"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

Igor Grishkov came in this Chilean city the first from this group. He should go with Alex Abramov to the highest volcanoes of the Antarctic continent, Mount Sidley. Then he, with Andrei Belov (a pilot of IL-76), met the rest of the group, going on Mount Vinson. This is Michael Karisalov, Vadim Nadvodnyuk, Nikolai Stepanenko, Mikhail Turovsky.. In this group, all members are experienced hikers and climbers, so they are easy to learn in this southern city, visited penguins, well, the best local restaurants. As long as everything goes according to plan and perhaps a few hours later they were already fly to Antarctica.

Alex Abramov with Coco Popescu and Mario Trimeri rest on the base camp of Union Glacier. In warm and comfortable conditions, they are preparing for a new challenge, flight to the enigmatic volcano Sidley. Alex Abramov have a lot of talking with the guides from other companies. So Abramov is discussed with Vern Tejas a new idea: to sail to Antarctica on a yacht, then to ascend the Erebus and then go by ski to the South Pole. Cool idea !

Maxim Bogatyrev remains at the base camp of Vinson, protets tents and waits for an arrival of friends. .

HIGH RISK: Lonnie Dupre cites historic climbers as inspiration. January 7th, 2011-- Polar explorer Lonnie Dupre departed today for the Kahiltna Glacier located at the base of Denali, aka Mount McKinley, in Alaska. Dupre is attempting the first solo January ascent of Denali.

By adn.com. A Minnesota man known for his polar adventures got an extra day Wednesday to think about -- and fatten up for -- his quest to become the first person to make a solo ascent of Mount McKinley in the dead of winter.

A storm delayed Lonnie Dupre's plans to leave Talkeetna for the mountain. He said in a telephone interview that he'd use the time to shovel in more calories to fuel his body for a trek that is likely to last three or four weeks.

If the delay also fueled his anxiety over the high-risk climb, he wasn't letting on.

"It's good to have a little bit of nervousness going into it, because you always have that going into a project that's on the edge," Dupre, 49, said. "But once you get there and kind of get in tune with your environment, then you begin relaxing.

"... I'm not even thinking about the summit, actually. I'm just thinking about getting out there and doing some winter camping and moving my little legs in the right direction."

Dupre hopes to go where few men and no women have gone before: to the top of 20,320-foot McKinley in the winter.

To make things more interesting, he plans to go alone and in January -- something that only a few others have tried, none of them successfully.

Of the 16 people who have stood atop McKinley between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, only four made the trip alone, and the body of the first -- Japan's Naomi Uemura, who died on his descent -- remains somewhere on the mountain.

Only one team has reached the summit in January, when 5 1/2 hours is it for daylight -- Russians Artur Testov and Vladimir Ananich on Jan. 16, 1998. On March 8 of that same year, Japan's Masatoshi Kuriaki reached the summit to become the fourth man to make a solo winter ascent.

No one has successfully climbed North America's tallest peak in the winter since then, though there have been several attempts.

"We always seem to have anywhere from one to four or five people each winter," said Missy Smothers of the Denali Park Service. "It's exciting, but we always hold our breath."

And for good reason.

There are no rangers and no base camp operations on McKinley during the winter, when whiteouts, howling winds and deep snow make travel more treacherous than usual. Of the 16 who have summited in the winter, two died on their way down. Another four died on their way up, including a member of the expedition that put Dave Johnston, Art Davidson and Ray Genet on the summit in March 1967, marking the first winter ascent of the mountain.

Dupre, who lives in Grand Marais, Minn., knew about some of Denali's winter history when he decided this summer, shortly after his first McKinley climb, to make a solo winter attempt.

"Actually, Naomi Uemura was an inspiration to me years ago because he was first a polar explorer," Dupre said. "I knew about his death on Mount McKinley back in 1984, and it's always been on mind -- Naomi and that mountain -- since 1984."

Dupre worked as a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay from 1983 to 1986, a period during which he spent the winter of 1985 by himself in the Brooks Range.

"That started everything rolling," he said. "I've been running around the Arctic and polar regions now for 25 years."

Dupre's resume is an impressive one. In 2006, he and Eric Larsen of Grand Marais traveled 600 miles from Canada to the North Pole, pulling and paddling canoes over shifting sea ice. In 2001 he and John Hoelscher of Australia became the first people to circumnavigate Greenland, dogsledding and kayaking the 6,517 miles in three stages. In the winter of 1991-92, he and Malcolm Vance of Shishmaref mushed 3,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Churchill, Manitoba. And in 1989, he was a member of the Bering Bridge Expedition that mushed and skied 1,000 miles along the Siberian and Alaska coasts.

"I love winter," Dupre said.

He knows how to travel, camp and survive in temperatures that plummet well below zero.

But he isn't a mountain climber.

"I did a little training prior to June and then came to Denali," Dupre said. "We had some basics of mountaineering, and we just decided to be cautious and take our time and we were successful. We made it to the summit in 13 days.

"... As I was traveling up the mountain, I started thinking maybe I should make an attempt to do Denali in the winter."

Along the way, Dupre met Vern Tejas, who in March 1988 became the first person to make a successful solo winter ascent of McKinley. Uemura made it to the top of Denali on his solo trip in February 1984, but because he died on his way down, his is not considered a "successful" ascent.

"I visited with Vern quite a bit on Denali last spring," Dupre said. "I picked his brain a little about snow caves and about the route."

Back in Minnesota after his climb, Dupre started planning a return trip to McKinley. He contacted Tejas and Testov, who may be Denali's most experienced winter climber, having made four attempts and succeeding once. Last March, Testov and partner Christine Feret spent 12 days trapped in a snow cave at 10,000 feet before turning back.

"We threw a bunch of information back and forth, and I think I've got a good game plan," Dupre said.

Dupre said he chose to climb in January not so much because he could make history with the first solo ascent in the dead of winter but because he thinks he might get better weather than if he waited until February or March, when there is more daylight.

"I've done a lot of travel in the winter, and the dark part doesn't bother me," he said. "When I did a little research, I learned there's a little less precipitation in January, which means less snow, which means better visibility."

He'll pull a sled packed with 175 pounds of gear and supplies up the popular West Buttress route. He said he has enough food and fuel to last 38 days, though he's hopeful he won't be on the mountain that long.

"My first goal is the 7,800 (foot) mark, which is before you start climbing up the glacier," Dupre said.

After that, his plan includes stops at 9,700 feet, 11,200 feet, 13,500 feet, 14,200 feet, 17,200 feet, "and then the summit," he said.

Mount McKinley winter ascents

A climb is considered a winter ascent if the summit day falls between the Dec. 21 winter solstice and the March 21 spring equinox. Though numerous winter attempts have been made, only 16 climbers have made it to the summit. Six have died in the attempt, including three Japanese climbers who died on the West Buttress somewhere between 16,000 and 18,200 feet on Feb. 22, 1989.

Nine expeditions have put men atop McKinley in the winter:

• Feb. 28, 1967 -- Americans Dave Johnston, Art Davidson and Ray Genet, West Buttress route. Team member Jacques Batkin of France died on the ascent.

• March 7, 1982 -- England's Roger Mear and American Mike Young, Cassin Ridge.

• March 11, 1983 -- American Charlie Sassara and Robert Frank, West Rib. Frank died on the descent.

• Feb. 12, 1984 -- Japan's Naomi Uemura, West Buttress. Uemura vanished on the descent between 16,000 and 18,200 feet. First solo ascent.

• March 7, 1988 -- American Vern Tejas, West Buttress. First successful solo ascent.

• Feb. 20, 1989 -- Austrians Steinmassle Helmut, Helmut Mittermyer and Laserer Walder, West Buttress.

• March 11, 1989 -- American Dave Staeheli, West Rib.

• Jan. 16, 1998 -- Russians Artur Testov and Vladimir Ananich, West Buttress. First ascent in dead of winter.

• March 8, 1998 -- Japan's Masatoshi Kuriaki, West Buttress.

Source: Denali National Park

Our story began with a casual conversation. Ken Huff was telling a friend about the time he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro a few years ago. It was, Huff told his friend, "an absolutely phenomenal experience."

Well, ya think? Kilimanjaro rises 19,341 feet above Tanzania. It is the highest mountain on the continent of Africa; climbers who reach its peak can look down on the clouds.

That experience alone can put any number of things into perspective, including the relative importance of "fame" — in this case, the 11 years Huff spent in the National Football League as a guard for the Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins.

"You feel so insignificant. You're so high up. You see the majestic view, the sun coming up over the sea of clouds," Huff said. "You realize you really are on top of the world. We're put on this planet — this huge, wonderful planet — and we're just passers-by."

Huff's friend wondered if he'd ever again want to tackle the mountain. He thought about it a moment, then answered, "Yes, if we did it for a reason instead of just doing it."

Grand ideas are born from such moments. Huff, indeed, is going back to Kilimanjaro in February and he'll take several companions along for the climb, among them former Buffalo Bills and Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure, 59, and a gentleman named Tommy Rieman.

Rieman is a sergeant in the U.S. Army and was awarded the Silver Star after he was shot twice and sustained 11 shrapnel wounds during a battle in Iraq. He also helped set up a perimeter during the battle so medics could safely evacuate other wounded.

Rieman spoke at the Hall of Fame dinner when the Super Bowl was in Tampa two years ago. DeLamielleure was in the crowd that day and the two have been friends since.

"Joe's always up for something crazy," Rieman said.

That's certifiable. Recently, DeLamielleure and a couple of college roommates rode bikes about 2,000 miles from Michigan to Mexico for a good cause. It was the first time he had done something like that. Who's going to back down from a mountain now?

"He called me up and said, 'I want you for this,' and I'm like, 'OK,' " Rieman said. "Neither of us has climbed before, but if you can achieve the summit you can do anything. That's the message we're trying to send."

As if surviving two bullets and 11 pieces of shrapnel while saving several fellow soldiers isn't message enough.

"Sometimes when I get introduced, they call me a hero. Hero, my butt," DeLamielleure said. "I'm an entertainer. I'm an offensive guard who played football. Tommy guards our country. Hearing his story got me very motivated."

That's how it works. One step leads to the next one, and now the reason Huff needed to climb Kilimanjaro again has been realized. He and his fellow hikers will raise money to benefit Wounded Warriors, a private operation that provides help to severely injured soldiers.

"I don't think God put me in the Hall of Fame just because I played football," DeLamielleure said. "We can do a lot of good with our notoriety."

If you can think of a better gift in this season of giving, it must be really special.

"Just because someone is wounded, life isn't over," Huff said. "There is still a lot they can do. I played golf about a month ago with a triple-amputee — lost both of his legs and one arm. He has three artificial limbs and he's a single-digit handicapper, and I'm lucky to break 100."

Huff, 57, and friends are counting on the publicity from this climb to spur donations for the cause. They've set up a website — bootsandcleatsonthesummit.com — to provide additional info about the project as well, of course, as a place to contribute money.

There are many Wounded Warrior chapters, including one in Clearwater. You may have seen them at such events as the Gasparilla Distance Classic. They are amazing people, both those who give and those who receive.

That takes us back to the mountain, which serves as both a metaphor for this story and real-life challenge. Kilimanjaro can be tamed, but not without a fight. An estimated one-third of those who try to scale it fall short. Recently, Martina Navratilova abandoned her quest to get to the top when one of her lungs collapsed in the thin air.

"It's the most physically demanding thing I've ever done, all (NFL) training camps included. It's all because of the lack of oxygen and altitude," Huff said.

"The last mile you hike, they wake you up at midnight and you start hiking at 1 a.m. because there's more oxygen in the air at that time. You arrive at the summit at sunrise, above the clouds. It's hard to describe what that is like. You are literally on top of the world."

That's where we came in. Someone asked Ken Huff if he'd climb Kilimanjaro again and he answered yes. All he needed was a reason, and now he has one.

"I just like doing stuff," he said.

It's a lot more than just that.

"People take for granted the freedoms we have," DeLamielleure said. "We have to remember the sacrifice these guys have made for us. We have to help them."

By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune  Published: December 24, 2010

January 6, Alexander Abramov, passed the information from the base Union Glacier .. The Polish part of the group had already flown to the mainland. Alexander Abramov, Coco Popescu and Mario Trimeri are resting on the base. They are waiting for a new group, which is scheduled to be flown the 10 th of January and ready to fly to the area of the volcano Sedley. Maxim Bogatyrev stayed at the base camp of Vinson.

By the way, we congratulate Maxim Bogatyrev with a completion of the project Seven Summits! We wish him to replenish his collection of summits, climb its for second and third time, reach Carstensz, and the Poles!

Actually, it is the entire message. We are very pleased and we congratulate our guides Alexander Abramov and Maxim Bogatyrev. And the team: Zygmunt Wladyslaw Berdychowski, Roman Ludwik Dzida, Daniel Mizera, Malgorzata Bozena Pierz-Pekala (all – Poland), Crina “Coco” Popescu (Romania), Mario Trimeri (Italy).

We hope that all arrive safely at the Union Glacier Base, and then their ways will separate. Alexander Abramov, Coco Popescu and Mario Trimeri will fly to the other side of Antarctica, to climb the highest volcano of the continent Mount Sidley. Maxim Bogatyrev will our next group on Vinson and the Polish team will fly home.

Good luck!

Hello!

It is Alex Abramov, from Antarctica. Beautiful weather. December, 31 has been changed to January 1, 2011 ... Yesterday we flew to the base camp of Mount Vinson ... Rangers from ALE company gave us a super holiday party. They laid a table just on the snow, out of tents. Can you imagine: the New Year party, which takes place in the sun, among the white snows of Antarctica, among the mountains. View of the Vinson, the weather is pretty ... Vern Tejas played harmonica. All danced who could, we drank champagne, bottles of 6-7, then throw the whiskey in the pot. Here are a few teams: Alpine Ascents, Adventure Consultants, International Mountain Guides ... In general, all Americans, and only we – not Americans. We have a team of Polish, Russian, Romanian and one Italian. Well, in general, international team, mostly talking in Russian, English, Polish, Romanian and Italian .. In general, all are very happy. And tomorrow we're going to move to High Camp. Well, in general, we have fun here ...

Super.

Goodbye!

Photos from 20056 expedition

Hello, today the 29 th of December. Ilyushin came ... Some of our clients has departed, a part of our team, part of the Ukrainian, has remained in Antarctica ... to work on their plans. Now a new group arrives, I'll be working with them on the Mount of Vinson, two weeks. January 10th expedition to the highest volcano of Antarctica Mount Sidley will starts. Good mood, I was able to bathe, wash, even socks and underwear ... some... So, life is good. In Antarctica, the weather is fine, the sun is shining, no wind. Everything is super.

Goodbye!

Good luck!

Happy New Year, Happy New Year!

The new team arrived. Coco cried: her dad stayed on the continent, now his role should be to take on Alex Abramov.

Thу Team: Zygmunt Wladyslaw Berdychowski, Roman Ludwik Dzida, Daniel Mizera, Malgorzata Bozena Pierz-Pekala (all – Poland), Crina Popescu (Romania), Mario Trimeri (Italy)

Unloaded, settled and began to celebrate the anniversary of our second gude Maxim Bogatyrev.

Maxim Bogatyrev turned 35 !

We send heartfelt congratulations to him ! We wish to successfully climb to the top of the seventh!
Max - a real hero, a great climber, guide, big fan of the sport, bright and strong personality.
Good health and good luck to you!

The management of ALE announced that a flight of the aircraft from Punta Arenas to Antarctica will be held on December 29. On the eve of the last of team members arrived in this Chilean city. It is "the best rating (18 points) of the members of the 7 Summits Club” 58-year-old Italian, Mario Trimeri. & Summits Club international team led by Maxim Bogatyrev finalized preparations and awaits commands.

Good luck to you !

Group members: Zygmunt Wladyslaw Berdychowski, Roman Ludwik Dzida, Daniel Mizera, Malgorzata Bozena Pierz-Pekala (all Poland), Crina Popescu (Romania), Mario Trimer (Italy). Guides: Alex Abramov and Maxim Bogatyrev.

We stay on the highest peak in Antarctica: Alexander Abramov, Dmitry Kolotiy and Andrey Podolyan. We have a strong, powerful team, climbing was done very quickly. The weather is perfect, I never have seen such weather on the Vinson. Now we're going to undress from the waist up for making pictures. Undress completely is impossible because of the harness. Ten minutes later Donetsk team will begin to approach. For Sergei Kovalev it will be the completion of the program "Seven Summits". This evening and at night we hope to celebrate this event already in the base camp. We have there 4 bottles of vodka. On the way we collect intermediate camps, and leave all equipment at the base camp for the next our group. We want to fly the 28 th to the Union Glacier and we have a chance ...

Best regards !

Thank you for your support!

Photos from the expeditions of previous years

www.737challenge.com.  27th December 2010. Richard Parks completed the first leg of his world first 737 Challenge this morning, arriving at the South Pole and completing the first of 3 poles he will face during his 7-month race to climb the highest mountain on each of the world’s continents and venture to The South and Geographical North Poles.

Richard arrived at the pole at 6.10 am UK time, 3.10am Chilean time and 7.10pm local time.

Richard will now stay on the South Pole, the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth until January 1st to ensure he reaches all poles within the same calendar year, ensuring his world record is complete at the end of the challenge.

The world's 3 Poles are The South Pole, The Geographic North Pole and the summit of Everest. The top, bottom and roof of the world. Today marked a historical day for Richard and his incredible world first expedition.

Richard Parks
BORN IN PONTYPRIDD, WALES, 14TH AUGUST 1977.
Richard Parks is a former Welsh international rugby player, earning caps against South Africa, Fiji, Scotland and Ireland. He also represented the Barbarians and Wales Sevens on the IRB world circuit and in the World Cup.

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December 26 Two teams of Austrian and German television (ORF and ZDF) have passed the midpoint of their media race "Wettlauf zum Südpol". The full length of the route - 400 km. In accordance with the plan at half-way a stop has been made. Primarily for medical purposes. Doctors banned from further participation Alex Serdyukov from the team of Austria due of frostbitten fingers. They are confident that everything will be without serious consequences. Last part or route, Sabrina Grillitsch, Tom Walek and Hermann Maier will go at three. This is a minimal quantity for allowed for finish.

Hello !

Today, 26th of December. The full team climbed to the High Camp and now ... the main thing is, that we all got it, and tomorrow in the morning, at 9 a.m., we start for climbing the summit. To raise flags sponsors on the top, who has this flags. Well, in general, the weather is excellent, the mood is perfect, we ate, drank ... well, not without it…

Dima showed enthusiasm, broke a saw and two shovels, digging up our tents from ... from the snow ....

Well, in general, everything is OK, tomorrow at 9 a.m., we go. The mood is great. And  27 th of December we want immediately to get down to the base camp. We hope to fly next day to the Union Glacier.

Bye, everyone !

Good luck !

A young Romanian climber Crina (Coco) Popescu and her father Ovidiu arrived December 26 in Punta Arenas, with a day late. The same day, the Polish part of our new team got (also adventure) to this Chilean town. This Zygmunt Wladyslaw Berdychowski, Roman Ludwik Dzida, Daniel Mizera, Malgorzata Bozena Pierz-Pekala. Such is the international composition of our next team, that goes to the highest peak in Antarctica. A guide of 7 Summits Club Max Bogatyrev looked for all them in the local airport two days. In the sky of the planet happen terrible things, flights delayed and extended, this information does not manage to reach. So Max spent a lot of time at the airport before he could tell us "all fed, put to sleep. " Prior to departure of the ice continent, the group will be at least three days. To purchase products and take a course "antarkticologia" in the company of ALE...

Coco and Ovidiu Popescu

When I woke up in the morning, it rattled in the tent. When I looked out, I saw as our kitchen tent was dropped. A morning in the Low Camp usually starts at 12 o'clock, when the sun comes out. At 12 a.m. we get a weather forecast for the next day, usually for a couple of days. So, this morning started badly, it was a hurricane ...

I called all my boys and from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m., we built snow walls. The wind was blowing very strong, ripped shovels from our hands. By lunchtime, when we built all these walls of snow, the wind completely calmed down. We started to think about tomorrow, how we go to the High Camp, and the next day to climb to the top of Vinson. But now it is evening, and again the blizzard began. According to the forecast, tomorrow we expected a weakening of wind and the next day - perfect, perfect weather. It will be December 27.

We sit together in the kitchen tent, laughing. The wind howled outside the tent. We hope that tomorrow the weather will improve. And probably the day after tomorrow we will go to the top of the Mount Vinson.

So, wait for messages from Antarctica and not get bored.

Bye!

27/12/2010 Hello! December 24 - the day before Christmas night. In the morning there was a terrible storm, a hurricane roared overhead, on the ridge. The wind reached a speed of 80-100 km per hour. Within days, there was no connection with the High Camp, where seven people left. We all worried, but today, at 12 a.m. they came to a connection. They said that there are a few broken tents, one tent flew away. But in general, everything is OK.

When we were in the High Camp and went down, I joked that at Christmas the weather must be good. And now, the Christmas night, at 2 a.m. the peace was established between heaven and earth. Deathly silence, the sun is shining. Here in Antarctica, the sun always shines. Just perfect weather, perfect visibility. Deathly silence. Probably tomorrow, seven climbers who spent several days in the High Camp, go on climb. We also have a plan. Tomorrow morning, we will hear the weather forecast, and if all goes well, tomorrow we leave for night in the High Camp. And the next day, probably December 26, we plan to climb Mount Vinson.

God help us !

Goodbye !

Tomorrow, 26th of December, we are waiting for her in Punta Arenas. Crina Coco Popescu will see her dream come true on Christmas Eve when she will leave for Punta Arenas to complete her most important expedition till now, „Antarctica 2010-2011”.

http://www.celmaisus.ro

Crina will begin the new year by climbing the Mount Vinson (1-10 January 2011), then she’ll take the Romanian flag on the Sidley’s peak (14-23 January 2011). On 22nd of February she will return to Bucharest as „the youngest woman to complete the Volcano Seven Summits”. We are crossing our fingers for her and we’ll wait for her to come back home.

You will be keep you updated with news from the expedition on the Journal section. But, just so you know how will the Coco’s life adventure will look, here’s the schedule of the „Antarctica 2010-2011”:

24th of December: departure from Bucharest, on the route Paris – Atlanta – Santiago de Chile – Punta Arenas;

26th of December: meeting at Punta Arenas with the organizer’s agents, 7 Summits Club and Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions;

27th of December: expedition’s briefing with the agents of 7 Summits Club and Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions;

28th of December: the equipment’s verification;

29th of December: the take-off on the route Punta Arenas – Patriot Hills (the base camp in Antarctica);

1st of January: flight with an easy airplane Cesna, from the base camp in Patriot Hills to the base camp in Mt. Vinson;

1st of January – 10th of January: climbing on Mt. Vinson;

11th of January: coming back to the base camp in Patriot Hills;

13th of January: close up flight in Mt. Sidley, departure from Patriot Hills camp;

14 th of January – 23th of January: close up march, ski and climbing on Mt. Sidley;

24th of January: coming back to the base camp in Patriot Hills;

25th of January: coming back to Punta Arenas (Chile);

30th of January: departure from Punta Arenas to Santiago de Chile;

1st of February – 18th of February: Climbing on Ojos del Salado (Atacama), acclimatization program for Everest (the climbing is due for spring 2011);

20th of February: departure from Chile;

22nd of February: arrival to Bucharest

 Antarctica will be the first serious expedition without his father

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My name is Crina Imola Popescu but everyone knows me as Crina COCO Popescu. My dear friends simply call me COCO. I ‘m 16 years old and I’m a climber.

I was born in Rasnov, a town close to Brasov and I have been climbing mountains since I was 6. At first I climbed around my hometown: the Bucegi Mountains and Postavarul. Then I’ve wanted to climb higher mountains…and I did it. When I was 11, I went to the Alps and climbed the 4000 m high Dente del Giante. Next there were other dreams accomplished: the Olympus, Ararat and Mont Blanc.

At only 12, I went for the first time in Nepal on Kalapatar. When I first saw the Himalayan giants, I fell in love with them: I realized that I want more. Slowly, what was more of a hobby turned into a real passion. At 13 years old I have seen my dream accomplished on Kazbek in the Caucasus, Damavand and Alam Kuh in Iran.

I didn’t have only successful attempts. The failures convinced me that, without passion and efforts, you can’t reach for the highest high, both in life and on mountains. An important lesson that I’ve learned was when I first attempt to climb on Aconcagua and a cold hold me back. From that moment on, I learned that precaution must represent an objective for me in order to continue my dream.

Searching for new objectives, I found out about Seven Summits and Volcanic Seven Summits. I said to myself: this is what I want to do!

In 2008, when the Altitude Mountain Club was born, my dream spread its wings. In late 2008 I went on the Ojos del Salado in the Atacama, the world’s highest volcano. In January 2009 I was on Aconcagua – the South American giant. They were followed by Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus. I already had three peaks of the Seven Summits and four of Volcanic Seven Summits. For these achievements I received the title of “Master of Sports”, a great honor for me.

In autumn 2009 I received a new lesson that prepared me for the future: I had decided to climb Cho Oyu, but due to an imperfect acclimatization we decided to descend from an altitude of 6700m, putting safety before everything. In January 2010 I went to Oceania where I climbed the mount Kosciuszko, Carstensz Pyramid and Giluwe. In June 2010 I climbed Pico de Orizaba in Mexico and McKinley in Alaska, highest volcano and summit in North America.

What I've climbed so far...

From December 2010 to February 2011 I’ll be in South America and Antarctica. I’ll climb on Vinson and Sidley and in April 2011 I’ll be on Everest.

Until now I have already conquered five peaks of the Seven Summits and six peaks of the Volcanic Seven Summits. Plus other six records in alpinism.

I wouldn’t have succeeded this performance if my father hadn’t been extremely supportive with me. He imbued me with his passion for the mountains and made me fall in love with nature. I don’t have enough words to thank my parents for their support and all their efforts. But I’m trying hard to make them proud.

Many thanks to all the people from the Club! Because of them, I now have the hope to fulfill my dream: I want to become the youngest woman to climb the Seven Summits and Volcanic Seven Summits.

Associated Press.  NEW YORK — True art can be an elevated pursuit — in this case an elevation of approximately 29,000 feet.  Three small panels of a massive painting project that has been displayed at the United Nations are set to be carried to the top of Mount Everest in March, artist and political cartoonist Ranan Lurie said Wednesday.

The three acrylic-on-canvas panels — together measuring about 2 feet by 3 feet — represent just a small fraction of the dozens of pieces making up the 600-foot-long "Uniting Painting" project.

The 78-year-old artist, who's been working on his "Uniting Painting" project since 1968, says it offers viewers a "common denominator."

By enjoying the different pieces of the artwork, he said, "we respect the same thing."

"Although we come from different cultures and different places," he said, "we have an artistic Esperanto that we can talk through and with. And unite."

Lurie says he hopes that displaying the paintings on the peak of the world's highest mountain will show the scope of the work's message.

The project's dozens of panels depict similar flowing shapes that continue from one panel to the next, though the colors and motifs change. The panels selected to be carried by professional Nepalese climbers are largely blue and white to reflect the colors of clouds, sky and snow found at their destination, Lurie said.

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Hello! Now at 9 pm on Chile, the 22-th of December. Our team went down to the Low Camp. The weather at the top is bad, the forecast for tomorrow is worse than for today, and the next day - worse than tomorrow. Therefore, a minimum to 24-th, our team will be in the Low Camp. We did not reached the summit of Vinson, as none of the climbers, who came with us. And now 90% of climbers who pretend to climb Mount Vinson stay in the Low Camp. We have just a small chance in short-term, up to 29 th December. The weather is really bad at the top, a very strong wind. We have taken a short attempt to climb today. But failed. Very cold, that is, you begin to feel cold just 15-20 minutes after leaving the tent and the likelihood of frostbite was very high today.

Wind speed was of 20-25 knots now - it's approximately 40 kms per hour, tomorrow - 30 knots - it is somewhere 60 km / h .... The day after tomorrow 40 knots - sometimes 80 km / h ...

That is a very severe frost and strong wind. So we sit down, but ready to leave if the weather suddenly…..

Tomorrow a representative delegation leaves Mendoza in the direction of Aconcagua. It is a team from Belgium, consisting of about 30 people. Among them, the most senior official person of the country for this moment. It is the Prime Minister of Flanders, 48-year old Kris Peeters.

The expedition set  the task to climb Aconcagua.  15 members of the team in one or another way are affected by asthma. Actually, the main goal -it is  not even the climbing. This is a demonstration to all the people whose lives are complicated by the different diseases that an active lifestyle, sports - it's not just possible,  they need it.

In airport

By the way, Mr Peeters is a great friend of Russia. He was elected an honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, often visiting in our country. The last time in October, Mr. Peeters held talks in St. Petersburg with the local authorities. As always, he came with a mass of concrete and constructive proposals.

Kris Peeters is not particularly fond of climbing, to his credit is only an ascent of Mont Blanc. He is known as the past athlete and a big fan of cycling. Until 2004 Peuters with his economic and philosophical education, worked in various business communities, including at European level. In 2004 he became minister of the environment in Flanders, and quickly became famous due his courage, radicalism and consistency. Proclaiming the highest standards in Europe, environmental protection, he did not leave it in words. Therefore, Mr. Peeters became in 2007 the prime minister of Flanders.

Among asthmatics participating in the expedition, only three have climbing experience. Others, primarily engaged in cyclic sports. Undoubtedly, the most important part of the team are physicians, as well as video operator. In short, it is a solid event and, as usual, they use money collected for charitable purposes.

We wish you success, my friends!

Moscow: An honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, in international relations