All trips
In time, you begin to realize
that there are no limits.
All the limits that exist
Are only in our heads
The choice is always ours.
It's the only choice that determines
On our future destiny.
1993
mt. Free Korea Solo
Tien Shan
Ascent: Barbera route, North Face
Difficulty: 5B
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1994
mt. Admiralteys Solo
Pamir-Altai
Ascent: "Bashkirova" peak
Difficulty: 6A
Ascent style: "along the pole"
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1995
mt. Petit Drew Solo 3754
French Alps
Ascent: Petit Drew (3754 m)
Route: "American Diretissima" of the summit of Petit Drew. Western Wall
Dates: July 1995
Difficulty: ED+, 6a, A3. 1000 m
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1996
mt. El Capitan Solo
California, America
New route: "Zodiac"
Difficulty: VI, 5.10a, A3+, 750 m
Dates: May 1996
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1996
mt. Washington Column Solo
California, America
Route: "The Prow"
Difficulty: V, 5.10a, A2, 500 m
Dates: May 1996
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1996
mt. Grande Jorasess Solo 4208
French Alps
Ascent: Grande Jorasses Solo (4208 m)
Route: "Colton / McIntyre", North Face
Difficulty: 6B (ED3) 1100 m
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1997
mt. Lhotse 8516
Himalayas
Ascent: Lhotse (8516 m)
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1998
mt. Petit Dru 3754
French Alps
New route: "Lena", Western Wall
Ascent: Petit Dru (3754 m)
Dates: February 10-16, 1998
Difficulty: ED+, 6a, A3. 1000 m
Climbing style: in twos, in winter
Climbers: Valery Babanov (Russia, MSMK) Yuri Koshelenko (Russia, MSMK)
1999
mt. Grande Jorasess Solo
French Alps
New route: "Eldorado", 1200 m
Difficulty: ED+ (6B) ED+ (6c), A3/A4, 90gr. 1100 m
Dates: July 16-26, 1999
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
1999
mt. Barille Peak Solo 2332
Alaska, Ruth Glacier
New route: "Forever more" (2332 m), North-East Face
Difficulty: ED, VI, 5.10a, A3, 900 m
Dates: June 7-14, 1999
Difficulty: 6A 900 m
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2000
mt. Kangtega Solo 6799
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Kangtega Solo (6799 m)
New route: North Face
Difficulty: ED+ (5C/6A, A2/A3, M6, 80°, 1.200 m).
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2001
peak Meru Solo (Central) 6310
Himalayas
First ascent: Meru Peak Central. (6310 m) Shark fin. Solo. First ascent.
Route: "Shambhala"
Difficulty: ED (5C/6A,A1/A2,M5,75°)
Length: 2000 meters
Date of ascent: September 17 - 22, 2001
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2003
mt. Nuptse East Solo 7804
Nepal Himalayas
New route: "Moonlight Sonata", South-Eastern Ridge
Difficulty: ED+(6b, M5, A3, 90*, 2500 m.)
Climbing style: in twos
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2005
mt. Mc Kinley 6200
Alaska
Ascent: McKinley (6200 m)
New route: "Infinity Direct", Southwest Face, 4700 m
Alaska difficulty category: 5
Climbing style: in twos
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2006
mt. Chomo Lonzo North Solo 7200
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Chomolonzo North Solo Peak (7200 m)
New route: "Little Prince", without summiting
Difficulty: TD+(1100m, M4+)
Climbing style: solo, in alpine style
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2007
mt. Jannu, West Ridge 7710
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Zhannu (7710 m), West Ridge
Difficulty: ED / VI / WI+4 / 80 gr. / M5 / (6)
Route altitude difference: 3000 meters
Ascent style: easy, alpine
Ascent and descent: October 14-23, 2007. Descent on the way up.
Summit: October 21, 2007
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK, Sergey Kofanov. Russia. MC
Sponsors: Bask, Scarpa, Grivel, Beal, Julbo
Jeanne. West Ridge.
Enter another world.
In time, you begin to realize
that there are no limits.
All the limits that exist
Are only in our heads
The choice is always ours.
It's the only choice that determines
Further destiny.

Valery Babanov
Mt. Jeannu is a beauty with a height of 7,710 meters.
In Nepali, its name sounds like Kumbhakarna, but mountaineers like it better as Zhannu.
Jeannu is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Rock and ice crests rise into the sky, forming graceful shoulders like the wings of a giant bird. And above all this, like the head of this bird, in the form of a granite tower, rises the summit obelisk.
French climbers led by Lionel Terray climbed Mt. Jeanne for the first time in the spring of 1962.
The ascent in siege style, with the organization of intermediate camps and hanging "rails", was made from the south, and at that time was considered one of the most technically difficult climbs in the Himalayas.
In those years this victory was regarded as a feat.

Without going into the details of the development of this uniquely beautiful peak, we can only note that there are very few "lucky" people in the world who managed to climb this Himalayan "pearl". The reason is that there are no easy routes to the summit, and Zhannu is rightly considered one of the most difficult seven-thousanders of the Himalayas.

Any route to it is a challenge, a test of one's abilities. It's about overcoming yourself.
Climbing Zhannu is a leap into the unknown, where the unpredictability of the result grows exponentially with increasing difficulty of the route.

Technical difficulties of the ascent are supplemented by the difficulties associated with extremely unstable weather, hurricane winds, rarefied air, and very low temperatures. All these factors are inherent to high altitudes.
The altitude of 7,000 meters... October 18

Gradually, meter by meter, we plunge into the unknown territory of the Himalayan Hispaniola, whose name is Zhannu. Where we are climbing now, no one has been there before us. Ahead of us is uncharted ground. The realization of this fact makes me stronger.
I begin to feel a gradual surge of energy - I begin to "start".
In spite of all my doubts and worries, I am happy that I am here now, in this "on the fringes" world.
It's 7710 meters high...
The summit is very close. The last steps up to it are given by an effort of will. A few more meters, and in front of me, filling all the space on the left, opens a huge, striking in its size, massif of Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world. It seems that it is quite close.
Leaning my ice hammers on the ridge, thankfully it has no ledge on the other side, I throw my foot over it. A moment more and I find myself sitting on top of the ridge. This is the summit of Jeannoux. Here it is - the moment of fulfillment of human desires. How many days, maybe even years, I have been waiting for this moment, and now it has become a reality.
I know from experience that it will take time to fully understand and realize what we have managed to do today, and right now - we just don't have the strength or energy to absorb it.
I look around. A carpet of snow-white peaks stretches to the horizon.
Everest, Lhotse, Makalu are clearly visible in the distance. The picture is mesmerizing - it reflects eternity itself.
I choose a rope, and soon Seryoga comes up to me. I see that the last steps to the summit are given to him also on the effort of will. We are both happy, but we keep our emotions to ourselves, as we know that there is a long, dangerous descent ahead.
2008
mt. Dhaulagiri 8167
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Dhaulagiri (8167 m), North-Eastern ridge
Ascent style: in twos, in alpine style
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2008
mt. Broad Peak 8051
Karakoram, Pakistan
Ascent: Broad Peak (8051 m)
New route: Central buttress of the Western Wall
Difficulty: VI, WI5, M6
Length: 3000 meters
Maximum steepness: 90 deg
Climbing style: in twos, alpine style
Ascent and descent: July 9-17, 2008
Climbers: Valery Babanov, Russia, MSMK; Victor Afanasyev, Russia
Sponsors: BASK, Grivel, Scarpa, Julbo, Beal
2008
mt. Gasherbrum I 8080
Karakoram, Pakistan
Ascent: Gasherbrum I (8080 m)
New route: Southwest Face
Climbing style: in twos, in alpine style
Climbers: Valery Babanov, Russia, MSMK; Victor Afanasyev, Russia
Sponsors: BASK, Grivel, Scarpa, Julbo, Beal
2009
mt. Annapurna I 8091
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent attempt: Annapurna I (8091 m) West Face, new route
Climbing style: in twos, in alpine style
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2023
mt. Makalu 8485
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Makalu (8485 m), classic route (French)
Climbing style: in team, alpine style
Dates: May 17, 2023
Climbers: Valery Babanov. Russia. MSMK
2023
mt. Manaslu 8163
Nepal Himalayas
Ascent: Manaslu (8163 m)
Route: Classic route (Japanese)
Climbing style: without additional O2
Date: September 24, 2023
Climbers: Valery Babanov (Russia, MSMK), Victor Afanasyev (Russia, MSMK)
2024
mt. K-2 8611
Karakarum. Pakistan
Ascent: Mt. К-2 (8611 м)
Route: Classic route from the South
Climbing style: in a team, himalyan style
Date: 28 July 2024
Contacts
+33 6 70 54 72 30
val.babanov@gmail.com
France, Chamonix
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