NATION : Soviet Climber Sets a Record for Scaling Tallest Peak in U.S.
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DENALI NATIONAL PARK, Alaska — A Soviet mountain climber zoomed up America’s highest peak so fast that even park rangers who reported the feat today shook their heads in disbelief.
Anatoyla Burkreuv accomplished in half a day what most climbers would take two weeks to do.
Burkreuv reached the summit of 20,320-foot Mt. McKinley in 10 1/2 hours and returned to base camp the same day, said Bob Seibert, chief mountaineering ranger for Denali National Park climbers.
“This goes in our books as a record speed ascent for that route,” Seibert said from Talkeetna.
Burkreuv, whose age and home town were not listed on his registration form, had just completed a successful ascent of McKinley with a guided expedition.
After he came back down last week, he decided to attempt a one-day climb, Seibert said.
“He was very well-acclimatized and in exceptionally good condition,” Seibert said.
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