In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
In 1984, Bulgarian mountaineers summited Everest via the West Ridge – the deadliest route, also known as ‘The Cruel Way.’
Mountaineers from around the world have tried to replicate this Bulgarian achievement. None have succeeded.
Forty years later, the last climbers to reach the summit via the West Ridge remain the Bulgarians. This is their story.
And the Grand Prize “Golden Rhyton” for Best Documentary Film goes to “The Cruel Way”! This time, most of the team were at the ceremony to receive the award, along with two more distinctions (the Critics’ Prize and the Bulgarian National Film Archive Prize) at the 29th edition of the “Golden Rhyton” Documentary and Animation Film Festival. In the photo,
In its statement awarding the prize for Best Mountaineering Film, the jury of the festival in Kraków—chaired by the renowned Polish director (and one of the finest high-altitude cinematographers), Dariusz Zaluski—noted: “A film in which the story of the legendary Bulgarian expedition along Everest’s West Ridge was completely rewritten due to the political situation in the country at the time.
През 1984 година, в чест на 40 годишнината от социалистическата революция, се организира първата българска експедиция към най-високия връх на планетата – Чомолунгма, известен като Еверест. 18 алпинисти се готвят да щурмуват върха по Западния гребен – най-смъртоносният маршрут, известен като „Жестокият път“. Христо Проданов, Иван Вълчев, Методи Савов, Николай Петков и Кирил Досков са първите, дръзнали да направят опит, равносилен на лудост, атакувайки Еверест по интегралния /изцяло по ръба/ маршрут на Западния гребен, неизминат от никого дотогава и от никого след това.
Изключителното усилие е съпътствано от героични дела и взаимна помощ, но и от фатални грешки и кризи в отношенията между алпинистите, които остават скрити повече от четири десетилетия. До днес. Непубликувани досега записи от радиовръзките и откровените разкази на главните участници в събитията ще разкрият всички тайни на този велик български момент.
„Жестокият път“ – това е историята на българската експедиция до Еверест през 1984 г. Цялата истина. 40 години по-късно.
In 1984, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the socialist revolution, the first Bulgarian expedition to the highest peak on the planet – Chomolungma, known as Everest – was organized. Eighteen climbers prepared to assault the summit via the West Ridge, the deadliest route, known as the “Cruel Way.” Hristo Prodanov, Ivan Valchev, Metodi Savov, Nikolay Petkov, and Kiril Doskov were the first to dare to attempt what was tantamount to madness, attacking Everest via the integral route (entirely along the ridge) of the West Ridge, untraversed by anyone before or since.
This extraordinary endeavor was accompanied by heroic deeds and mutual assistance, but also by fatal errors and crises in the relationships between the climbers, which have remained hidden for more than four decades. Until today. Previously unreleased recordings of radio communications and the candid accounts of the main participants in the events will reveal all the secrets of this great Bulgarian moment.
“The Cruel Way” – this is the story of the Bulgarian expedition to Everest in 1984. The uncensored truth. 40 years later.
