Alexey Bolotov, a renowned Russian mountaineer, was born on January 20, 1963, and his remarkable climbing career spanned multiple decades. He is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished Himalayan climbers of his generation, with numerous first ascents to his credit.
In 1997, Bolotov successfully navigated the great new line of the West Face of Makalu, an achievement that earned him a Piolet d'Or, the most prestigious award in mountaineering. This award was added to his collection after his incredible Direttissima of the North Face of Jannu in 2004, as well as his ascent of Thalay Sagar in 1999, for which he received a nomination for the Piolet d'Or.
Bolotov's mountaineering career began on the "native mountains" of Kyrgyzstan, where he climbed notable peaks such as Chantengri Peak (6995m) and Pobedy Peak (7439m). However, it was his successful forays into the Himalayas that truly showcased his exceptional skills and determination. He conquered some of the world's most formidable peaks, including Lhotse in 2001, Everest in 2002, Dhaulagiri in 2005, Cho Oyu in 2006, K2 in 2007, Annapurna in 2008, Manaslu in 2009, Gasherbrum I and II in 2010, Broad Peak, and Kangchenjunga in 2011.
Tragically, Bolotov's life was cut short on May 15, 2013, when he perished above the Khumbu Icefall at an altitude of approximately 5600 meters. He had been attempting to establish a new route on the southwest face of Everest in an alpine style with Kazakh mountaineer Denis Urubko. The 50-year-old climber's body was discovered by Sherpas and Urubko, and it was subsequently recovered and transported to Kathmandu via helicopter, thanks to the efforts of Simone Moro and Maurizio Folini.
