"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

Krasnoyarsk climbers led by Nikolai Zakharov begin tomorrow their route on Aconcagua. A Siberian region team consists of experienced athletes, and that ascent will be their training before the championship of Russia in high-altitude climbing. Contact with the incoming Argentine company was organized by our club. A little bit earlier there, under the slopes of the highest mountain in South America, another expedition came from Siberia. It is a team from the city of Surgut, Siberian region Yugra led by the initiator of the movement "Mountaineers of 60-th parallel" Constantine Gruzdev. He is also our old friend, we hope that in the future we will cooperate with his team. After Aconcagua, next aims of Siberians must be Vinson and Everest.

Arthur Testov and Christine Ferre flew to the base camp at Mount McKinley on Friday, February 4, after several days of waiting the weather. Fresh snow hampered the first days of their work. They went on Ski Hill, where it was found that it is difficult to make a convenient cave. Too close to the surface is a layer of ice. How they came out of the situation, we learn later.

Last year picture from Arthur

Gleb Sokolov informed us about his cancellation of expedition on Everest this year. Unfortunately, his partner Vitaly Gorelik broke his leg and could not be recovered to April. Gleb has changed plans and now joins an expedition to Kanchenjunga, which is organized by Alexey Bolotov. There he will work with another big friend of our Club Israfil Ashurly. President of Mountaineering Federation of Azerbaijan is now organized participation of Azeri mountaineers in a winter ascent of Mount Ararat. February, 12 Turkish and Azeri mountaineers will start their joint climb to the summit Agrydag, as they names Ararat. There will be 53 mountaineers from Turkey and 10 climbers from Azerbaijan in the expedition

Polar travel, as it turned out, it's extremely fun. Those who once experienced it, the rest of life will tend to return to high latitudes. Alexander Abramov flew home from Antarctica, full of new ideas. He is now interested in two new topics: snowmobiles and sled dogs. That is why, Alexander Abramov and Ludmila Korobeshko at the weekend visited Karelia. They were guests of Victor Simonov and Elena Potselueva leading experts on sled dogs in the European part of Russia.

 To come up with something new and original, you need to learn the experience of experts and listen to their views. And our leaders have decided to get acquainted with the experience of Victor Simonov, with whom Ludmila Korobeshko met at the North Pole. The result was a fascinating journey, a great vacation, and specification of future plans. So far, just to say that in the short term - is a trip to Karelia, which was struck by its beauty, human and “dogs" attitude. Encourage all to experience this joy of communicating with animals and nature.

Company Skifs Tour was created in 2006

http://skif.onego.ru/

It is estimated that nearly 1 billion people around the world do not have access to one of life’s most basic needs—clean, safe drinking water. As daunting as that sounds, it’s a challenge that can be met in the same way one would summit the world’s most famous high point: one step at a time.

In January 2011, every step Doug Pitt and a team of nearly 50 climbers take up Mt. Kilimanjaro will be a step towards building more than 50 fresh-water wells in Africa through WorldServe International.

The U.S. Goodwill Ambassador for Tanzania, Doug Pitt has a passion for helping people. Husband to Lisa Pitt, and father to three, it was Pitt’s work as a photojournalist that initially drew him to the water needs in Africa after seeing a water well drilling operation on his first trip.

"It is the obvious first step to release people from dire poverty. Clean water must come first." - Doug PItt

Through organizations like World Serve International’s Mt. Kili Climb and Africa 6000, Pitt hopes to drastically reduce the number of children that lack access to clean water in Tanzania and around the world.

For more information about Doug Pitt and contributing to the Mt. Kili climb please visit www.worldserveintl.org.

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Online Extra: Political Notes: Lesbian climbs African peak to raise funds for LGBT youth

An exhausted, but happy, Jody Cole holds an Equality California placard on the summit at Mount Kilimanjaro.

It was a climb she initially resisted but turned into a journey aimed at improving the lives of LGBT youth who are struggling with their sexual orientation.

With each step Jody Cole, an out lesbian and former San Francisco resident who now lives in Ukiah in Mendocino County, took up the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa earlier this month another dollar was raised for the statewide LGBT lobbying group Equality California.

Returning home from Kenya last September, where she had spent the month, Cole learned about the American LGBT youth who were committing suicide due to being bullied about their sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation. Each new report about another teenager taking their life devastated Cole, 48, who has long been an LGBT activist.

"It makes me sick. I can't believe this has happened," Cole told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview from London last week before taking a flight back to California. "It hit me in the gut. I couldn't believe our movement, which experienced AIDS and millions of people dying, it was never supposed to include children. They are not supposed to be killing themselves. Our work should be way ahead of this by now."

Cole decided she would try to raise $1 for every foot she climbed on Kilimanjaro. Having ascended the notoriously dangerous inactive stratovolcano in 1998, she was fully aware of how difficult the journey would be. Turning it into a fundraiser, Cole felt it would provide her the motivation needed not to quit.

"Climbing the mountain was fucking hard and I knew it was going to be hard but I knew there was no way the pain I felt climbing that mountain was anywhere near the pain these kids felt to turn to suicide," said Cole. "On summit day I was in unbelievable pain. But I said to myself you got to keep putting one foot in front of the other because my life is so charmed compared to these kids."

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Burns Supper on Kilimanjaro

A group of climbers from the Scottish hospitality industry have successfully completed a challenge to hold the world’s highest group Burns Supper on Mount Kilimanjaro.

The group arrived back home yesterday (Tuesday) at Edinburgh airport. The team of 20 people, including two Michelin-star chef Andrew Fairlie and comedian Fred MacAulay, have been raising money for the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland.

They reached the 19,000ft peak of Kilimanjaro on Saturday morning, 10 days ahead of the official birthday of Robert Burns. Due to the weather conditions, the group held their Burns Supper on Friday evening, the night before the final ascent, at the Barafu Camp, 15,500ft up Africa’s highest peak.

Scotland's intrepid climbers followed the full Burns Supper tradition with a haggis created specially by Perthshire butcher Simon Howie. The climb was also supported by two Diageo brands - Johnnie Walker, which was used to toast the haggis, and Guinness, a popular drink in Africa.

Billy Bell from Wine Importers Scotland completed the walk in a kilt and transported his bagpipes up the mountain to play in the haggis. Fred MacAulay acted as master of ceremonies, giving the Selkirk Grace and performing the Ode to a Haggis.

Meanwhile, Callum Ross, who works for Hilton Hotels, gave the toast to the lassies while Annabel Meikle from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society gave the response.

Gleneagles' Andrew Fairlie cooked the haggis in the mess tent with help from the head chef from the African walking company. The whole group, including the porters, sat down to enjoy the traditional Scottish meal and celebrate the works of Robert Burns.

Nineteen of the 20 climbers made it to the top and all were present to take part in the Burns Supper. The challenge was held before Burns' official birthday night because the group had to return to work in their own hospitality businesses.

Together, Simon Howie and Diageo, who also supported the climb through Guinness, donated £40,000 to HIT Scotland. The climbers have already brought in another £50,000 and hope to raise more than £150,000 in total, including future fundraising.

Money raised from the climb will go to the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland, the charity working to raise the ambitions and aspirations of Scotland’s hospitality industry. The charity achieves this by working with colleges and universities and providing scholarships for talented people working in the industry.

Each year the charity holds the Emerging Talent conference to bringing together more than 400 students, professionals and businesses who are interested in raising standards in Scottish hospitality. This year’s event takes place on 9th February in Edinburgh, when HIT Scotland will award over £100,000 worth of scholarships to talented people in the industry.

The record for the highest individual having Burns Supper was set by Chris Dunlop in 2006. The Glasgow climber enjoyed the traditional meal on top of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina at 23,000ft.

David Cochrane, climber and chief executive of HIT Scotland, said: "The trip was unbelievable. We will all remember it forever. The conditions changed from 30 to minus 18 degrees. Some days we were waking up with icicles inside our tents.

"We must have covered between 50 and 60 miles, although it felt like more. We are delighted to reach the top and had a great laugh holding the Burns Supper. There wasn’t a scrap of food left between us.

"We are all looking forward to seeing our families and loved ones. Without their support over the last year we would never have made it to the top."

Butcher Simon Howie said: "Congratulations to all the climbers taking part in this tremendous expedition. I’m delighted to learn that they have succeeded in achieving their objective to hold the world’s highest group Burns Supper at the summit of Kilimanjaro to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.

"I’m particularly thrilled that our specially prepared Kilimanjaro haggis proved such a hit with the team and to play a part in treating them to a well-deserved taste of Scotland in one of the most exotic locations."

For more information or to make a donation visit, www.hitscotlandappeal.org

The climbers:

Alan Hill is director of food and beverages at Gleneagles. He holds many internationally recognised awards and is a member of the Académie Culinaire de France

Alyson Cawley is a trustee of HIT Scotland and is commercial director for NEC group catering

Elaine Watson is food and beverage trainer at Gleneagles

Callum Ross is responsible for five Hilton Hotels across central Scotland in his role as area general manager

David Cochrane is chief executive of HIT Scotland. He previously worked for Springboard Scotland and Gleneagles

One of Scotland’s best-known restaurateurs, James Thomson owns and runs The Witchery, Rhubarb and the Tower, plus Prestonfield Hotel. He has been involved in a number of charitable initiatives over the years

Mark Forret is Compass Group UK and Ireland’s account director to one of UK’s largest banks

Susan Mathieson is managing director of Event Consultants Scotland, responsible for HIT Scotland’s events throughout the year

Tamara Kobiolke is a senior manager at the Missoni Hotel in Edinburgh

Billy Bell is managing director of Wine Importers and a keen piper

As well as being the director of the Fringe by the Sea, Jane Thomson is also PA to the chairman and managing director of Edinburgh and Glasgow hotel company, The Town House Collection

Annette Lamb is press and marketing manager of Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh

Andrew Fairlie is Scotland’s only two Michelin-star chef for his restaurant at Gleneagles. Every year he welcomes some HIT Scotland scholars to learn in his kitchen

Andrew Chappell is executive director of UK operations at ISS Food & Hospitality

Venue manager for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Annabel Meikle will be holding her highest tasting to date

Robert Lynn is from Stag Ltd

Valerie Fotheringham is from Ticketyboo Training

Fred MacAulay is a popular comedian and broadcaster

Jackie Yates, from the Highland sporting estate, Loch Assynt Lodge, Sutherland

Victor Bobok and his team, Alexander Markelov, Igor Pchelyakov and Sergey Chernyshev climbed yesterday the highest peak in South America Mount Aconcagua. Now they have descended to base camp Plaza de Mulos and having rest. Everything went almost perfectly, they expect soon to be in Mendoza.

 A little more detail. The team starts on February, 3 in 2 a.m. from the camp Nido de Condores (5500m). Several groups, together with our group, began to climb. However, most of them soon turned back. The strong wind did not seem to give any chances. Our foursome team also questioned the advisability of continuing climb. In the area of Independencia (6500), they sat down in a relatively sheltered place and waited. A couple of hours later they decided to go up. Only two Americans, followed by our group. Visibility was good, so our group is also stretched during the ascent of Canaleto. The last of the group was on top at 5 p.m.. At 9 p.m. all group came down to the camp at Nido. extremely tired, but happy, as it should be. The next morning, they descended on the Plaza de Mulos in just 1:20, where they waited for mules. And as they went into the gallery to our friend the artist Miguel.

A high-day in the 7 Summits Club. Our leader Alexander Abramov returned from Antarctica. Now he is going through a transitional period to get used to germs, darkness, fuss, heavy traffic etc. However, a couple of days, he will be working at full capacity. Expedition on Everest will start soon, it needs a lot of work. By the way, you still have a good opportunity to join our expedition. Details here >>>>>>>

And here are some stories from Antarctica. Photos from Mt. Sidley are posted here >>>>>>>

Alexander Abramov and his friends left the Ice Continent. Tomorrow we hope to see our president in Moscow. Today, the entire group of Luba Ivanova will meet in the town of Copiapo. And they immediately, all together (7 people), will go through the Atacama desert landscapes to the foot of the highest volcano in the world, Ojos del Salado. The first camp will be located in the town of Vallecito, at an altitude of 3000 meters.

Victor Bobok and his group has successfully finished the acclimatization outing at Nido de Condores. They went to rest in the Plaza de Mulas. All three members and a guide feel fine. The weather is still bad, strong winds are blowing at an high altitude.

Coco Popescu and her dad Ovidy should go after Antarctica to Ojos. For another course of acclimatization before Everest. A Romanian television, meanwhile, issued a news clip about the fantastic achievements of girls, called the first person who rose to seven of the highest volcanoes in the seven continents. In the early glimpses of footage we could see a view from the ascent on the Mount of Sidley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baFUHNvJUjs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Seven days and six nights at 17,200 feet, spent almost exclusively inside a 3x3x6-foot snow trench, sapped Dupre of his strength and fitness, an update on the website said. "He has made the decision to continue down to base camp," it said. "... Lonnie was set for a summit attempt, but mother nature decided that it would 'test' him for 7 days, with winds up to 100 mph, temperatures reaching -50 and a 5.4 magnitude earthquake. ... There is an old saying that you don't (mess) with mother nature, and I think Lonnie knows and respects that power more than ever!"

Dupre, 49, is from Grand Marais, Minn. He has been on numerous polar adventures, including some in Alaska. Had he succeeded in his attempt to scale the 20,320-foot Denali, he would have become the first person to make it to the top alone in January and the fifth to make it to the top alone during the winter.

 The first successful winter climb of McKinley came in 1967, when Ray Genet, Dave Johnston and Art Davidson reached the summit on Feb. 28.

In February 1984, Japan's Naomi Uemura became the first person to reach the summit alone in the winter, but his climb is not considered a successful ascent because he was killed on the way down. His body remains somewhere on the mountain.

In March 1988, Alaska's Vern Tejas made a successful solo winter ascent. Other successful solo winter attempts were made by Alaska's Dave Staeheli in March 1989 (his was the first solo ascent up the West Rib route; Uemura and Tejas climbed the more popular West Buttress route, which is also the route Dupre chose) and by Japan's Masatoshi Kuriaki in March 1998.

Also in 1998, Artur Testov and Vladimir Ananich of Russia made what remains the only successful ascent in January, when daylight is at its scarcest.

Artur Testov and Christine Ferre

“Hi, This is Christine and Artur. We will be leaving home this Sunday, YEAHHH!. I just read this from Antoine de Saint-Exupery: " Fais de ta vie un rêve et d'un rêve une réalité " "Make a dream of your life and a reality of the dream"

Our big Dream - 1st Woman to Climb McKinley in the Winter - 1st Couple too!

Feb 1st, 2011 departure from Talkeetna with Talkeetna Air Taxi

We are training hard and getting hyped...

Let's hope the mountain shows us her gentler side this time and lets us go up all the way... and of course back down!

Follow us on our Expedition Facebook page Winter McKinley - See you there!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Winter-McKinley/130263643662260

This is our new page, come and join us. This page has updates on our training, our life in Alaska, and will have live audio updates while we are on the mountain.

Last year photos

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Additional

(Reuters) - A climber who was trying to become the first person to scale North America's tallest peak alone in winter has abandoned the effort after spending a week in a frigid and cramped snow trench near the upper reaches of the mountain.

Lonnie Dupre announced in a blog post on Wednesday that he has decided to end his expedition after being pinned down by bad weather on 20,320-foot Mount McKinley.

Dupre said the long stay at the 17,200-foot level weakened him.

"The weather stayed quite awful. It was well below zero and blowing much of the time between 40 and 80 miles an hour," he said in an audio report called in by satellite phone and posted on his blog.

"After seven days, supplies started getting critically low and my body very weak from lying and sitting in a snow cave at that level," Dupre said.

Dupre said he descended on Tuesday to 14,200 feet when there was a break in the weather and on Wednesday made the "very, I guess, nervous decision" to keep descending to the mountain's base camp and quit the effort.

An accomplished and celebrated polar explorer from Minnesota, Dupre was attempting to scale the mountain without a tent, using a strategy of building snow caves along the route.

Only a handful of people have attempted to climb McKinley in winter, when daylight is scarce and the weather is fierce.

There has never been a solo climber who has reached the summit in January, although a Russian team was able to complete the feat in 1998.

"The simple reason why people don't come up here in the winter is it's not a whole lot of fun for most," said John Leonard, south district ranger for Denali National Park, where McKinley is located.

Temperatures that typically dip to minus-40 degrees, winds that blow at 50 miles an hour and more and lack of daylight at the mountain's near-Arctic latitude "don't make for a pleasant experience for most," said Leonard.

The conditions that Dupre encountered were normal for winter on the mountain, which is also known as Denali, and at times better than average for this time of year, Leonard said.

Each year about 1,200 to 1,300 people climb the mountain, almost all during a brief season from April to July.

Records show that only 16 people have tried winter ascents, and six have died in their efforts, he said.

Eight members of the expedition reached the summit: Denis Abuev, Igor Barabeshkin, Alexey Boutin, Alexander Viktorov, Igor Kadochin Pavel Laktyushkin, Boris Pavlov, Igor Cherkashin. As well as our guides: Victor Bobock and Olga Rumyantseva. Plus one local guide Mara Barbeiro, thanks to her ! Weather conditions are very heavy, strong winds, but it was the same all season. The average success rate on Aconcagua at this moment is around 20%. We have - 70% !

Video

British team sets new speed record for Antarctic crossing. In late November, a group of British adventurers and scientists set off on a mission to the interior of the Antarctic continent in specially designed research vehicles. Their plan was to undertake several environmental research experiments while journeying through one of the most in hospitable environments on the planet, but they also managed to set a new speed record for an Antarctic crossing at the same time.

Dubbed the Moon-Regan Transantarctic Expedition in favor of its two organizers, Andrew Moon and Andrew Regan, the plan was for the team to conduct research along the way. For example, they collected samples of the Antarctic snow in order to test the impact of pollutants in the atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere on the frozen continent itself. They also drove a specially designed snow buggy, powered by biofuels, in order to see how those experimental fuels performed in extreme conditions.

By all accounts, those research elements came off very well, but the real success of the mission was the speed crossing. It took the team just 13 days to drive from the Union Glacier Base to the Ross Ice Shelf, by way of the South Pole, on the far side of the continent. The expedition covered 1209 miles in 303 hours, using specially designed ground penetrating radar to help them avoid crevasses and other obstacles.

The expediton actually reached their destination back on December 9th, but then turned around and made the return trip so that the 10-man team, along with all their research vehicles and gear, could be plucked from the ice by Antarctic-Logistics and Expeditions, a company that specializes in delivering explorers to Antarctica. That happened last week, when the team was returned to Punta Arenas, Chile before making their way back home in time for the holidays.

Taking just 13 days to cross Antarctica is quite an impressive feat. While the team did indeed use motorized vehicles to do it, the terrain that they crossed is quite brutal on any kind of machine and the cold weather played havoc with their engines at times. Throw in the very real danger of driving into a crevasse, and you can start to appreciate the challenges of such a drive. This just might have been the most challenging road trip ever.

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Weather blocks expedition team from crossing Antarctica

A Cloudy Antarctica Stymies Solar Snowmobile Trek

A Korean expedition team looking to trek across Antarctica using solar-powered snowmobiles has run into trouble as unseasonably humid weather leaves the usually sunny and clear summer skies overcast and dull.

The expedition, led by veteran mountaineer Park Young-seok, set off from Antarctica’s Patriot Hill in late December on a 1,056km journey to the South Pole, but the from the beginning the team has been beset by difficulties, not least of which is heavy cloud cover – part of the massive storm system causing record rainfall on the Australian mainland – which dumped more snow than the region has seen in 20 years.

 The initial idea was to utilise Antarctica’s "endless summer," in which the sun never fully sets from November through until February, a major bonus when running heavy machinery with solar power. But the team’s best laid plans played second fiddle to the weather gods and Antarctica’s white night never eventuated, leaving the team 330km from their destination. Unless they can reach the South Pole by Sunday, they will have to abandon solar-powered sledding and fill their snowmobiles with gasoline to make it back to base camp.

This solar energy-blocking cloud greatly impacted the portable solar recharging equipment for the team's eco-friendly snowmobiles and other camp equipment for much of the time. The solar recharging stations use high-efficiency SunPower solar panels. In full sun they can provide enough power for a three hour drive from a nine hour charge.

Park’s expedition will be made into a documentary for the Seoul Broadcasting System as part of its 21st anniversary year celebrations. They hope the trip will raise the profile of solar energy use in Korea and around the world.--

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Norwegian breaks South Pole record

Christian Eide, a 35-year-old expedition leader from Oslo, was still relishing his record-breaking solo trek to the South Pole over the weekend. He arrived at his goal last Thursday, just 24 days, one hour and 13 minutes after leaving Hercules Inlet on December 20, 1,150 kilometers away from his goal.

Oslo expedition leader Christian Eide, after breaking a world record skiing to the South Pole.

His solo world record soundly beat that set by American Todd Carmichael, who used 39 days and seven hours. Eide said he was so excited as he neared his destination that he couldn’t manage to sleep on the last night. He had expected to spend 30 days skiing to the South Pole, so surprised himself with his own speed.

“I just had to keep going,” said Eide, who runs an Oslo-based expedition company called L’atitude. He arrived on Thursday January 13, after skiing alone for three-and-a-half weeks. He average around 47 kilometers a day, but skied around 90 on the last day.

He wrote in his firm’s online diary, though, that he didn’t get a very warm welcome from the Americans running the Scott-Amundsen base. ”I got a strict message that I wasn’t allowed to go inside the base to get my sheet of paper with my official arrival time,” he wrote. “The Americans have decided to have a strict policy towards ‘tourists.’ Is it really necessary to be so unwelcoming? The Americans are otherwise usually very nice.”

On Sunday he was resting after a flight back at the ALE base (Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions LLC) on Union Glacier, where he described spring-like conditions with temperatures as high as minus-7C and sunshine, compared to minus-32 at the South Pole. Around 70 persons were at the base camp, waiting for flights back to Punta Arenas or for new arrivals, and the mood was festive.

Eide wrote that the wait was “perfect” for him, giving him a chance “to relax, calm down, rehash the tour and the result.” He admitted he could still feel the effects of the strenuous tour, and he had some frost and sun damage on his nose.

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Victor Bobok went from Mendoza to Aconcagua with a new group. Due to cancelation of several participants, the team arrived in Argentina only partly - 3 persons: Alexander Markelov, Igor Pchelyakov and Sergey Chernyshev. Bad weather is a sure sign of a good one. We wish to make this sign worked and the ascent of our team will be with shining sun, with no wind at all. Old-timers under Aconcagua can not remember such a bad season. Occasional gaps between storms need just be caught. According to the National Park information, 117 people have received assistance from the rescuers, they were helped down from the slopes of Aconcagua.

Short information came from Maxim Bogatyrev. On the slopes of the highest peak in Antarctica climbers 7 Summits Club, as well as on the Sidley, made a speed ascent. For only 50 hours after arrival at base camp, Mikhail Turovsky, Vadim Nadvodnyuk and their guide Max Bogatyrev reached the summit of Mount Vinson. Nikolay Stepanenko decided not to go to the mountain and stayed in the camp Low Camp. Our climbers rush home, and this was due a speed of ascent. But all depends now on the skies, that is, on the weather and an arrival of IL-76 from Punta Arenas.

The Teleragh. A group of Army amputees is to take on one of the most demanding, dangerous and difficult journeys by trekking to North Pole in an expedition that is set to be joined by Prince Harry.

If the men reach their target it will be the first amputees have ever reached the North Pole trekking unsupported.

But they face many dangers ahead as their injuries make them extremely vulnerable in some of the harshest terrain on earth.

The four men include an officer with an amputated leg, a soldier with a broken back, a paratrooper with a partially paralysed arm and another with an amputated arm.

The month-long expedition will cover 300 miles of the frozen Arctic Ocean enduring temperatures as low as -50C. They will have to navigate over vast swathes of ice rubble and pressure ridges while avoiding aggressive polar bears, falling through ice and fighting off hypothermia.

The men will pull their own equipment and food in sleds weighing in excess of 100kg

‘Walking with the Wounded’, supported by Artemis, plans to raise £2 million for military charities including the British Limbless Ex Service Men’s Association and Help for Heroes.

Prince Harry, who as patron of the expedition plans to walk the final leg just before his brother’s wedding, said: ‘This polar adventure will exemplify the tenacity and courage of those who serve in uniform. I urge the public to get behind them.”

During the bloody battles of Operation Panther’s Claw in 2009 Capt Guy Disney, 28, of the Light Dragoons, lost his right leg below the knee after he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

His biggest concern will be the sweat inside his stump turning into ice that could lead to frostbite.

“It will be hard and there are a few people with concerns,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “But we are not racing to get there and I’m not sure I will find it the toughest as Steve (Young) has a broken back.”

Sgt Steve Young, 28, was also injured during Panther’s Claw sustaining a complicated fracture of the vertebrae when he was hit by an IED (improvised explosive device). The Welsh Guards soldier was told that he may never walk again but last summer managed to run the Safaricom half marathon in Kenya.

Pte Jaco Van Gass, 24, was also hit by a RPG and lost his left arm that will make him vulnerable if he falls through thin ice. But the paratrooper said the expedition was a “once in a life time opportunity”.

“I want to prove, not just to myself, but to all the other wounded men and women that you can do whatever you set your mind to and that life goes on after injury.”

Capt Martin Hewitt, 30, was shot in the shoulder as he led a bayonet charge against a Taliban post in 2008 and decorated twice for bravery. “This expedition is an amazing opportunity to achieve something truly special and raise the profile of those injured on operations in service,” the Parachute Regiment officer said.

The adventurer Bear Grylls called it an “epic challenge for a vitally important cause”.

Brigadier Ed Butler, the former British commander in Helmand, said: ‘Rehabilitating the wounded back into a non-military workplace is a huge task the nation faces in these modern tim

At last, January 21 IL-76 aircraft flew from the Chilean city of Punta Arenas to Antarctica to the base Union Glacier, where a group of 70 people waited for him for very long time. Alex Abramov – from 5th of January, After the strike and damage of aircraft, flight was delayed because of bad weather. Not all could waited for this day. Under the plan the aircraft should fly on the Ice Continent on January 10. Many were forced to leave. Our climbers Vadim Nadvodnyuk, Nikolai Stepanenko and Mikhail Turovsky waited for this day, and now they start climbing program on Mount Vinson, the highest point in Antarctica. They will climb it under the leadership of Maxim Bogatyrev, who guarded the base camp from January, 5! But most important news: our climb on the highest volcano of the continent - Mount Sidley began. A few hours after arrival Ilyushin, Twin Otter was launched in the direction of this remote volcano. The group consist of Alex Abramov, Crina (Coco) Popescu and Mario Trimeri, as well as representatives of ALE, Mike Sharp and guide Scott Woolams. The ascent began immediately upon landing the aircraft. Mountaineers put on skis and headed towards the summit. According to Alex information, they should rise to a height of 2 kilometers with travel a distance of 12 kilometers.

Well, good luck to all !

Mount Sidley (4181 m) – the highest point of the Mary Bird Land, in very rarely visited area. It is officially recognized as the highest volcano of Antarctica, one of the “Seven volcanos of the World”. Mt.Sidley - a large mountain, with a huge caldera, which forms a wall height of 1200 meters, the opposite slopes of the mountains are flat and could easily be reached on skis. A layer of ice in the area reaches is a three-kilometer thick. There is no actual volcanic activity in the region, according to scientists last eruption occurred about 4.7 million years ago.

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.

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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."

The whole group went down to Mendoza, after a hard climb of Aconcagua. Strong winds brought a lot of trouble to our climbers. Six of our climbers were forced to go down faster than expected. They benefited from a rescue helicopter, as they had frostbite. No serious injuries, but for any risk elimination. The group is now preparing to celebrate the birthday of our best, beloved guide Viktor Bobkov. He is 50 years old. We wish him health and new summits !

Reached the summit: Denis Abuev, Igor Barabeshkin, Alexey Boutin, Alexander Viktorov, Igor Kadochin Pavel Laktyushkin, Boris Pavlov, Igor Cherkashin. As well as our guides: Victor Bobock and Olga Rumyantseva, and local woman-guide Mara Bareibo.

Victor Bobok was born in Ukraine in 1961. He has a degree in economics. Victor began mountain climbing in 1978. Master of Sports in mountaineering. In the national team of Russia he has climbed a record route on Everest on the north face in 2004. In 2009, Victor climbed Everest from the south. The first Ukrainian ascended the Seven Summits in 2006. He lives in Moscow and has 6 children.

Call. Short information from Victor Bobok, directly from the summit of Aconcagua. Eight members of the expedition reached the summit: Denis Abuev, Igor Barabeshkin, Alexey Boutin, Alexander Viktorov, Igor Kadochin Pavel Laktyushkin, Boris Pavlov, Igor Cherkashin. As well as our guides: Victor Bobock and Olga Rumyantseva. Plus one local guide, thanks to him ! Weather conditions are very heavy, strong winds, fog and cold. But it was the same all season. The average success rate on Aconcagua at this moment is around 20%. We have - 70% ! We wish to our team a successful descent and waiting forward messages already from lower camps.

Other members of Alexei Vaulin, Nadezhda Goncharuk, Alexander Smirnov and Alexander Savotkina refused to climb for different reasons, but they are okay.

It is the second week of strikes against the rise of gas prices in Punta Arenas and the surrounding areas in southern Chile. All transport routes from the city and in the city are blocked. Barricades. Shops and institutions are closed. Cars and trucks go through the city, continuous signaling, with demonstrators, drumming on pans and basin. Cormorants and penguins huddled on abandoned piers and look with amazement at the crazed city.

 Yesterday, Saturday, 15th of January, we made a second attempt to fly to Antarctica on the Union Glacier. For this purpose it was necessary to walk 25 km through 4 strike cordons. After the passage of the first cordon, our group of 19 people divided into several groups. We were warned that those who will not reach in time - that does not fly. Pensioners went on military equipment (79-year-old former U.S. Senator and former French Prime Minister), the French went by sea. We walked a part of the way between the cordons, then we drove by a passing car, the last segment after the 4 th cordon we went at a luggage truck.

After two hours of waiting in the airport, head of the ALE Company Peter MacDowell announced that a flight is delayed for 3-4 days, due to the breakdown of one of engine. Peter suggested three options: to hang, strangle or shoot himself. Or:

1. Wait for the next departure

2. Move Antarctica for the next season

3. Get their money back.

We chose the first one!

Unfortunately, Michail Karisalov was forced to fly home, ending the expedition, on business reason.

Hello ! I am pleased to greet you from Antarctica. The latest climb was over on January 5, and since then we sit on the Union Glacier camp, expecting our fourth group, which will arrive on the Vinson Massif. And we look forward for Igor Grishkov, which must fly from Punta Arenas to climb Mount Sidley. We, I, Alexander Abramov, who has a birthday today, Coco Popescu and Mario Trimeri. In the area of Union Glacier is very fun, there are more than 70 people sitting in the camp. Due to the fact that earlier in the week in Chile began rioting and strikes, our team was not able to fly from Punta Arenas. 50 people could not get to the airport. Finally, yesterday, they broke through the barricades, walked 30 km and reached the airport. But it is occurred that a plane engine was broken.

Union Glacier - it's just an ideal place for mountaineering in Antarctica. Around is a set of mountains, which no one has yet climbed. Many climbers make ascents right now.

A lot of interesting people is now in the camp. Every day, everyone gathers in a large tent, where there is a big TV, computers. People regularly give lectures, telling what they know about Antarctica, about the world around us, about the Globe, about global problems. We watch movies, play cards. Perfect weather, no wind, the sun shines. Snow shines around. The temperature outside is minus five - minus twelve, and in tents - plus. We are here for 11-12 days, in principle, we do not complain. We are fed well. So do not worry for us. We are waiting for the next group and still hope. .