Antarctica

Hi Seven Summits! This is Artyom Rostovtsev. My team and I are located about 17 thousand kilometers from Moscow. The place is called Union Glacier. Yesterday morning, we successfully escaped from the Massif Vinson assault camp ... we walked a very long time and then quickly flew away. It was a very busy day. Everything turned out fine, we returned to the Union Glacier. We can consider our ascent completed and successful!

Yesterday was a crazy day and  we forgot to congratulate the President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov on his birthday.

 Alex! Happy Birthday!

 And also our good cook Pato joins, which was with us on Everest:

 Alex! Happy Birthday!

Message from Oleg Mezentsev from Sidley Volcano:

Hello from Antarctica! I report: we are in Low Camp, in the morning we plan to climb the summit. Wish us good luck!

The ALE team arrived in the Sidley Volcano area on Monday, January 13th. However, weather conditions did not allow to begin  climbing in the first three days.

ALE Team on Sidley (James Stone's blog post)

 David Roskelley (USA) *

Vaughan de la Harpe (South Africa) *

Andrew Hughes (USA)

Arthur Marsden (South Africa) *

Oleg Mezentsev (Russia) *

Donald O’Connor (South Africa)

Roxanne Vogel (USA)

Rob Williams (South Africa)

Andy Chapman (UK - ALE guide)

Josh Hoeschen (USA - ALE guide)

* - those who, if successful, complete the Seven Volcanoes program.

Andrew Hughes, Roxanne Vogel and Oleg Mezentsev climbed Vinson before flying to Sidley.

Oleg Mezentsev in Punta Arenas

Hi Seven Summits! This is Artyom Rostovtsev. We arrived at High Camp about forty minutes ago. The weather is excellent, there is no wind. But tomorrow we will not go to the top. Because we don’t need it anymore, we were there today. And now we went down to the assault camp. And tomorrow, our direction will be only down. Even we hope to fly to Union Glacier on the same day. Best regards! From the terribly sunny, summer Antarctica, from the whole team!

Hi Seven Summits! Happy Old New Year to all! Who can hear us. This is Artyom Rostovtsev from Antarctica. We have a new group, the Vinson program, the third in a row. Today we advanced towards Low Camp. Great pace, unusually fast. The weather is favorable, we hope that the same weather will be until the day of our ascent. Everything is fine with us, we eat well. The sun is all day, we have summer. We are sunbathing. A bit of physical labor at the march and  during arrangement of the camp ....

Message from Elena Abramova, Manager of  the 7 Summits Club from Punta Arenas: South Pole! The 7 Summits Club group has successfully reached the southernmost point of the planet on skis under the Last Degree program. Vladimir and Pavel returned to Punta Arenas this morning. They are all right.

Message from Elena Abramova, the 7 Summit Club Manager from Punta Arenas: This morning, the second group of our climbers on Mount Vinson successfully landed in Punta Arenas!

Hi, Seven Summits from the Extreme South! This is Artyom Rostovtsev, Massif Vinson Base Camp. We started with the third expedition of the 7 Summits Club on Mount Vinson. Today, members of the second group flew away to Union Glacier. Now they are in civilized conditions and will soon fly to Punta Arenas. Well, we are starting our third expedition. The members have already arrived, settled down, slightly adapted in the base camp. Tomorrow we plan to move to Low Camp. The weather is great, sunny. For everyone, sunny and snowy greetings from Antarctica! Artyom Rostovtsev and the team.

This is Artyom Rostovtsev, Antarctica, Vinson Massif. Base Camp, fifth day at the base camp. Unfortunately, the weather is such that we are not yet taken to Union Gletcher. Tomorrow we go on a hunger strike until we fly out. That is, until we are taken out. In general, things are going well. The weather is just foggy, but it does not disturb anyone. We are all waiting for departure. Well and accordingly, tomorrow group should change if the previous one flies out. A new one arrives, with it I will go to climb the mountain. And now - Bye-bye!

Hi 7 Summits! Again – it is Antarctica, the far south, the Vinson Massif. Today at High Camp, the weather is bad again. Strong wind. Moreover, the forecast is not very favorable in the coming days. It was possible for us to stay in High Camp, but the deterioration of the forecast drove us down. We were slightly affected by the wind on the descent, but now we all happily celebrate our success at the Vinson's base camp. You can congratulate us! Artyom Rostovtsev, head of the expedition to the Vinson Massif. And a successful expedition! All other teams sit in the High Camp and wait for the weather.

Hi 7 Summits! Welcome to Antarctica, Mount Vinson High Camp. Now we have such a wind, bad weather. Everyone is sitting on tents, hiding. I don’t even know what people will do? How to go to the summit? For some reason, this morning, looking at the forecast that it is getting worse, we decided to climb. And climbed! The only team! Yes! And now everyone envies us! It’s true, it’s not clear how much time we will spend in the High Camp with such bad weather. But the sun is shining and we hope that we will come down soon. Artyom Rostovtsev, Antarctica, High Camp.

Congratulations to Sofie Lenaerts on completing the Seven Summits program!

Hi 7 Summits! This is Antarctica, Vinson Massif, Artyom Rostovtsev. I am calling from the High Camp. Yesterday, January 1st, we had a legal day of rest. We rested. We repackaged our equipment, decided what to take up. Yesterday, we quickly moved to the High Camp.

It's morning already, the sun has risen. Weather is windy, sunny ... Wish us good luck! Most likely, we will go today to storm the summit.

Hi 7 Summits! This is Artem Rostovtsev. From Antarctica. Yesterday, we flew from Vinson's base camp to Union Glacier. And today, the first team have left Antarctica. We have a changeover. It was a great team, it was fun. But now, with new forces we returned to  the Vinson's base camp, for the next ascent. With a new group. Today we are perfectly located, tomorrow we move to the Low Camp. We are acting on the program. The weather is favorable. The sunny, snowy climate of Antarctica

...

On December 26, the first  season group of the 7 Summits Club  successfully climbed Mount Vinson Massif, the highest point of Antarctica. Group guide Artem Rostovtsev stayed on the Ice Continent to work with next groups. And the members landed safely in Punta Arenas, where, with the help of Lena Abramova, they transferred these photos to us. Almost everything is clear from its without words. Travel succeeded! Antarctica is a real fairy tale!

Artem Rostovtsev, Guide of the 7 Summits Club:

 Hi 7 Summits! Yesterday all the teams in the High camp planned, including us, to climb to the top today. But somehow in the evening there was a strong wind that only a couple of teams started in the morning. One quickly turned around, and only one, crazy team, reached the top. I don’t understand why, during radio communications, to this team turned “the Russians”, that is, the Russian team. After all, this team included: a resident of Hong Kong, a Hindu, by the way, the youngest woman summiter of Everest, a citizen of Poland and a representative of Ukraine. Well, maybe I even guess - because their guide was Russian. It was the 7 Summit Club team!  We climbed on, returned, we are tired. Thank you all for your attention! Going to sleep!

Artem Rostovtsev, the 7 Summits Club guide:

Hi 7 Summits! Once again there is Antarctica – the High camp at Mount Vinson. Today we reached it by the whole team. Now we already have had a dinner. Everyone feels good enough, cheerfully. Our plan is following: get enough sleep, have a good breakfast and go to the summit. Climb to the highest point tomorrow.

In fact, we will report on our accomplishment. Best regards again, everyone! From the international group of the 7 Summits Club. We are from Russia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Poland and India!

Artem Rostovtsev a group guide:

Hi 7 Summits! Connected Antarctica, Vinson Massif. The team is now located in Low Camp, 2800. We are the only team here because for some reason the rest decided to leave tomorrow. We were happy when we left the clouds and saw the sun. We will spend here a couple more nights. Today we plan to go to fixed ropes, gain 300 meters in total.

Rest is planned for tomorrow. Well, as all the other American teams come, it will be even more fun. So far, we are alone in the camp and no one else! Enjoying Antarctica!

Greetings to all of you from the White Continent!

Hi, 7 Summits! This is Artyom Rostovtsev. Yesterday we miraculously flew out of Punto Arenas. Nobody believed, but unexpectedly, they gave the green light to take off. And immediately to Union Gletcher. We arrived there after midnight. It was possible to sleep, and in the morning to eat calmly. And then miraculously move to Vinson's base camp. Also, the weather was not favorable, but suddenly a weather window appeared and we were thrown to the Vinson's base camp. We are here now. Today, we calmly sorted out our things, prepared for tomorrow. We hope to go to the Low Camp. Although there are  some unfavorable news. The guys who have been working as rangers here for many years say that they saw avalanches for the first time at the slope from Low Camp to High Camp. But our plan is to move there and see with our own eyes what is there and how it is. Not looking at the rest of the teams.

Wish us good luck!

Hello everyone from Antarctica!

Listen to an audio message (in Russian):

The first group of the 7 Summits Club in this Antarctic season under the leadership of our guide Artem Rostovtsev flew from the Chilean city of Punto Arenas to the Union Gletcher base. Thus, the season on the Ice continent kicked off.

We wish our international team a successful ascent to the highest point of Antarctica -  Mount Vinson!!!

Artem Rostovtsev, the 7 Summit Club guide:

Hi, 7 Summits! This is the Far South in touch. Antarctica is not allowing yet ...

We are waiting for the weather for a flight to Antarctica. In order not to rust at all, we walked a little through the Patagonian forests. Its brightened up the wait, but, unfortunately, not for long. The weather makes it difficult to fly, maybe then by the sea? We walked around the surroundings, along the shore of the Strait of Magellan, suddenly what was suitable, they did not find, but we were impressed by what we saw…

Artem Rostovtsev, the 7 Summit Club guide:

Hi 7 Summits! Today we had to take off on the  White continent. But the weather thought otherwise - we have to wait. Hope not for long. All that will be  useful in Antarctica for three groups on climbing the Vinson Massif is already loaded on the IL-76. But, unfortunately, we still have a timeout before departure - Antarctica does not allow.

We will have fun before departure on the Mainland.