Popularizing picnics in mountains: alpinist Maksut Zhumaev

A famous Kazakhstan alpinist Maksut Zhumayev suggests popularizing picnics in the mountains through building the necessary facilities. The first Kazakh to win all the eight-thousander tops of the world without using bottled oxygen talked with a Tengrinews reporter about his project of popularizing picnics. “I want to offer Kazakhstanis an opportunity to have a civilized recreation in the mountains and inform them about safe trails and paths. (…) Camp pavilions should be built from lasting materials and made vandal-proof. We will put the first camping pavilion in Mynzhylki and it will be a great solution for families with children and elderly, ” Mr. Zhumaev said. At the moment Mr. Zhumayev is raising funds and negotiating with the Ilyi-Alatau National Park administration. Mr. Zhumaev being an active public person has earlier organized a rope course at Shymbylak Skiing Resort. He also advocates for inclusion of ice climbing into the Olympic program. Hopefully, this summer Almaty citizens and guests will be able to escape the heat of the city and enjoy picnics in the coolness of the surrounding mountains. Zhumayev is the first Kazakh who conquered all the 14 eight-thousanders, independent mountains on the Earth that are more than 8,000 meters (26,247 ft) high above sea level. He became the 27th member of Quest 14 and the world’s 12th alpinist who climbed the eight-thousanders without using supplemental oxygen.