Communism Peak is situated in the Northern-West part of Pamir on the butting of the ranges named after Academy of Science and Peter the First.
Military topographer I. Dorodiev did the geodetic shooting of the middle part of Fedechenko glacier that was unknown that time and surrounding peaks. The coordinates of the peak and its height (7495 m.) was defined in 1929 upon decryption of photo-geodetic shooting. In 1931 it was called Stalin Peak, in 1961 – Communism Peak, in 1999 – Somoni Peak.
Historical background
In 1933 year the Soviet Academy of Science organized Tadjik-Pamir expedition where 215 members of scientific body and about 400 assistants took part. Both with scientific purposes, the sport aim, to ascend the highest point of the country Stalin Peak (Communism Peak), was put up for them.
On 24 July having come to the Bivachniy glacier, the group of mountaineers started their route.
On 30 July N. Nikolaev, a mountaineer, died. He fell down from the rock. In some days D.Iralle, a porter, died because of pneumonia. But in spite of it, the ascent was going on.
On 22 August six mountaineers headed by Gorbunov, went for the final storm of the summit.
Three mountaineers quit the ascent on the point 6900 m., as they had no strength left. N. Gorbunov, E. Abalakov and A. Chetye continued the ascent.
On 01 September the snow tempest began. The tempest continued for some days. A. Chetye went ill. For 2 persons they had just a can of canned food and a bar of chocolate.
On 03 September the weather became better and A. Gorbunov with Abalakov decided to climb the top. On the altitude 7380 m. N. Gorbunov couldn’t go further due to hard frostbitten foots. Abalakov continued to ascend alone. Having reach the top, made a tur he descended to Nikolay Gorbunov and then to Cgetye, and they all together continued the descent