Anatoli Boukreev

Anatoli Boukreev

Anatoli Nikoliavich Boukreev Russian: Анато́лий Никола́евич Букре́ев (January 16, 1958 – December 25, 1997) was an ethnic-Russian Kazakhstani mountaineer who made ascents of seven of the fourteen Eight-thousander peaks, i.e., peaks above 8,000 m (26,000 ft), without supplemental oxygen. He made 18 successful ascents on peaks above 8000 m from 1989 through 1997.

Boukreev had a reputation as an accomplished mountaineer in international climbing circles, (which included summitting K2 in 1993 and Mount Everest via the North Ridge route in 1995) but became more widely known for his role in saving climbers during the deadly 1996 climbing season on Everest. The event was chronicled in a number of books, including the best-selling books Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, which was generally critical of Boukreev, and The Climb by Boukreev. Boukreev's climbing memoirs, Above the Clouds, was published in 2002.

In 1997 Boukreev was the recipient of the David A. Sowles Memorial Award given by the American Alpine Club. It was presented to him by Jim Wickwire, the first American to summit K2. The award is the American Alpine Club's highest award for valor in recognition of his role in rescuing climbers in the 1996 Everest disaster. Three weeks after receiving the award, Anatoli Boukreev died in an avalanche on the slopes of Annapurna in Nepal.