"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 summits Club, a guide of the expedition: the 21st October, our team gradually gathered in a heavenly corner of the planet, which is called the island of Bali. This is probably one of the best places on Earth. Before hard work it is always required to relax. Here we rested from the hustle and bustle of Moscow, and before the rainy, ruthless Irian Jaya.

 It is difficult to estimate how many lobsters were killed in the bellies of our climbers. The evening of 22th October was illuminated by our noisy departure to the country of Papuans. Everything was checked, loaded and the plane dragged us to the glorious town of Timika in the South of the island of New Guinea...

Today, Alexander Abramov went to the Papuans. He is the guide of an expedition to the Pyramid Carstensz and President of the 7 Summits Club.

 Alex started a few days earlier the entire group to thoroughly prepare for this difficult expedition.

And the rest of the participants will arrive at the point of collection - Bali - 21 October. And eating seafood and having been filled with the sun, they will go deep into the island of Papua New Guinea adventures. The team gathered this times numerous - 10 PAX.

The event will be held on October 13^th  on Thursday, beginning at 20:00. The 7 Summits Club celebrates its birthday and invites you to share the feast of all his friends and those who would like to become a friend. We invite you to our office ul. Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya, 7. Metro Prospekt Mira.

In the evening we will tell about our key expeditions of 2016, we summarize the results of several months of travel and climbing programs. You will find a meal and attention from the owners.

We present  main guests of the evening:

Oscar Konyukhov, the son and Manager of the greatest Russian traveler, tells about the organization of the expedition Fyodor Konyukhov  "balloon Flight around the world."

The participant of expeditions 7 summits Club, master of sports Alexander Yakovenko will speak about the project team's Vysota. Russian national team on high-altitude mountaineering, which this year closed the project "Snow leopard" five peaks in one summer.

We will also welcome the members of our expedition on Cho-Oyu this year, leader Sergei Larin. They had just come back from the Himalayas and will tell, how was the ascent.

We invited Natalia Kartashov our wonderful guide and instructor on the Crimean rocks. She's in the capital of many friends and we hope that they will not miss the opportunity to see her...

Natasha will tell us about the adventures of a team of 7 summits during the Big autumntrip to the Crimea. In particular, we share the impressions about participation in a unique race Crimea X Run - hard tests, an unforgettable experience!

Come, really looking forward to meeting You!

In 2006 Northern Irish adventurer Noel Hanna summited Everest for the first time in his life, one year after suffering retinal haemorrhaging on his first attempt.

Not content with climbing the world’s tallest mountain, after his descent Hanna then cycled down to sea level.

 In the following year the adventurer would complete the same feat on six different peaks; Mt. Vinson, Cartensz Pyramid, Mt. Elbrus, Mt. Denali, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua, each the tallest mountains on their respective continents.

 Hanna is the first and so far only person to complete this astounding challenge.

 “It was a good challenge so it was,” he chuckles, reflecting on the superhuman effort.

 Ten years after his first successful Everest attempt, the Dromara-based climber has returned to conquer the mountain a further seven times – twice with his wife.

Hanna’s Everest pet-hate is poorly prepared climbers not respecting the mountain.

He wants to share his wisdom for those looking to take on the unforgiving mountain – less the mountain disrespects them back.

 Training on the hills – then climbing another mountain Hanna’s background in running ultra-marathons meant that he was well prepared for taking on Everest. However, he suggests that we don’t all need to be at that fitness level.

“If you’re a person of regular fitness, running 10ks or half marathons and going to the gym two to three times a week, that’s the base and then it’s just about getting out to the hills and walking with a big rucksack.

“Walking at weekends, maybe a four hour-walk or a five-hour walk in the hills with a backpack on.

“It’s very beneficial if you go to a high mountain before you go to Everest. Somewhere like Aconcagua in South America.”

Noel Hanna and his wife Lynne at the top of Everest (Photo: noelhanna.com)

Training the mind

Hanna suggests that the fitter you are, the more confident you’re going to feel on the mountain.

 “If you’re the weakest on a team, mentally that’s going to bring you down; if you’re one of the fittest on the team, mentally that’s keeping you strong.

“Go at your pace, don’t try and keep up with someone else just because they’re on your team, you have to go at your own body’s pace.”

Hanna’s kit list for Everest expeditions

Equipment for Base Camp and Advanced Base Camp: Duffle bag, sleeping bag, foam pad, gas lamp, gas stove, gas cylinders, personal items for washing, your favourite games, notebook

Technical equipment for ascent: Crampons (e.g. Grivel G12), rucksack 70-80 litres, rucksack 35-40 litres, harness, prussiks, karabiners with screwgate lockers – 3 items, jumar (ascender), telescope ski poles, thermos, rappel device, ice axe, head lamp, photo camera, video camera and assessors, accumulators, personal crockery for high camps

Equipment for body and feet: Trekking shoes, boots of “Everest” Millet type, down jacket + down trousers (or down overalls), Gore-tex jacket with wide hood, Gore-tex trousers (better semi-overalls), windblock jacket, windblock trousers, jacket “Polartec – 100”, warm underwear, personal underwear, Polartec gloves, Thinsulate gloves, Thinsulate mittens, warm woolen socks, balaclava, warm hat, windblock face mask, UV glasses, ski goggles (preferably), gaiters

Hone your ropework in the

Highlands Any technicals skills required to take on Everest can be perfected in the Scottish Highlands, or the Alps, according to Hanna.

“With Everest, there’s a technical side to it, but you don’t need to be super skilled on ropework for Everest.”

 Hanna says it is essential to religiously work on your ropework, be confident in rapelling (abseiling) and jumarring (climbing up a rope).

 Additionally, would-be Everest climbers need to be competent in clipping in and out of ropes, as well as passing anchors.

 “All of that could be done in the Highlands of Scotland or even in a climbing gym, but obviously it’s more beneficial to get in the snow with your crampons on and doing the training that way, or going to the Alps and doing Mont Blanc.”

Don’t rely on the sherpa

All climbers must be capable of doing the climb by themselves and there can be no over-reliance on sherpas.

 “A lot of people will think ‘Oh I’ve got a sherpa, if something happens to me he’s carrying me down’, but if the sherpa feels that his life is at risk he’s going to leave you.”

Tortellini and Coca-Cola

Hanna suggests that a drastic change in diet isn’t necessary for taking on the mountain.

“Some people take protein powders, but I don’t. I just eat normally, I don’t change my diet from home when I’m on the mountain because most good expeditions on the mountain, especially in the North side, get fresh stuff in all the way to base camp.

“We cook food all the way up to 7,000 metres and it’s really only on summit push at 7,700 and 8,300 that you use boil in the bag food, but normally we would have tins of tuna and foil packs of tuna.

“Ideally I like to put on maybe two or three pounds before I go to the mountain.

” Keeping yourself well fed even when your appetite fades is essential, says Hanna.

“A lot of people over 6 -7,000 metres lose their appetite. You need to force yourself to eat. It’s like a car if you don’t put petrol in it, it’s not going to go.”

 The Northern Irishman’s unconventional eating and drinking habits suggests there is room for a few home comforts when tackling the fearsome summit.

“The first year I was climbing there with a good friend of mine from Italy and he had taken tortellini pasta up with us and I had packets of tuna and we just made a lovely meal before we went to summit.

“I’ve always taken a bottle of Coke with me and I remember three years ago going for the summit – I had a small bottle of Coke – stopping to take a drink of it and as soon as I opened the lid it just exploded and 90% of the liquid inside just flew out of it with the pressure.

“I was devastated.” Noel Hanna (Photo: noelhanna.com)

 ‘There is no wall’

Hanna recommends running your own race and ignoring mountain literature that tells you exactly where you will struggle. Undoubtedly having strong mental fortitude is crucial to a successful ascent.

 “I went into climbing from endurance sports, like 100 mile runs. Somebody who has never done a marathon before, the first thing they will say to you is ‘when will I hit the wall?’ It’s a myth, it’s somebody else’s wall.

“If you’ve read a book that says you’re not meant to struggle till 7,000 metres and you’re struggling at 6,000 metres, mentally that’s going to affect you.

“I’ve seen people who struggle on their first acclimatization rotation, but once they get that sorted they’re the strongest on summit push. “I always said that 70% of it is in the head.”

 Bring a lucky charm

Making  physical, technical and mental preparations is empirical, but having a lucky charm is also of importance, says Hanna.

“My wife gave me a lucky black cat on a keyring and it’s gone to every mountain with me since 2004.

“I’m not superstitious or anything, but every single mountain that I go on, it’s attached on my rucksack.

“When I’m leaving on an expedition I need to make sure that cat’s with me.”

What does Everest mean to Hanna?

For most who complete the summit, Everest will hold a special place in their heart. For Hanna it was just another mountain – until his German Shepherd Babu passed away last year.

 “Me and my wife have a German Shepherd pup who was ten and a half years old, he passed away 10 months ago. We said if anything ever happened to him we’d take his ashes to the summit of Everest.

“That’s what me and my wife did this year, we took his ashes with us and we sprinkled them a couple metres from the summit and had a wee tearful moment for him.

“When I think of Everest now, I think of my dog’s ashes. Everest is the most thoughtful mountain for me. We don’t have any children so he was the closest thing we had.”

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/uk/girls-body-image-one-three-believe-not-pretty-enough/

September 15th,  at 8 hours 30 minutes our heroic men were standing on the highest point of the African continent. We congratulate Alexander Tokarev and Alexey Korotkov on this achievement!

We wish them new heights and new victories!

The event will be held on October 13^th  on Thursday, beginning at 20:00. The 7 Summits Club celebrates its birthday and invites you to share the feast of all his friends and those who would like to become a friend. We invite you to our office ul. Bolshaya Pereyaslavskaya, 7. Metro Prospekt Mira.

In the evening we will tell about our key expeditions of 2016, we summarize the results of several months of travel and climbing programs. You will find a meal and attention from the owners.

More Details will be soon

That's how it was a year ago:

Team of Andrey Berezin by sunny, but windy weather, successfully reached the summit of Mount Elbrus. That these are autumn climbing. Congratulations to the brave participants and  valiant guides! It was the ending of a large climbing season on Mount Elbrus.

Ben Cranwell and Heleen Laurisson stood on top of Mount Kilimanjaro on 13 September. They climbed to the top together, accompanied by the local team.

 Now they are still in Tanzania, ready to fly home. Already, Ben and Helen make plans for the following ascents.

 The list of achievements they have already 2 of the 7 highest peaks of the continents, five ahead yet!

Our congratulations!

Sergey Semykin: September 11th members, courageous girls, from a group of Sergei Semykin climbed Elbrus.

Many thanks to Pavel who was the second guide!

Group of Andrey Berezin named "Seven climbers and a Girl" made a successful ascent to the highest peak of Russia Mount Elbrus. Everything went well, they were lucky with the weather too. Photos turned out great. Our congratulations!

It is Avtomonov Sergei. Today I and a group from China went up to the Western peak of Elbrus. The ascent took place in ideal weather conditions. Great, very warm, excellent visibility. We have made more than one hundred photographs. Our friends enjoyed it, all members of the group are satisfied, all reached the summit.

Now we all down to the hotel and rest, getting ready to leave ... .. That is all!

Andrey Berezin: I and  Kostya, we climbed Mount Elbrus, Western Peak. Kostya – Ironman, he need not moch time for acclimatization. The weather was nasty … Also some fumaroles opened, we inhale vapors of sulfur, all the time we wanted to sleep. At the top the wind was about 60 kilometers per hour. Therefore, the photo - just sitting!

 The second member of the group (climber from the USA) continued get acclimation according to the program. He must climb the summit, with Andrey a few days later ...

Hello, everyone! It says Vladimir Kotlyar with my closing the summer season group, Climb Elbrus program.  The Group named SHKID Republic in full successfully climbed Mount Elbrus. Some participants even climbed two peaks. And without the help of snowcat – it is Anna and Edgar. Thanks to them, and I also got to climb the two peaks. What I am very happy. And yet we dragged a watermelon on both summits and lowered it in Terskol. And today we will eat it together, as this watermelon charged with energy by as much as two peaks of Mount Elbrus

This is our finish of season. Cool!  In general, everything was great....

VIDEO

Hello! Here  Vladimir Kotlyar and the group "Respublika SHKID". Yesterday we all went together to the Pastukhov Rocks. At night, two people: an American Tom Biksler and our Ecuadorian friend guide Edgar Parra made the ascent to the Western Peak of Mount Elbrus.  This was possible because they come to us already acclimatized, after a few climbs in Peru. Today we have a day of rest, we rest, roast barbecue, enjoy life ...

The 7 Summits Club  President  Alexander Abramov President and CEO Seven Summits Adventures (Nepal) Mingma Gelu arrived in Terskol on an official working visit. In the first days there were numerous friendly meetings and a walk to the waterfall “Girlish braid”...

Hello! Here is a guide  of the Seven Summits Club Andrey Berezin. Today our group climbed to the top of Mount Elbrus. The weather was beautiful, as pilots say, "a million to a million." At the summit we were at 8 am. On this day, a huge number of people have been here. We can say it was a pandemonium. In order to get to the top, it was necessary to stand in line. To make a photo...

Now our team went down, all cheerful and happy ...

Best regards! Andrey Berezin.

Our partner in Ecuador, the famous local guide Edgar Parra, who is also founder and director of his own company, brought to office a very interesting person. This is his client, his client from the United States, from California. His name is Tom Biсksler. 42-year-old American is living with a diagnosis of diabetes type 2 and besides suffered a serious operation for Crohn's disease.

Formally, he is twice the invalid. He is not just a living, he had come to climb Mount Elbrus. The highest peak of Europe should be a third of his planned collection "Seven summis". Tom is going to become the first diabetic to complete this program. While in his collection there are Kilimanjaro - 2012, and Aconcagua - 2013. Trying to climb Mount McKinley in 2015, ended in failure due to prolonged bad weather:

Tom Bixler at McKinley. 2015. Without top.

In Moscow

Hello, everyone! It is  Vladimir Kotlyar, climbing Elbrus program. Today we climbed to the top of the Eastern Elbrus, with the couple of Ignatievs. The weather was great, everything was great. There was a light frost. We did not took off our warm down jackets until  turned back down from the summit. But on the whole it was a clear sunny day, though frosty. In general, it was fun and great. Finally I went to the East summit, only the second time this season.

All, Adios! Today we will have an awarding certificates ceremony and a festive dinner.

 Hello, everyone! Here Vladimir Kotlyar, climbing Elbrus.  I am here with a couple of Ignatievs. We made two acclimatization outings:  on the Pastukhov Rocks and up to an altitude of five thousand. Now we are down to Terskol, to rest and wait for a weather window. Here we are sitting, waiting, looking up at the sky, we read tea leaves. Tomorrow we will climb up, I guess. That is all.  Bye!

Hello! It is Andrey Berezin, a guide of the Seven Summits Club, reports from Elbrus. Yesterday, our group got to the shelter Leaprus. We immediately went to the snow-classes, worked self-arresting,  using an ice ax. Then we went up a steep slope, traverse slopes - practiced working with a rope. Today we went to the Pastukhov Rocks. Weather was good. Now we went down. Bye! Andrey Berezin, Seven Summits.