Putin Peak and Soviet style: Kyrgyzstan, the new climbing hotspot

Despite its vast mountain ranges, fossil-packed rock faces and rugged beauty, Kyrgyzstan has struggled to secure a reputation as a first-class climbing destination. With its remote location and peaks named after Lenin, Putin and Communism, it has not been the obvious choice for western mountaineers. But as more established routes in Nepal and the Alps become over-commercialised and expensive, experts say climbers are increasingly heading to the small central Asian country that is so little known…