All news

November, 8 at 10 a.m. of local time, the flag of 7 Summits Club was on top of the highest volcano in North America and the highest point of Mexica. The group of Alexander Abramov climbed to the top in full: Vyacheslav Adrov, Alexander Dubinkin, Sergei Dudko, Natalia Zvereva, Dmitry Krasnov and Alexander Morozov. It took hard work, the conditions for climbing were far from ideal. The steepest part of the slope represented an iced firn, they had to hang about 600 meters of fixed rope. By evening, the weather finally turned bad, so that we can assume that the group were lucky.

The ascent was made in the framework of program “Seven volcanoes »...>>>>>>>

Leader of the expedition 7 Summits Club on Kilimanjaro Ludmila Korobeshko while on descent from the summit, was able to send us a short SMS. 12 members team of 17 reached this morning the highest point of the massive - Uhuru Peak 5,895 meters. The other three persons stopped at the edge of the crater, so-called Gilmans Point (5,685 m). It should be noted that out of 17 people only three had before an experience of climbing above 4000 meters. Basically they are absolute beginners in mountaineering, that is, they were newcomers until this day. Congratulations to all members of the expedition, and wish to continue their careers in mountaineering!

Hello! We descended from the mountain and went on safari. All along the way to the summit, we were either wet on the rain, or fall into the snow. Weather pleased us only on the day of ascent. It was not very cold, almost windless and beautiful view. In the end, six persons climbed to the top: Alexander Osiev, George Karnaukhov, Vladimir, Ilya, Andrei (he is 16 years old and this is his first mountain) Fedortsovs, as well as guide the 7 Summits Club Olga Rumyantseva.

 And today we have the first day of safari, as well as the birthday of Vladimir Fedortsov – he has 50 years !

KATHMANDU: On a day of double celebration in Nepal -- Bhai Tika or Brother's Day, and the start of the Newari new year 1131 – tragedy struck in the Himalayan ranges in the north as a helicopter rescue operation for two Japanese climbers ended in a crash at 6000m above sea level, killing both the pilot and his companion.

While Nepal was celebrating its four-day Tihar holiday, Nepali pilot Sabin Basnet and technician Purna Awale were scouring the upper ranges of Mt Ama Dablam – meaning mother's necklace – a Himalayan range whose main peak juts up to 6812m above sea level. They had been sent by domestic airline Fishtail Air to airlift two Japanese climbers who had fallen ill.

After successfully rescuing the first climber, the two men went back for the second when high winds buffeted the aircraft and caused it to crash while trying to land. Two other helicopters sent to locate the missing chopper and its crew had to search the area for hours before they could locate the wreck and the bodies. Fishtail officials said they have now started the difficult operation of bringing the bodies down from the inaccessible mountain range.

This is the second air accident since August that resulted in casualties. In August, an aircraft crashed near Kathmandu valley, killing all 14 people on board, including a Japanese tourist. Last month, three Japanese climbers and their Nepali guide were swept away by an avalanche while climbing Mt Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest peak in the world.

The best high-altitude pilot, a real pioneer of rescue above 7000 m -  Sabin Basnet

With swiss team after Lantang flight to find Tomas Humar

After epic Dhaulagiri rescue withh his swiss teachers

Ludmila Korobeshko, barely rested after a tiring epic on Carstensz, today flew to Tanzania. She will lead a climbing tour on Mount Kilimanjaro. At this time, Ludmila will work with a large group, formed by our partner in Nizhny Novgorod - Parallel Club. At this time, the group of Olga Rumyantseva continues to go up the Machame route. Today, they passed the second stage, and reached camp number 2 or Shira Camp. During the day there was a light rain, but it did not spoil the overall good mood for climbers.

The group of Club Parallel, which will climb the Marangu route: Elvira Borshchevskaya, Vitaly Borschevsky, Neil Vereshchagin, Vitaly Kareyev, Kareev Igor, Svyatoslav Kastritsky, Vasily Kolesnikov, Svetlana Kolesnikova, Grigory Komarov, Peter Rogalev, Vyacheslav Romanov, Alexander Smirnov, Stanislav Sokolov, Alexei Solovyov, Vladimir Timoshin, Anatoly Chiang Hsiang. Plus a leading guide Ludmila Korobeshko.

If asked about the highest and most dramatic mountains of Europe nine out of ten Europeans will answer “the Alps”. Yet, the grandest and by far the highest mountain chain of Europe (seven summits over 5000m plus Mt.Elbrus with its 5642m) is the Caucasus stretching between the Black and Caspian seas in the continent’s south-eastern corner. And undoubtedly, Mt. Elbrus, this white double-headed dormant volcano, is the highest, most beautiful and most alluring mountain in Russia. Interesting and important detail: it will take you just 7-8 hours to get from Moscow to this Seven Summits peak. Last but not least: 7 Summits Club's record is 18 years of successful Elbrus climbs We have 18 years experience of sucsess climb to Elbrus!

OUR PROGRAMMES HERE >>>>>>>

See also - Ambitious Strategy for the North Caucasus from Vladimir Putin >>>>>>>

Victor Bobok, guide of 7 Summits Club, was today on Skype from Namche Bazaar. Short statement of the report reduced to the following facts. Ascent of Island Peak was made by a group of four people: Xenia and Julia Smirnova, Victor Bobok and Sirdar Tsering. This happened on October 30. Dmitri Alexeev decided did not go on this mountain. Earlier, Dmitry with Bobok and sisters climbed onthe top Kalapatar. While Ttsering together with Konstantin Ananin, Maria Vanifatova, Andrey Galaev went to the Everest base camp.

Now a group of three trekkers had already departed from Nepal. Quartet of climbers descended to Namche Bazaar and enjoys the benefits of civilization: the Internet, showers, a variety of drinks ....

The weather has allowed the group to make a magnificent climb to the top of Island Peak. We got pictures that evoke a sense of great envy the lucky persons. We are waiting for them back home. A way to Lukla tomorrow, and the day after a plane to Kathmandu.

Over the course of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, the LOLA team has diligently watched as the highest point on the Moon got higher and higher. No, the Moon is not expanding, but rather the LOLA profile coverage increases each month so the chances increase that a ground track will pass directly over, or very near to the highest point. The highest point on the Earth is at the summit of Mount Everest, which is 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level. The lunar high point is 1938 meters higher than that of the Earth ! However there are several major differences between the two points. Mt Everest is a relatively new feature on the Earth.

It was formed as tectonic plates collided and pushed up to astonishing heights what was once seafloor, over the course of about 60 million years. The lunar high point is very ancient, and was possibly formed as ejecta from the enormous South Pole Aitken basin piled up during this cataclysmic event, in a matter of minutes, more than 4 billion years ago. Another key difference between the two highest points is slope. The flanks of Mt Everest are very steep, while on the Moon the approach to the summit has slopes of only about 3°, assuming you skirt around impact craters.

According to Mark Robinson, chief of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) camera team the lunar high point is 10786 meters high!

The selenean summit was identified using an instrument known as the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) also mounted on the moon-circling LRO satellite. As the LRO sweeps along just 30 miles above the lunar surface (it can orbit so low due to the lack of any atmosphere) the LOLA laser generates a record of the peaks and troughs beneath.

Once the LOLA had identified the lunar highpoint's general vicinity, an allied team of boffins in charge of the spacecraft's camera took over for the final precision fix.

Once the LOLA team had the spot narrowed down to a small area, the LROC team commanded a NAC stereo pair (12 August 2010) to get an even higher resolution measurement of the elevation and coordinates of the highest point. Once the stereo pair was on the ground, the LROC team processed the images into a digital elevation model (DEM), or topographic map.

Though it is actually higher than the peak of Mount Everest, as the photo shows the moon's topmost spot is far less dramatic - more in the nature of a high plain or plateau, with the ground sloping away around it at no more than 3° according to Robinson (apart from impact craters). It lies near the Engel'gardt crater on the fringe of the Korolev plain, on the lunar far side. Robinson considers that it was probably formed by ejecta - molten rock - piled up during the cataclysmic South Pole-Aitken meteor impact over four billion years ago.

The LRO was launched back when NASA was still expecting to send humans back to the Moon in the near future, and perhaps to establish permanent inhabited bases there. Thus it was of the first importance to thoroughly map the surface, in order to avoid hairy landings into the unknown like those made by the early Apollo astronauts.

Though President Obama has now decreed that there will be no return to the Moon, the LRO has still made many interesting discoveries

7 Summits Club President Alexander Abramov flew today in Mexico. He will lead a climbing program to the highest volcano in North America, Mount Orizaba (app. 5700 meters). In addition, the cultural program planned for the group. It will begin with a presence on the famous holiday "Day of the Dead" (November 1-2). At the same time Luba Ivanova will be in Mexico and will help our captain and his team to understand what is going around. The group, which flies by different ways includes our friends and regular travel partners: Vyacheslav Adrov, Alexander Dubinkin, Sergei Dudko, Natalia Zvereva, Dmitry Krasnov, Alexander Morozov.

"Round Table. Russia mountain guides - becoming a professional community "was held on 29 October as part of the exhibition "International Ski Salon”. It was an informal meeting of members of the Association of Mountain Guides of Russia, a report of committee and discussions of some details of its work. one of the chairmen of the organizing committee of the Association of Mountain Guides of Russia Sergei Zon-Zam introduced Russia Officer Russian Mountaineering Federation (RMF) Roman Bryk for a report.

Post Roman was quite brief. The Work is proceeding and is now in the stage of signing contracts with partner organizations. The choice is approved in favor of "Canadian" model, with separation of the ski and climbing blocks. Fedor Farberov is working on programming. Partners RMF for the School of guides to determine for 2011. In the near future site of the Association of guides should start working.

Maxim Balakhovsky made on submission of the draft Etique Code was made by a mountain guide. Actually, he just read it with little commentary. In developing the basis for the Code is taken code UIAGM. This part of the Round Table program caused the most lively discussion ..

The second chairman Nicholay Veselovsky, Director of "Vertical World Co  made an announcement for 2011: Schematic diagram of the Russian national school of mountain guides, modules for 2011 and  school partners. Next year, two units of the School will be held in June and one general unit will be held in December.

Partners: Gore-Tex, Red Fox, Pieps, Petzl,

Leading the seminar stressed that for  the first issue of school guides, they are going to possibility to take part  for future teachers of the school guides. The process of recognizing the future diploma by UIAGM structures will be very long and we have to start it, even if not completely ready.

Now a new state tourism development program in the North Caucasus aimed at construction of Olympic facilities in Krasnaya Polyana. However, all republics of this region have their own plans for development of mountain infrastructure. So in North Ossetia, a work on construction of a large resort in the area Mamison pass already began. In addition, the river valley Genaldon is the focus of the authorities, through which the route goes to one of the most famous mountains of the Caucasus – Kazbek (5033m). In this year's there was a regular annual International alpiniada from 4 to 13 September. About 200 people from Russia and CIS countries have climbed to the top of Kazbek. But now the route is still without a single mountain huts, all nights are in tents.

Chairman of the Republican Committee on Tourism, Oleg Karsanov stated that the Committee has developed a plan to build on the route to the summit of Kazbek on the northwestern slope of the glacier Mayli three mountain huts: at elevations 2,300 m, 3450 m, 4149 m.

The highway to the village Tmenikau will be reconstructed and extended further up to the level of 1950 m (sandy river of Genaldon). Wide footpath will be laid to the upper hot Karmadon springs (2300m), where it will be built a largest hut. In this area there are great opportunities for trekking and easy climbing. Except in the Kazbek district has a number of beautiful mountains: Dzhimarai-Hoch, Miley-Hoch, Shaukudza, Dzarasova Peak (Peak Polyakov), Pastukhova Peak, Peak Surveyor.

A traditional route to Kazbek from Russian (Ossetian) side

 Genaldon Valley

Karmadon hot springs

To the summit of Kazbek

Construction of rescue hut on the saddle of Elbrus carried out almost three years. Mountaineering Federation of Russia supported an initiative of some climbers, there were found money and volunteers for the work. Grand opening of the hut was on Sept. 1 2010, at an altitude of 5,300 meters. In September, Alexander Abramov, lead a group climbing Elbrus, had organized rescue work for a Polish climber. Hard to say, could this be done without the hut.

However, in late October, guide Eugene Kruten, climbing on Mount Elbrus, found that the refuge is destroyed. Upper part of hut is separated from the base and lying quite near but aside. This fact has caused surprise and intense discussion of what happened. In principle, the general conclusion is: it must be restored. Reason of destroying: changes in design, connected with the loss of some details during winter storage. Wind on the saddle has hurricane strength, quite often. We need more precise engineering calculation.

Two photos from Eugene Kruten

Rescue work at the hut

1th September, opening

 Ludmila Korobeshko flew yesterday from other parts of the world, which stuck to a large part somewhere in the stone age. Lots of impressions, which, alas, she will not have time to present as text. Fortunately, the camera worked fine, despite the complete lack of recharge, at a constant 100% humidity at the beginning of the path and cold, in the end. We can not publish all the pictures and all video, tried to select the most interesting and posted on our site...

FULL GALLERY >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

VIDEO

Today, a group of 7 Summits Club under the leadership of Victor Bobok successfully overcame the Cho La Pass, leading from the valley Gokio in the Khumbu valley itself. For overnight they stopped at a lodge in the village of Lobuche. For tomorrow is scheduled early exit, to climb Kala Patar, then to reach a place of base camp of Mount Everest and still have time to get down lower than Lobuche. All members of trip feel very good. And in the morning, and in the afternoon and in the evening. Especially at evening party. The fact is that six of seven members of the expedition play guitar quite well.

Hi ! Finally we got out of the jungle ! Hooray ! It was not easy. Thus, 16 October, we ran into (less than 5 hours) to the top of Carstensz Pyramid (4884m) from the base camp. The weather favored us up to the summit. At 11 a.m. local time, we stood at the top, the members of the 7 Summits Club - Igor Kosarev, Yuri Beloyvan, Ludmila Korobeshko.

During descent the weather turned bad and we went down along wet ropes.

The next day, porters did not come. We are agitated. The day was lost. A day later they came and we all ran together down in the snow (first) and rain. Until Pinapa (a village near Ilaga), we went for 4 days. On the last day we made almost 2,5 day distance, and last 4 hours went in complete darkness in the jungle and swamps. At 10 p.m., our team came to the village. Local residents greeted us with shouts and laughter. They carried us in the guest house to Mr. Luther and his wife, Nani.

We are planning to fly to Vamena, on a visit to this ritualistic cannibals.

Today, 16 October, the team of " Seven Summits Club ", Ludmila Korobeshko, Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev climbed the summit of Carstensz Pyramid, considered the highest in the Australian continent. Details are not known to us yet. The group descended to the base camp and getting ready to go back through jungles to Ilaga Village and then by planes home. Ludmila Korobeshko became the first Russian woman completed the "Seven Summits" according to 7 + 1 version.

Climbing Himalayan mountains in the Fall can be risky at best. Each day is shorter, it is progressively colder and winter looms. So every summit, especially Everest, is highly valued by the climbers. This year, Fall 2010, we saw two summit successes of very different types.

First up is the only Fall Everest summit since the Fall of 2008. Eric Larsen and his small Sherpa team summited Everest at around 6:35 AM local time on October 15th. They broke trail and fixed their own ropes on the way to the top. Eric reported in an emotional audio post from the summit that they summited . He later reported they threaded the needle of a tiny weather window descending in white-out conditions to the South Col. He promised more details upon return to Base Camp.

His outfitter, Himalayan Trailbalzer listed the Sherpa team as: Mr. Tshering Sherpa, Pasang Temba Sherpa, Mr. Nima Dorje Tamang, Nima Dorje Tamang, Dawa Gelzen Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa and Da Tenji Sherpa.

There had been other teams on both the north and south but all abandoned plans throughout the season. Dangerous snow conditions were the culprit on the north side and running out of time was cited on the south. But Eric, wanting to complete a year long goal to ski to both poles and summit Everest on behalf of his "Save the Poles" mission persevered. Eric's stated goal:

"This expedition will tell the story of these remote places so we can better understand how our actions affect the poles and ultimately the planet," Larsen says. "We all need to be reminded that we must act now to stop global warming."

Please visit his website for more details. Congratulations Eric!

Another impressive summit was the Soldiers to the Summit team lead by Everest summiter and blind climber Eric Weihenmayer. They put 8 soldiers on the summit of Lobuche, 20,075′, which is often used for acclimatization for Everest climbs. From their site, Soldiers to the Summit: The goal of the Expedition and World TEAM Sports is to demonstrate to everyone that great things can be achieved no matter how high the obstacles.

From the team website:

We did it! On October 13th, eight of our injured soldiers reached the 20,075-foot summit of Lobuche. These men and women overcame their injuries, gave it their all, and achieved a great victory—not only for themselves but for other veterans, disabled people, and all of our sponsors.

We set out from high camp at 17,000 feet in two teams. The first team—consisting of Brad Bull, Steve Baskis, Sherman Bull, myself, Jeff Evans, Kami Tenzing, Ashley Crandall, Michael Brown, Rex Pemberton, and Didrik Johnck—left at 1:15 AM; Ashley felt the altitude and turned back. The second team—Charley Mace, Matt Nyman, Matt Murray Luis Benitez, Ike Isaacson, Dan Sidles, Kevin Cherilla, Chris Morris, Nico Moroulis, Chad Jukes, Chad Butrick, Brian Mockenhaupt—left camp at 3 AM. Catherine Raggazino (Rizzo) also felt the altitude and stayed at camp and Cody Miranda elected to stay with her.

Congratulations to all these climbers. See the previous report on their expedition.

The fall season is not over with climbs on Pumori, Ama Dablam and a few other Himalayas mountains underway.

Climb On!

Alan

Arnette is a speaker, mountaineer and Alzheimer's Advocate. He is climbing the 7 Summits starting with Mt. Vinson in November 2010 to raise $1 million for Alzheimer's research. You can read more on his site.

At the beginning of next year's a team of 7 Summits Club will participate in a climbing expedition to the highest volcano in Antarctica - Mount Sidley. In middle of January, an aircraft Basler, traditionally used for flights to the South Pole, is to land in the vicinity of the volcano. Conditions of the landing will be available only upon arrival. This expedition is an initiative of the 7 Summits Club. Initially, our club was planning to send four climbers and one guide. However, the injury of one of participants reduced it to four people. And the Antarctic operator Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE) collected on this program a few more people.

Team of 7 Summits Club: expedition leader Alexander Abramov, the Russian climber Igor Grishkov, Italian mountaineer and explorer 58-year-old Mario Trimeri and a Romanian girl Crina Coco Popescu, who in December will be 16 years old. In the case of success, Trimeri and Popescu, will become the first people who climbed seven of the highest volcanoes in the seven continents. They had already visited six of the list:

Ojos del Salado (6893m) - the highest volcano in South America. Located in Chile.

Kilimanjaro (5895m) - the highest volcano in Africa. Located in Tanzania.

Orizaba (5700m) - the highest volcano in North America. Located in Mexico

Demavent (5671m) - the highest volcano Asia. Located in Iran.

Elbrus (5642m) - the highest volcano in Europe. Located in Russia.

Giluve (4,368 m) - the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania. Located in the eastern part of the island of New Guinea.

And nobody else in the world, have not yet done.

Scientists had visiting a region of Mount Sidley several times, but with climbing plan only in 1990. It was a scientific expedition from USA. An experienced New Zealand guide-climber Bill Atkinson participated in this expedition. Americans used a powerful C-130 Hercules and they were able to land 28 kilometers from the volcano Seeley. Thanks to the power plane, Americans brought with them many goods and, in particular, tracked snowmobiles.

The goals were academic and focused on the collection of rocks, Geophysical and glaciological studies. Scientists have been there for quite a long time and underwent several geophysical routes. Along the way, they made two ascents. First, they climbed a nearby volcanic cone of Mt. Waesche, 3292 meters. They climbed up on a snowmobile to almost the highest point. Climbers ascended in crampons only final 20 meters. At Sidley, scientists and guide Atkinson crossed the crest of the crater. Probably, they reached the highest point. But Atkinson can not remember any details.

In accordance with a plan of our expedition, we will climb on skis. It will be special touring skis for polar expeditions, which used for the program "Last Degree". Crampons will probably need only for the final stage, as the north-western slopes of the mountain are very gentle. It is unclear now, where our plane could landed. At what will be distance to the mountain. Altitude of the ice dome at this site is about 2000 meters. We assume that the ridge of Mount Sidley consists of several peaks with almost equal height. We would like to climb all the highest ones and give them names. Determinate the main summit, the highest point to make this trip fully ready for the following climbers who go on the program "Seven volcanoes.

It's even hard to count how many flights it took to get to the starting point of the route village Ilaga. Six or seven. The total route of Ludmila Korobeshko was following: Moscow - Dubai - Jakarta - Bali - Sulawesi - Biak - Nabire - Ilaga. Her partners on the journey Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev flew directly to Bali, they have one less flight.

Everything goes according to the plan. Tomorrow, their caravan has to start the route via Jungles to the foot of Carstensz Pyramid. In case of success Ludmila Korobeshko become the first Russian woman on the top of this mountain and the first one who completes the program “7 + 1 summits”.