Valery Babanov one of the world’s greatest alpine climbers
Babanov Story: How a boy from Omsk became one of the world’s greatest alpine climbers and summited Everest at 60
In the industrial city of Omsk, deep in the Siberian heartland, dreams of alpine glory seemed as distant as the moon. “A city where you can dream of Chamonix but not earn enough to get there,” as Valery Babanov would later describe his birthplace.
Yet from this unlikely starting point emerged one of mountaineering’s most audacious figures a man whose ice axe would carve a path from Soviet-era constraints to the summit of the world’s highest peak.
On May 19, 2025, at 5:40 a.m. local time, Babanov stood atop Mount Everest’s 8,848.86-meter summit, marking not just another conquest but the culmination of a 45-year legacy that began in 1980 when he first touched rock and ice in the USSR. At 60 years old, he had added the world’s most famous peak to a resume already glittering with first ascents, speed records, and two coveted Piolet d’Or awards.
The Making of a Master
Babanov’s mountaineering genesis came during the twilight of the Soviet Union, when opportunities for international climbing were virtually non-existent. Starting his career in 1980, he honed his skills on the formidable peaks of the Pamirs and Tien Shan, where he would eventually complete eight ascents of seven-thousanders.
Two of these were achieved in remarkable “camp to camp” speed style in a single day
Korzhenevskaya Peak (7,103m) and Lenin Peak (7,134m)—showcasing the efficiency and endurance that would become his trademark.
The collapse of the Soviet system opened new horizons, and Babanov seized them with both hands. As Denis Ducrot observed in his biography, Babanov was “a mountaineer who emerged from the post-Soviet chaos to find freedom with the power of an ice axe the freedom to climb in the Alps and the Himalayas.”
His climbing philosophy crystallized around alpine style that minimalist, self-sufficient approach that strips mountaineering to its purest essence. Over four decades, he would complete more than 600 ascents, with over 300 being highly difficult 5th and 6th category climbs.
But it was his solo and small-team adventures that truly set him apart, including approximately 45 long routes of the highest difficulty category across the Pamirs, Tien Shan, Alps, Yosemite, Alaska, and Himalayas.
Golden Recognition
International recognition came through the sport’s highest honor the Piolet d’Or, mountaineering’s equivalent of an Olympic gold medal. Babanov earned this distinction twice, first for his groundbreaking solo ascent of Meru Central (6,310m) in India in 2001.
The 2,000-meter route, climbed over five days in September, presented difficulties up to M5 5.10 A2 and showcased his mastery of technical mixed climbing.
Two years later, partnering with fellow Russian Yuri Koshelenko, he claimed his second Piolet d’Or for the first ascent of Nuptse East’s south face via their route “Moonlight Sonata” a 2,500-meter line graded ED: 6b M5 A3. These achievements established him among the elite of modern alpinism and proved that brilliance could emerge from the most unexpected places.
Denis Ducrot’s biographical portrait captures the essence of this transformation a man “derided by some as a ‘little Russian,’ who won two Golden Ice Axes and then found in himself the key to becoming a peaceful man.”
The Eight-Thousander Campaign
Babanov’s assault on the world’s highest peaks began in earnest as he matured as a climber. He would eventually summit seven peaks exceeding 8,000 meters, with five achieved without supplemental oxygen proving his exceptional physiological adaptation and technical skill.
Among his most notable achievements were ascents of Broad Peak (8,047m) and Gasherbrum I (8,068m), both completed via new routes in pure alpine style.
These climbs weren’t just about reaching summits; they were about pushing the boundaries of what was possible. His technical climbs on peaks like Kumbhakarna (Jannu), Kangtega, and Chomo Lonzo demonstrated a versatility that spanned from pure rock to mixed terrain to high-altitude endurance challenges.
The Everest Dream Fulfilled
By 2025, with decades of preparation behind him, Babanov set his sights on mountaineering’s ultimate prize. His original plan was characteristically ambitious—to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen, potentially becoming the oldest person to achieve this feat. The challenge represented, in his words, “the culmination of his lifelong preparation.”
However, the mountain demanded its own terms. Faced with conditions that threatened his safety, Babanov made the pragmatic decision that separates great climbers from dead ones.
“It was not an easy decision to deviate from the main plan and put on an oxygen mask,” he reflected. “But I always considered this option as a last resort.”
The decision proved wise. At 60, he successfully reached the summit, adding Everest to his collection of extreme climbs and proving that experience and wisdom can triumph where pure ambition might fail.
A Living Philosophy
Throughout his career, Babanov has embodied a particular philosophy of mountaineering one that prizes technical excellence, calculated risk-taking, and respect for the mountains’ inherent dangers. His graduation from France’s prestigious ENSA guide school in Chamonix in 2002 and his status as an internationally certified IFMGA mountain guide reflect his commitment to sharing knowledge and maintaining the highest professional standards.
His influence extends beyond his personal achievements. As a professional guide with 43 years of experience, he has mentored countless climbers and demonstrated that mountaineering excellence knows no geographical boundaries.
His journey from the industrial landscapes of Siberia to the world’s most challenging peaks serves as inspiration for anyone who has ever looked at a mountain and wondered “what if?”
Legacy Written in Ice and Stone
Today, Valery Babanov stands as one of the foremost figures in modern alpinism, his legacy written across the world’s most challenging peaks. From the technical walls of Yosemite to the death zones of the Himalayas, his routes and records speak to a career defined by innovation, courage, and an unwavering commitment to alpine style.
His Everest summit at 60 isn’t just a personal triumph it’s a capstone to a career that has redefined what’s possible in mountaineering.
In an era when commercial expeditions have transformed Everest into a crowded highway, Babanov’s approach reminds us that the mountains still belong to those who approach them with skill, respect, and the courage to dream beyond their circumstances.
As he once put it, “meanings of life revealed at the striving’s cutting edge” a philosophy that has guided him from Siberian dreams to Himalayan reality, proving that with enough determination, even the highest peaks are within reach.
