Snow Leopard award

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The Snow Leopard award (Russian: Снежный барс) was a Soviet mountaineering award, given to very experienced climbers. It is still recognised in the Commonwealth of Independent States. To receive this award, a climber must summit all 5 peaks 7000m and above in the former Soviet Union.

In the Soviet Pamir there are 3 Snow Leopard peaks, Ismail Samani Peak (formerly Communism Peak), 24,590 ft (7,495 m) and Peak Korzhenevski in Tajikistan and Independence Peak (formarly Lenin Peak) 23,406 ft (7134m) on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border. In the Tian Shan there are 2 Snow Leopard peaks, Pobeda in Kyrgyzstan (sharing the border with China), and Khan Tengri (7010 m./ 22,998 ft.). on the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border.

Khan Tengri's geologic elevation is 6995m (about 22,950 ft.) but its glacial cap rises to 7010 m. For this reason, it is considered a 7000m peak.

In order of difficulty, Pobeda is by far the most difficult and dangerous, followed by Khan Tengri, Ismail Samani Peak, Khorzhenevski and Lenin.