Anatoli Boukreev

Anatoli Boukreev (1958-1997) was a Soviet and Kazakhstani mountaineer known for his exceptional climbing achievements. He successfully climbed 10 of the 14 eight-thousanders, mountains above 8000 meters, without supplemental oxygen. Boukreev gained recognition in the international climbing community for summiting K2 in 1993 and Mount Everest via the North Ridge route in 1995. He was also renowned for his solo speed ascents of some of the world's highest peaks. Boukreev became widely known for his heroic efforts during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, where he saved the lives of fellow climbers. Tragically, Boukreev lost his life in an avalanche during a winter ascent of Annapurna in Nepal. His memoirs were published posthumously in 2002 under the title 'Above the Clouds: The Diaries of a High-Altitude Mountaineer.'