All news

We’ve returned from America with our objectives met (Pico de Orizaba! McKinley!). On top of that, i’ve made a new friend: Jordan Romero. Together we should leave for Antarctica in the following winter.

As you know, along with the 7 Summits circuit, I am also very close to completing the Seven Volcanic Summits: Antarctica’s Sidley will be the final summit! I will become the first female climber in the world to complete the Seven Volcanic Summits.

The Antarctica 2010 Expedition will take place between the 10th of december 2010 and the 20th of january 2011 and is organized by 7 Summits Russia. We’ll be climbing mount Vinson and we’ll be the first ever to climb mount Sidley. This is an international expedition, mr. Mario Trimeri from Italy joining me and Jordan. Mr. Trimeri is aiming at becoming the first climber in the world to complete the Seven Volcanoes circuit.

Given the nature of the expedition and the record breaking attempts, the media attention will be considerable.

But… there is a but. Preparing an expedition of this proportion is not simply saying “tomorrow I am leaving for Antarctica”, boarding a plane and that’s it. You need a lot of training, and especially a lot of money. Training is the easy part; finding the necessary funds is the hardest. My trip to Antarctica is at this point uncertain for exactly this reason. 65 000 Euros is the cost of the expedition and we are currently looking for sponsors that would like to join their names with our adventure, so…. we are waiting for your support at coco@celmaisus.ro, clubulmontanaltitudine@yahoo.com or by telephone: 004 0722 369 965 and 004 0745 050 290

New site of the project

The group of companies “SLON” invites you to international Conference “The development of mountaineering in Caucasus. State and business. The strategy of development”. The Conference will be conducted from 20th to 22nd September in hotel “Balkaria” which is near Elbrus. Also the annual heat VI International Elbrus Race will be started. You can see the programme of the Conference below.

The aim of following Conference is to support the progress of business-structures of Caucasian region, to discuss the questions of tourism advance and to fix the main lines of development of the mountaineering industry and extreme sports. The participants of the Conference are the members of state structures, the administration of the region, sports organizations, international business-companies.

The themes of the Conference:

• Mountaineering as the main trend of tourism in Kabardino-Balkaria

• Investment in modern rescue technologies

• The safety of Elbrus: guarding the routs

• Support of mountaineering and rock climbing development in Kabardino-Balkaria

• Foreign experience of ascents for mountaineering progress in Caucasus

• Environmental public policy

• Projects that are conducted with the members of administration or business-companies: conditions, principles and procedures.

• The past, the present and the future of the mountaineering industry in Caucasus, and other themes…

About participation, sponsoring or information collaboration

Phone: +7 (495) 663 7213, +7 (916) 471 8620

E-mail: at@slon1.ru

The official site of the Cinference: www.elbrusforum.ru

The programme of the Conference

The first day. September, 20th.

10.00-11.00. Registration of participants. Salutatory coffee.

General condition of mountaineering in Caucasus.

11.00-11.15. The past, the present and the future of the mountaineering industry in Caucasus.

Alexander Fedorovskij, the President of Team Work Academy, the director of the group of companies “SLON”.

11.15-11.30. The opening speech of the Administration of Elbrus Region.

Kutman Sottaev, acting head of Administration of Elbrus Region.

11.30-12.00. Mountaineering as the main trend of tourism in Kabardino-Balkaria.

The present level of development of mountaineering.

The difficulties of mountaineering progress.

What is coming. The analysis of mountaineering in Caucasus as a kind of business.

Ruslan Jappuev, deputy head of local Administration managing the municipal property and the tourism.

Successful business – safe business

12.00-12.30. Works against the avalanches on the routs of ascents.

The level of safety. The instruments of control.

Modern abilities of prevention of avalanches.

Sergej Kuznetsov, the main engineer of the Elbrus detachment of the North-Caucasian militarized service organized to struggle against avalanches.

12.30-13.00. Rescue operations in the mountains in Caucasus.

Successful experience of rescue.

Investment in modern rescue technologies

Boris Tilov, the chief of Search-and-Rescue Service in Elbrus Region.

13.00-13.30. The safety of Elbrus: guarding the routs.

The members of the Frontier Service.

13.30-18.00. Open Space. The time of free communication.

The second day. September, 21st.

Live Presentation

The mountain routs of Caucasus.

7.00-8.00. Meeting of the group in the hotel “Balkaria”.

8.00-14.00. Climbing the mountain Cheget.

On the top of the mountain you can enjoy magnificent views. Slight breakfast. Presentation of peaks and routs.

Instructor: Alexander Fedorovskij, the President of Team Work Academy, the director of the group of companies “SLON”.

14.00-15.00. Lunch.

15.00-15.30. Mountaineering as a part of the corporative culture.

The experience of corporative ascents.

Ludmila Korobeshko, Chief Executive Officer of 7 Summits Club.

Organisation of ascents.

15.30-16.00. Support of mountaineering and rock climbing development in Kabardino-Balkaria

Difficulties of development of the mountaineering industry.

Development of attracting aspects for tourists.

Attracting the investments.

Abdul-Halim Olmezov, the President of Mountaineering and Rock Climbing Federation of Kabardino-Balkaria.

16.00-16.30. Foreign experience of ascents for mountaineering progress in Caucasus.

How it happens in Himalaya, Argentina, America and Antarctica.

Alexander Abramov, the President of 7 Summits Club, Master of mountaineering of USSR, the member of Russian Geographic Society.

16.30-17.00. The development of sports tourism in North Caucasus.

The Rock Climbing Federation of Stavropol Territory.

19.00-21.00. Concert programme. Festal dinner.

The third day. September, 22nd.

Equipment

11.00-13.00. Representatives of tourist companies show their commodities.

13.00-14.00 Lunch

The circular table

Ecology

Protection and development

14.00-15.00. Themes for discussion:

Environmental public policy

Investment to the ecology as a way to develop the industry of mountaineering.

Projects that are conducted with the members of administration or business-companies: conditions, principles and procedures.

Ecological standards and systems of certification: state and independent.

Improvement of production by the use of ecological technologies.

Foreign experience and best Russian practices.

(ExplorersWeb/Madrid) “If mountain climbing were as the last 70 hours here at K2, I would immediately stop,” Christian Stangl ensured at arrival back in BC. The Austrian sky-runner bagged the only K2 summit this season on Aug12th, at 10:00am, local time, in a lonely 70 hours-long push up the Abruzzi Spur.

Although a larger debrief is expected upon his return home, Christian reported some details on the ascent and a summit pic via sat-phone, before leaving BC yesterday.

Snow, falling rocks and just one stop on the way up

“I set off from BC on Tuesday at 5:00pm, up the Abruzzi Spur, and climbed all the way to my C3 at 7,100m,” Christian told his home team. “It snowed all the time and some rocks fell on my way.”

“In C3 the skies cleared – just as Charly Gabl had forecasted,” Stangl noted.”I had to hurry up since I knew I just had some hours time before conditions worsened up again.”

At 10:00 am on Thursday, Christian stood on the top only a few moments, before speeding back to C3. "The visibility was not very good,” he stated. “I took no pleasure at being on the summit – that mountain is so dangerous! Technically is not that difficult, but otherwise it is certainly the most dangerous mountain I've ever tried or done!”

A ghostly visitor

"Thursday at 5:00pm I continued down the Abruzzi Spur. During the night, I was guided by my GPS, although at times I separated from the original route, since the ropes were so soaked that rappelling was impossible. At midnight I looked for shelter under a ledge and fell asleep. I woke up again by at dawn, at about 4 am.

“You won’t believe me now but – as I woke up, I saw an animal (like a cat) standing in front of me!” Back at BC I was told it may have been a snow leopard. Back then though, I thought I was freaking out.”

Not fun at all

“Summarizing: In the last three years I’ve spent 4 and a half months on this mountain, and had only one nice day – which I used to reach the top,” Christian pointed out. “As I said before – this is not fun at all; otherwise topping-out is a compensation for all the hardships endured though. Now, I just want to return home as fast as possible."

After sleeping for 12 hours, Christian packed up and left. On his latest call home yesterday, he was already trekking towards Skardu. “I am craving good food and a bier,” he said.

However, both things may have to wait. K2 and Gasherbrums teams are reporting on difficulties to reach Skardu, and an even tougher time to catch a plane seat to Islamabad (read a separate report on ExplorersWeb.com later today).

Update, 10:00am EST: It's over for the Polish team

"Jet Stream up the mountain and avalanches at lower parts have forced us to draw back," Polish Boguslaw Ogrodnik reported. "Devastated we have already come down to the base camp. We reserved the porters for the 18th of August."

July 4, 2009: Christian Stangl turned back at 8,300 meters on a speed attempt on K2. One year later, the Austrian sky-runner returned to repeat the feat, “plus the 316 meters I left undone to the summit,” he stated.

Devoted to speed ascents, in May 2006 Christian summited Everest w/o O2 in only 16 hours 42 minutes. from BC to the top, and six more hours back to BC.

K2 is the first stage of Christian’s current project. After bagging the speed "seven summits" (including Everest in 16h 42min w/o O2 or high camps), Stangl hopes to run up the “second highest 'seven'”. After K2, he will head to Mount Tyree, Antarctica’s tallest peak after Vinson.

ExWeb

We have just come back from Tian Shan. The trip has excited us and provoked strong feelings which are not easy to be described. Can you imagine the brightness of the greenery near Carcara river, the cold slopes of Khan-Tengri, walking up to the Camp 2 on rimed fixed ropes, dodging from stones while rising to the Camp 3, 4-days exhausting waiting for good weather in the assault camp, the day of the ascent, descending to the South where the views were wonderful, the South Inilchek with its unique atmosphere, relax near the Issyk Kul lake…? During the way we have met the legends of alpinism like Kazbeck Hamitsaev, Nikolay Gilin, Aleksandr Koloskov, Dmitrij Grekov, Dmitrij Pavlienko, and we have also met our old friends and some new interesting people.

Two participants of our expedition, Sergej Shekoldin and Andrej Ulin, deserve to be respected especially. They have reached the summit in spite of big difficulties like bad weather conditions and loss of experience.

I’d like also to thank our guides, Ura Lyabin and Dima Ermakov.

In the middle of expedition we were left by Sasha Victorov. He had decided that he didn’t have enough experience for such difficult ascent. In my opinion, his decision was reasonable. However, he managed to reach the Camp 2, and anyway that's something.

As for me, I haven’t reached the summit this time. When we left the assault camp at 4 o’clock in the morning after long waiting, I understood that I really felt terrible and couldn’t walk fast enough. That was the mountain sickness probably. It was pity and difficult to walk down. I felt disappointment… I hope I’ll have another chance to climb this mountain.

August, 14th, a big group of people left to Tanzania. It was directed by the guides of 7 Summits Club, Victor Bobok and Olga Rumiantseva. Their aim was to climb the highest mountain in Africa – Kilimanjaro.

Using different ways, all the participants of the expedition came to Kilimanjaro Airport. The adventures started earlier then they were expected. Half of the people from the group didn’t get their luggage!

But this small trouble didn’t make anyone sad. All the adventurers have made the acquaintance of each other. And now they can enjoy wonderful views of Africa and unusual animals, which can be seen in quantity even at the territory of the hotel.

Today we are going to arrive to the place where we will start our route. If we won’t get the luggage soon, we will climb Kilimanjaro in national clothes. But the loss of our things won’t make us retreat!

Long-expected news from Ludmila Korobeshko! All participants of the expedition have safely walked down to the side of South Inilchek.

Yesterday they stayed in the base camp, and today they are going to fly away by helicopter. Then they will rest near Issyk Kul Lake for a few days.

Congratulations to all participants of the expedition! Their ascent has been successful.

We have just got a message from Ludmila Korobeshko who is on Khan-Tengri at the moment.

Her group had been waiting in the assault camp since August, 6^th at a height of 5800 meters. They had been waiting for good weather for 3 nights. The weather improved at last and they started the ascent at 3 o’clock. Ludmila stayed in the camp, but she had communication with the group.

At 3 o’clock p.m. the group of 7 Summits Club reached the summit of Khan-Tengri. Four people took part in that ascent: Andrej Ulin, Sergej Shekoldin and guides Ura Liabin and Dmitrij Ermakov.

At the moment they are walking down to the camp. They are going to rest a little and then to continue descending to the side of South Inilchek.

We wish them safe descend!

In a befitting ceremony at Air Headquarters, Air Marshal JN Burma, Air Officer-in-charge Administration (AOA) flagged off a six member mountaineering expedition team as a part of mission Seven Summit now ready to climb Mt Elbrus (5633m) in Europe and Mt Kilimanjaro (5895m) in Africa. Handing over the tri-colour and the IAF flag to the team leader Wing Commander RC Tripathi, Air Marshal Burma, he wished them all success and safe return.

The six member team of the expedition include Sqn Ldr Namit Rawat, Sqn Ldr GP Kumar, Sqn Ldr D Panda, JWO NR Choudhary VM and Sgt J Singh, who will participate in the expedition planned from 09 Aug to 04 Sep 10. All the climbers have undertaken many expeditions in Himalaya region and have vast experience of climb to their credit. IAF today is in the forefront in the field of mountaineering besides having supremacy in the skydiving sport.

With an aim to create a world record by hoisting the Indian Tricolor and IAF flag on “Top of all highest peaks of each continent” the IAF mountaineering team has already summated the highest mountain peak in the world Mt Everest, Asia in May 2005, Mt Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m), Australasia in Jan 2009, Mt Aconcagua (6962m), South America in Mar 2010 and Mt Denali (6194m) in North America in May 2010.

The IAF ‘Mission Seven Summits’, to climb all the highest peaks of all the continents was conceptualized after the successful ascent of Mt Everest in 2005 by IAF. The project is being conducted under the aegis of Directorate of Air Force Adventure, the apex body looking after various adventure activities like sky diving, para gliding, Paramotor, mountaineering, skiing, trekking, white water rafting, sailing and mountain terrain biking etc.

The last peak as a part of mission seven summit would be attempted in December is Mt Vinson Massif (ANTARTICA).

PJ/CM

The expedition of 7 Summits Club and PECO Guaranty Company to Ararat has finished happily. Our group has safely walked down to Dogubeyazit. Tomorrow the adventurers are going to the museum devoted to the search of the Noah's Ark. Everyone is healthy and everything is Ok.

On the other side of Asia, the group under direction of Ludmila Korobeshko started a trip to Khan-Tengri. Three our adventurers will have to pass two nights in intermediate camps before trying to reach the main summit. Weather forecast is far from ideal, but it is necessary to go and try to overcome…

Today, August, 5th, the group of 7 Summits Club in a body climbed the Western Top of Elbrus (5642 m). At seven o’clock a.m. there were 7 people staying on the summit: our guides, Alexander Abramov and Sergej Onufenko, and also Andrej Prozukin, Alexander Buriakov, Erich Wenzel, Tina Taova and Vadim Volkov.

Then the group divided into 3 smaller groups. Sergej with four people went to the North of Elbrus. Alexander Abramov and Tina went to the East summit (the Cross), after that they were going to visit the South of Elbrus.

Two other adventurers, Gennadij Maikov and Vlad Maikov, climbed the Western Top of Elbrus at 10 o’clock a.m. Now they are descending with their private guide Sasha.

August, 4th 37 adventurers from “RESO-Guarantee” and 5 guides from 7 Summits Club climbed the mountain. The weather was nice, it wasn’t windy.

The group has already descended to the camp 3300m. Everyone is healthy and happy. In the evening they are going to celebrate the ascent. And tomorrow they will go down to the hotel in Dogubeiazit town.

July, 30th the group of the 7 Summits Club led by Ludmila Korobeshko went up to Camp 1 on the slopes of Khan-Tengri. The next day, we went to camp 2 (5600m). It was hard work: a real ice-wall, plus bad weather. Fixed ropes are iced over, jumars not holding. The marsh took 8 hours. That night it was heavy wet snow. Everything was wet. The weather is not conducive to climbers on Khan Tengri. Only one group climbed from the north. We met our friends from Ecuador Edgar and Katie. They spent four days in the assault camp at an altitude of 6000 meters, but could not get through to the top. Generally, we meet a lot of friends: Kofanov Sergei, Vladimir Lavrinenko Nikolai Zhilin, Eugene Winogradsky. Now we are resting in the base camp. Unfortunately, our team fell by one participant: Alexander Viktorov decided to go back home.

Ludmila Korobeshko - guide of the group.

Flight to Turkey was not easy, we had to change planes in Anapa. Nevertheless, a group of 7 Summits Club - RESO- Guarantee arrived by special plane to the Turkish airport Van. After formalities on the border and dinner, in the evening the expedition moved by bus to the city of Doğubeyazıt. It is situated at the foot of our destination - Mount Ararat. Now, on Sunday morning, we drove to the village of Ely, and then we begin our ascent route to Camp 1. All climbers are in excellent shape and good spirits, all 51 members and 5 guides…

Charlie Wittmack plans a new slant on climbing Everest, by completing a triathlon that is being publicized as the possibly the toughest human endurance event yet conceived.

The 33-year-old practising lawyer from Iowa, who is also involved with the Department of Global Health at Des Moines University, starts in the UK with a 275-mile swim down the Thames to the sea and then across the English Channel to France.

From there he is planning to cycle 9,000 miles across Europe and Asia to reach the Bay of Bengal, his projected route taking in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan and China.

He will then run c950 miles from sea level up to the Nepalese Himalaya, where he hopes to finish his odyssey on the summit of Everest.

Wittmack’s journey through 12 countries is planned to take 11 months, and is, inevitably, being documented by a film crew.

This is no hair-brained project from an inexperienced adventurer. For a start, Wittmack has already climbed Everest. In 2003 he reached the summit with a Sherpa companion in arduous conditions on their third attempt. His success on the world's highest peak came after seven years of ascents on well-known major summits around the globe.

He's also trekked across East Africa, sailed the Indian Ocean in a handmade boat, and made a c5,000-mile cycle ride across the United States.

The English Channel remains his bête noire. In early 2008 he was placed first in the 32nd Annual Swim around Key West, a notoriously difficult marathon ocean race. However, during August that year, 15 miles into his attempt on the Channel, he was pulled out hypothermic and unconscious.

The World Tri, as the project is billed, is also attempting to raise money for education and global health. But not for the Triathlon itself, which is being totally financed by Wittmack and his wife Cate, who is a writer focused on maternal health and childhood education.

Keeping to schedule is important. It's difficult to get permission to swim the Channel and his pre-booked launch date is the 2nd August.

Wittmack also needs to reach China's border with Kyrghyzstan by the end of October, in order to allow enough time to cross the Tibetan Plateau to India before winter sets in.

But if all goes to plan he should be at Everest Base Camp before May 2011, in order to make an attempt on the summit.

Already, Wittmack has had to deal with a minor setback. Eight days into his swim down the Thames, he inadvertently took a small sip of water, spent that night being violently ill, and ended up having his first experience of the National Health System in a Maidenhead hospital.

He recovered swiftly and is currently around half way through the swim.

By Lindsay Griffin

Today, 29 July a large group of climbers 7 Summits Club climbed the Western Summit of Mount Elbrus. It included 11 members and 4 guide.   8 from them, led by Alexander Abramov, began their descent to the north, the area of Emmanuel Glade. Some of them climbed the Eastern Summit by the way. Other climbers have successfully gone down to the refuge Barrels. The Weather was favorable for ascent.

Shailee Basnet co-coordinator of the Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action speaks in a press meet in Kathmandu on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. The team successfully climbed the tallest mountain in Australia, Mt Kosciuszko/Targangil and after a great start in Australia, the team is now gearing up to climb the tallest peak in Europe which is Mt Elbrus (5642m) in Russia starting on 23rd August 2010. Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action is a group of women mountaineers from Nepal aiming to summit all seven of the highest peaks in each of the seven continents.

KATHMANDU: The Everest Women Seven Summits Eco–Action (EWSSE-A), a Nepali team of nine women organised a press meet at Nepal Tourism Board Office on Wednesday to brief the media about their successful mountain climbing attempt in Australia. They successfully climbed the highest peak Mt Kosciuszko/Targangil (2228 metres) in the Australian continent. They had left for Austrialia on June 28.

Shailee Basnet co-coordinator of the Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action made a presentation on their successful mount climbing story.

The team who had successfully climbed the mountain includes nine members from various professions. The mountaineers are Asha Kumari Singh, Chunu Shrestha, Maya Gurung, Ngabhang Phuti Sherpa, Nimdoma Sherpa, Pema Diki Sherpa, Pujan Acharya, Shailee Basnet and Usha Bista.

The Australian part of the project was supported by the Government of Nepal, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Nepal Airlines Corporation, The North Face, The Crossing Land Education Trust(Australia), Outdoor Education Group(Australia), and the ‘Be Vegan, Go Green-Save the Planet’ campaign, Supreme Master TV, ICIMOD, Non-Residential Nepalis, Nari Nikunja and Nepal Tourism Board. The bid to scale Mt Kosciuszko in Australia coincided with the golden jubilee anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Australia.

The team is scheduled to climb the tallest peak in Europe Mt Elbrus (5642m) in Russia starting on 23rd August 2010.

If they succeed in their mission to climb the highest peaks in each of the seven continents, they will become the first all-women team to achieve the feat. In 2008, they became the first all-women team to scale Mt Everest.

By RAJESH GURUNG

The 7 Summits Club proud to inform that we will organize climbing program for Elbrus for Women Seven Summits Eco–Action....

ExplorersWeb: “American Marty Schmidt, Canadian Don Bowie, Russian Alexei Bolotov and Czechs Radek Jaros and Libor Uher have checked in from the top of Hidden Peak. Their's may be the first GI summits this season since previous summit claims last week were left unconfirmed or denied by the climbers themselves”.

Don Bowie site (www.calpinist.com):

“Don called at 7:45 am (July 28) PKT to announce that he and Alexey along with Czech climbers Radek Jaros and Libor Uher and American climber Marty Schmidt have summited Gasherbrum I. Don reported that a storm was due to come in shortly, so they would not be long on the summit. He expected the return trip to base camp would be a long, arduous one due to inclement weather, deep, unstable snow, and tired climbers. However, at the moment, they were all elated to have accomplished their summit goal”.

It is possible that Alex and Don will continue the expedition. They will try to climb Gasherbrum - II.   Gasherbrum I was for Alexei eighth eight-thousanders, plus he was first on Lhotse Middle. Bolotov was awarded by two Piolet d'Or (for Makalu and Jannu).

Site Alexei Bolotov, our friend and colleague: http://alexbolotov.ru

Picture of Don from the first attempt on G-I http://alexbolotov.ru

Group of climbers from the 7 Summits Club, arrived by helicopter to the base camp on the Glacier North Inylchek. Ludmila Korobeshko is a head and guide of expedition, that includes three participants – Alexander, Viktorov Sergey Schekoldin, Andree Julin. First, they must draw up a timetable of acclimatization climbs. And for this you need to know the weather forecast. An English source of information about weather in the mountains www.mountain-forecast.com argues that our climbers in the next three days to go through heavy rain, and on Friday - is also quite heavy snow. Most likely, the first days of acclimatization will be held in tents with no exits in the alpine zone.

The Basque mountaineer Alberto Iñurrategi has just completed a committing traverse of all three Broad Peak summits, beginning with a new route to Broad Peak North.

The complete traverse of the three Broad Peak summits, North (7,550m), Central (8,011m) and Main (8,051m) had only been achieved twice previously.

In 1984 the legendary Polish mountaineers Jerzy Kukuczka and Wojiech Kurtyka, in alpine-style and with no previous attempt, climbed the difficult North West Ridge of Broad Peak North and continued over the Central to Main summit in four and a half days.

This was only the second time that both the North and Central summits had been climbed.

In 1995 the same route was taken by Japanese, Toru Hattori, Toshiyuki Kitamura and Masafumi Todaka, who also climbed in alpine style and completed the round trip from base camp in seven days. Todaka was actually on honeymoon with his wife, who remained at base during the ascent.

On the 9th July Alberto Iñurrategi, Juan Vallejo and Mikel Zabalza reached the summit of Broad Peak North after climbing a new line up the west-facing glaciated slopes leading directly to the 7,350m col between the North and Central summits.

The weather was very windy and they spent a rough night back at the col after a short ascent of the South Ridge of North Peak. Next day they were faced with the hardest section of the traverse, the ascent of the North Ridge of Central Peak.

Receiving a weather forecast that confirmed these strong winds would continue to prevail for the next two days, the three decided to return to base camp.

The Basque trio set out again on the 16th, regained the col on the 17th after a bivouac at c6,300m, and the same day Iñurrategi repeated their previous ascent of the South Ridge to the summit of Broad Peak North.

Next day they left at 3:00 am, expecting that it would take 11-12 hours to reach the summit of Broad Peak Central and descend to a bivouac on the 7,800m col before the Main Summit.

They were wrong. Although they climbed the first 400m of the ridge in two hours, it took another 10 to finish the remaining 300m, and then two more to negotiate the summit ridge.

Snow conditions were abysmal and at one point they took five hours to gain only 50m of elevation. All declared it was the worst snow they had ever experienced.

By the time they got to the 7,800m col, they had been on the go for 17 hours, were exhausted and, having travelled very light, were completely out of food. As it was nearly dark, they decided to descend to Camp 3 at 7,100m on the Normal Route.

After just seven hours rest, only Iñurrategi felt like getting up at 3:00 am and going for the Main Summit. It took him six hours, in an exhausted state and suffering from stomach pains, to reach the top. The saving grace was that he was able to follow the track opened by other climbers on the Normal Route several days previously.

He regained camp in just over four hours. As testament to the outstanding ability of this climber at high altitude, his time was faster than most fresh and well-provisioned mountaineers would clock for this section when reaching the top via the Normal Route.

In 2002 Iñurrategi became the 10th man to complete all 14, 8,000m peaks, but only the fourth to do so without supplementary oxygen.

By Lindsay Griffin

Yesterday, on Sunday, a group of the 7 Summits Club arrived in Alma-Ata. On the same day we climbed to the top of Kok-Tobe (1130m), which is located directly on the edge of town. The expedition began - its goal is an ascent of Mount Khan Tengri. A Guide of group - Ludmila Korobeshko, members - Alexander Viktorov Sergey Schekoldin, Andrey Julin. Near the top of the Kok-Tube we photographed with the Beatles, which is there in the form of sculpture. Then we had lunch at a local restaurant.

We had breakfast on Monday already in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. A dinner was on the shore of beautiful lake Issyk-Kul. In the evening we hope to be in Karkara, the starting point from which shall be airlifted to the base camp on the glacier Northern Inylchek.

Maps: click to enlarge

Members of the 7 Summits Club are also on the way to other seventhousanders of the Central Asia. Also at the beginning of the route. Victor Sedov, arrived at the foot of Lenin Peak, successfully overcoming an obstacle, called the town of Osh. In his post, he inform hat now the situation is calm. Valery Miasoedov went to Tajikistan, to climb Korjenevskaya Peak. He is in Jirgital Village now, already the fourth day, in anticipation of a helicopter into a base camp at The Glade of Moskvina. Approximately 100 people from different countries are also waiting for a helicopter. The bad news is that all are in complete ignorance, and when that happens.