"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

August, 30 in the evening, the group ate dumplings. So that in the morning they were all cheerful and well-fed.

August 31, our multinational team reached the highest point of Europe -Mount Elbrus. 10 members and 4 guides. And Vladislav Lachkarev attended two summits of West and East - that is, made the "Cross of Elbrus."

Tired but happy, all the band members the same day went down to the hotel "Povorot".

And today we are all waiting for a party at the end of the season in the Elbrus! Georgian menu, disco and delicious cocktails for all guests of the fest ! Come on!

List of groups:

Kuzmin George

Lachkarev Vladislav

Nechaev Michael

Kileinikov Sergei

Valishev Rustam

Murtazin Marseille

Mehran Imami,

Nrinder Singh,

Dawn Matthey,

Ricardo Maalihan.

My first time on Elbrus was in 1967. It was part of a climb to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Soviet Union where 2,500 people would attempt the summit en masse in a grand spectacle called “Kabardikiada”. At the time, I was studying to be a climbing instructor. The instructors-in-training at my school had been assigned a total of around 600 climbers – about 20 each. They were from all over the Caucasus region; from a number of different schools, clubs and organizations. As an aspiring climbing instructor, I was entrusted with a group of young climbers from Kabardino-Balkaria (a republic in southwestern Russia, just north of the Greater Caucasus Mountains), many of whom already had a few climbs under their belt. They arrived motivated and relatively well-prepared, but they were still very young. In the briefing I was given, it said that they were all at least 16 years of age (at the time, you had to be 16 to climb Elbrus), but just looking at their faces I could tell they were younger.

We put them through some training, but it was fairly minimal. It was raining most of the time.
The forecasts we were getting kept saying that July 29 would be the ideal day for the climb, so we began planning everything around this date. The day before the climb, we made our way to “Ice Base”. Our team was led by Honored Master of Sports (a title bestowed to esteemed athletes in the USSR) Aleksey Ugarov, one of the greatest climbers of that era and leader of the first expedition to conquer Peak Korzhenevskaya (7,105 m, Tajikistan).

I remember seeing Aleksey once in 1953. He was running around in nothing but leather shorts barking commands into a megaphone, trying to drive his team of young climbers onwards. It was quite a spectacle to behold, especially since the team hadn’t managed to get in the acclimatization it needed (due to bad weather) and most of us could barely move our legs.
Ice Base deserves a whole other story of its own. More than 2,000 people had been crammed into camp there. There were hundreds of tents, kitchens filled with provisions, a movie theater, a photo studio and a number of other buildings. We had initially been promised catering, but were instead treated to dry rations due to the heavy snowfall (the firewood was soaked). To us at the time, the food seemed fit for a king: chocolate, sour cream, fruits and other delicacies we had never even seen before in our lives.

On the morning of July 28, we all took part in a movie that was being shot about the expedition before setting out on an acclimatization climb. Amidst a backdrop of rockets being fired and shouts of “Hooray!” we began our ascent, only to get caught up in the deep snow within the first 10-15 meters. Many of us fell face-first in the snow while the cameras were rolling. A helicopter circled overhead, filming us from above as we waved our flags and banners. One small group of people arranged themselves to spell out “50 лет СССР” (50 years of the USSR). We all got tired pretty quick, and then came a strong snowstorm. We descended back down to our tents without getting in the proper acclimitization.

We began our attempt at the summit on July 29 at 2 AM. Our long “centipede” worked its way up to the “Refuge of the Eleven” where we were met by a crowd of climbers who had been camping out there. Most of our team made it to the refuge, but afterwards, our ranks started to dwindle. People were beginning to collapse; their legs just giving out on them. Many of the climbers who were falling were athletes: fighters and weightlifters that were not used to giving up. A volunteer rescue team was there to bring them back to their senses or to simply carry them back down the mountain. There were others who simply sat down in the snow, looked at their instructors and said that they couldn’t go any further. Many of the people we were forced to leave behind asked those of us left standing to take their “tokens” to the summit.

Before the climb, each of us had been given a token: a small aluminum disc inscribed with our name, hometown and date of birth.

At the summit, we were to drop this token into a metal box. We were told that this box would be reopened in the Year 2017 – the 100-year anniversary of Soviet power – and that each of the climbers who was still alive would be invited to a huge gathering to commemorate the climb. So it wasn’t really a matter of honor or pride; they just wanted us to drop their token in the metal box so they would be invited to the 100-year anniversary party and maybe receive some sort of award.

We ascended the mountain slowly but surely, losing some of our comrades along the way. Most of my young climbers from Kabardino-Balkaria had been forced to throw in the towel. As we approached the Pastukhova Rocks, only 4 remained from my original group of 20: a father and his son who was studying at the Nalchikskiy Institute and two young girls who simply refused to give up. At one of our stops along the way, one of the girls passed out, toppling over like a felled tree. I barely managed to catch her. I squeezed lemon juice into her mouth to revive her and sent both of the girls back down to the gathering point below, essentially passing them on to another instructor. The three of us still remaining pressed onward, gathering tokens along the way. I made it to the top along with the father-and-son duo. We dumped a handful of tokens into the metal box and had our pictures taken. We also had the chance to see a motorcycle that Mikhail Kakhiani and some of his friends had hauled up to the peak earlier. On the summit, rallies were held, speeches were given, shouts were heard and flags were waved. Everyone was having the time of their lives. All of my fellow instructors made it to the summit as well. We chatted for a while before leading what was left of our teams back down. The weathermen had been right on the mark. That was pretty much the only day we could have made an attempt at the summit. When we got back to the stadium at the Itkol Hotel below, we were given a hero’s welcome, as if we had achieved something incredible. There were flowers, fruits and drinks (only of the non-alcoholic variety for the climbers). I’ll remember everything that happened that day for a long time to come. My young climbers thanked me for teaching them and for helping them along. A few of us exchanged addresses and stayed in contact for a number of years following our climb.

So that’s how it all went down. My first climb on Elbrus was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Elbrus. Its beaming twin peaks beckoned to me as I looked through my window as a child.

Occasionally, some of my friends from school and I would hike towards the glistening giant. Sometimes we would even make it as far as the Bermamyt Plateau. At this point in my life, the thought of climbing Elbrus hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Later, I joined the mountaineering club at my university. We began to draw nearer and nearer – first to Irykchat (a glacier on the east side), then toChegetPeak(or Maliy Donguzorun, if you prefer)… Elbrus, however, remained out of reach. It was too great a challenge for us with our limited experience and our sub-par climbing equipment.

It was finally in 1996, the year I graduated, when our coach pulled a few of us aside and told us to start preparing for Elbrus. We had less than a month before our expedition, so we really had to get down to business. I would jog around Mashuk (a 10-kilometer run) three times a week. Every time the twin-peaked Elbrus came into view as I rounded the bend, I would think to myself, “I can do it. I have to. I haven’t been training this hard for nothing.” I imagined that this would be one of the major achievements of my early years. One of my friends was going to give birth. Another had found a job. I would be the one who climbed Elbrus.

On weekends, we would hike up to the highest peak in the foothills – Beshtau (1,401 m). I remember one of the last hikes before the big climb. My girlfriend and I were wearing our new shoes, which we had bought especially for Elbrus. They were leather, with a layer of Vibram. We spent just about everything we had on those shoes. The plan was to wear them in a bit so we wouldn’t get blisters on our big climb ahead. It turned out to be a good idea. What we had anticipated might have otherwise happened on Elbrus happened instead on Beshtau. Our feet were covered in blood. I had never had blisters that bad before.

The two of us were a sad sight as we headed back from Beshtau to meet up with our coach. I was limping, trying to hold back tears. Natasha forced me to keep a straight face: “Lyudmila, I know it hurts, but hang in there. You need to make it seem like everything’s fine. Smile!” It took every last ounce of my strength to force a smile.

Finally the time came. Elbrus isn’t just a climb. It’s a journey. We started out from the Ullu-Hurzuk valley and worked our way through four passes up to the Kukurtliu wall. In other words, we hiked from west of Elbrus to the north side of the mountain. On the way, we even saw a bear!

We started our attempt at the summit from the Oliiniykovskiy Hut at 3,600 m. It was around 2 o’clock at night. It was windy. Around 5 o’clock in the morning the wind started to get even worse. “It’s nothing, just a light morning breeze,” our guide told us. That quote would later became an inside joke among us, especially since the winds got even worse – it was practically a hurricane up there. Despite the worsening conditions, we knew there was no turning back. We had worked too hard. We finally made it to the western summit around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Sure, we were slow – the climb took us more than 12 hours – but we made it. And that’s what counts.

I have had the chance to climb Elbrus a number of times since then: with friends, with clients, the eastern peak, the western peak… even the “Cross”. However, that first climb will always be the most special to me.

Alpari-life.ru

Currently, Canadian Elia Saikaly is on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. August 24, he was with a group on Cheget .. Great weather contributed to good photos. On the eve of his departure for Russia Saikaly published a nice article about the features of climbing Elbrus ..

Elia Saikaly is a Canadian social entrepreneur whose award-winning films, global adventures and dynamic public engagement initiatives inspire others to FIND their most meaningful LIFE and spark positive change.

Whether he’s traveling with a nomadic tribe in the Sahara, climbing the world’s highest peaks, (4 Everest Expeditions + Cho Oyu and 5 of the Seven Summits) or communing with polar bears in the Far North—Elia has proven himself to have the determination, stamina, skill, resourcefulness and vision required to meet the greatest of challenges.

As an adventure filmmaker, he has successfully broadcast back webisodes to networks such as CTV, NBC, CBC and RDS from some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet including Mt. Everest where he successfully shot, edited and broadcast a web series from the top of the world to over 20 000 Canadian students.

http://www.findinglife.ca/

FindingLife

http://vimeo.com/34680158#at=0

Everest:Summit!

So You Want to ClimbMount Elbrus

I'll never forget the day I was sitting in the airport lounge inAtlantain 2008, on my way toRussiato climb the highest mountain in Europe, when I looked up at the monitor and read the headline "War erupts betweenRussiaandGeorgia".

My flight was set to depart toRussiain less than 45 mins and I could hardly believe what I was seeing on television. In that moment, I was 'pinged' by my climbing partner Omar, an Egyptian friend, who wrote, "A bit of alarming news. War erupted and we're unsure if we'll be able to climb. See you inMoscow". "See you inMoscow? That's it? We were about to be climbing in an area next to the war zone and all I get is "See you inMoscow?"

I was new to climbing and I had never been toRussiabefore. I had yet to meet my team and I was there not only to climb, but to shoot the entire experience in HD video. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time since I had no idea what was going to happen. Would we be permitted to climb? Would the country be off limits? Would we be sent home upon arrival? We had a lot at stake, including our lives. Here is a glimpse of what happened on

Day One:

http://youtu.be/6CbeKBXEm90

So let's talk a bit aboutMount Elbrus. Famed and sought after by climbers all across the globe for being credited as the highest mountain inEurope, the mountain has two summits, the west (and higher summit) towers 5642m and the east summit (just slightly lower) stands 5621m. In mountaineering circles, it's often climbed by those seeking to complete the challenge of the seven summits -- to climb the highest mountain on every continent.

I sometimes refer to Elbrus as the Kilimanjaro of Europe. Like Kilimanjaro, it's the highest mountain on the continent, it's accessible, quite affordable when you compare it to other notorious peaks such as Everest and it's easy enough that just about anyone who is fit and who has basic mountaineering skills can reach the summit. What makes Elbrus dangerous is that some amateur adventure seeking enthusiasts make the mistake of underestimating the mountains and die on her flanks. In 2003, various unofficial sources claim that there were 48 deaths in the surrounding area. However, the biggest threat to any climber is the weather which I ultimately experienced first hand by the end of my first expedition in 2008.

So why did I climb Elbrus? It's simple: I was hired to document an all-Arabic expedition whose climb was in support of a Middle Eastern charity. I was brought along as the sole filmmaker, my classic 'one- man show', whose responsibility was to capture and document the climb, using a wide array of Canon DSLR's and accessories, from the base to the summit of the mountain.

Given my mountaineering history (a few Everest expeditions, 5 of the seven summits, Cho Oyu etc.) Elbrus should have been a piece of cake right? It's lower than Kilimanjaro and there's a chairlift that takes you up to 3000m point. In fact, you can even buy shish kabobs at the top of the chairlift if you're hungry. Did I mention Elbrus was a ski resort? Yup, that's right. You, your friends, and even grandma can ride the chairlift and get within striking distance of the summit without even exerting yourself provided that you're familiar with getting off chairlifts. Joking aside, 3000m and above is where the climbing begins. In my case, climbing was the easy part. Dealing with all of my technology, at a high altitude and uncontrolled environment, with a group of people that weren't willing to wait for me to 'get the shot' was what made my task of reaching the top three times harder than my colleagues.

Imagine this: every time you decide to roll camera, you're expending energy that you need for your summit climb. When you do decide to roll, you need to be conscious of how much time/energy it will require to catch up to the group -- an exhausting endeavour at high altitudes. If you manage to catch up to the group, you're likely out of breath and unable to stabilize the camera due to your panting. If you're ambitious and want to get ahead of the group to create a shot of the entire group coming towards you, then you'll need to factor in how much energy that requires as well.

You're carrying your camera gear in addition to all of the gear that everyone else is carrying like water, warm clothes, extra gloves, food etc. You're wearing crampons (spikes on the bottom of your boots) and risk tripping and falling down the mountain while destroying your equipment. In addition, you worry about storytelling, audio, interviews and the grandest of challenges, backing up all of your footage and recharging all of your batteries in the cold while everyone is sleeping peacefully after their arduous day.

The lack of rest and exhaustion you experience hinders your body's ability to properly acclimatize and lessens your chances of remaining healthy and strong and summiting the mountain. Add to this the beauty of this is that the more you worry about all the things that can go wrong, the greater the toll the altitude takes on you and minimizes your chances of succeeding.

So how did I deal with all of this? I followed some simple rules that can be applied to any climb. Whether you're climbing Kilimanjaro, Elbrus orMt.Everest. Here is what I did to stay healthy; ensure I stayed with the team and delivered outstanding footage to my client.

#1) Manage your stress:

No matter what happens, take the climb is one step and one day at a time. I will not worry about anything. EVER. That's the code. I'll be conscious of all things occuring around me and within my own body but I will not allow my mind to create unnecessary stress. If you remain stress free, then you're halfway there. I've seen too many people psych themselves out and as a result the body shuts down.

#2) Manage the basics:

Sleep. Food. Water. This is the simple science of mountaineering. It sounds like first-grade advice but you'd be amazed to know how many people mess this up. Altitude can suppress your appetite. Even if you're not hungry, eat anyway! You are in control. Your body is burring calories at an exhorborent rate. Feed it and you're chances of success will be maximized. Drink four to five litres of water a day and try to sleep eight hours. In my case, this was a challenge, but it will be the key to staying healthy so I can shoot the entire climb, from base to summit.

#3) Check your ego at the door:

That means having the humility to know when your body is sending you warning signs.AcuteMountainSickness -- otherwise known as AMS -- can affect anyone at anytime. If left untreated, AMS can lead to very serious cases of pulmonary and cerebral edema, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs and the brain. The side effects could be as severe as death. The Canadian climber who died this past spring onMount Everestsuffered from edema. If you have a headache, it's the first sign. Nausia, insomnia, irritability, lack of appetite etc. are all warning signs that you're pushing your body too hard or that you're not acclimating optimally. In my case, if I needed to rest and slow down, I would.

#4) Monitor your oxygen saturation:

This is the amount of oxygen saturation in the blood. I'll be carrying a pulse/oxymetre with me for my next climb. This will contribute (as I don't rely on these devices as the sole indicator of low saturation) to the overall picture of my health.

#5) Smile. Laugh. Breathe.

Live the experience in the moment. Nothing is quite like being above the clouds, close to the heavens, ever-present and living an adventure.

So how do you know if climbing Elbrus is for you? Well, if you've doneMountKilmanjaroand you're looking for the next mountain challenge, Elbrus could be for you. You'll need some basic mountaineering skills to pull it off, a strong team, a logistics or expeditions company like my friends at Adventure Alternative. It's slightly lower in altitude compared to Kilimanjaro, but you're climbing on snow and mixed terrain which is a different ballgame entirely. Your fitness level should be high in order to maximize your experience. The last thing you ever want to do is climb above the clouds and be staring at your feet the entire time!

Seven years ago, I took a huge risk to pursue a career as an adventure filmmaker. I shut down my small, corporate video-production business and gave it all up to chase my dream of becoming an adventure filmmaker. and it's moments like these remind me that those risks were all worth taking. You can never go wrong by doing what you love and following your passion.

I ended up reaching the summit on one of the most miserable days in August-Elbrus history. I stood on the summit with my close friend Omar Samra, against all odds, with zero visibility as we shared an unforgettable adventure together that remains to this day, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I can only hope to be so fortunate this time round. If I'm truly fortunate, I may even be gifted with a clear and unobstructed view from the rooftop ofEurope.

Reach for the skies in all that you do everyone!

Follow Elia Saikaly on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eliasaikaly

Group of Victor Saunders (known English guide, climber and writer) today climbedMount Elbrus. Two climbers reached the summit, one could not. The weather conditions were very hard. Today's climb was made at the third attempt, before that a storm, strong gale and poor visibility made it impossible to reach far then Pastukhov rocks.

Before Elbrus the group climbed the second highest peak of the Caucasus- Dykhtau.

Victor Saunders

Hello! This is Alex Abramov. I am currently working as a guide ofTyumenteam of 10 climbers. Weather is disgusting. We went yesterday to Cheget; it was hail, very strong winds. The guys got it. Yesterday they took the new equipment in our shop. I hope everything will be good now.

Now we are trying to climb the shelter Bochki, on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. The weather is bad. The cable car is not working. But we are going.

Yesterday, 15/08/2012, the following members of an international group of 7 Summits Club reached the summit:

Geoffrey Ritchie Wood,
George Mark Chambers Beattie,
Derek John Mahon,
Rasmus David Bugge Henriksen,
Bent Henriksen.

Noel Richmond Hanna was their guide, he ascended the summit of the two days - 14.08 and 15.08.

08/14/2012 the ascent and ski descent made by:

Noel Richmond Hanna,
Adam Paul Leeb,
Eberhard AAlfred Lange.

From 16 people in the group, only eight made it to the summit! According to witnesses, who on the same day was on the mountain, at the top you can just lie! Wind is not even allowed to walk on all fours!
This is a very good result, because the weather is nasty, snowing with rain and terrible wind. And the forecast is until bleak!

An international team was working on the program “Elbrus from the north”. Three members reached the eastern peak of Mount Elbrus. This: Charles Wesley Clements III (U.S.), Ionut Radu Ropota (Romania) and James Richardson (Canada). Another climber Charles Wesley Clements II reached an altitude of 5350m. Two person did not summit attempt. This is Adam Roberts (Canada) and Grant Lester (UK). All climbers are down to Kislovodsk, are happy and plan for next year to conquer the Mount Elbrus from the south side. In the evening at a gala dinner guides presented certificates to all participants of the expedition.

Hi! It is Ludmila Korobeshko from Pastukhov Rocks. So, now our multi-ethnic group descended? We reached almost in full the top, the western summit of Elbrus. One climber, Brazilian, failed to reach the top. For her it was the first experience in the mountains. In general, we have risen fast enough, go down also quickly. It should be noted that the "ringleader" was Irena, and the men ran after her. And it should be noted, of course, Catherine, for which it was also the first experience in the mountains. Interestingly, she won the trip on the joint action of the Red Fox and 7 Summits Club. It was hard for her, but she managed, and now she runs down, so that we could not hijack her. In general, we're having a good time and enjoy life. But we finally celebrate, of course, when the go down to his shelter. Hello!

So, our team made not only traverse but a real “cross” of Elbrus! To be honest, before the ascent, we had doubts. That was the fact that it was necessary to carry heavy backpacks. And quite a large length of the route. But most importantly was the weather. Forecast for next 4 days was bad. Constant snowfalls. The whole evening before climbing, rain pouring on barrels. However, at 3 a.m. the rain stopped. And even the stars appeared in the sky. As early as 7 a.m., our “top five” reached the saddle. And at 8:30 we were at the top of the Western Summit. Hooray! It's cold. But the traditional picture of the flag and with a golf club made! Tired, we are running down. Along the way we welcome our friends from the group of "classic." At the head turned an idea - there is still Eastern Summit. And we must go at it with heavy backpacks?? May be not climb it. In the end, it is our whim. The program does not include it..

But no one said this aloud. We drank tea, shouldered the rucksacks and went up to the Eastern Peak. Now we are six. We were joined by guide from Nothern Elbrus region Andrew Berezin. Wind increased. And it blows almost all the time in the face. We put on masks, those who have. And at last, the edge of the crater. A little more and - the Eastern summit. Almost all cameras were frozen. We start a descent on North. Weather deteriorates very quickly. Snow, a blizzard. Distant thunder. We try to go as quickly as possible. The forces were at the end. Good, that the storm is aside. At 3.30 p.m. we were in the camp at 3600. Compote. We meet old friends. It's great. And it's great that we have carried out our plan.

In the cross-traverse were:

Kyrill Muraviev

Vitaly Simonovic

Sergey Dmitriev

Mark Hornell

Andrei Berezin

Ludmila Korobeshko

Today, our new team, all six members and two guides, ascended the western peak of Elbrus. At 11 o'clock in the morning. In perfect weather.

We could not make a traverse of Mount Elbrus, as one member fell ill. But now we are already at the refuge, healthy, contented and happy.

Hello! This is Alexander Abramov from Pastukhov Rocks. Our climb was over, all members of our team, "RTSoft" reached the summit of Elbrus. The main part of the team has risen at 8.30 a.m., Moscow time. Then, a part of team descends back into the Terskol with two guides. The second part of the team, too, with two guides, went to the north, that is, on the other side of Elbrus. As it was planned. In addition, the two participants, with a guide made the "cross ofMount Elbrus." That is, they have climbed additionally on top of theEastern Elbrus. In general, we are fine. In two days the team will meet again in the city of Kislovodsk. Then they will fly away home. Good-bye!

We congratulate climbers, congratulate employees and owners of the firm "RTSoft" with the 20th anniversary! The team, according to its representatives, going up toMount Elbrus, is very strong. Good luck in everything!

The part of our group turned to the North for a traverse

The concert began July 13 at 13 p.m. on the Rocks Pastukhova, at an altitude of 4800 meters or a little higher .. With great difficulty the parties have raised 60 kilograms of equipment, two snowcat brought up the audience, among whom were members of the group of 7 Summits Club. The concert was, as they say, "with a bang!" In an atmosphere of general euphoria. Weather contributed to the successful performances. One and a half hours bards sang it together, one by one. Eugene Kruten shot everything on camera, so we'll wait for the video. Arthur Gladyshev , the main engine of the event, sends gratitude to Alexander Abramov and all 7 Summits Club for the help.

The following year, the concert will take place at the top ofMount Elbrus.

This is Alexander Abramov. Now late in the evening, and a concert in the Elbrus region still continues. Today, our team has climbed to the top of Cheget. It was a very useful walk in the foggy weather. In the evening the participants of the song festival came fromMoscow. Right in the office of the 7 Summits Club, right on the street, we had a concert, and then dancing, and dancing. Now the concert goes on, has already begun the first hour of the night. We are all in excellent mood. Tomorrow we'll go to the Shelter Eleven. And by the way, the bards will climb with us. The concert will continue. Good-bye!

This is Ivan Dusharin from Team Alpari. We’re currently working on Mount McKinley.

I wanted to describe one of our most difficult days of climbing, where we had to make it from 3,200 meters to 4,200 meters – a whole kilometer vertically. We were expecting snow today, so we were pretty excited when we woke up and didn’t see any. Then we started to wonder how we would manage to carry all of our stuff up.

We knew that this would be one of our most difficult climbs, pitting us against a really steep incline. On this part ofDenali, most climbers ditch their sleds and carry their equipment on their shoulders.

Usually this stretch takes a couple of days, but we decided to try to make it all the way in one go. We loaded up two sleds and headed upwards. It wasn’t easy. We had to crawl on all fours, fighting tooth and nail the whole way up. It took us 8 grueling hours to make it to rangers’ camp at 4,200 meters, but we managed to cut a couple of days out of our expedition. Along the way, we passed a number of teams that had started out before we did. I think the only reason we were able to make the climb was that we were well acclimatized to the altitude after Everest.

It is Alexander Abramov from Elbrus. Yesterday, about 12 o'clock in the afternoon, our team was on top of Mount Elbrus. More exactly in the 10-40 a.m., they tell me. That means even faster. In perfect weather. Climbed to the top: a guide Alexander Abramov, ........... from Morocco, Cecil Seriylav from Belgium, as well as Russian citizens Maksim Loginov and Michael Yarin. The ascent took place in a good mood. In a good pace. No one frostbitten. Everything went down happy. Also, we were able to celebrate this event and to celebrate the birthday of our chef cook, Anna, wife of Danila. That’s all, good bye! Tomorrow the team members fly home.

Russia Today Published: 05 July, 2012, 16:55

The Skyrunning World Series event on Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, turned into a battle between the extreme sport trendsetters Italy’s Marco de Gasperi and Luis Hernandez of Spain.

­When it comes to sport, human beings can perform wonders at sea level. But, at above two and a half thousand meters, altitude sickness becomes an issue – and a good tip to avoid it is to climb up slowly.

But this advice is not for the skyrunners, who gathered on the slopes of Europe's highest mountain, in Russia’s Caucasus.

Running in the mountains has been a pastime for thousands of years, but probably very few did it for fun.

Italian Marino Giacometti established skyrunning as a sport in the early 1990s, while his compatriot, forest ranger Marco de Gasperi, is one of its best athletes.

The opening race of this season’s World Series began on the icy slopes of Elbrus, and will end in Spain in November.

Italian de Gasperi was the quickest in the Vertical Kilometer event where athletes run up a height of one thousand meters, with the overall length of the course not exceeding five kilometers.

The 35-year-old beat Luis Hernandez of Spain by a minute, and set a new record in the three thousand meters sector.

However, it was the 35-year-old Spaniard, who claimed revenge, in style, by being the first to touch the peak in the SkyRace.

The runners started from 2,300 meters, aiming to reach the top at a height of 5,642 meters.

It usually takes around nine hours to do it, but Hernandez stopped the clock in less than four hours.

“I used to compete in cross-country skiing and biathlon,” Hernandez said. “As there is little snow in Spain we had to climb high up into the mountains. And I did it quickly. I've always enjoyed the mountains and looking at the scenery. So after quitting biathlon there was no question for me about what to do next.”

Since the first man reached the summit, almost a hundred and fifty years ago, thousands of mountaineers have reached the top. For some, it remains a long-term and tough achievement.

But for those who run above the clouds, it appears to be nothing more than just another challenging, but enjoyable, jog.

July 4, 2012. BERNEWS
Part time Bermuda resident John “JBL” Layfield recently attempted to climb Europe’s highest mountain, with the aim to plant both a WWE and Bermuda flag at the summit.
Mr Layfield, best known as a former WWE professional wrestler, entrepreneur and host of the Fox Business Network’s “Cashin’ In” programme, helped found the charitable Beyond Rugby Bermuda organization to benefit children on the island.

Recently honoured for his work in Bermuda, Mr Layfield’s latest effort is the “Seven Summits Bermuda Challenge” in which the 45-year-old athlete will be attempting to plant a Bermuda flag on the top of the highest peak of every continent in an effort to raise money for kids in Bermuda through the Family Centre.
He started out trying to climb the highest mountain in Europe — Mount Elbrus located in Russia — however had to turn back right before reaching the summit due to weather conditions creating a safety hazard.

Speaking after his recent trip, Mr Layfield said: “I had three goals in trying to climb the highest mountain in Europe, 18,511 feet high Mt Elbrus. I wanted to raise money for the kids I work with daily in Bermuda (Beyond Rugby Bermuda), I wanted to plant a WWE and Bermudian flag on the summit and I wanted to not die. I accomplished two out of the three.

“I’m 45 years old and have had a broken back, four knee surgeries and two herniated discs-so I knew this would not be easy. But, we tell our kids daily that everyone has problems, it’s what you do with what you have that matters. I wasn’t just raising money for the kids; I was doing my best to set an example. We all have mountains to climb, mine ahead of me were just literal.”
Mr Layfield trained for over half a year for Mt Elbrus, and had gotten to where he would do a stair master up to three hours straight. He and his team flew to Moscow, and made their way to the Baksan Valley which is located just north of Georgia and next to Chechnya.

After arriving Mr Layfield saw they took two climbs from base camp and the second to over 15,000 feet to finish their acclimatization. “The second climb was about eight hours and though hurting I made the climbs in good form, I felt great about summit day,” said Mr Layfield.
The actual day arrived, and the team set off in their quest to reach the top of the mountain. ”After climbing for 7 ½ hours we were at the beginning on the “saddle’ between the mountain’s two peaks. I can’t describe the effort these 7-½ hours took to climb,” said Mr Layfield.
“We stopped for lunch and I discovered that my lunch had somehow been squished and ruined. However, we were only about 1,000 feet from the summit-though that 1,000 feet would take 4-5 hours. It looked so close.

“Vladimir had gotten concerned by the weather and was warning us we might have to turn back but now he was adamant. He told us, correctly, that if we continued that we would be caught up by what turned out to be a huge storm. I did not want to turn back, at all.
“We were so close and I had worked so hard, to turn back now was something that didn’t even seem realistic. The summit was so close you could almost touch it.

“Chris reluctantly had agreed with Vladimir. Chris is a mountain veteran who hated to give up on the summit, I was climbing for my kids and the thought of turning back was so hard to digest. However, we finally all agreed that we ran the risk of being stuck on the mountain if we continued. And, my third goal of not dying would have been put in jeopardy.

“I just sat there for some time looking at the summit and thinking of the support that the WWE had given me and the greater goal of helping kids that need it. It was one of the saddest moments of my life,” Mr Layfield continued.

“We turned back. Chris and I both were totally out of gas. Climbing down is almost as hard as climbing up; the snow had softened so we sank into the snow on most steps. At one point we sat down and slid down part of the mountain. Vladimir was helping me so much; Chris’ guide Albert was helping him as well. I don’t ever remember being that spent.

“At one point Vladimir had me take off my crampons and harness and we slid roped together down the mountain with Vladimir behind me to help put on the brakes as we got too fast.
“We made it down at 2pm, half a day after we started. The storm was now setting in and Vladimir was right in his warning and advice. There is a good chance that we could have been in dire trouble if we had continued; we could have easily been stuck on the mountain.

“The storm has closed the mountain and so there is no hope of another summit attempt-I will have to return next summer. My lips bled badly this morning (from exposure) as I tried to brush my teeth and my blisters are so bad I can’t wear shoes, but everything I have wrong is temporary and I just had the wildest week of my life and loved every second of it.
“I did get a great pic with the WWE and flag at over 17,000 feet and got a pic with the Bermuda flag for my kids (and to say thanks to the government there for the support they give our program and to our partner The Family Center).

“I have Kilimanjaro scheduled next in September. My feet will be better than and I will have a couple more months of training and the experience of being at altitude. I plan on making the mountain and then it’s to South America and then to Antarctica all by January. I have Mt Everest scheduled for spring of 2014.

“I tell my kids you can only control what you can control and you can’t worry about what you can’t. I can’t control the weather, but the mountain didn’t break me, so I’m getting geared up for round two. I still plan on making the Seven Summits but realize now why only a few hundred people have ever done it, these are world-class mountains.

“Most importantly I have my WWE and Bermudian flag all packed and ready to go to Africa for round two. We are only just beginning,” finished Mr Layfield.

Our group Luda, Ivam and Max were landing in Talkeetna yesterday. We are waiting for them in Moscow !

July, 1 the team "Alpari on top of the world," Ludmila Korobeshko, Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov descended to the base camp on the Kahiltna Glacier. Hence a plane will take them to the mainland any time soon. Climbing can be considered as finished, and finished successfully! Our congratulations to all those who climbed up, and everyone who was fan!

Post to Alpari-life.ru:

Hello, this is Maxim Shakirov.

Our expedition completed its work. Today, we are descended from 4200 m to the airport, where we take an airplane and will be carried to Talkitna. When this happens we do not know, but we know that we went down. All are alive, not to say that healthy. Details from Talkitna. And now we congratulate ourselves on the fourth summits from the seven. We crossed the Rubicon of our project and, in general, satisfied and happy.

And I want to say that nine years ago on the night of 2 to 3 July a very good man gone from us, the climber, the legend - Michael Turkevich. If possible, remember him today.

Hello, embrace.

Alpari team.