A.) Thank you for good words. Many of climbers
themselves are praiseworthy.
I am climbing about 40 years, 30 years I use to coach
military climbers team. This experience did help me with technical and tactic problems on
Everest.
Q.) Was Everest what you expected ?
A.) I had lots of information about Everest from books
and climbers. So it was not nothing unexpected.
I was just too concentrate on my health. I mean, I was
fine. I just did not know, how my 60 years old body will react on high altitude of this
mountain. I was worry, that, if I will feel bad, all expedition will be canceled. Our team
members never leave each other alone during climbing. I did not want for them to spend
their time and power taking care on me. Hopefully, I did feel my self strong and healthy
and even did reach summit earlier, than much more younger climbers.
Q.) How do you compare climbing a mountain of the size of
Everest with other mountains you have climbed ?
A.) I did climb all 7000 and higher mountains in former
USSR, few of them by most difficult ways. This extra 1000 meters to climb on Everest was
not very easy, but in same time can not be compared with extra difficulty of this other
mountains.
Q.) Did the Everest number of climbers bother you ?
A.) Absolutely not. We did made lots a friends from whole
the World.
Q.) What do you think about all the use of Sherpa and fixed
ropes ?
A.) Undoubtedly this was not real sportive climbing. If
our team could do it ourselves, we would be more satisfied. But this is too selfish.
Hundreds of people will loose their chance to reach highest point of the World without
help of Sherpas. Also this helps to make economy of time, human and financial resources.
Q.) Tell us about your summit day, we know some climbers
turned around. How was the weather and conditions?
A.) We had information that May, 12 wind should be down.
It was truth. Night 11-12 of May was wind, but since morning wind was not as strong.
Weather was just perfect. One difficulty we had, as climbing one of first, we did step on
very deep snow. This did slow down our speed little bit. On the summit crest I had strong
filling, that can reach summit successfully.
Q.) Was Summit day harder or easier than you expected?
tell us about how it felt.
A.) Easier for sure. This time on the summit we were so
busy picturing each other, recording our greetings to people of Georgia and Armenia. I did
open medallion with pictures of my two grand daughters and did send my happy thoughts to
my family. It was a joy. I did take oxygen mask off and goggles too and fill my self
great.
Q.) Was coming down hard ?
A.) Coming down was danger till 8 000 meters. Lots place
to expect accidental falls, no ropes. I did take my goggles off on the top. I felt
discomfort wearing them. I did pay for this by temporary blindness. Actually I did come
down on voice of my team members. After 8 000 meters point no problems at all.
Q.) How did it feel to be back in Base camp ?
A.) Just in 3rd day after coming back I start to feel,
that everything is over. Great satisfaction and happiness.
Q.) What is next for Lev ?
A.) Right after we was back at Base Camp we start to make
future plans. Our desires are to finish 7 summits and to climb K2. So... If we will have
sponsors again, we will have whole World.
Thank you too. Your site was very helpful for my
family. Best regards from Georgia. Welcome to Caucasus mounts.
Lev Sarkisov
Little about pictures.
Summit 1
Beno Kashakashvili and Chewang Dorjee Sherpa on the
summit (yellow mattress was left by Babu Sherpa after his night on the summit).
Summit 2
Afi Gigani, Bidzina Gujabidze and Lev Sarkisov (look at
his burned eyes) on the summit holding Georgian, Azerbajanian and Armenian flags.
Summit 3
Few first minutes on the summit. Lev is holding medallion
with granddaughters pictures.
Summit 4
First time Armenian flag on the top of World.
