Vitaly Mikhaylovich Abalakov
Encyclopedia
Vitaly Mikhaylovich Abalakov ( in Yeniseysk
– May 26, 1986 in Moscow
) was a Soviet
/Russia
n 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
.
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". Many of the alpinists arrested with Vitaly Abalakov were executed.
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.
He was awarded Order of Lenin
(1957), Order of the Badge of Honor
(1972) and titles Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (1943), Honoured Trainer of the USSR (1961).
Yeniseysk
Yeniseysk is a town in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. Population: 20,000 .Yeniseysk was founded in 1619 as a stockaded town—the first town on the Yenisei River. It played an important role in Russian colonization of East Siberia in the 17th–18th centuries...
– May 26, 1986 in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was a Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
/Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n mountaineer and inventor.
Brother of Yevgeniy Abalakov
Yevgeniy Abalakov
Yevgeniy Mikhaylovich Abalakov was a Soviet alpinist and sculptor. He is noted for making the first ascent of the highest point of the Soviet Union - Stalin Peak on September 3, 1933 as a member of the 26th detachment of the Tajik-Pamir Sovnarkom expedition. At the beginning of the German-Soviet...
, another famous alpinist
Alpinist
Alpinist is a quarterly American magazine focused on mountaineering ascents worldwide. It was originally published out of Jackson, Wyoming and was founded in 2002...
, he made the first Soviet ascent of Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak , rises to in Gorno-Badakhshan on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and is the second-highest point of both countries. It is considered one of the easiest 7,000 m peaks in the world to climb and it has by far the most ascents of any 7,000 m or higher peak on earth, with every...
in 1934 and two more ascents of this mountain. In 1936 he also made the ascent of Khan Tengri
Khan Tengri
Khan Tengri is a mountain of the Tian Shan mountain range. It is located on the China—Kyrgyzstan—Kazakhstan border, east of lake Issyk Kul. Its geologic elevation is , but its glacial cap rises to...
.
In 1938, he and others from his team were arrested by NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
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". Many of the alpinists arrested with Vitaly Abalakov were executed.
Abalakov is credited with such inventions as camming devices
Spring loaded camming device
A spring-loaded camming device is a piece of rock climbing or mountaineering protection equipment. It consists of three or four cams mounted on a common axle or two adjacent axles, so that pulling on the axle forces the cams to spread farther apart...
in the 1930s, Abalakov thread
Abalakov thread
The Abalakov thread, or V-Thread, is an ice protection device named after its inventor, Soviet climber Vitaly Abalakov. The Abalakov thread is a common method of protecting oneself while ice climbing because it is easy to create, doesn't require the sacrifice of expensive gear, and can be very...
(or V-thread) gearless ice climbing anchor, and many other climbing equipment innovations.
He was awarded Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
(1957), Order of the Badge of Honor
Order of the Badge of Honor
The Order of the Badge of Honour was a civilian award of the Soviet Union.It was instituted on 25 November 1935 and conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in production, scientific research and social, cultural and other forms of social activity, for promotion of economic,...
(1972) and titles Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (1943), Honoured Trainer of the USSR (1961).