European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 30, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday november 30, 1985 soviets run Plush base Camp climb to the roof of the world by Ken Olsen associated press o l Fig Galkin. Tears Welling in his eyes clutches a bouquet of wild Lowers As he stands Over the shrouded Corpse Olheis in Len Comrade. The massive Onria Peak looms ominously amid broken Clouds High above. Many people have died Here and we have buried  says Galkin. Head trained Al the Pamir mountains International base Camp where each summer some 300 foreign climbers risk their lives Lor a Chance to stand atop the Rool of fhe  Bui you can get used to it Galkin continues every time it s like the first funeral the first loss. Forgive us. Georgi if something was wrong if we did t do something we could  it was l the first Eulogy in this sprawling edelweiss carpeted Valley 11.600 feel High in a Remote Corner of soviet Kirghizia. Ii probably won t be the last. Georgi i Gulyaev. A 47-year-old soviet master of sport was the latest of More than two do in climbers who have lost their lives m the pamirs since the soviets opened the peaks to foreign climbers in 1974 like most before him Gulyaev fell victim to a summer storm. While checking ii fellow climber. Gulyaev stepped through a Snow Cornice and plunged 660 feel to his death. A few Days later the base Camp was jolted awake at 3.30 . By an Earth tremor followed by the threatening rumble of avalanches. This time the soviet trainers could breathe easier. All the climbers were Sale in their Camps away trom the treacherous Avalanche chutes. Such Are the peculiarities of the pamirs a  Jumble of peaks soaring More than four Miles High above the Southern soviet Frontier with China. Pakistan and Afghanistan. They have been known collectively As the Rool of the world since Marco Polo travelled the ancient silk route and traders wisely skirted the White giants. Since 1974 More than 3,000 climbers from 27 countries have challenged the main peaks the 23.545-foot Kurzhene Skaya Peak the 23.542-foot Lenina Peak and the 24.734-foot communism Peak formerly called mount Stalin. The highest Mountain in the soviet Union the climbers gather in the heart of a Valley named Achik Tash place of wind and water where the soviet sports committee runs an elaborate base Camp in Lenina s Shadow. From the Valley s Steep a Landing ridges there is no sense of scale because of the utter absence of Trees. The towering slopes of Lenina. A five hour hike away seem close enough to touch while the tents and buildings of the. Nearby Camp look like miniature toys. Short walks and even speaking in Long sentences become difficult endeavours in the thin air. Foreigners Are treated More like diplomats than Mountain climbers. A Phot after Landing by helicopter people attend a memorial in the Achik Tash Valley for fallen soviet climber Georgi Guryev. Reflecting the importance the soviets assign to International sports forums climbers Are assigned to spacious Green and Orange tents each wired for a 40-Watt tight bulb. There Are hot showers permanent office huts a first Aid station a helipad and a Post office. Flags of All participating nations flutter above a Central Parade ground. Dear guest announcements resound trom a Loudspeaker in russian. English and German. A Gong Calls climbers to the 200 seat dining Hall that serves thru i ii meals a Day and shows soviet films at night for vip there it a Small Lodge with a Stone fireplace Kitchen and Sauna. There s no need to negotiate fees with local guides and porters. Climbers instead consult with expert coaches and an Aeroflot helicopter ferries them to the Start of their climbs. I be never seen a base Camp like this in 15 years of  says Susan Giller. A computer Programmer from Boulder colo., one of 10 americans headed or communism Peak. It s really   recent visit climbers from 17 countries were allowed to mingle freely with one another and the soviet stall. But the soviet tendency to limit unofficial contacts with foreigners was not forgotten. In the dining Hall. Soviet Start members were seated on one Side and foreign climbers grouped by country on the other. Several teen age workers who taught some americans a russian card game were warned the next Day to Stop fraternizing. One staffer later explained almost apologetically that Camp workers must not mix with foreign gue str except on Camp  a few of the soviet climbers seemed eager to inspect and barter Lor High Quality Western mountaineering equipment not widely available in the soviet Union. One scandinavian reported trading his sleeping bag Tor 10 Ultra lightweight titanium ice screws said to have been made on the sly at an Aerol lol aircraft Plant. Foreigners Learned quickly that like most aspects of soviet life mountaineering is a collective Endeavor. This annoyed some of the More individual minded westerners who found themselves sharing Summit routes Wilh up to 50 other people they were monitored by safety conscious soviet coaches almost every step of the Way. You just have to sort of accept the fraternal atmosphere of sports around Here says Chris Curry an australian doctor who conquered both Kurzhene Skaya and communism peaks. It s really a collective sport Lor them. It s not an individual thing at  he end the other Westerner said they were attracted to the pamirs largely by a Well organized program that puts such High peaks within comparatively easy reach at bargain prices. The Lull fee for an expedition including transportation from Moscow meals in Camp and rations for up to a month of climbing averages about $1.400. Himalayan countries such As Nepal charge almost As much just for a climbing permit. The soviet Union s 7.000-meter peaks Are the easiest and cheapest 7.000-meter peaks in the  one climber said. There Are grim reminders of danger on the Periphery of the base Camp. A nearby Knoll holds nearly a dozen Graves. A the head of the Valley a huge Boulder left behind by an ancient Glacier bears inscriptions and plaques in memory of 22 fallen climbers. In the first year of International climbing. 1974, a Vanguard of the world s Best mountaineers saw a string of severe storms earthquakes and avalanches take 15 lives. Among them were Jon Gary Ullin a 31-year-old american who died in an Avalanche on 19th party Congress Peak and All eight members of a soviet women s team who perished in Hurricane Force winds and subzero temperatures near the Summit of Lenina. Many thought the government would again Seal the pamirs from outsiders but it expanded the base Camp and set up an elaborate safety net. Expert soviet climbers Are stationed strategically on the three main peaks to Render instant Rescue support. Soviet coaches consult with All foreign teams to assess their strength and experience before assigning routes. Each team is issued a two Way radio and is required to Check in with the base Camp three times a Day. No Solo ascents Are allowed. All women teams Are prohibited. About Gulyaev s death one Camp official said As Long As there Are mountains we his friends will come Here and make our peaks. Unfortunately such things