Everest(8848) - Page 35

Today, our team reached the base camp. Alex Abramov called, but the connection was bad. "It is very cold in the Base Camp. We go to dinner and then sleep. Everything is normal, all got safely. "

We have a bad news. Crina Coco Popescu and her father went to Nepal and tomorrow they want to fly to Romania. Coco won't participate in the Everest expedition anymore because of some medical problems in the acclimatisation trek she didn't reach the base camp to meet the other members of the expedition. It is very sorry. Such a good girl ! We became friends in Antarctica this year.

Today, the team climbed to the top of Shigar 4 700m, which stands the monastery Shigar. All were satisfied.

The team gradually getting closer.

That's good.

Alexander Abramov

14 th we arrived in Lhasa. We are well met by our old friends from the company STMA.

15 th all members went to the Potala. And I was running around Lhasa, and therefore I did not write  news. As always the hardest was to get right Chinese SIM cards for Internet

As a result, I bought a 1913 modem China Mobile. Other operators do not work in the Everest base camp. Now the whole expedition is provided into  Internet. All could call on Skype to family and friends and send pictures.

Yesterday, the 16 th we spent the night in Shigatse - the second largest city in Tibet.

This morning we visited a very nice local monastery, walk around the city, bought blankets and pillows.

Acquainted with the system of boiling water by solar energy. Today we moved into town Shigar

Today Anatoly Yezhov and our guide Dima Ermakov flew from Kathmandu to Periche by helicopter. There an Academician, rector of a University Anatoly Yezhov set a new world record in lifting weights on the slopes of Everest. The entire group got together and we're ready to fly to Lhasa on April 14.

 Anatoly Ezhov (right)

Alex with Crina and Ovidiu Popescu

We are in Kathmandu, here is the heat ! Abramov checks member’s equipment, I am preparing the technical part of today's dinner, connecting and adjusting hardware. Tomorrow we are planning excursions and sightseeing in Kathmandu.

Greetings!

Yours faithfully, Dmitry Ermakov

Alexander Abramov, is only awaiting the arrival of their first team. And many other expeditions are already begun acclimatization. Even those who will climb from the north. In particular, the British expedition company Adventure Peaks. They are on the southern slopes of Mount Everest now and saw the coveted summit. 16-year-old Englishman, George Atkinson is in this team. In case of success on Everest, he will be the youngest climber, ever climbed the Seven Summits. If only Coco Popescu did not surpass, and she will work in our 7 Summits Club expedition. Atkinson will celebrate 17 years on May 29 and he wants to complete the program before that date. Coco will be 17 years old only in December. Before departing on an expedition to Everest, she participated in the presentation of a series of stamps devoted to her achievement – climbs on the seven highest volcanoes of the seven continents.

Crina  and George will meet in our base camp

Kanchenjunga

Message from Israfil Ashurly: "The team, led by Alexei Bolotov: Gleb Sokolov, Nikolay Totmyanin, Andrey Manuilov, Alexander Lutokhin, Dmitry Sinev (Russia), Alexander Frolov (Australia), Christian Stangl (Austria), Israfil Ashurly (Azerbaijan), after a 12 days of trekking, has reached on April 8 a base camp at 5,450 m.

We are here already for 3 days. Last night there was heavy snowfall. The bulk of our equipment has not yet been delivered to the base camp. So we can not begin to prepare a route. We are waiting for an arrival of two big expeditions. Greetings from the guys. "

World record holder Apa Sherpa going to the summit of Mt. Everest for the 21st time.

Having succeeded in the Eco Everest Expedition 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Eco Everest Expedition 2011 is heading on 6th April towards Mt. Everest Base Camp from Kathmandu under the leadership of Dawa Steven Sherpa , the Managing Director of Asian Trekking, Nepal and Apa Sherpa, World Record holder of 20 ascents of Mt. Everest, as a Climbing Leader of the Expedition.

Dawa Steven Sherpa, organizer of Eco Everest Expedition talked about this year’s Eco Everest Expedition. “This Expedition is focused on climbing in an Eco-sensitive manner to keep Everest clean and collect garbage, debris and waste left by past expedition groups. The collected garbage will be brought down to the Base Camp by members of the clean up team for proper disposal. The Eco Expedition would again be using the alternative energy solutions like the parabolic solar cookers, solar lightings and the ultraviolet light pens for water purification,” he said.

Since 2008, the Eco Everest Expeditions have collected and brought off the mountain nearly 12,000 kgs of garbage and over 300 kgs of human waste produced by Eco Everest Expedition. Also four died bodies recovered and brought down from the mountain for a dignified burial.

The Eco Everest Expedition 2011 plans again to collect and bring down garbage from high altitude . His team targets to bring down 4000 kilograms of garbage from the mountain like the previous Eco Everest Expedition on the basis of "Cash for Trash" program which offers 1 hundred rupees for one kilo garbage brought down to Base Camp. Furthermore, together with Japanese Mt.Everest Summiteer and Environmentalist Ken Noguchi, the expedition aims to bring down another 1 thousand kilos of garbage between Camp II and the Summit. The aim is to clean up a total of 5000 Kilograms of garbage from Mt. Everest this year.

At Base Camp, the collected garbage will be sorted into biodegradable and burnable which will be handed over to the Sagarmatha or Everest Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), an NGO based in the Everest region. The non-degradable and non-burnable garbage will be brought to storage in Asian Trekking's warehouse in Khumjung village.

The main sponsors of Eco Everest Expedition 2011 garbage collection program are Asian Trekking Pvt. Ltd and The North Face.

Dawa Steven Sherpa and his Eco Everest Expedition team are continuing this initiative to create awareness among the local people and among the climbers to help keep Mt.Everest and the Himalayan Mountains clean. Eco Everest Expeditions have been taking a message to "stop climate change" as it destroys the Himalayan environment and threatening the lives and livelihoods of the mountain communities.

 ECO EVEREST EXPEDITION SPRING 2011

There are 23 Climbing member consisting of 10 Americans, 6 Indians, 3 Brazilians, 1 Japanese, 1 Spanish,1 Mexican and 1 Swiss. Eco Everest Expedition's advance team staffs are already at Base Camp building platform sites for tents. We are using 124 sleeping tents for members and staffs, 7 big dinning tents at BC and Camp II, 5 kitchen tents, 2 storage tents, 4 shower tents, 1 communication tent and 6 toilet tents for this expedition.

 To manage this huge expedition is a very professional task, which will be done by Dawa Steven Sherpa (Managing Director of Asian Trekking and My Son) who has the experience of handing a huge team like this. This year also, Apa Sherpa will be our climbing leader, whose world record of 20 times summit of Mt. Everest will be called upon to manage the climbing schedules of all our members. Apa will be climbing again for a new record again, 21st time! To look after the logistics and Sherpas, our senior Sirdar Naga Dorje will be managing a team of 40 climbing Sherpas, including 2 other Sirdars.

 At the base camp we have Mr. Lee Bennett (better known as Wiggy), who is our Base Camp Manager and Communication In-charge. Wiggy is a qualified mountain guide and was a Communication Engineer in the Royal Navy (UK) until he retired last year. Our head cook Birbal will be providing a varied menu for various nationalities to suit their plates. Birbal has a team of 11 cooks and kitchen helpers to make sure all the climbers are fed well.

 Ms. Premlata Agrawal, Ms. Sunita Singh, Mr. Narendra Singh and their Sherpas flew to Lukla on 29th of March, heading for a Pre-Everest climb on Island Peak for acclimatization before joining the main team members at Everest Base Camp. The first expedition briefing of Asian Trekking's Eco Everest Expedition Spring 2011 was held on 28th March. The briefing was given by Expedition Leader Dawa Steven Sherpa, senior Sirdar Nanga Dorje Sherpa and Ted Atkin (Inventor of Top Out Oxygen Mask) and attended by the first group of expedition member Ms.Premlata Agrawal, Ms.Sunita Singh, Mr. Narendra Singh and Pawan Grewal and their Sherpa Team members.

 The Eco Everest Expedition was organized successfully for three consecutive years (2008, 2009 and 2010) to create international awareness about the impact of Climate Change in the Himalayas and the lives of the mountain communities. That is why the expedition uses highly successful alternative energy solutions like the parabolic solar cookers, solar energies for lighting and the SteriPENs for water purification and also encourages other expedition teams to use them.

 Besides this, Eco Everest Expedition also focuses on cleaning of Mt. Everest and it seems somehow successful in this task. Since 2008 until today Eco Everest Expedition has brought down more than 12,000 kilos of previous expedition garbage and more than 300 kilos of human waste produced by Eco Everest Expedition from Mt. Everest for proper disposal. Also four died bodies recovered and brought down from the mountain for a dignified burial and funeral.

Today, Nikolay Cherny, Sergei Larin, and Noel Hanna, along with a team of Sherpas went to the base camp at North side of Everest. A day before, there was a meeting with the legendary Miss Elizabeth Hawley. A journalist, in the past, this 87 years old lady, is the main authority in the Himalayan mountaineering. Even she has not made any ascent itself. Hawley in her place, is both a chronicler number 1, directly receiving an information about Himalayan expeditions, and a referee deals in complicated situations. Unexpectedly for us, this remarkable woman personally paid a visit to the hotel where located Alexander Abramov and his team. It turned out a beautiful photo.

Meanwhile, a small ceremony held in the office of the 7 Summits Club. We farewelled our beloved comrades in Nepal. Victor Bobok and Dmitry Ermakov go to the Himalayas. Dmitry will lead an expedition to the foot of Mount Everest from the south, the main aim of a large group will be climbing Island Peak. Victor will join the team of Alexander Abramov, as a guide of Mount Everest. He wants to climb the summit already by his third route (2004 - North Face direct, 2009 - a classic from the south). We know that Eugene Vinogradsky reached the summit of Everest by three different routes. Or anyone else?

Yuri Koshelenko (left) and all the staff of the Club wished them good luck !

Our 2011 Expedition.

The main part of the expedition (with permit on Everest):

Karina Mezova (28 years) Nalchik
Andrew Podolyan (39) Moscow
Dmitry Sokov (43) Sakhalin
Igor Prinzyuk (33) Khabarovsk
Yuri Beloivan (44) Moscow
Roman Grezky (39) Moscow
Christopher Cannizzaro (25) U.S.A.
Crina Popescu (16) Romania

Group with special permits (without climbing Everest):

Valery Rozov (46) Moscow
Denis Provalov (42) Moscow
Sergey Krasko (49) Moscow
Anatoly Yezhov (64) Archangelsk
Ovidiu Popescu (47) Romania
Gennady Naykov (44) Moscow

Guides of the expedition:

Alexander Abramov (47) Moscow

Sergey Larin (51) Tver

Nikolay Cherny (72) Moscow

Noel Hanna (44) Ireland

Victor Bobok (50) Moscow

April 2, Alexander Abramov flew to Nepal. The final stage of preparing our next Everest expedition began. China has denied entry to the territory of Tibet, but in the coming days, the path will open. Members of the expedition and guides will come later. While Alexander will set of organizational issues. However, much will be organized differently. Because for the first time Mingma will not be a Sirdar of the expedition. Now he is the director of our branch 7 Summits Adventures Company and had a lot of other deals.

The main part of the expedition (with permit on Everest):

Karina Mezova (28 years) Nalchik

Andrew Podolyan (39) Moscow

Dmitry Sokov (43) Sakhalin

Igor Prinzyuk (33) Khabarovsk

Yuri Beloivan (44) Moscow

Roman Grezky (39) Moscow

Christopher Cannizzaro (25) U.S.A.

Crina Popescu (16) Romania

Group with special permits (without climbing Everest):

Valery Rozov (46) Moscow

Denis Provalov (42) Moscow

Sergey Krasko (49) Moscow

Anatoly Yezhov (64) Archangelsk

Ovidiu Popescu (47) Romania

Guides of the expedition:

Alexander Abramov (47) Moscow

Sergey Larin (51) Tver

Nikolay Cherny (72) Moscow

Noel Hanna (44) Ireland

Victor Bobok (50) Moscow

 Carstensz Pyramid

FORMER Gwent rugby star Richard Parks told of an “adventurous and mysterious” trek as he climbed the highest mountain in Australasia and completed the first half of his global expedition challenge. The ex-Dragons and Wales player reached the summit of the 4,884 metre high Carstenz Pyramid in West Papua, Indonesia on Wednesday, local time.

This followed a seven-day trek and climb and represents the completion of the fifth of nine legs.

It means Parks is still on track to become the first person to climb the highest summit on each of the world's seven continents and venture to the north and south poles in seven months.

He described the climb, starting from dense tropical jungle, as "the most elusive, mysterious and adventurous of the seven summits." While it has the lowest summit altitude, it is the most technically challenging as it involves difficult scrambling, rock climbing and abseiling.

Parks also trekked through jungle to base camp, which involved walking through rivers, mud and torrential rain in extreme humidity. There were also concerns that the Japanese Tsunami might hit West Papua and cause delays, however, the island remained unaffected.

Parks has now successfully completed The South Pole, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in South America, Africa’s Kilimanjaro and now Australasia’s Carstensz Pyramid. Next up is the North Pole.

He is hoping to raise £1 million for Marie Curie Cancer. Follow him at 737challenge.com.

Mount Everest

The Guinness World Record holder as the oldest Mount Everest climber, is currently in Brunei Darussalam as the Ambassador of Visit Nepal Year 2011 to promote Nepal tourism in Brunei Darussalam.

Mr Min Bahadur Sherchan broke the world record by reaching the summit of Mount Everest in 2008 at the age of 77 years.

He has been in Brunei since March 18 and has visited Kuala Lumpur and his next destination is Singapore.

While in Brunei, the now 80-yearold Mr Min Bahadru Sherchan, has participated in various activities carried out by Gurkha members at the British Army Camp in Seria and had special sessions to promote Nepal tourism.

In an interview with the Borneo Bulletin, Mr Min Bahadur Sherchan said he has been appointed as Ambassador of Visit Nepal 2011 by the Nepal Tourism Secretariat.

It is to lure travellers from South and North Asia like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, It is to lure travellers from South and North Asia like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, India and other European countries such as United Kingdom and United States to Nepal.

Mr Min Bahadur Sherchan (right) with his family members while visiting the Gurkha Army Camp in Seria.

The oldest Mount Everest climber said despite his age, he plans to ascend Mount Everest next year to break his own record as the oldest climber.

He extend an invitation to Bruneians to travel to Nepal as both countries have good relations and to mark the Visit Nepal Year 2011, adventurous activities will be organised such as track events, mount climbing and visit to remote areas.

He said Nepal has natural beauty and the Nepalese are warm and friendly. Nepal is also renowned for its culinary treats and affordable shopping as well as rich in culture and tradition.

During the sharing session, he said that he had to wait until the age of 77 to climb Mount Everest due to financial limitations. He added that he had to spend over US$25,000 to achieve his dream and as a Nepali, he aimed to compete with other world record holders who are mostly foreigners.

Recollecting his achievements, he said, he has climbed three mountains in Nepal. When he was 72, he walked a distance of 1,028 kilometres from the North to West of Nepal in 20 days and at the age of 73 he walked for seven days from East to South Nepal while enduring the blistering heat and snowy weather.

He said age is no barrier and his secret to staying fit is practising healthy eating 

. He does not consume rice and eats a little portion of meat but large quantities of vegetables and traditional Nepalese food `Kodo'. He also complements his healthy diet with a 30-minute morning exercise and yoga every day.

We look at the Himalayas from south to north. Kanchenjunga.  The team collected by Alexey Bolotov will try to climb this giant mountain. It consists of two top Russian high altitude climbers - Nikolay Totmyanin and Gleb Sokolov. As well as our close friend, president of Mountaineering Federation of Azerbaijan, the snow leopard and the climber at the Seven Peaks Israfil Ashurly. Together with them - Pole Paul Michalski, Romanian Alex Gavan and Italians  Mario Panzeri and   Antonello Martinez. And also a group of Nepalese climbers. If successful Sherpa Mingma  will be the first in the country climbed 14 eight-thousanders ...

In our office: Mikhail Yarin, Alex Abramov, Gleb Sokolov and Pavel Shabalin

Makalu. Polish woman climber Kinga Baranovska, which goes to his eight eighеt-thousanders, will be there a major star ... Slovak Peter Hamor plans, high-speed solo climb without oxygen. For acclimatization he plans to climb Lobuche East and Pumori.

Lhotse. Carlos Soria, 72-year-old Spanish climber intends to climb its 10 th eight-.thousander. In the company with him will climb Carlos Pauner and Juan Oiarzabal, who has now 24 climbs on eight thousanders (overall record). Austrian paragliding Mike Kueng wants to flight over the summit ridge (8500 m), starting from the south. On account of this 42-year old athlete is a lot of records, including a flight at an altitude of 10,100 meters. But the goal is very difficult: from the bottom up in the Himalayas nobody could rise above 7300 m yet. Austrian already is flying in the vicinity of Namche Bazaar, as part of his great expedition "paratrekkers.

Soria (left), Kueng and below - the planned route record

On Everest should be lively as usual ...

In addition to numerous commercial expeditions, many people will try to speak own word on the slopes of tallest peak of the planet.

In the focus - Basque woman climber Edurne Pasaban, which tries to climb the highest peak without the aid of artificial oxygen. If successful, all 14 eight she would have "made" without oxygen. Also will try a clean, oxygen-free ascent a 35-year-old Australian climber Allie Pepper .. And men… once again going to climb without oxygen Englishman David Tait. Before that he planned to climb a new route on Lhotse. Mexican David Liano is back to his project climb Everest from both sides during the season. Without oxygen, and one day plans to go to the summit an Ecuadorian Ramiro Tesalema. Brazilian Rodrigo Raineri announced his intention to descend from the top of a glider.

 Allie Pepper - after Cho Oyu climbs Everest without oxygen

Sherpas go for at least 3 record. Famous Apa go to the top once again.

Pemba Dorji plans for a day to visit both Everest and Lhotse. His brothers dragged to the top of the world's tent - they plan to stay at an altitude of 8848 meters over 24 hours.

On Cho-Oyu the most interesting fact is that refusal to participate in the expedition Japanese Hiro Takeuchi. In solidarity with the victims of the catastrophic earthquake compatriots. Takeuchi - the first real contender for the 14 eight-thousanders from the country which was a quarter-century was among the leaders of Himalayan mountaineering. He remained only two: Cho Oyu and Dhaulagiri

 Gneiting, shown during a 2004 competition, beat his previous time by two hours

A 400lb American sumo wrestler hopes to become certified as the heaviest man to finish a marathon after competing the Los Angeles race in nearly 10 hours.

Kelly Gneiting, who was the last of 11,891 men to cross the Los Angeles marathon finish line on Sunday, described the race as "pure hell".

Gneiting walked the last 18 miles, suffering through painful blisters, but beat his 2008 time by two hours.

He has won three US sumo titles beginning in 2005.

"I did it, but it was hell," Gneiting, 40, was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times. "Pure hell."

Gneiting of Arizona weighed in after the race at 396lb (179.6 kilos) - four less than when he started, local television reported.

By the time Gneiting finished the first half, the city had begun reopening streets along the route and he completed the race on the pavement, NBC television reported.

Gneiting hopes to have his time - nine hours and 48 minutes - certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

When one place is meeting many friends, there is a peculiar aura, there is something special sense of unity. And the sense of the meaning of what we do. Of course, this may not happen often. But I would like it to be at least four times a year. The evening party began with a demonstration of the film, whose name can be taken as an epigraph for the whole of our work. "We are living rightful." As later said Victor Bobok, "at the plain we're just getting ready for real life, which is up there. In the mountains." We see on the screen Pavel Shabalin with his little daughter Masha. We see Alexander Abramov on the North Face of Aksu Peak ....

Pavel Shabalin, one of the best climbers of the world, "Father of Ice climbing sports” and motor of sports ideas in the Mountaineering Federation of Russia. Pavel - our old friend and we are always happy to see him...

Finally, we all come together. Importantly, our president and leader Alexander Abramov will be available for a few days before departure to Nepal and Tibet. “National climber of Russia” Viktor Bobok will be also, it is difficult to catch him in Moscow. Straight from the event, he will go again to his beloved Africa, at his beloved Mount Kilimanjaro. In addition, we prepare as a surprise, a few interesting guests. And so, in the program: appetizer buffet, exclusive drinks ... and reports, among which are the loudest: climbing the highest volcano in Antarctica Mount Sidley (Abramov), through the jungle to the top of Carstensz (Luda Korobeshko), on the glaciers of Patagonia (Luba Ivanova), violent season on Aconcagua (Bobok) .... The plans, of course, as usual, a raffle,,,, and informal part, meeting with close friends ...

In short, the event that can not be missed!

KATHMANDU: The Seven Summits Foundation in coordination with Nepal Tourism Year 2011 committee will organize a concert at the Mount Everest Base Camp at the height of 5,400 meters above the sea-level on March 23.

According to the organizers, apart from Nepali artists and International artiste John McCune from USA will also perform at the Everest Base Camp for the programme. The initial festival is dedicated to raising awareness of the melting of the Himalayan Glaciers due to Global Warming, kicking off a series of five concerts with the final one in Kathmandu, said Thomas J Sexton, a member of the 7 Summits Foundation.

After two weeks of trekking and performing in the Himalayas, the ‘Save the Himalaya’ festival will conclude with a concert in Kathmandu on April 6.

Led by Ang Chhering Sherpa, who holds the record for climbing the world’s seven highest summit in just 42 days, and in association with the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 committee, the 7 Summits Foundation hopes to use the concert series to focus the attention of the international community on one of the highest destinations on earth, embodying the ‘Voice from the Top of the World’.

While rising sea-levels have been the central focus of the detrimental effects of Global Warming, the melting of our glaciers will have an impact on landlocked nations as well, he said, adding that the melting of the Himalayan glaciers will cause flooding and destruction, affecting the survival and livelihood of the people of the Himalayan region.

Meanwhile, AC Sherpa plans to continue to build awareness of the impact on the Himalayan glaciers by attempting to set a new mountaineering record by climbing Mt Everest three times in one climbing season this summer.

KATHMANDU: A team of civil servants led by Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Lila Mani Poudel is all set to scale the Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. They are setting off for mountaineering from the third week of Chaitra.

It was informed at a programme that the mountaineering campaign of the civil servants, as an important programme in connection with the Nepal Tourism Year 2011, will spread a new message in the international sector. The programme was organised at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The government has allocated Rs 750 million for the campaign which will be of 75 days. Similarly, the Mountaineering Training Institute Development Committee has been providing training and will manage the expedition.

In course of the training, the expedition has successfully scaled the Yala peak of Lamtang.

At the programme, Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire said the mountaineering will help devise a mechanism on sustainable environment conservation by acquiring information about the effects of climate change in the mountain region.

Similarly, Secretary at the Tourism Ministry, Kishor Thapa said the Ministry will arrange the management for the mountaineering team to reach atop the Everest and return it safely.

Team leader Secretary Poudel said they were all set to climb the Mt Everest to show that the civil servants were also capable to do adventurous job.

Nepal Tourism Year Coordinator Yogendra Shakya said the mountaineering zeal of the employee will add new spirit to the tourism sector.

The mountaineering team comprises Joint Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary at the Tourism Ministry, Laxman Bhattarai, engineer at the same ministry Santa Kumar Maharjan, and Mukti Ram Rijal, Surath Pokhrel, Hari Prasad Guragain, Khim Lal Gautam, Gyanendra Kumar Shrestha, Tulsi Ram Bhandari, Padma Bahadur Bhandari, Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Subir Shrestha, Hari Dhakal and Kumar Giri.

Joseph Dalton Hooker, renowned botanist, close friend of Charles Darwin and global explorer, also produced the earliest Western sketch of a little-known geologic feature called Mount Everest, it emerged this week.

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where Hooker was director in the late 19th-century, has identified a rough sketch by Hooker of the Himalayan mountain, the highest point on Earth, as one of the first of its kind. A consultation with Hooker experts, including the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), suggests the drawing is the earliest known scientific Western drawing of what locals call Mount Chomolungma. The work dates from 1848, completed while Hooker, aged 30, was conducting a three-year-long research expedition of the Himalayan region. The RGS named Everest in 1856 after George Everest, a former British surveyor-general of India.

"It is always wonderful when we turn up a hidden gem of such historical importance," said Kew's director Stephen Hopper. "To our knowledge there are no other earlier representations of Everest by a European, in which case this discovery could be one of the most important findings in Kew's Archive."

While the RGS has a French map of the relevant Himalayan region dating from the 1730s, it has no pictorial representations of the mountain from this period.

Kew were first alerted to the sketch's importance by documentary filmmaker Peter Donaldson, who has spent several years researching Hooker's life. In 2008, he retraced Hooker's 1848 journey through eastern Nepal and the Tibetan border, which Mr Donaldson claims was the first recreation of its kind. "Hooker's various explorations around the world and on the spot drawings provide a very interesting reference point to see how parts of the eastern Himalayas and elsewhere have changed over the last 160 years," Mr Donaldson said in an email. "Hooker established much of the science underlying current understanding of how plants change with changing climate. This is of great importance in interpreting the past and future effects of climate change."

The garden's archives also contain a watercolour by Walter Hood Fitch, based on the Hooker sketch, which was created in about 1850. While the botanist does not refer directly to the drawing in his journals, he describes a spectacular sunset seen during his four-year expedition. "I have never before or since seen anything which for sublimity, beauty and marvellous effects, could compare with what I gazed on that evening." Everest is marked on Hooker's sketch "very high snows NNW ".

As well as being the first European to collect plants in the Himalayas, Hooker also worked with Darwin to classify plants he had collected in the Galapagos Islands.

Hooker's sketch is currently on display at Kew's Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art until 1 June.

Finally, we all come together. Importantly, our president and leader Alexander Abramov will be available for a few days before departure to Nepal and Tibet. “National climber of Russia” Viktor Bobok will be also, it is difficult to catch him in Moscow. Straight from the event, he will go again to his beloved Africa, at his beloved Mount Kilimanjaro. In addition, we prepare as a surprise, a few interesting guests. And so, in the program: appetizer buffet, exclusive drinks ... and reports, among which are the loudest: climbing the highest volcano in Antarctica Mount Sidley (Abramov), through the jungle to the top of Carstensz (Luda Korobeshko), on the glaciers of Patagonia (Luba Ivanova), violent season on Aconcagua (Bobok) .... The plans, of course, as usual, a raffle,,,, and informal part, meeting with close friends ...

In short, the event that can not be missed!

Next week most of the staff of the 7 Summits Club, including general management, will spend in the Alps. Mountain air and bright spring sun should stimulate our intellectual activities. We will be skiing and work. Together, we will discuss the strategic and tactical issues, not forgetting the technical one, of course.

We all stay in touch.

Don’t even think about visiting Tibet this month. China has closed the region to foreigners throughout March. The official reason is that tourists will be unsafe because of cold weather, ice, a shortage of hotel rooms, crowds attending Tibetan New Year festivities, and the anniversary of Tibet’s “liberation” in 1951. But skeptics say it has more to do with keeping out journalists and trouble makers during the third anniversary of bloody anti-government riots.

There are few things on earth as rare as a truly perfect silence. Steve Giesecke would know.

Having summitted the highest peak on each of the world's seven continents - each on the first attempt - Giesecke has been everywhere from the equatorial jungles of Indonesia, and most recently, to the ice sheets of Antarctica.

The retired Air Force colonel returned from his final climb there only a few weeks ago. It was at Mount Vinson, on the world's most remote continent, where he experienced the most enveloping stillness he's ever known.

"When there's no wind - often there's wind - but when there's no wind, it's the quietest place on Earth," Giesecke said.

He found himself on a continent without a shred of development - no roads, cars, or people outside his group. The ice and snow absorbed any ambient noise around them. Even the voice of the nearest person couldn't travel far.

"You can hear your eyes blink," he said.

Like a lot of contractors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Giesecke spends most of his days at a desk. He works for the National Center for Telehealth and Technology, a Department of Defense office working to meet the psychological health and traumatic brain injury needs of the military community by developing and implementing technology solutions.

"I'm working on one of our initiatives that will bring the mental health programs of the DoD and VA closer together through collaboration on new technology assessment and development, in the areas of Web-based resources, social media and mobile applications," Giesecke said.

But in spite of the hours he spends in front of a computer, Giesecke's passion is pushing himself to the limit in some of the world's most inspiring locations. The result is a spectacular list of experiences - and more than a few examples of sheer determination.

Giesecke grew up in the Northwest, where hiking in the region's mountain ranges was almost a given. After college he climbed the Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps, which sparked an interest in climbing. When he joined the Air Force, he made a point of climbing mountains in the western U.S. between assignments.

Then in 1989, while stationed in Alaska, he climbed Denali, also known as Mount McKinley.

At 20,320 feet tall, Denali is the highest peak in North America and experiences some of the most severe weather in the world. In 1989 only 51 percent of climbers summitted the mountain, according to the National Parks Service. Today that number is 55 percent.

Giesecke had what he called "the usual experiences" on Denali. The weather was bad and only three of the people in his party made it to the top. At one point another group's tent was blown loose from the ridge above. Only one of the climbers made it out in time.

"It was very difficult back then," Giesecke said. "It still is very difficult, but back then things were a little bit heavier. You needed to take more time on the mountain to move the heavier equipment up."

About the same time, he read the book "Seven Summits" by Dick Bass, Frank Wells and Rick Ridgeway. Though at the time Giesecke thought the task out of reach for himself, the story of Bass and Wells, the first two men to successfully summit all seven peaks, would stick with him for years.

SETTING THE GOAL

When he retired from the Air Force a decade ago, Giesecke moved back to the Pacific Northwest, joined The Mountaineers club and started taking climbing classes. He continued climbing in the area, including summitting Mount Rainier multiple times. But Giesecke wanted a challenge that was bigger than he was. He wanted to know exactly how far he could go.

"I was in peak condition. I knew that if I was ever even going to have a shot at climbing the seven summits, any more of the seven summits, I knew it was then," Giesecke said.

In 2007 he signed up for a trip to Aconcagua on the Argentinean-Chilean border. The 22,841-foot peak is the highest outside of Asia. Giesecke told himself that if he made it to the top without any significant problems he would go straight to Nepal to climb Mount Everest. And in March of 2007 - after a U.S. pit stop just long enough to renew his passport - that's exactly what he did.

According to friend and fellow climber Gary Talcott, who grew up with Giesecke in Olympia, this level of resolve isn't out of the norm.

"He is very ambitious, goal oriented and determined to summit," Talcott said via e-mail, recalling a time when Giesecke helped him lead a group of climbers down from Mount Hood in whiteout conditions.

"It's fun to hear about his latest plans or last adventure," Talcott said. "I can just see the wheels turning."

The Everest trip took him two months.

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain above sea level in the world. A 1999 survey sponsored by the National Geographic Society puts the mountain at 29,035 feet tall, so high that its peak reaches into the lower limits of the jet stream. Sustained winds at the top can exceed 100 miles per hour. In July, the warmest month on the mountain, the average daytime temperature at the summit is -2 F. In January, the coldest month, the average is -33 F but can drop as low as -76 F.

Conditions are, in a word, extreme. Giesecke's experience was nothing less.

Among the final hurdles before reaching Everest's summit is the Cornice Traverse, a 400-foot knife-edged ridge leading to the Hillary Step. Teetering too far to the left would send a climber down 8,000 feet along the Southwest Face. A misstep to the right would result in plummeting 10,000 feet down the Kangshung Face.

It was here that the snow beneath Giesecke broke through, sending him sliding downward.

"I only fell about 20 feet, but the air beneath my boots was endless," he said.

Fortunately the anchors held, and he continued toward the top. After tackling the final obstacle, the 40-foot climb up the Hillary Step, Giesecke summited the mountain.

"I went up Everest on May 20, 2007, and that was a fantastic day," he said, "to be on top of the world."

DOWNHILL FROM EVEREST

The following year he took on Mount Elbrus (18,510 feet tall) on the border between Russia and Georgia. After that he went straight to Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet tall) in Tanzania, leaving the area only two days before Russia's invasion of Georgia in the summer of 2008.

His next challenge was Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia. Because the highest point on the continent of Australia is little more than a hike, some climbers take on the 16,500-foot peak to check Oceania off their lists.

While the climb itself includes a 2,000 foot wall climb topped by a Tyrolean traverse-a gap of air climbers cross on a rope suspended between two high points-getting there is a challenge all its own. Even reaching base camp requires a two-week trek through the jungle, days away from civilization.

According to Giesecke, it's the toughest trail he's ever been on.

"The face climb itself was actually fun," he said. "The jungle approach was a once in a lifetime thing. I wouldn't do that again."

And so, there was only one left. Mount Vinson, Antarctica's tallest peak, stands at 16,050 feet tall. But to get to it, Giesecke would have to wait.

In January he traveled to Punta Arenas, Chile. From there he planned to fly to Antarctica - but things were not as simple as he had hoped. A strike over rising fuel prices shut down the area, leaving Giesecke cut off from the last of the seven summits.

"It's challenging to accept things beyond my control," he said.

For him, waiting is the hardest part about mountain climbing - knowing that the goal is out there ahead of you, but not being able to reach out and grab it.

Giesecke was stranded in Patagonia for two weeks waiting for the strike to end. Not everyone in the group was as patient or invested. Some went home before so much as setting foot on Antarctica.

Not Giesecke.

"I'd gone all the way down to the end of South America to complete this trip," he said. "That's what I intended to do and that's what I did."

On Jan. 27, he made it to the top, finishing a journey he started in 1989.

"It's still sinking in," Giesecke said. "When I finished I came back home and I got out the book 'Seven Summits' and looked at it again."

Like explorers before him, Giesecke has been asked time and again why he does it. And really, there are countless reasons - the camaraderie of accomplishing great things with other people, the physical challenge, George Mallory's classic "Because it's there."

But for Giesecke, perhaps what it really comes down to the liberating challenge.

"I think when you're climbing it's one of the ultimate expressions of freedom," he said.

There aren't many places left with so few restraints, he said. But when he's pushing himself toward the summit of some impossibly high mountain, the only thing holding him back is how high he can climb.

By Marisa Petrich (Northwest Guardian)

http://www.army.mil/-news/2011/02/24/52401-retired-officer-reaches-goal-of-climbing-worlds-7-highest-peaks/

They met in the spring of 2006, when the Dutchman Harry Kikstra worked as a guide in the Everest expedition of 7 Summits Club, and the Argentine Ivana Coria drove by on a bicycle. Cheerful thing: she drove from Malaysia to India, through Tibet, is one. Young and beautiful! In short, Harry was awarded for his wretched season. For the Dutch began a new life ... maybe more suitable for him. After some time, Harry and Ivana went together on Kilimanjaro. Then go on an epic trip from the north of North Amenrica to the south of South America, at more than 2 years. Good test of compatibility before the wedding!

As usual a great site: 

http://worldonabike.com/

Maybe Harry simply has no other shirts, but most likely he's just a proud member of our club

Ivana Corea is now 33 years old and she grew up in a friendly Argentinean family. Harry - 39 years, a typical new European intellectual, who grew up already in the computer era. He is a programmer, writer, photographer, sometimes mountain guide. His brainchild site 7summits.com was very important for us at the beginning of our work.

We wish the newlyweds a long and happy life together!

Understanding and complementing!

We wish to Harry to become a model father ! And to spend more time on affairs, earnings money, together with 7 Summits Club as usual.

There is a group of climbers, that every year come to Everest planning to make something amazing. Englishman David Tait intends to make two climb to the summits above eight thousand meters. First, he plans to climb a new route on Lhotse, then on Mount Everest without artificial oxygen. 69-year-old American Bill Burke with Mexican David Liano intends to make two ascents of Everest during the spring season, from two different sides. The first – by the northern route from Tibet and the second - from the south, from Nepal. 46-year-old Englishman Paul Parkinson has announced his intention to climb the western ridge of Everest solo, without oxygen and in the clothing of twenties of the last century.

George Atkinson from England plans to become the youngest conqueror of the Seven Summits, his ascent of Everest, he would commit to 29th May, when he turns 17 years old. However, he has a rival. This Romanian girl Crina Popescu, who is now in Antarctica with the 7 Summits Club. She turns 17 years until December 2011. She has currently six summits of the Seven Summits project, missing just Everest. And she plans it also for spring 2011.

David Tait with his partner Phurba

Bill Burke from California

David Liano

In our expedition led by Alex Abramov, also we will have climbers who plan to go not by the classic ways. Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly Gorelik from Siberia, plan to open a new route on the East Face of Everest, to the right of the American routes. The second idea is to make traverse of Nothern Peak of Everest to the Main Summit.

*******

BBC

Surrey teenager George Atkinson aims to conquer Everest George Atkinson has recently returned from climbing Mount Vinson in Antarctica

Sixteen-year-old George Atkinson from Surbiton is aiming to become the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits - the highest mountain on every continent.

He has just returned home from Antarctica and scaling Mount Vinson, his sixth successful climb.

He got the mountaineering bug from his father Mark, and by the age of 7 he had climbed the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales: Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdonia.

George told BBC Surrey: "My father really got me into climbing. When I was six we climbed Slieve Donard, the highest mountain in Northern Ireland.

"We did that because we needed to find something we needed to do together. I really loved it."

He started off his challenge when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya at the age of 11 in 2005, before scaling Europe's highest peak, Russia's Mount Elbrus, in 2007.

He then tackled Puncak Jaya, also known as Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia in 2008, followed by the South American peak Aconcagua later in the same year.

"There are a number of things that drive me. I do enjoy any mountain and I feel there is an amazing sense of freedom in any mountain range.

"I like a good challenge in life and the Seven Summits is something which gives me that.

"I find these mountains to be a good adventure by going off to exotic places and it's a good chance to travel the world."

George ticked off his fifth peak when he climbed Mount McKinley (known as Denali) in North America.

"Denali has been the toughest so far. It was full-on mountain climbing," he said.

"You land on a glacier and spend 18 days living in the snow pulling everything you need for the expedition with you, and you have to bring it back down with you.

 George on top of Denali last year

"It was harder physically and the weather was more extreme."

George is now preparing for his final climb. He will tackle Mount Everest in Nepal, which at 8,850 metres is the highest mountain in the world.

He aims to climb Everest in April or May this year, and if he is succeeds in his ascent before his 17th birthday on May 29, he will become the first person do climb every summit in the world before the age of 17.

"I have a training regime which I'm trying to keep up to. I go running twice a week to increase my lung capacity and go to the gym three times a week.

"It would mean an awful lot to get to the top of Everest. I'm not doing it just to get the record.

"I find it a good challenge. If I got the record it would be the cherry on top and finish it off well."