Asia - Page 44

Alexander Abramov, the leader of the expedition to Manaslu, Kathmandu:

That was my last day in Kathmandu. I'm not swimming, not sunbathing - all day I was getting Internet modem Thuraya IP+. The result  there will be  Internet at the Base camp! Ours! Personally! Only for us. The speed of 444 Kbps / second. Wait for the messages, calls via Skype and photos. Tomorrow at 5:30 in the morning, we fly by helicopter to the Base camp of Manaslu. Onward and upward!

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of 7 summits Club:

New video on the channel Kotlyar adventure in the category “field news”. Short video report from the stupa Bodnath. So I'm starting a series of video diaries of the expedition of the 7 Summits Club on Manaslu.

Mountain spirits or diary of the expedition to Manaslu. Kathmandu, the stupa Bodhnath.

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of 7 summits Club:

While the leader of the expedition responsibly took care of our online life in the next weeks on the slopes of Manaslu, we wandered around Kathmandu. Excursions, the purchase of forgotten things. Now we look forward to the morning's helicopter flight

Alexander Abramov, the leader of the expedition to Manaslu, from Kathmandu:

Today we met the main part of our team. Now almost all expedition climbers are here. Then we gave our personal goods to the helicopter for lifting it to the base camp. We worked for a movie, and simply enjoyed the meeting. And, of course, there was a briefing, where we discussed all the details of the forthcoming difficult climb.

Alexander Abramov, expedition leader: Today the second part of the team of 7 summits Club came to Kathmandu. They are  our guides and movie crew. All team members are very happy to be back in Nepal. And that baggage is not lost on the road. Expedition leader Alexander Abramov met a team with a misted bottle of champagne. We drank for the visit and for the birth of a new guide - Yaroslav Kotlyar.

Alexander Abramov from Nepal: in the program of preparation for expedition Everest 2018, we received a permit  for "7 Summits Club"  for Manaslu 8156 m. All the goods of the expedition, 8 Sherpas and 2 cooks have already been delivered by helicopter to the Base camp. 13 members - a lucky number. Expedition leader Alexander Abramov and Sergei Larin as a doctor.

The final for the spring season in Nepal  group of the 7 summits Club returned from an interesting tour through the Kingdom of Mustang. In the spring of 2017, our company has successfully implemented a number of programs. There was done climbing programs on Mera Peak and Island Peak, two of the group went trekking routes to Everest base camp, one group made the trek around the Annapurna and one -  a trip to Kingdom of Mustang.

 We will wait and prepare for the fall season. The call for applications is open. We offer many interesting things. See the program here >>>>>>>

Artem Rostovtsev, a guide of the 7 Summits Club:  

For All, Nepali Hello! After yesterday's ascent on Mera Peak, today we successfully evacuated by helicopter to Lukla. Most of the team immediately flew to Kathmandu and then home, the program is completed. Others, who think it is not enough, went for a walk towards Namche and beyond. And the one, who loves to run, was lucky to see over both days Everest from two different angles: yesterday – from Mera Peak, today from the view point above Namche Bazaar.

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of 7 summits Club:

Hello, 7 Summits! Members of the expedition to Mera Peak today took a walk to the pass Mera La, 5400 m. A break in precipitation was short, only half a day. Continues to pour - we even began to like it. Tomorrow we plan a quality rest before leaving for High camp and the summit.

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club:

 Group POZITIV FM climbed on Island Peak!!!! Six of the seven members. Elena was slightly ill so stayed to wait for us down the valley.

Maria Kirienko, member of the group:

2 may 2017, 13:30, Island Peak, 6189 meters above the sea level. Thank you very much to our SUPER guide Vladimir Kotlyar for amazing support!!!

Ivan Pominov, member of the group:

It's a beautiful mountain, a magnificent trek. More than 100 km through the mountains. Great team Positive FM. And incredible guide and friend Vladimir Kotlyar.

 Friends, it was very cool! Thanks to The 7 Summits Club. And most importantly – thanks to the Mountain that allowed!

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of 7 summits Club.

 Namaste 7 Summits! Here is a group Mera Peak. We finally got to multimedia communication area. The expedition goes according to plan, came to the town of Khote, where we dried. Pours and pours on us more than it must be accjrding the program, really abundant.  But  we even saw our target – Mera Peak, in the interval of clear sky. From the unusual: we sang the hymn of Russia to the Italian. In his opinion, our national anthem is the most solemn...

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of 7 summits Club:

Hello, Seven Summits! The group which is seeking to climb Mount Mera, almost all the members, gathered at Lukla. Tomorrow a last member will join us.Now we are having free time, we eat well, as befits the climbers. With faith in success and luck, we go on our long trek to the foot of Mera Peak.

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club: the Positive FM  group  had  today a day of rest  and a day of acclimatization in the region of Namche Bazaar. As the saying goes, if a rest - you stay active, if a holiday – it's for sport!

Svetlana Nuzhum,  a guide of the 7 Summits Club: April 22. Our cheerful company today went  out to Everest Base camp. However, not without adventure: we had to sit at the airport for 5 hours waiting for the flight to Lukla. But we're not looking for easy ways! And here, reunited with our two lucky people who managed to leave 6 hours before, we finally started to Phakding. And at a very good pace we got to our first camp.

Vladimir Kotlyar. a guide of the 7 Summits club:  

The group "Grandsons of Captain Grant" visited the base camp of Everest and ascended to Kalapatar! All the participants of the expedition fulfilled their goal, all - well done!

 Good morning to the 7 Summits Club from Vladimir Kotlyar and the group "Grandsons of Captain Grant" from Dibuche !!!!

Have a nice day and a good mood!

 After lunch:

“The grandsons of Captain Grant” team - in Dingboche! We changed the thread of the route a little, so it is more interesting)))

The group "Grandsons of Captain Grant" continues the march to the base camp of Everest. April 12 was devoted to acclimatization.

The guide of the team Vladimir Kotlyar sent a new portion of photos and video appeal ...

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club: The group "Grandsons of Captain Grant" reached Namche-Bazaar!

Everything is cool! All done well!

Vladimir Kotlyar:

The group, which gave the name "Grandsons of Captain Grant", flew to Lukla and made its first crossing - to Phakding. All is perfect!!!  The Valley of  Khumbu met us with flowers!

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide the 7 Summits Club:  Hello, friends! The group of "Grandsons of Captain Grant" gathered together in the capital of Nepal!

 We will not be able to walk this time by Kathmandu, because tomorrow at 5 am we are already start in the mountains ...

 In September 2016 GRIT&ROCK announced a launch of an annual international FIRST ASCENT EXPEDITION PRIZE to enable female first ascents. The award, the largest of its kind globally, will fund a female-led expedition team up to the amount of GBP5,000. The aims of the annually awarded prize is to promote and encourage female participation in pioneering alpine ascents. The Award is open to individuals and climbing teams with majority female participation and is meant to provide funding for those who need it most.

The application deadline is January 31, 2017. The jury comprising Victor Saunders, Catherine Destivelle, Lydia Bradey and Lise Billon will choose a winning project by March 1, 2017.

To learn more, please download the award document here

or contact us at award@gritandrock.com

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The Alpinist magazine:

Masha Gordon, the founder of Grit & Rock, explains: "During my Explorers Grand Slam record bid [She holds the female speed record—Ed.], I spent over a hundred days in various base camps around the world where I have encountered quite a few budding female alpinists in commercial groups doing normal routes on high altitude peaks," Gordon said. "That contrasted with very few independent women climbers who were part of the teams launching alpine-style ambitious summit bids. That made me wonder about the disconnect. I looked at the history of Piolets d'Or, the Oscars of Alpinism, and discovered that in its twenty-four-year-long history it has been won only twice by women. Fewer women alpinists get sponsored as brand athletes.... As a result, women get less expedition experience and, perhaps, dare less, feeling unqualified. This vicious cycle creates an unintended high-altitude glass ceiling. Our $6,000 First Ascent Expedition Grant was designed to act as a catalyst to encourage more competent female alpinists to launch their first ascent bids."

Gordon said she wasn't sure how much interest there would be when she announced the grant. "Our fear was that we would get few applications," she said. "So far, the queries we've had came from highly competent climbers. So far, so good!"

The selection panel consisting of Lydia Bradey, Catherine Destivelle, Victor Saunders and Lise Billon will award the first prize in February. Bradey was the first woman to summit Everest (8848m) without supplemental oxygen in 1988. Destivelle did an eleven-day solo first ascent on the Petit Dru (3732) in 1991, the Destivelle Route (VI 5.11b A5, 800m), and the following year she became the first woman to complete a solo ascent of the Eiger Nordwand, which she did in winter in 17 hours in 1992, among many other climbing feats. Saunders is still blazing new routes in alpine style at age 66, which he did earlier this month on Sersank Peak (6050m) with Mick Fowler in the Indian Himalaya. Billon is a 2016 Piolet d'Or recipient for the second ascent of Cerro Riso Patron (2550m) in Chile via a new route called Hasta las Webas (AI5+, M5, ED- 1000m), which she climbed with Jerome Sullivan, Diego Simari and Antoine Moineville.

[Photo] Masha Gordon collection

"If we can encourage women to think outside of the box, lead their own expeditions and explore routes in remote parts of the world, it would be a fantastic achievement," Bradey said.

"Our Foundation's goal is to help raise a generation of brave and confident girls through the power of [the] outdoors," Gordon said. "These girls need role models. This prize is aimed at helping create them."