"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

It's even hard to count how many flights it took to get to the starting point of the route village Ilaga. Six or seven. The total route of Ludmila Korobeshko was following: Moscow - Dubai - Jakarta - Bali - Sulawesi - Biak - Nabire - Ilaga. Her partners on the journey Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev flew directly to Bali, they have one less flight.

Everything goes according to the plan. Tomorrow, their caravan has to start the route via Jungles to the foot of Carstensz Pyramid. In case of success Ludmila Korobeshko become the first Russian woman on the top of this mountain and the first one who completes the program “7 + 1 summits”.

The Economist Magazine

“MOUNT EVEREST is singing for joy and the Brahmaputra River swirling with happiness”. Or so says an official Chinese newspaper (using the Tibetan names, Qomolangma and the Yarlung Tsangpo). After much delay, China has started to extend its controversial railway line in Tibet that will draw more tourists to the mountain and boost trade with South Asia. How happy the outcome will be is not so clear.

 Planning for the 253km (157-mile) line from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, to the region’s second city, Shigatse, began in 2002, four years before Lhasa itself was connected to China’s railway network. The authorities appear not have been deterred by the problems that the railway brought to Lhasa. A tourism boom and a flood of immigrants from China’s interior contributed to an explosion of unrest among embittered Tibetans in March 2008. The launch ceremony in Lhasa of the $2 billion extension on September 26th was celebrated by dancing children in elaborate Tibetan costumes. Chinese television said the line would be of “great significance for the strengthening of ethnic unity”.

 Like the route to Lhasa, which crossed the highest terrain of any railway in the world, the single-track extension will involve considerable technical difficulties. Nearly half of it will go through tunnels or over bridges (96 of them). It will cross areas prone to earthquakes, landslides and sand storms. Whereas the line to Lhasa had to traverse unstable permafrost, the new one will be challenged by geothermal fields with hot springs. All this at an oxygen-starved altitude of 3,550-4,000 metres.

 The railway will make it easier to reach Mount Everest, which can expect to see a lot more tourists eager to be photographed in front of the world’s highest peak (Shigatse is also due to open an airport soon, Tibet’s fifth for civilian use). In 2007 the Chinese side of the mountain recorded 27,476 visits by Chinese tourists, almost twice as many as in 2006, after the new rail service to Lhasa had opened. Environmentalists are worried.

Shadows over Qomolangma

 So are the Indians. The government in Delhi has been nervously watching China’s build-up of infrastructure in Tibet. The extension to Shigatse, besides facilitating military movements near China’s border with India, is likely to boost trade with Nepal, where the two giants are vying for influence in a power struggle that is still going on. China has long-term plans for more extensions of the line, to Nyalam on the border with Nepal and to Dromo near Bhutan and the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal wants the railway extended to Kathmandu, which India fears would give China more clout in a country India sees as part of its sphere of influence. Another proposed line, from Lhasa east to Nyingchi, would bring the network close to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, most of which China claims.

 Tibetans might have mixed feelings too. The rail link to Lhasa brought disproportionate benefits to ethnic Han Chinese whose language and culture enabled them to take quicker advantage of the Han tourist influx. Tibet Business News said the majority of traders in Shigatse were migrants from beyond Tibet. It quoted a woman from neighbouring Sichuan Province saying that the railway would cut her costs of doing business in Shigatse by half. Expect more like her to come.

 Correction: An earlier version of this article had it that “most of China” claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Rather, (all of) China claims most of Arunachal Pradesh. This article was corrected on October 8th, 2010.

The Economist. Full text >>>>>>>

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China official  information

 LHASA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- China began work on Sunday to build an extension to the world's highest rail link, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, linking Xigaze, the second largest city in the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region.

 The 253-km line from Tibet's capital Lhasa to Xigaze will pass through five counties as well as over the 90-km long Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon.

 The work will take about four years.

 This is the first extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway that opened in July 2006.

 The Lhasa-Xigaze railway, with a budget of 13.3 billion yuan (1.95 billion U.S. dollars), is capable of transporting 8.3 million tonnes of cargo per year. The local authorities did not provide a projected annual passenger number.

 Zhang Qingli, Communist Party chief of Tibet, said the rail line would make train services available in southwestern Tibetan regions which currently rely solely on roads for transport.

 The railway will detour around nature reserves and drinking water sources and more measures will be taken during construction to better protect the fragile plateau environment, Zhang said.

 Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun said the extension is a key project in China's long and medium-term railway network expansion and will speed up Tibet's social and economic development.

 It will also play a vital role in boosting tourism and promoting the rational use of resources along the line, he said.

 Further, Tibet is planning to build another railway to link Lhasa with Nyingchi to boost tourism and the economy in Tibet.

 During its four-year operation, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has reduced transportation costs and greatly boosted economic growth in Tibet, especially through developing tourism and other local special resources, Liu said.

 Xigaze, with a history of more than 600 years, is Tibet's second largest city and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas.

 Xigaze City is the administrative center of the Tibetan prefecture of the same name, a 182,000 square km area that borders India, Nepal and Bhutan. It is also famous for Qomolangma (known as Mount Everest in the West), which rises up from within it.

Director of our Club, a mountain guide Lyudmila Korobeshko went today on an expedition in Irian Jaya, for climbing Mount Carstensz Pyramid. Yet no woman from Russia was on the top of that mountain, the highest point of Oceania. Experienced climbers, our loyal customers Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev left with Lyudmila. They will have a long flight, a march through the jungle and challenging rock climbing. Good luck!

From left: Igor Kosarev, Yury Beloyvan and Marat Safin (Cho-Oyu expedition)

At the beginning of last week there were doubts about the fact that someone even be able to climb Cho-Oyu. A significant part of expeditions turned their work. The head of our expedition (Ukraine - Himalaya 2010 + 7 Summits Club) Igor Svergun and Sirdar Mingma Gelu (7summits Adventure) also inclined to the idea of shutting down. However, after getting fairly good prognosis, as well as reports of the successful ascent of some German climber, they decided to continue the expedition. Tickets from Kathmandu were taken on October 16, so that you can still compete.

Manaslu

Hard season: the Himalayas against the climbers ... first autumn climbing and loss of ...

 September 28 Japanese climbers from the team of the Association of Mountain Guides have got in an avalanche on the way from base camp to Camp 1 on the slope of Dhaulagiri. Mountain Guides Osamu Tanabe (49 years), Toshio Yamamoto (1936), Daisuke Honda (32) and Sherpa Pasang Gyelu Sherpa are died. Tanabe was the leader of Himalayan mountaineering in the country of the Rising Sun ". He has had 9 eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest in winter by south-west face, K2 and Makalu by a new routes.

 Osamu Tanabe

Season on Manaslu is more successful. Although not without sacrifice. A Japanese mountaineer has died at the base camp.

Success of the Spaniards is in a focus. Carlos Pauner reached his 10th eight-thousander. And Carlos Soria, who turns 71 years old, went on the 9 th. This year veteran of the Spanish mountaineering completed the program of "Seven Summits", and plans "to make" 14X8000 before 2014

Soria and Pauner in the base camp

In the team of Himex a large group of climbers reached the summit of Manaslu on October 1. Russell Brice CEO (58 years) for the fourteenth time climbed peaks above 8,000 meters. True, 9 times it was Cho-Oyu. For Sirdar Phurba it was, by the way, 23th 8000 m peak (15 times Everest) and he became the leader among the Sherpas in this field.

Guides of Himex on the summit: Adrian, Russel and Marc

And the first of the season on top Manaslu was a leader of the expedition Dream Guides Kenton Cool. He led the team of three members and three sherpas. According to Kenton, tireless Dorjee Sherpa make almost all the way to the summit as first. From the summit of Manaslu Cool and one of the clients Andrew Eggleston went to the camp 4 on skis. It was September, 30th.

According to information from an expedition leader Fabrizio Zangrilli, 1th October, some German climber managed to reach the summit of Cho Oyu. This immediately restored power to several companies, they have resumed the upward movement in the camps.

Later it turned out that they were two experienced climbers 42-year-old Austrian Rupert Hauer and guide of the expedition 39-year-old Alix von Melle, known as a girlfriend of Luis Stitzinger. Ascent from Camp 3 to the top took 6,5 hours. There was a very strong wind, but good visibility.

If a forecast will be justified, we could expeat another climbs on Cho Oyu. We hope that among the lucky winners will be the names of our climbers.

Chao, Walter ...

Italian Walter Nones was found dead under the SW face of Cho Oyu, he was 39 years old. During a reconnaissance of a new route for south-western face, he climbed to an altitude of 6,800 meters with the Sherpas. Later he came out already in the solo assault. Misfortune.

Kilian Jornet, a Spanish mountain climber and endurance athlete, set a new record for the fastest climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro earlier this week, making his way from the base to summit, and back again, in just 7 hours and 14 minutes. The previous record for the climb was held by Tanzanian Simon Mtuy, who made the round-trip journey in 8 hours and 27 minutes.

Standing at 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and a popular trekking destination amongst adventure travelers. Most hikers who go to the summit take six or seven days to complete the trip, which means Jornet was moving at a pace of roughly one days worth of climbing per hour. A pretty impressive feat no matter what the trail conditions are.

Jornet set out on his record-breaking attempt at 8AM local time on Tuesday and reached the summit just five hours and 23 minutes later. Running past the famous Uhuru Peak sign, he immediately started back down the mountain, finishing up an hour and fifty minutes later.

Kilimanjaro is famous for its five climate zones that begin in at the base on the savannah, which gives way to cloud forests and then marshlands. From there, climbers proceed up into high alpine desert and finally arctic conditions at the top. Jornet had to not only deal with those changes in climate along the way, but also large fields of rock left over from the last time that the volcanic Kilimanjaro erupted.

Upon reaching the finish line after his record breaking run, Jornet was greeted by the previous record holder who embraced the man who just shattered his old mark by an hour and thirteen minutes. I guess even he was impressed by this amazing display of strength and endurance.

September, 30 we had a traditional evening meeting friends of 7 Summits Club. At this time, a record number of people came to hear reports on our expeditions. The famous mountain climber, winner of the Piolet d'Or Jury Koshelenko was the chief guest. He spoke about his expeditions to Peru and the Pamirs. Then our guides were made with tales of his expeditions, we have shown films and pictures. Victor Bobok and Oleg Banar sang songs, we gave prizes for the best slogan for the club, played the lottery etc…

Photos from the party – full gallery is here >>>>>>>

A group of climbers 7 Summits Club on Sept. 23 flew to the Caucasus, and had settled in the hotel Povorot in Terskol. September, 24 they made acclimatization outing up to the Pastukhov Rocks. September, 25 in the morning the team started the Elbrus climb. In the group were: Alexander Abramov (leader, guide and president of the 7 Summits Club), Sergei Onufrienko (guide), Ilya Shershnev, Dmitry Freiman, brothers Petr and Pavel Tolstykh.

At a good pace climbers went up from Pastukhov Rocks to the saddle of Elbrus (5300 m). However, here, on one of the Tolstykh brothers decided to turn back. Although, according to Abramov, he was in a good shape. Nevertheless, the two brothers and guide Onufrienko at 10:00 a.m. went down. Abramov, Shershnev and Freiman started climbing to the western summit (5642 m).

At about 10-30 a.m. they saw at a distance app. over one kilometer people who scream calling for help. Without hesitation, the group refused to continue climb and started to traverse to the victims. It turned out to be Polish climbers, young guy and girl. They slipped on descent from the summit and received multiple injuries when falling. The guy apparently had broken his leg and could not go by himself. Girl with a collarbone injury, minor injuries on hand and head could go. She was taken to a rescue hut on the another side of the saddle. The construction of this shelter was completed only on 1 September.

Unfortunately, the telephone and radio link on the saddle of Elbrus still does not work and to call for rescuers you need to go lower, about half hour. Except our group and Polish couple, only four climbers made the climb on this day. At 12:15 one of guides of the other group went down and called to the rescue services. The Polish girl and Dmitry Freiman left later down with Lisa Pahl, another Elbrus guide who was with a client. Alexander Abramov and Ilya Shershnev were stayed with the injured Polish climber. With great difficulty they dragged him to the hut. It takes about two hours of hard work. Approximately 3.30 p.m. four rescuers reached the hut, they provided medical assistance and at 4.00 p.m. started transportation. Approximately at 5.30 p.m. the group reached the Pastukhov Rocks, where a snowcat was waiting for them. The same evening, the Polish climbers were taken to hospital.

In the shelter 

Alex Abramov - on the left and rescuers

Records on Elbrus, Polish climbers have reached a new level
Press Release Competition Elbrus Race

September, 24  International Elbrus Race competitions were held on the slopes of Mount Elbrus. Competitions in speed, sky running on the highest peak of Europe held  sixth year in a row, starting in 2005.  In September, when ice-snow conditions are better and  when the number of climbers reduced.

Competitions are held in two classes. The first one  is "Extreme": from the foot of mountain -  Azau Glade (2400 m) to the highest point of Mount Elbrus - the Western Peak (5642 m). Route length is  approximately 13 kilometers, vertical drop of more than 3000 meters.  Anywhere in the world is no more competition on the track with such drop. A short track names "Classic". "Classic" starts from the refuge Barrels (3700 m) located at the upper cable car station Elbrus. The finish of this route is also on the western summit of Elbrus.

 Two days before the main trial, athletes started in the classification race from Barrels to Pastukhov Rocks (4900m). The control time was two hours - this will be a "pass" on the main race.

  A large group of experienced climbers, guides of Elbrus were on duty at the track up to the summit. They are capable of working at height for a long time, and can help athletes in case of changing weather conditions.

  This year's Elbrus Race  was attended by athletes from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Poland, USA and Indonesia. The Polish team was led by well-known mountaineer, Himalayan climber Artur Hajzer.  It was a group of young, well trained and motivated athletes.  Artur  wants to build a new national team, capable to continue  traditions of Polish Himalayan mountaineering.  Hajzer  regards  Elbrus Race  as a good possibility of endurance testing for athletes.  

 Young Polish ski-alpinist, mountain guide from Zakopane  Andrzej Bargiel (22 years old) became a champion on  "Extreme" class, with a phenomenal time - 3 hours 23 min 37 sek. He managed to improve the previous record set by Denis Urubko in 2006 (3 h 55 m 59 s) more than on half of hour.  28-years old “snow leopard” Alexandra Dzik from Poland was first in women contest with record time - 5 hours 4 minutes 41 seconds!

On the track "Classic" Andrey Puchinin from Kazakhstan came to the finish line first (2 hours 34 minutes 33 seconds), improving his own result in 2006 almost on 12 minutes! Russian Oksana Stefanishina (Sochi) won the race in the class of "Classic" for women. Her time was 3 hours 22 min 01 sec.

 Particularly we should note a veteran Boris Korshunov, who on Aug. 31 was 75 years old. His result on the Classic track was 4 hours 16 minutes - 14 th place.

  Elbrus - it's not a treadmill. There are factors inherent in the high mountains, for example, a strong wind. In calm weather the result of all  athletes would be higher. This year's judges were forced to postpone the race start from September 23 to September 24 because  on the mountain was very bad weather.

For the sixth time the Top Sport Travel company (www.sklon.ru) and news server www.Russianclimb.com organize competitions International Elbrus Race.

NPF Bask is the third time became the general sponsor of the international competitions.

Mountaineering Federation of Azerbaijan - General Partner VI International Elbrus Race.

Sponsors of the competition:
Company SIVERA (Ryazan)
Shop "Tramontana" (St. Petersburg)
The memorial fund  Anatoly Boukreev (USA)

Official website of the competition www.Elbrusrace.com

 Russia made its ambitions clear by planting a flag beneath the North Pole. An international meeting to try to prevent the Arctic becoming the next battleground over mineral wealth is taking place in Moscow. One quarter of the world's resources of oil and gas are believed to lie beneath the Arctic Ocean. Russia, Norway, Canada, Denmark and the United States have already laid claim to territory in the region.

Although the summit is promoting dialogue, a Kremlin adviser said Russia would defend its national interests.

Senior Norwegian adviser Olaf Orpheum told the conference that nowhere else had seen "such dramatic changes in the surface of the Earth".

The race for the Arctic centres on an underwater mountain range known as the Lomonosov Ridge.

In 2001, Moscow submitted a territorial claim to the United Nations which was rejected because of lack of evidence.

Three years ago, a Russian expedition planted a titanium flag on the ocean floor beneath the North Pole in a symbolic gesture of Moscow's ambitions.

Law of the Sea

As evidence of the gathering momentum in the race for mineral resources, Russia has announced it will spend $64m (£40m; 48m euros) on research aimed at proving its case.

The man behind the 2007 polar expedition, Artur Chilingarov, has announced that he will attempt to launch a drifting research station next month.

Kremlin climate change adviser Alexander Bedritsky told reporters that Russia had a "strong chance" to win approval when it submitted its data to the UN in 2012-13.

Last week, Canada's foreign minister met his Russian counterpart in Moscow to discuss their competing claims.

Canada is likely to hand its file to the UN around 2013 and has said it is confident of its case.

Denmark plans to put forward its details by the end of 2014.

For the states involved in the territorial dispute, the key lies in obtaining scientific proof that the Lomonosov Ridge is an underwater extension of their continental shelf.

Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a coastal nation can claim exclusive economic rights to natural resources on or beneath the sea floor up to 200 nautical miles (370km) beyond their land territory.

But if the continental shelf extends beyond that distance, the country must provide evidence to a UN commission which will then make recommendations about establishing an outer limit.

Last week, Russia signed a treaty with Norway, ending a 40-year dispute over their maritime borders in the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean.

Russian Arctic expert Lev Voronkov said the experience of the Cold War proved the need to work together.

"No one problem of contemporary Arctic can be resolved by one country alone. So that's why I think that we are doomed to co-operate in the Arctic. And military confrontation especially is completely counterproductive."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last week that Nato's presence in the Arctic could raise additional problems.

Heroic work of enthusiasts supported by sponsors were not in vain. 1th of September at an altitude of 5300 meters it was opened a mountaineering refuge, the highest in Europe, and probably in the world. This is an elegant half-sphere, which is placed in the bottom part of the saddle of Elbrus. It is designed for rescue purposes, to spend the night in case of sudden weather changes, to assist frozen, tired or sick. A building still must pass the test of a winter season, still it is not clear who and how it will dispose. But now just congratulate all people involved in this unique work.

It has long been in the Caucasus mountain climbers do not build shelters for mountain climbers, on their own initiative. Construction was nearly three seasons. The first year of operation was for reconnaissance. A second summer season ended unloading materials for building shelters on the eastern peak of Mount Elbrus. The third summer was full of worries and heavy physical work. It seemed that the guys could not make it before winter .... and then it is unlikely that the building withstand a strong winter winds. They managed, well done!

Dmitry Gurianov - the author of project. Respect !

 Sunday we have dedicated rest of the night flight. On Monday, all done exersizes (almost all), had breakfast, swim and started to work. Communication, of course, not ideal, but we will try all to hear and to answer everybody. And most importantly, we have already started to discuss the further development of the Club. The days to employees of 7 Summits Club: Alexander Abramov (president), Lyudmila Korobeshko (Director), Victor Bobok, Lyudmila Ivanova, Olga Rumyantseva, Tatiana Stukalova and Alexandr Yelkov will work in Dahab. We will not be in Moscow, but we remain in touch.

August 29, our team climbed the summit of Western Elbrus. Early in the morning nine climbing women from Nepal and three guides from the 7 Summits Club (Alexander Abramov, Lyudmila Korobeshko and Tatiana Stukalova) stood on the highest point in Europe (5642 meters). The weather was favorable for a successful ascent and descent. In the evening the success of the team was marked by a champagne and caviar. Congratulations ! We wish the Nepalese girls continued success on the tracks of the Seven summits.

The project members of Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action.: Asha Kumari Singh, Chunu Shrestha, Maya Gurung, Ngabhang Phuti Sherpa, Nimdoma Sherpa, Pema Diki Sherpa, Pujan Acharya, Shailee Basnet and Usha Bist.

Shailee Basnet (Coordinator)- A graduate of Business Information Systems and a Post Graduate of Journalism, she works as a reporter for Himalmedia. She became interested in climbing and mountaineering because of the physical and mental challenges it poses, which are quite different from her line of work. Lack of involvement in any kind of sports during her early years made her interested in challenging her limits as she grew up. At 25 years of age she reached a new height on May 24th 2008 by standing on top of Everest.

Asha Kumari Singh- A 24-year-old student, Asha comes from Danuwar community from Meghrail, Mahottari. She comes from a society where women are barely aware of their rights, are supposed to get married off sooner than later and dowry is rampant. Thanks to her grandmother who thought Asha was the ugliest girl among all five sisters and hence thought it was necessary to educate her, in case nobody wanted her marry her. Asha however was not worried about her looks but coming from the flatlands of Terai, was always curious about high mountains. She came to Kathmandu for higher education and got an opportunity to join the Female Outdoor Leadership training in the Annapurnas in the year 2004. Given her background she challenged conventions and impressed naysayers when she started climbing. She made not only her community but also the entire nation proud as she stood on top of Everest on 24th of May 2008.

Chunu Shrestha- Hailing from a poor Kathmandu family, Chunu began working to help support her family while she was just a sixth grader. Despite the financial hardships, she finished high school and started pursuing her education in Bachelors of Arts. When she heard about Susmita Maskey’s summit attempt in 2005, she became inspired by the possibility of succeeding in adventure tourism to support her family. With FIWSE she was able to nurture her passion for the outdoors that she dreamt about during her long days of work. At 27 years of age, she reached the Everest summit on the 25th of May 2008.

Nimdoma Sherpa- Still in high school, Nim is the youngest woman to climb Everest. Despite her small stature, she is dauntless and a very good climber, who impressed everyone during the Basic Mountaineering Course. She had her own struggle on the personal front. Her father passed away while she was a tenth grader. Still she continued her education, subsequently becoming the first in her family to complete the School Leaving Certificate (SLC). She spent lonely childhood in Kathmandu away from her mother for education. She took care of household chores while other children played. But she knew her life was destined to be different than that of everyone else around her. When she learnt about First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition she knew this is what she was waiting for. At 17 years, she set foot on the top of the world on the 22nd of May 2008. She is ruling wall climbing national champion.

Pema Diki Sherpa- Pema Diki, 22, is one of the three girls born to a struggling couple who moved to Kathmandu from Dolakha with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Two years before joining the expedition, a chance to trek in Gosainkunda enchanted this acupuncture assistant. Basic Mountaineering Course presented her more challenges which left her with desire for more climbing experience. She achieved what she had long dreamt for on 24th of May 2008 when she bowed her head to Cholmolungma, the mother goddess of the world. She has great faith in education and as a child dreamt of being a teacher. The team has been conducting educational interaction in different parts of the country, sharing the experience of struggles and lessons learnt during the expedition, motivating students to believe in their dreams. With this program her childhood dream became reality. She aspires to travel and learn more in life and share her knowledge and experiences with youth all over the world.

Pujan Acharya- Pujan worked as a human rights activist in Dolakha. From early on, despite growing in a society where women are supposed to stick to household chores, she had a passion for sports. In her village, she used to play with men for there wouldn’t be women players. An accomplished volleyball player and marathon runner, Pujan, 25, holds several awards for competition at the district Level. But that was not enough for someone who grew up at the foot of Rolwaling Himalayas. She gained her first mountaineering experience in 2003 when she completed Female Outdoor Leadership training. Finally she made it to the summit of Mt. Everest on 22nd of May 2008. She enjoyed a different taste of Everest and adventure as she skydived in the Everest region on 17th October, 2009 from 29,300 ft. During the cabinet meeting of Nepal Government held at Kalapatthar (5240 m), she actively participated as a venue manager.

Maya Gurung- Maya had a childhood marred with struggle and was an early rebel. She saw poor state of women both in her home and village. She always wanted to break free from it. Maya tried hands on various fields including bowling where she reigned as national champion for four years. But nothing really satisfied Maya before she went ahead to join Basic Mountaineering Course and then to climb Everest. This rebel at heart finally lived her dream of climbing on top of the world on 22nd of May 2008, and became the first Gurung woman summiteer at the age of 28. She lived her long cherished dream of sky diving on 10th October, 2008 with Everest in the backdrop. Maya led the Mt Manaslu clean-up expedition as coordinator and also was active venue manager for the cabinet meeting of Nepal Government held at Kalapatthar (5240 m) on 4th December, 2009. Her dream is to see women empowered and educated so that they are at least able to stand up for themselves.

Ngabhang Phuti Sherpa- Ngawang is from Taplejung district, home of Kanchenjunga. She lost her parents in an early age. She and her elder sister quit education to take odd jobs to look after younger siblings. She ran a restaurant in Kathmandu for couple years and quit it later after her sister went abroad. Several Sherpa climbers encouraged her to explore mountaineering. But she did not like the idea of climbing alone. When she learnt that a women’s team was being put together for climbing Everest, her hidden desire made her give it a shot.  This 33-year-old woman felt she did the right thing when she joined Basic Mountaineering Course. On the 22nd of May 2008, she reached her highest destination, Mount Everest.

Usha Bist- Born as fifth daughter in the Far-Western district of Kailali, Usha was left in the jungle for dead. That’s what earned her nickname Bandevi- goddess of the forest. It was a fellow villager who saved the new-born. From early on, Usha was inspired by women climbers and wanted to climb Mt Everest herself. She came to Kathmandu to climb Everest, not knowing where to start. She completed basic and advanced mountaineering courses, climbed a number of peaks including the notorious Amadablam.  In 2007, she earned spot in the Loktantrik Expedition Team, to attempt Everest. She was left behind at 8,400m and later rescued. To everybody’s surprise, this 24 year old finally stepped on the top of the world a year later. Her connection to forest is still alive as she is the president of Sasakta Mahila Samudayik Ban in her home district.

Don't ever make the mistake of telling Kirk Bauer he cannot do something. The Ellicott City resident was one of three amputee retired veterans -- with only one good leg among them -- who earlier this month climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, in a living-billboard effort to show people with disabilities that there are no limits on what they can do.

"It was an experience of a lifetime," said Bauer, 62, the one with the good leg. "It was everything we expected and more -- and it was just amazing."

The climb up the 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro began Aug. 2 guided by Nickson Moshi, owner of Massai Giraffe Safari, who has experience helping disabled climbers.

On Aug. 7, they reached the top.

"We were pretty choked up. It was a pretty emotional experience," Bauer said. "There was a lot of hugging going on."

Bauer lost a leg from a hand grenade during an ambush in 1969 while serving in the Ninth Combat Infantry Division in Vietnam, where he earned two Bronze Stars for heroism.

Joining him on the quest for Kilimanjaro was Sgt. Neil Duncan, 27, from Maple Grove, Minn., who lost both of his legs after being severely injured in Afghanistan in December 2005 by an improvised explosive device; and Staff Sgt. Dan Nevins, 39, from Jacksonville, Fla., who lost his left leg below the knee in November 2004 while serving in Iraq. In 2007, he suffered life-threatening infections in his remaining leg and had to have it amputated.

Bauer is executive director of Disabled Sports USA, a Rockville-based nonprofit sporting organization for people with physical disabilities. It has more than 60 chapters worldwide and serves more than 60,000 people, according to the organization. Bauer volunteered with the organization for 12 years and has been the executive director for the past 28 years.

Bauer, Nevins and Duncan formed Team Missing Parts In Action as part of Disabled Sports USA's Warfighter Sports Series, a schedule of challenge events that help military service members with permanent disabilities train for and challenge themselves in extreme and endurance sports.

While all three successfully reached the summit, Nevins became ill on the descent, with fever, congestion and an infection in his stump and was evacuated on a wheeled stretcher and hospitalized, Bauer said.

It was Duncan who set the trip in motion, unknowingly, a year ago. He tried to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a guide but was unsuccessful. At a banquet for disabled skiers in Colorado last year, Duncan said he wanted to try again.

"He stood up and challenged me, in front of nearly 500 people, to join him," Bauer said.

"No" was not an option.

On the trip, Bauer kept a daily blog.

At the completion of the challenge, he wrote:

"We hiked through a beautiful rain forest that was filled with exotic plants, hanging moss, Blue Monkeys and beautiful flowers. We finally reached the Marangu Gate, the official end of our climb. Totally sore from head to foot, exhausted from 8 days of heat, cold, wind, muscle strain, and mechanical problems, we arrived late in the afternoon today.

I cannot even begin to convey the exhilaration of finally reaching that cold windy summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and then finally descending to Marangu Gate, to make our climb official.

Certainly we all feel a great deal of personal satisfaction in setting and achieving a goal none of us was sure we could accomplish. But we all hope that this accomplishment will have more of an effect than personal satisfaction."

New challenges every day

Each day presented challenges of its own.

The men were constantly slipping on loose gravel on the pathways, Bauer said.

They had to deal with extreme fluctuations in climate and temperature.

And then there was the struggle of coming down.

"For an amputee, coming down is almost as hard as coming up," Bauer said. "By the time we got back down to 15,000 feet, we were exhausted. There were times when I said to myself, 'Are you going to make it?' You mentally keep saying to yourself put one foot in front of the other, over and over again."

There was also the issue of Bauer's "spare" leg.

As a precaution, Bauer brought along an extra leg and a pair of crutches.

At 15,500 feet, the men awoke early to head for the summit, stay overnight and come down. To save weight, Bauer opted to leave his extra leg at their camping spot.

Then his computerized prosthetic leg, which automatically adjusts for different terrains, "froze up," Bauer said.

"The leg froze up and becomes like a peg leg," he said. "I did it like a peg leg Pete."

The next day, when he put the spare leg on, the socket was too big and the leg kept falling off, Bauer said.

Meanwhile, Duncan had his own struggles.

"Neal fell flat on his face several times, and flat on his back," Bauer said. "He kept getting up and just kept going."

Bauer said his companions inspired him every step of the way.

"They were just phenomenal," he said. "We all knew what our objective was. It was very simple: Climb the mountain. We did not have one incident where anyone wanted to give up."

Bauer attributes the success of the climb to the training all three men did for months before their departure.

"Every single ounce of training paid off," said Bauer, who took only one day off when he returned to Maryland before going back to work.

Part of Bauer's training included participating earlier this year in the annual Battaan Memorial Death March, a 26-mile course in New Mexico dessert terrain with a backpack.

"The Battaan March got us off on a good jump start," said Bauer, who also climbed three 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado over the past year.

He also gave credit to their team of guides, led by Nickson Moshi

At one point, Nixon offered to carry Bauer.

"I said, 'This is something I have to do myself,' but they were willing to carry me," he said.

In September, Bauer will participate in the 3 Notch Century, a 100-mile bike ride through three mountain ranges in New Hampshire.

"We achieved our goal, but the bigger message is if three guys from three different wars, with one good leg between them can do this, certainly our friends with disabilities can get out and bike a mile, hike a mile," Bauer said. "I hope people will get the message that with your disability, you can still be active. You are going to live a more healthy, richer life for it."

Bauer knows from painful experience.

In 1969, after six months in the hospital and seven surgeries, he was depressed, without hope and thinking about suicide. Then on the last day of that year, he took his first skiing lesson.

"To go from that to screaming down the mountain on one leg, the freedom, the speed, the fresh air -- it was a head-turner for me. It changed my whole perspective on life," he said. "This is what sports does for us all. I became a skiing addict after that."

He also became a teacher, someone to show wounded warriors what can be done.

"These soldiers who are wounded, they only respect action. They don't respect people spouting off about health and fitness. They respect people who are doing it," Bauer said. "I tell them, 'I have been where you are.'"

These days, the level of training, the quality of adaptive equipment and the number of training programs all play a role in increasing the physical activity of disabled veterans.

"We had none of that back in 1969 when I got hurt," Bauer said. "We were literally putting together equipment with duct tape to make something work so the person could get out and do something with their disability."

Back then, skiing was the one sport offered to amputees. Now there are 20, Bauer said, for every injury ranging from traumatic brain injuries, to spinal chord injuries to blindness.

"Unfortunately there are several surviving quadruple amputees of this war, and we have them golfing, scuba diving, cycling and skiing. That is how far we have come," Bauer said.

To this day, he wears shorts, even in the middle of winter.

"I want to let people know, there is life after disability," Bauer said. "It really does make you feel like you can get out there and conquer life."

Explore Howard County

Today a group of Nepalese ( nine climbers) and Russian women (two form 7 Summits Club) led by Alexander Abramov went to the first acclimatization climb up to the Ice Base Refuge, at 3800 meters. Along the way, hosts and guests enjoy the beauty of waterfall Girl Braids, photographed on his background. Then they visited an abandoned refuge “105-1 picket” – where made an impromptu museum of old things, as well as melted from ice since the war, grenades and mines. And finally, the Ice Base, an unused building, at the height of shelters Garabashi. On the way back Alexander Abramov gave a competition – who more quickly run so to machine (300 meters horizontally down).

The photo greeting winners were awarded prizes in the evening - three bottles of vodka!

We’ve returned from America with our objectives met (Pico de Orizaba! McKinley!). On top of that, i’ve made a new friend: Jordan Romero. Together we should leave for Antarctica in the following winter.

As you know, along with the 7 Summits circuit, I am also very close to completing the Seven Volcanic Summits: Antarctica’s Sidley will be the final summit! I will become the first female climber in the world to complete the Seven Volcanic Summits.

The Antarctica 2010 Expedition will take place between the 10th of december 2010 and the 20th of january 2011 and is organized by 7 Summits Russia. We’ll be climbing mount Vinson and we’ll be the first ever to climb mount Sidley. This is an international expedition, mr. Mario Trimeri from Italy joining me and Jordan. Mr. Trimeri is aiming at becoming the first climber in the world to complete the Seven Volcanoes circuit.

Given the nature of the expedition and the record breaking attempts, the media attention will be considerable.

But… there is a but. Preparing an expedition of this proportion is not simply saying “tomorrow I am leaving for Antarctica”, boarding a plane and that’s it. You need a lot of training, and especially a lot of money. Training is the easy part; finding the necessary funds is the hardest. My trip to Antarctica is at this point uncertain for exactly this reason. 65 000 Euros is the cost of the expedition and we are currently looking for sponsors that would like to join their names with our adventure, so…. we are waiting for your support at coco@celmaisus.ro, clubulmontanaltitudine@yahoo.com or by telephone: 004 0722 369 965 and 004 0745 050 290

New site of the project

The group of companies “SLON” invites you to international Conference “The development of mountaineering in Caucasus. State and business. The strategy of development”. The Conference will be conducted from 20th to 22nd September in hotel “Balkaria” which is near Elbrus. Also the annual heat VI International Elbrus Race will be started. You can see the programme of the Conference below.

The aim of following Conference is to support the progress of business-structures of Caucasian region, to discuss the questions of tourism advance and to fix the main lines of development of the mountaineering industry and extreme sports. The participants of the Conference are the members of state structures, the administration of the region, sports organizations, international business-companies.

The themes of the Conference:

• Mountaineering as the main trend of tourism in Kabardino-Balkaria

• Investment in modern rescue technologies

• The safety of Elbrus: guarding the routs

• Support of mountaineering and rock climbing development in Kabardino-Balkaria

• Foreign experience of ascents for mountaineering progress in Caucasus

• Environmental public policy

• Projects that are conducted with the members of administration or business-companies: conditions, principles and procedures.

• The past, the present and the future of the mountaineering industry in Caucasus, and other themes…

About participation, sponsoring or information collaboration

Phone: +7 (495) 663 7213, +7 (916) 471 8620

E-mail: at@slon1.ru

The official site of the Cinference: www.elbrusforum.ru

The programme of the Conference

The first day. September, 20th.

10.00-11.00. Registration of participants. Salutatory coffee.

General condition of mountaineering in Caucasus.

11.00-11.15. The past, the present and the future of the mountaineering industry in Caucasus.

Alexander Fedorovskij, the President of Team Work Academy, the director of the group of companies “SLON”.

11.15-11.30. The opening speech of the Administration of Elbrus Region.

Kutman Sottaev, acting head of Administration of Elbrus Region.

11.30-12.00. Mountaineering as the main trend of tourism in Kabardino-Balkaria.

The present level of development of mountaineering.

The difficulties of mountaineering progress.

What is coming. The analysis of mountaineering in Caucasus as a kind of business.

Ruslan Jappuev, deputy head of local Administration managing the municipal property and the tourism.

Successful business – safe business

12.00-12.30. Works against the avalanches on the routs of ascents.

The level of safety. The instruments of control.

Modern abilities of prevention of avalanches.

Sergej Kuznetsov, the main engineer of the Elbrus detachment of the North-Caucasian militarized service organized to struggle against avalanches.

12.30-13.00. Rescue operations in the mountains in Caucasus.

Successful experience of rescue.

Investment in modern rescue technologies

Boris Tilov, the chief of Search-and-Rescue Service in Elbrus Region.

13.00-13.30. The safety of Elbrus: guarding the routs.

The members of the Frontier Service.

13.30-18.00. Open Space. The time of free communication.

The second day. September, 21st.

Live Presentation

The mountain routs of Caucasus.

7.00-8.00. Meeting of the group in the hotel “Balkaria”.

8.00-14.00. Climbing the mountain Cheget.

On the top of the mountain you can enjoy magnificent views. Slight breakfast. Presentation of peaks and routs.

Instructor: Alexander Fedorovskij, the President of Team Work Academy, the director of the group of companies “SLON”.

14.00-15.00. Lunch.

15.00-15.30. Mountaineering as a part of the corporative culture.

The experience of corporative ascents.

Ludmila Korobeshko, Chief Executive Officer of 7 Summits Club.

Organisation of ascents.

15.30-16.00. Support of mountaineering and rock climbing development in Kabardino-Balkaria

Difficulties of development of the mountaineering industry.

Development of attracting aspects for tourists.

Attracting the investments.

Abdul-Halim Olmezov, the President of Mountaineering and Rock Climbing Federation of Kabardino-Balkaria.

16.00-16.30. Foreign experience of ascents for mountaineering progress in Caucasus.

How it happens in Himalaya, Argentina, America and Antarctica.

Alexander Abramov, the President of 7 Summits Club, Master of mountaineering of USSR, the member of Russian Geographic Society.

16.30-17.00. The development of sports tourism in North Caucasus.

The Rock Climbing Federation of Stavropol Territory.

19.00-21.00. Concert programme. Festal dinner.

The third day. September, 22nd.

Equipment

11.00-13.00. Representatives of tourist companies show their commodities.

13.00-14.00 Lunch

The circular table

Ecology

Protection and development

14.00-15.00. Themes for discussion:

Environmental public policy

Investment to the ecology as a way to develop the industry of mountaineering.

Projects that are conducted with the members of administration or business-companies: conditions, principles and procedures.

Ecological standards and systems of certification: state and independent.

Improvement of production by the use of ecological technologies.

Foreign experience and best Russian practices.

August, 14th, a big group of people left to Tanzania. It was directed by the guides of 7 Summits Club, Victor Bobok and Olga Rumiantseva. Their aim was to climb the highest mountain in Africa – Kilimanjaro.

Using different ways, all the participants of the expedition came to Kilimanjaro Airport. The adventures started earlier then they were expected. Half of the people from the group didn’t get their luggage!

But this small trouble didn’t make anyone sad. All the adventurers have made the acquaintance of each other. And now they can enjoy wonderful views of Africa and unusual animals, which can be seen in quantity even at the territory of the hotel.

Today we are going to arrive to the place where we will start our route. If we won’t get the luggage soon, we will climb Kilimanjaro in national clothes. But the loss of our things won’t make us retreat!

In a befitting ceremony at Air Headquarters, Air Marshal JN Burma, Air Officer-in-charge Administration (AOA) flagged off a six member mountaineering expedition team as a part of mission Seven Summit now ready to climb Mt Elbrus (5633m) in Europe and Mt Kilimanjaro (5895m) in Africa. Handing over the tri-colour and the IAF flag to the team leader Wing Commander RC Tripathi, Air Marshal Burma, he wished them all success and safe return.

The six member team of the expedition include Sqn Ldr Namit Rawat, Sqn Ldr GP Kumar, Sqn Ldr D Panda, JWO NR Choudhary VM and Sgt J Singh, who will participate in the expedition planned from 09 Aug to 04 Sep 10. All the climbers have undertaken many expeditions in Himalaya region and have vast experience of climb to their credit. IAF today is in the forefront in the field of mountaineering besides having supremacy in the skydiving sport.

With an aim to create a world record by hoisting the Indian Tricolor and IAF flag on “Top of all highest peaks of each continent” the IAF mountaineering team has already summated the highest mountain peak in the world Mt Everest, Asia in May 2005, Mt Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m), Australasia in Jan 2009, Mt Aconcagua (6962m), South America in Mar 2010 and Mt Denali (6194m) in North America in May 2010.

The IAF ‘Mission Seven Summits’, to climb all the highest peaks of all the continents was conceptualized after the successful ascent of Mt Everest in 2005 by IAF. The project is being conducted under the aegis of Directorate of Air Force Adventure, the apex body looking after various adventure activities like sky diving, para gliding, Paramotor, mountaineering, skiing, trekking, white water rafting, sailing and mountain terrain biking etc.

The last peak as a part of mission seven summit would be attempted in December is Mt Vinson Massif (ANTARTICA).

PJ/CM

Today, August, 5th, the group of 7 Summits Club in a body climbed the Western Top of Elbrus (5642 m). At seven o’clock a.m. there were 7 people staying on the summit: our guides, Alexander Abramov and Sergej Onufenko, and also Andrej Prozukin, Alexander Buriakov, Erich Wenzel, Tina Taova and Vadim Volkov.

Then the group divided into 3 smaller groups. Sergej with four people went to the North of Elbrus. Alexander Abramov and Tina went to the East summit (the Cross), after that they were going to visit the South of Elbrus.

Two other adventurers, Gennadij Maikov and Vlad Maikov, climbed the Western Top of Elbrus at 10 o’clock a.m. Now they are descending with their private guide Sasha.