Briefly about myself
My first acquaintance with the mountains was quite early, because at that time I lived in Kyrgyzstan, which is known as the “Country of Mountains”.
At the age of 13, I went to a high mountain lake, and after I came down wet and completely tired, I said that I would never go to the mountains again in my life. And as it turned out, that was my very first deception of myself. Two months later, I forgot about all the suffering in the first ascent and went again. This time I went higher and further - it was my first encounter with glaciers. It was at that moment that I realized I was stuck in the mountains. And I was stuck for a long time. Because then I found my place, my home.
From that moment on, I literally started living in the mountains. I spent every weekend traveling all over the country, going to the mountains and gradually gaining experience as a tourist, from making a fire to assembling a tent, navigating the terrain and finding water sources.
Along the way, I became interested in rock climbing, ice climbing, and technical mountaineering. I plunged headlong into the mountains. Sometime in 2020, I was offered to try myself as a team leader and of course I agreed. I got certified and started leading groups. And then I discovered something new in the mountains. It was people. People who share my love for the mountains. And it was incredible, because communicating with people from different countries, different peoples and different spheres gives you a very broad outlook. That's when I fell in love with this job, because it combines my love and interesting new people.
Have you ever asked yourself why I go to the mountains?
For me personally, this is a very deep and philosophical question, because there is no one exact answer. For me, hiking in the mountains means peace and quiet. Hiking in the mountains is a new challenge in my life. Hiking in the mountains is like going to church or mosque for religious people.
My motto in the mountains is safety first.
This is what I support on every climb, this is my philosophy. Because hiking in the mountains should be fun and worrying about safety among tourists is the worst thing that can happen to a team leader. That's why I always put safety first.
My achievements are in numbers:
- the largest group I have ever dealt with was 32 people;
- the oldest tourist was 76 at the time of the climb, the youngest;
- about 100 climbs with tourists in groups, most of them on difficult and long climbs;
- more than 200 climbs to the peaks.
I consider my ascent to the summit of the Lord of the Winds, 7134 meters above sea level, to be a special one. It was my goal, which I had been confidently pursuing for 3 years. And it was the most difficult climb of my life, because at such a height, physical fitness is not the most important point. The main thing is perseverance and steadfastness of character. We walked for 18 hours in -30°C, with wind gusts of up to 80 km/h and a visibility of 3 meters. Of the 17 people who went to storm the summit, only my partner and I made it, although we were not the strongest in terms of physical fitness. I also set a world record as the youngest person to climb to the top🥇.
It is always an honor for me to be the first mountain team leader in the life of tourists, because you are the one who shows them this world. I remember the eyes of the travelers who had never been to the mountains before, when they came to Pamir. They walked for 7 days, smiled and said how incredible it was. I understand their reaction because I was once in their shoes.
My goals are related to the mountains:
- to complete the 7 peaks and 7 volcanoes program as a team leader;
- for personal purposes, it is: “Crown of the World” (climbing all 14 eight-thousanders in the world) and ‘Ilbyrs’ (three seven-thousanders in Kyrgyzstan).
- Achievements:
- climbing Lenin Peak 7134;
- first place in rock climbing competitions in 2016;
- first place and a record in the speed climb to the top of Uchytel Peak;
- in 2023 spent more than 140 days in the mountains
- participant of the Central Asian Ice Climbing Championship (3rd place).
Thank you for going to the mountains with Kuluar!
