Vertical 1966

In the rugged expanse of Or-Tau in Svaneti, a determined group of climbers sets out under the leadership of Lomov Georgi Kulbush, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, intent on conquering the fictional peak. Their journey begins with a reflective halt in a village where Lomov’s old friend Vissarion lives; Vissarion is the father of Iliko, a climber who had perished on a previous ascent, a memory that weighs on everyone as the team presses toward the mountain. At the base camp, the squad establishes a temporary home ahead of the climb, leaving behind radio operator Volodya Vladimir Vysotsky and doctor Larisa Larisa Luzhina while four climbers gear up for the ascent into the wild alpine weather.

The next day brings an ominous warning: a cyclone is sweeping toward the range. Volodya transmits orders to abandon the ascent and retreat, a message that lands squarely on the shoulders of Gennadi [Gennadi Voropayev], one of the climbers still weighing the risks. He faces a painful dilemma: adhere to the cautious instruction and retreat, or shield the group from fear and proceed in the hopes of glory and connection, a choice complicated by clear feelings for Larisa. Gennadi ultimately chooses to conceal the warning from the others, balancing loyalty to the mission with a private sense of courage and risk.

Despite the hidden warning, the climbers reach the summit at the cost of a grueling ascent, only to face a perilous descent. A sudden snowstorm and a rolling thunderstorm slam into the team. One climber is struck by lightning, and Gennadi endures frostbite on his hands, their fingers numb with cold and fatigue. The descent becomes a race against time, weather, and exhaustion as the group struggles to return to base camp.

As the weather worsens, the team splits into two pairs: Gennadi and Lomov press on toward safety, while Rita Margarita Koshelyova and the injured Nikitin Aleksandr Fadeyev are left inside a snow cave, their supplies dwindling. During the arduous descent, Gennadi begins to suffer from snow blindness, a dangerous condition that blurs vision and heightens the risk of further mistakes in the white silence of the mountains. The two climbers stumble upon a snow-buried tent that offers a brief warmth and shelter, and inside Lomov uncovers a note left by Iliko, who had broken his leg on a prior climb and froze to death in the cold, a stark reminder of how fragile life can be in such terrain.

With the stove sputtering and failing, Gennadi bravely confesses to Lomov that he had known about the approaching cyclone but kept the warning from the team, a revelation that tests their trust and resolve. Lomov, though shaken, remains quiet and steadfast, choosing to push forward and guide the retreat alone. His steady resolve eventually carries him to base camp, where he organizes a rescue operation to bring everyone home.

In the end, the climbers are saved, their ordeal a testament to endurance, sacrifice, and the fragile line between courage and caution. The mountain’s harsh weather and the weight of decisions linger in memory, shaping each survivor as they return to safety and reflect on the thin margin that separates life from tragedy in the high, unreachable world of Or-Tau.