Hristo Prodanov, Bulgarian engineer and mountaineer (b. 1943)
Hristo Prodanov (Bulgarian: Христо Проданов) (24 February 1943 – 21 April 1984) was a Bulgarian mountaineer. Prodanov was the first Bulgarian to climb Mount Everest, doing it via the most difficult way—the West Ridge—as well as alone and without oxygen. Prodanov was the first person to climb Everest in April, when the weather conditions are generally too bad for an expedition, and also the thirteenth person (the first person from the West Ridge) to climb Everest without the use of bottled oxygen. Climbing the summit at 18:15 local time, he had to descend overnight and got lost shortly after that. On the next afternoon, he reported he had lost his gloves and soon would be unable to hold the radio button long enough to talk. His body was never found.
Prodanov was still a student when he became involved in mountaineering. He began work as a metallurgical engineer in Kremikovtzi AD in 1976. He had his first 7000 m ascent on 6 August 1967 when he climbed Lenin Peak. He had previously climbed several peaks in the Alps.
His major successes were related to Hindu Kush (1976) and Lhotse. In 1981, he was the first Bulgarian to climb Lhotse without the use of supplementary oxygen.
His niece, Mariana Prodanova Maslarova, attempted to climb Mt. Everest (without the use of supplemental oxygen) on the 20th anniversary of her uncle's death. Maslarova died of exposure at 8,700 meters, exactly 20 years and 30 days after her uncle.