Engineer Ivan Valchev was born on August 20, 1947. He twice climbed the North Face of the Eiger (3970 m), in 1975 and 1978. He also successfully summited Communism Peak (7459 m), the West Face of Petit Dru (3733 m), Lenin Peak (7134 m), Noshaq (7492 m), and others. Together with Metodi Savov, he climbed Everest in 1984 via the West Ridge, achieving the first complete traverse of the peak (the Americans had completed a partial traverse earlier, in 1963). He returned to the foot of Everest as part of the national expedition in 2004. He was awarded the Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, 2nd Class.
Metodi Savov was born on May 25, 1947. He twice climbed the North Face of the Eiger, as well as the seven-thousanders Lenin Peak (7134 m), Korzhenevskaya Peak (7105 m), Communism Peak (7495 m), and Noshaq Peak (7492 m). On Lhotse, he reached an altitude of 8200 meters. Partnering with Ivan Valchev, he summited Everest in 1984 via the West Ridge, completing a full traverse of the peak. In 1987, he sailed on the yacht "Tivia" with Doncho Papazov, departing from Sozopol and reaching Buenos Aires. In 1988 and 1989, he led two winter expeditions to Annapurna. He returned to Everest in 2004 as the leader of the second national expedition. He is the author of the books "Eiger - A Dream" and "Everest - The Bulgarian Route." He was awarded the Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Second Class, as well as the Order of Georgi Dimitrov.
Nikolay Petkov was born on November 11, 1958. He is the only climber to have set foot on all three ridges of Mount Everest (8848 m) – the West, Northeast, and Southeast. Partnering with Kiril Doskov, he climbed Everest in record time via the difficult West Ridge (known as the "Cruel Way") in 1984, completing a full traverse of the peak by descending along the Southeast Ridge. He later summited Dhaulagiri (8167 m) in 1997, Everest from the north in 2004, Nanga Parbat (8125 m) in 2006, and Gasherbrum I (8068 m) in 2009. He is the first Bulgarian to have climbed four of the five highest continental summits, with only the highest peak in Antarctica remaining.
Kiril Doskov was born on June 2, 1958. He has climbed Lenin Peak (7134 m), Communism Peak (7459 m), and the North Face of the Eiger (3970 m) via the Heckmair Route. He also has summer and winter ascents in the Tatra Mountains to his credit. Together with Nikolay Petkov, he climbed Everest in 1984 via the West Ridge, completing an unprecedented speed ascent for the "Cruel Way," and made a full traverse of the peak, returning via the Southeast Ridge. For more than 40 years after them, no one has managed to repeat this route. He escaped from communist Bulgaria and settled in Germany. He graduated as a geologist and authored a scientific paper on the geology of the Himalayas. He currently resides in France. Kiril Doskov participates in the sessions of the International Federation of Sport Climbing, which successfully advocated for climbing to become an Olympic sport.
Doychin Vasilev (June 12, 1944 - December 7, 2024) participated in three national expeditions: Lhotse in 1981, Everest in 1984, and Annapurna in 1989. He climbed five eight-thousanders: Dhaulagiri (8167 m) in 1995, Everest (8848 m) in 1997, Makalu (8463 m) in 1998, Shishapangma (8027 m) in 1999, and Cho Oyu (8201 m) in 1999. He directed the films "Chomolungma" (1997), "Makalu" (1998), "Manaslu" (1999), "White Dreams" (2001), "The Children of Everest" (2003), and "The Path of a Thousand Feet" (2009). He was a member of the Bulgarian Antarctic expedition "Tangra" (2004-2005), during which he climbed peaks in the Tangra Mountains, as well as the highest peak in South America, Aconcagua. He is the author of numerous solo photography exhibitions. For his solo ascent of Everest in 1997, he received the highest state honor – the Order of Stara Planina, First Class.
Kancho Dolapchiev was born on October 23, 1944. He has climbed Lenin Peak (7134 m), Communism Peak (7495 m), Noshaq (7492 m), Petit Dru via the "Guides' Route," and others. During the Lhotse expedition, he reached an altitude of 7350 m. He participated in all the ski-mountaineering championships from the beginning of the sport in Bulgaria. He was a long-time professor at the National Sports Academy. He is the author of the books "Bulgarians on Communism Peak," "Bulgarians in the Hindu Kush," and "High Altitude Alpinism." During the "Everest 1984" expedition, he was part of the leadership team that selected the climbers.
Ognyan Baldzhiyski was born on October 30, 1945. He climbed Communism Peak in 1972 during the first Bulgarian expedition to the highest peak in the USSR. In 1981, he participated in the first Bulgarian expedition to an eight-thousander, Lhotse (8516 m), where he reached an altitude of 8200 m. He was a member of the national expedition to Mount Everest (8848 m) in 1984, serving as deputy leader in charge of organizational and financial matters. He has ascents in the Caucasus, Pamir, Tien Shan, Alps, and Carpathian Mountains to his credit. Baldzhiyski worked for over 50 years in the mountain rescue service.
Hristo Prodanov – (February 24, 1943 – April 21, 1984). He climbed Lenin Peak (7134 m), Korzhenevskaya Peak (7105 m), Communism Peak (7495 m), Noshaq (7492 m), Grandes Jorasses, Petit Dru, Matterhorn, and others. He was the first Bulgarian to climb an eight-thousander, Lhotse (8516 m), in 1981, and also the first climber ever to achieve a solo ascent of it without supplemental oxygen. He was awarded the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 1st and 2nd class. He served as the deputy leader of the 1984 Everest expedition, in charge of technical matters. He was the first Bulgarian to summit Everest, doing so without supplemental oxygen via the West Ridge. He remains there to this day.
Avram Avramov – (February 6, 1933 – November 28, 2019). He climbed the West Face of Petit Dru, Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Moine, and had ascents in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. He summited Lenin Peak and Communism Peak. He was a recipient of the Order of Cyril and Methodius, 2nd class, and the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 3rd class. He was the leader of the “Everest 1984” expedition.
Georgi Imov (1936) – He climbed Lenin Peak via two different routes. He has numerous ascents in the USSR, Poland, Czechoslovakia, France, Iran, and others to his credit. For many years, he was the head of the Mountain Rescue Service in Plovdiv. He is a recipient of the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 1st class.
Dimitar Bardarev (1949-2020) – He climbed Lenin Peak, Noshaq, and Communism Peak. On Lhotse, he reached an altitude of 7950 m. He was awarded the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 2nd class, as well as the Order of Georgi Dimitrov.
Dinyo Tomov (1959 – 2002) – He climbed Lenin Peak, Communism Peak, the North Face of Petit Dru, made a first ascent of a new route in the Mongolian Altai, climbed the Grossglockner via the “Pallavicini” route in the Alps, and others. He died in a car accident on the way to Dr. Kulaksazov’s funeral.
Dr. Stayko Kulaksazov (1949-2002) – He graduated from the Medical Academy in Sofia, specializing in surgery. He was the doctor on the “Lhotse 1981” expedition, where he reached an altitude of 6500 m. He climbed Lenin Peak via two different routes and Korzhenevskaya Peak. He was the doctor on the “Everest 1984” expedition. He was a recipient of the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 2nd class. He was a respected member of the Medical Commission of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA).
Zapryan Horozov (1955) – He has climbed Lenin Peak and Communism Peak, with ascents in the Tatra Mountains, Caucasus, and Pamir. He summited the eight-thousanders Dhaulagiri in 1995 and Makalu (without supplemental oxygen) in 1998.
Kostas Kanidis (1957) – He has climbed Lenin Peak and Communism Peak, with challenging ascents in Greece, Mongolia, and Austria. For his 60th birthday, he climbed Mount Elbrus once again.
Lyubomir Iliev (1958) – He has climbed Lenin Peak and Communism Peak. He has ascents in the Caucasus, Dolomites, and Alps to his credit. As part of a rope team with Nikolay Petkov and Ivan Maslarov, he achieved his greatest accomplishment – a winter ascent of the North Face of the Matterhorn.
Engineer Lyudmil Yankov (1958-1988) – He climbed Lenin Peak, Korzhenevskaya Peak, Communism Peak, and the North Faces of the Eiger, Matterhorn, and Civetta via the “Philipp-Flamm” route. He made the first Bulgarian ski descent of Elbrus. On the “Lhotse 1981” expedition, he reached an altitude of 7950 m. He was a recipient of the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, 2nd class. During “Everest 1984”, he rapidly ascended 1330 meters in elevation in an attempt to rescue his friend Hristo Prodanov. As a consequence, four of his fingers were amputated. In an essay from his second book, he prophetically described his impending death…
“I flew for a long time… Each rocky ledge took a part of my life. The rocky ledge tore at my living flesh… I wasn’t afraid… It only hurt… It hurt a lot. The rocky ledges were tearing my children away from me… I saw their eyes, I feverishly remembered the touch of children’s sweaty hands… There was no time… The snow was flying headlong towards me.”
A day after writing these words, Lyudmil died below Kamilata Peak in the Rila Mountains.
Petko Totev (1959) – He has climbed in the High Tatras, the Austrian Alps, and the Mongolian Altai, and has summited Lenin Peak and Communism Peak. He climbed Everest from the north in 2004. He also conquered Cho Oyu (8201 m) in 2007, as well as Broad Peak (8047 m) in 2001. He is the president of the Bulgarian Federation of Climbing and Alpinism.
Slavi Dermendzhiev (1955) – He has climbed Korzhenevskaya Peak, Communism Peak, Lenin Peak, and others. On the “Lhotse 1981” expedition, he reached an altitude of 7950 m.
Stamen Stanimirov (1953-2015) – He had ascents in Italy, Yugoslavia, Switzerland, France, and the USSR, including: the North Face of Triglav, the North Face of Civetta, Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, East and West Elbrus, Shchurovsky via the “Surkata” route, Petit Dru, and Grandes Jorasses. He also climbed Lenin Peak, Korzhenevskaya Peak, and Communism Peak.
Todor Grigorov (1950) – He has climbed Lenin Peak, Korzhenevskaya Peak, and Communism Peak. He has ascents in the Polish Tatras, the Austrian and Julian Alps, Italy, the USSR, and Mongolia to his credit.
Trifon Dzhambazov (1944) – He has climbed the North Face of the Matterhorn, the North Face of Petit Dru, Shchurovsky Peak, Shkhelda, Elbrus, and others. He summited Noshaq, Lenin Peak, and Communism Peak. During the “Everest 1984” expedition, he helped Ivan Valchev, who had summited the peak, descend to base camp at a time when Valchev was completely exhausted and on the verge of death.
Engineer Stefan Kaloyanov (1940-2007) – He participated in the expedition as a radio operator and translator. He took part in ascents in the Caucasus – Elbrus (5633 m), and Pamir – Lenin Peak, reaching 6600 m. He participated in the “Lhotse 1981” expedition as a radio operator and translator. He was a recipient of the Order of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria.
Milan Ognyanov (1942-2004) – Director and cameraman of the expedition. He directed “26 Flags at 7495 m,” which documented the ascent of Communism Peak. After the Everest expedition, he made the documentary films “Everest 1984” in two parts (1984) and “Everest – Joy and Sorrow” (1986), produced by STF Ekran and Bulgarian National Television, as well as the radio feature “I Remain on Standby, or Everest, 20 Years Later,” for Bulgarian National Radio in 2004. The footage from Milan Ognyanov’s films will “come alive” on screen again, as it constitutes an important part of the archival material used in “The Cruel Way” movie.
