, recounted by the man who headed those dare devils and might well have been the most reckless among them all.

Let us retrace the steps of the 24 undaunted Bulgarians, who set off to conquer the highest top along the most difficult mountain trail and at the toughest time of the year – prior to the high season. Let us also evoke the memory of the man, about whom Avram claims, “22 years ago I said that nobody would repeat Hristo’s climb up the West Ridge without oxygen in the next 25 years… I hope I will live long enough to see my prediction fulfilled. Although Avram Avramov believes that the best mountaineer is the one who survives, in his opinion men like Hristo Prodanov are born very rarely, and mostly at the foot of the Balkan Mountain Range (Prodanov is from Karlovo).

Now the head of the 1984 Everest expedition is 74 years old. He has long since quit climbing high peaks, but he has acquired knowledge and experience that can help many a man to scale them.

He was born in a perfectly flat place – the village of Dyankovo, Razgrad region. “It must have been their unavailability that awaked my love for mountains. I started climbing as a pupil at the Sports School in Plovdiv. My wife and I fell in love there, too. Our classmates took us climbing up and down the gorges around Plovdiv.

This was the beginning – 1949. As a student at the National Sports Academy, especially after opting for majoring in Alpinism, his passion was kindled and has remained unquenched to date – for over 50 years now.

He was 22 when his feet got frostbitten on passing through the Koncheto in Pirin Mountain. For six months he could not rise to his feet, he had seven toes amputated. Instead of giving it all up, he mustered up strength to devote himself to the mountain.

He was appointed head of the expedition after the rejection or declining of three or four other nominees. One night an offer was extended to him to spearhead the expedition, “We do not expect you to climb. Rather, to become a leader. Do you agree?” Avramov replied that at 2.00 a.m. he could not make up his mind. He needed a day or so to sleep on it.

“A few days earlier there was a meeting as a result of which a number of developments ensues. I had not seen Hristo Prodanov for over 12 years. We had not even spoken to each other. I first met him in his teens. My wife Blagovesta and I worked at the Central Mountain School, Malyovitsa, for years on end. I spent 27 years there - as an instructor, senior instructor, director, manager, and what not.

He was 16 years old when he came in Blagovesta’s group. She was one of his first instructors in alpinism. We established a close relationship. He made rapid progress and achieved tremendous success. In 1972 I was urgently summoned to lead an expedition to the highest peak in the former Soviet Union – Mt. Communism (7,459 m). I was the one to single out the participants. Training sessions, selection and scientific research were conducted. Then it came to the dissension between Hristo Prodanov and myself. I refused to take him on the expedition. But he was one of the most influential figures in Bulgarian alpinism at the time.

I did not take him because he reacted sharply and left the hall during the final selection of the team. Besides, many of the guys were set against him. He had a very strong character, he was the best. Most of the others could not possibly match strengths with him. However, I could not risk taking anyone who was unpopular in the group or was not fond of some of the other members. I have always attached utmost importance to teamwork…

In the early 80s I worked for the trade unions, in charge of the Physical Education, Sports and Tourism Department. One morning, bright and early, long before the beginning of the working day, Hristo knocked at the door of my office. I occupied a dovecote-like attic, just like all the other sport and tourism related departments.

I could not believe my eyes that he had come to visit me. He spoke succinctly, “We have not seen each other for ages, there is nothing to discuss. You know why I am here – Bulgarians are to climb Mount Everest. Preparation is underway. I was nominated as leader, but I declined. I have come to ask you to lead this expedition, because without you no Bulgarian would set foot on Everest.”

I knew he had connections in the managing body, which I did not. Hristo’s request, I accepted it as such, meant a lot to me. His words were appreciative – he was well aware of what kind of leader and alpinist I was. I had climbs to altitudes of 7,500 m, I had climbed twice Lenin Peak (today known as Kauffman) in Pamir – the first Bulgarian ascent to over 7,000 m, Mt. Communism (this is my top achievement in mountain-climbing).

Hristo was the first Bulgarian to conquer Lhotse two years earlier. He was head of the expedition. He said he would do all in his power to help me head the expedition as long as I agreed.

After his visit the previous 12 years vanished into thin air. Thus it came to my meeting with the management of the Alpinism Federation, with the central managing body of the Tourism Association, under whose aegis the expedition was to take place. I accepted on several conditions (then it was hard to lay down conditions, as it is now in fact). I did not want to have anyone tampering with my work and insisted on selecting the team myself. This sparked off strong reactions but I did not make concessions.

The training had started two or three years earlier on. The initial number of 135 men was reduced to 40 or 50. About twenty of them were supposed to participate. We found it difficult to reach an agreement, but eventually they agreed to my terms. Of course, the arguments continued even thereafter – the attempts to put up further nominations, the attempts to exert pressure on me. At the end of the day, my condition was fulfilled against the odds.

I was also lent a helping hand by people engaged in the training – Andrey Lukanov, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Tourism Association, and the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, another member of the Political Bureau, Petar Dyulgerov – Chairperson of the Central Council of Trade Unions. They helped me with the team makeup – whenever interference threatened, I would turn to either of them, so finally I was appointed head of the expedition in April 1983.”

Over the next 12 months they conquered several 8,000 meters-plus peaks in Pamir. A special camp was set up in Moscow at the medical-biological center for astronauts training, where they had the whole equipment at their disposal. They attained levels above human possibilities.

The Bulgarian Epic along the Arduous Path
In the mountain you die the death of a man, climbers say.
“We set out along the West Ridge, the Arduous Path, since we had no other choice – all the other routes had already been taken by then,” Avram Avramov recounts.

“Hristo performed no mean feat in climbing the West Ridge without oxygen apparatus. Everyone was fully aware of his potential, not for nothing was he nicknamed the Iron Muscle. I did not let him join the first or the second liaison unit, but he outstripped them all halfway. A very strong character, but stubborn as well.

When the time came to attempt the peak, Avram Avramov’s initial decision was that Hristo Prodanov and Ivan Valchev, being best trained, should make the first liaison unit, but both alpinists would rather go for other partners. Another reason why Hristo set off with Sherpa Rinji lied in his hankering to climb the peak without an oxygen mask. Rinji was used to altitudes, but was not good enough technically to traverse some spots so he gave up. “Prodanov made a number of mistakes, and the major among them was that he took the same route back down – the West Ridge.” No one has managed to climb down this hang so far. Moreover, these were not the directions given by the leader. The plan envisaged a descent along the classical route. “He wanted to achieve what nobody ever had,” Avram Avramov said.

“There is an unwritten rule in alpinism that over 8,000 m every alpinist takes their own decisions. Even the leader does not have the right to intervene, as this may exacerbate the situation. Due to the deficiency of oxygen people tend to lose their temper easily at this altitude.”

The next tough moment for Avram Avramov came when another four alpinists had reached the top, but none of them had yet climbed down. Metodi Savov and Ivan Valchev were in a grave condition. “It was lucky that the younger climbers – Kiril Daskalov and Nikolai Petkov, after an erroneous one-hour trek in the direction of China, returned along the southern route and helped them out. Mountain-climbing is a passion, which is beyond remedy…”

Welcome at Sofia airport – Petar Dyulgerov 1959, Avram Avramov at Volna Peak, Spain
The conquerers (right to left) – Lyudmil Yankov, Georgi Imov, Nikolai Petkov, Kiril Daskalov, Metodi Savov, Ivan Valchev, Avram Avramov

To the attacks that are still leveled at him,
Avram Avramov responds, “Have you ever heard of anyone having done something and not having been judged? I haven’t. Of course, it matters who judges you. Some will not cease until my last day. It is their right to do so, but for me… I also said it when I was asked what the most important thing was – it is the outcome. Five Bulgarians conquered Mount Everest, although the expedition ended up in tragedy for Hristo Prodanov.

I am most grateful to those who have labeled me as a mean, tough, cruel and tyrannical leader, because if I had not been like that I would not have led the party. It is hard to be on one side, and all the rest – on the other. On May 6, 7 and 8, following the death of Hristo Prodanov, we embarked on the second ascent. This is beyond most people’s wildest dreams. To face those 23 men, none of whom was willing to stay back. And not all of them could make their way up the mountain, nor did they have sufficient strength. It was hard to see the faces of these guys, sometimes savage, ready to kill me if I settled on someone else.

Every one of them harboured a grudge against me. They are all wonderful guys. We exchanged harsh words, but at the end of the day we survived.”
One of the appraisals Avram Avramov is most proud of belongs to Indira Gandhi. They had the chance to talk for five minutes during the reception, which the Prime Minister of India gave after the end of the expedition. The Indian expedition was also completed, having climbed the peak at the same time, and the two had a preliminary agreement to aid each other on the mountain. Indira Gandhi told him, “You have accomplished something no one else has as yet.”

The expedition leader cannot forget the numerous parcels posted by ordinary people, among them notes conveying messages to the alpinists.
The book, which Avram Avramov wrote, Everest up the West Ridge, came out in 1987. He had prepared over 900 pages, one third dedicated to research and results, but a mere 100 pages were published. That is why the assistance of Mr. Petar Kanev from Yambol (now a publisher, MP in the 40th National Assembly) proved crucial for the marketing of the book. He procured 750 kg of American paper for the cover and the book was eventually brought out. (The excuse for not publishing it was the shortage of paper).

Strangely, 1984 Everest keeps raising questions even today. What is more, all the instructions of the leader, transmitted through the sender, were recorded. You cannot utter a single word without recording it onto a CD. The expedition recordings are stored on 76 CDs. Now they are gone, stolen. The director Milan Ognyanov used them for the film, but then they disappeared…

The truth, minute by minute, lies in Avram Avramov’s diary
These are 120 handwritten pages, “Even I cannot change anything in them. They cherish the secret of 1984 Everest – strictly personal, but I have nothing to feel ashamed of. Without corrections or additions. There is simply no sensation. It is a hard fact that those Bulgarian men boldly took up the ultimate challenge of conquering the highest peak on Earth – the ultimate dream of every climber. We were confronted with this challenge for 102 days and nights.”