Badges / Medals / etc. related to mountaineering

[Bob]

Right now only consisting of 1 piece...

But since I enjoy mountaineereing in my free time, I've decided to try to expand on this area of collecting going forward.

Attached 2 scans of a Russian alpinism badge for climbers who've reached 5.000m. It would appear that Elbrus (highest mountain in Europe) is depicted on it. Of special interest for me since a year or two ago I summited Elbrus myself.

Note that the Germans in WW2 even made it to the summit of Elbrus (look on the map: a LONG drive) and hoisted the Swastika flag on it.

[Bob]

And here's what is probably depicted.

Mind you, Elbrus is well over 5.000M and the picture gives the wrong impression that it's a walk in the park. I'm sitting here at about 3.000m on the other side of the valley.

The other pic is of the summit - rather bad weather and very very cold (the weather can change very fast and dramatically on top of Elbrus and - due to the popularity and easy access - every year people get surprised on the summit with poor equipment and literally freeze to death). I was stupid enough to take my glove off out of desparation to get my camera working... fortunately still have all fingers:)

[Guest Rick Research]

From the markings (and that's the THIRD maker disk I've ever seen with their street address on it) that is a pre-WW2 badge-- yet note how many Comrades had done the trip, and probably at the height of the Great Purge!

[Bob]

A useful reference point found. Don't know if it's also referring to historical statuses but it does clarify why I've already seen a few different variations of this badge above.

http://www.taom.ru/alpine/nanga/english/ap...r/statuses.html

Official sporting statuses in Russia

Mountain climbing in the former USSR and present Russia is an official sport. This means that in climbing, just like in any other kind of sports in Russia, the championships are orginized, the participants are given an official rank or classification. The rank or classification is determined by set criteria.

Sporting statuses in mountatin climbing in Russia are awarded for a certain number of ascents of a certain complexity. The following grades exist:

Alpinist Badge - junior status;

3rd class;

2nd class;

1st class;

kms (candidate to master of sports) - is given to a 1st class climber who also summited no less than 3 peaks of a 5b category and at least one peak of a 6a category (Russian classification system). For example, technically K2 North Ridge route is ranked as 5b, but because of a high altitude of difficult route sectors it has 6a category;

ms (master of sports) - is given for participation and getting points in the All-Russia Championships. Often being a Champion of Russia is not just enough to get a master of sports. The Championships are comprised of successfully completing a climb by reaching the summit without any death or severe injury occuring;

msmk (master of sports, international class) - is given individually for outstanding achievements in sports. For example, some of K2 team members got their msmk status for climbing Everest in 1992 - thay were the first Russians (but not Soviets) to summit the highest point on the planet;

distinguished master of sports of Russia - is given individually for outstanding contributions to this Russian sport. This status is more of a political nature than of a sporting nature, but is usually given to former outstanding athletes.

There is one more "status":

"snow leopard" - an unofficial status, rather then a title, which is given to a person who successfully climbs 5 of the highest peaks in the former USSR. Four of them are higher than 7,000m and the fifth, Khan-Tengri, is 6995m high.

[Bob]

50 years of climbing mount everest commemorative medal from Nepal

RIP Edmund Hillary

[Bob]

Here 3 soviet pins - all three with a strong Elbrus connection - 2 of them noting the burnt down Priut hut.

[Bob]

reverse

[Bob]