Alexander Abramov. The leader of expedition of the Alpindustria Adventure Team – Seven Summits Club Seven. By the satellite phone: « Having climbed down, we have got in a trap ».
Commentary 7 summits-club.com:
This year, all graphics of arrivals climbers in Antarctica have been violated. The unusually high snowfalls was in the Ellsworth mountains. It will be recalled that in connection with the characteristics of the atmospheric circulation, precipitation in the interior part of Antarctica fall in small quantities. Also, there is much clouds, strong wind. Days suitable for flights were rare. The rhythm of work of firm ALE providing service of expeditions is fully broken. We hope that workers of the company had anticipated the possibility of an emergency and made adequate supply of food and fuel.
January, 18. Midnight for 19th January.
I would like to inform you that today, December 18, the aircraft flew from Patriot Hills to Punta Arenas. We missed it, because still we are in the base camp Mount Vinson. To Patriot Hills, it is about 120 kilometers to be flown on a small plane. But small planes are not flying because powerful snowfalls are continuing in the region of our camp, already for the fifth day. Having climbed down from the Mount Vinson, we have got in a trap.
We keep vigorous mood. Nobody complains of life. Though every person, certainly, would like go to home more quickly. Also I want to remind, that under our plan we should arrive December, 19-th to Antarctica and depart back January, 10. And actually it turns out, that we have flown January, 7, and we shall depart … not earlier of 25-th.
I want to tell, that we have enough food and fuel. Frost is not very severe, temperature is rather warm, all is closed by powerful thickness of clouds.
So we do not freeze and we do not starve.
Good-bye!
