"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news - Page 4

Dmitry Semenov, the 7 Summits Club guide, reports from the Elbrus region:

Greetings from the Elbrus region from the "Electrolytes" super team! Today we began our acclimatization by going along the slopes of Mount Cheget to the famous "Ai" cafe (2700 m). Today was a cloudy and rainy day, but this did not spoil the good impressions from our short hike. The fog and low clouds gave the mountains a mysterious look, and ordinary views opened up in a new way.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Avtomonov sends from the North of Elbrus:

Greetings to everyone from the Northern Elbrus region from the "Three from the Lartsa" group! Our team attempted to climb the Eastern summit of Elbrus yesterday. From the very beginning of the ascent we had to fight a strong wind. We reached a height of 5350 meters and were forced to retreat. It was very difficult!

DAY FOUR. Greetings from the Horombo camp (3780 m), where we had a truly festive atmosphere today! And not only because the views here are like a postcard, but because our wonderful Aigul has a BIRTHDAY!

The morning began with pleasant surprises: the team presented the birthday girl with gifts from the 7 Summits Club. Aigul was touched to the depths of her soul (or to the depths of her height, depending on how you look at it). But that's not all! We managed to organize a whole bouquet for presentation on the slope of Kilimanjaro! And yes, her husband Artur was the main presenter. Remember: romance is possible at any altitude if you travel with us!

But acclimatization will not wait! After breakfast, we went to an altitude of 4000 meters to the famous Zebra Rocks. The name of the rocks is not accidental - their color really resembles the skin of a zebra. Yesterday we walked through heather groves, and today we were surrounded by harsh lava fields and fantasy-style landscapes. The perfect place for a photo shoot and ... a dress rehearsal with our flags! We assure you, we have quite a collection of flags, and we unfurled them with a special flourish.

Returning to the camp, we discovered that the surprises did not end there! A luxurious lunch awaited us, and for dinner - a real festive cake and (drum roll!) non-alcoholic champagne! Yes, you heard right.

Congratulations to our birthday girl Aigul and wish her an easy ascent to the very roof of Africa! Ahead is the key transition to the Kibo camp.

Keep your fingers crossed for us! Your team "Mitochondrial Rejuvenation" on Kilimanjaro!

Guides Sergey Larin and Alexander Spirin.

On the evening of August 23, near the hotel "Povorot", the celebration "Closing of the Season on Elbrus" took place. Fun. With dancing and killer music. Guides and participants rocked. Our team Supergirls set the tone.  Organizers: the 7 Summits Club and Alpindustria.

Day three on Kilimanjaro: from the jungle to the stars! The 7 Summits Club IHO group continues to climb Kilimanjaro, and we are ready to share the latest news from the Marangu route! If yesterday we felt like heroes of an adventure blockbuster, making our way through the humid tropical jungle, today we were in for a radical change of scenery!

We left the kingdom of vines and found ourselves straight... in the heather tales of Scotland! No, really! The landscape changed dramatically: the lush green jungle was left behind, and its place was taken by mysterious heather wastelands with low-growing bushes. The contrast is so sharp that it seems as if overnight we were teleported to another part of the world.

After a productive day, we safely reached the Horombo camp (3780 m), where the long-awaited comfort awaited us! We stayed in cozy wooden houses - there was room to turn around!

And in the evening there was a real holiday: a hearty dinner (the chef of the 7 Summits Club on Kilimanjaro is a magician!) and most importantly - a unique creative evening from our legendary guide, Sergey shared incredible stories of storming Everest and chilling tales from polar expeditions. You sit, drink hot tea, and they tell you how to survive at -50 °. Goosebumps and delight!

But the final chord of this day was ... the sky. Have you ever seen the Milky Way so bright that it seems you can touch it? Here, at an altitude of almost 4000 meters, far from any civilization, the starry sky is a mesmerizing, silent show. Huge, endless and incredibly beautiful. Ahead is a day of acclimatization and new heights! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Guides Sergey Larin and Alexander Spirin.

August 23. We did it! The group "Starпёрс&kids" climbed to the top of the highest peak in Europe!

The youngest climber is 13 years old. The oldest is 64. It was not easy for everyone, but everyone coped. I would especially like to note the initiator of this entire event - Sergey Stepanov. He not only gathered a team of like-minded people, but also took four children to the top. And by the way, he plans to do the project "Seven Volcanoes" with children. And he invites the same crazy parents with their children to participate in the project, which he dubbed "Superkids". The next mountain in their plans is Orizaba in November (Mexico). Then - Giluwe in May.

Special admiration for the couple Alexey and Elena, at 64 years old, being in the mountains for the first time, they climbed to the top!

This evening we held a ceremonial awards ceremony, and then went to the party of the 7 Summits Club and AI "Closing of the Elbrus Season"

Group guide Lyudmila Korobeshko.

A guide of the 7 Summits Club Evgeny Fedyunin reports from the Elbrus region:

Hello everyone! The 7 Summits Club group "El'Barso" used a great chance and climbed on the top of Western Elbrus 5642m! Full team, 100% ascent! The weather was perfect. In the evening, there was a gala dinner with awards for climbers and a discussion of plans for new mountains!

Take care! See you in the mountains! Good weather and good luck to everyone!

The Supergirls team climbed the summit of Elbrus in 100%. It was hard for everyone, but the weather was for us, just ideal conditions. Wind 0 all day. Everyone is down and everyone is already waiting for new trips with the 7 Summits Club. Hooray!

That day, about 400 people went to climb. Before the summit, we got into a queue of 150 climbers who just wanted to stand on the summit. It's time for the leadership of the KBR to think about building a large platform, since everyone who wants to can no longer fit on the top of Elbrus. And make the ascent along the fixed ropes a paid one.

Dmitry Semenov, the guide of the 7 Summits Club, reports from the Elbrus region:

 Greetings from the Elbrus region from the super team "People with Cats". Yesterday, our whole group stood on the highest peak of our homeland, as well as all of Europe. In excellent weather, at a good pace and in good condition, we climbed.

August 21. Greetings to everyone from Elbrus from the "Starпёрс&kids" group! Today, everyone came to exercise. We stood in a downward facing dog position, warmed up, and finished everything with a plank. Alexey and Elena, who are 60+, it turns out, do a plank every day for 5 minutes. The rest decided to try it too.

It thundered and rained all night, and in the morning a beautiful rainbow appeared. We left for Azau in the rain. We came to the refuge in almost a snowstorm. But it quickly died down. And we walked to Pastukhov Rocks with good visibility, but the wind was blowing quite strong. In 3.5 hours we climbed to the Rocks. The kids ran first. The adults had to strain themselves a little. Then we all quickly ran down to the refuge and then to our hotel on Cheget, where we will sleep the last night before the decisive assault.

Tomorrow we will be accepted to the refuge and that same night - the summit assault.

Group guide Lyudmila Korobeshko.

Greetings from the Supergirls Elbrus group! On the "rest" day, our super team trains to pass the fixed ropes, including with their eyes closed. This is a very useful practice! All the girls are excellent at passing the ropes in large mittens, learning to work with the equipment! The most interesting part is ahead - the ascent! Group guides Natalia Marinkevich and Alexander Abramov.

Hello everyone! The 7 Summits Club "El'Barso" group yesterday went to high-altitude acclimatization to Pastukhov Rocks, up to 4500 meters. The weather was not good. Low clouds, no panoramic views, everything was in milk! But in general, this did not interfere with the task, everything is fine. Today is a lazy day, rest and preparation for the assault!

We will try tonight. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Take care of yourself! See you in the mountains! Good weather and good luck to all!

Guide Evgeniy Fedyunin.

Hello to everyone from the southern, but not very warm slopes of Elbrus from a group of Brazilian climbers of Grade 6! Yesterday, almost the entire group of us climbed to the top of Elbrus. Of the 15 participants, 14 reached the highest point. An excellent result, considering the harsh weather conditions.

After the ascent, we went down the mountain, washed ourselves, rested, and in the evening there was a gala dinner with the presentation of commemorative medals from the 7 Summits Club.

Now our Brazilian guests will take home not only memories of incredible adventures on Elbrus, but also beautiful medals that we give to participants in our ascents.

With you were guides Olga Rumyantseva and Leuan Atabiev.

The President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from the slopes of Elbrus:

Today, August 20, the 7 Summits Club SuperGirls team moved to the Refuge, at an altitude of 3600 m. And went on an acclimatization rotation to the Pastukhov Rocks. The weather got worse as we climbed. But before the snow and rain, we managed to reach our destination and go down. And in the kitchen of the 7 Summits Club, we had a delicious lunch, and then dinner. The weather outside is terrible: thunderstorms, wind, snow. Tomorrow is a day of rest and preparation for the Elbrus climb. And also a photo shoot in dresses against the backdrop of the mountains.

So, our team in full force gathered at the foot of Kilimanjaro. According to the tradition of the 7 Summits Club, the girls were greeted with flowers, the men - with a firm handshake. After checking into cozy rooms, the equipment was checked and gifts were given - everything that would be useful on the route.

But the surprises did not end there - fiery Maasai dances awaited us. The real spirit of Africa! In the evening, over dinner, we talked a lot, joked and even came up with a name for our team. Now we are MHO: Mitochondriacal Rejuvenation!

The adventures begin!

Guides Sergey Larin and assistant Alexander Spirin.

August 20. Greetings to everyone from Elbrus from the group "Starпёрс&kids"! Today we started the day with exercise. We had breakfast and climbed to the Refuge National Park, meeting the bright team of Supergirls with Alex Abramov on the way. Then we went out a little higher than the Refuge of Eleven and held snow and ice classes there. Here we also met the first representative of Belarus on Everest, Alla Kasabutskaya. By lunchtime we went down to the Cheget glade. We found a magical coffee place here. We are getting ready for tomorrow's rotation to the Pastukhov Rocks. We are watching films about the work done during the day, which are edited for us every evening by member Elena.

Group guide Lyudmila Korobeshko.

The 7 Summits Club group of the SUPER GIRLS project climbed the slopes of Elbrus today by cable car. From the upper station, the participants and guides walked to the outskirts of the famous Refuge of the Eleven. Here, on the still snowy slope, snow and ice classes were held. The techniques of movement and belaying, self-arrest with an ice axe were practiced. Mandatory skills for climbing Elbrus. Group guides Alexander Abramov and Natalia Marinkevich.

August 19. Greetings to everyone from the Elbrus region from the new group "Starпёрс&kids"! Yesterday, our group arrived under the majestic Elbrus. And today we have already run to the cafe "Ai" and Lake Donguzorun, got equipment for rent and outlined plans for tomorrow. By the way, the morning of our group began with a traditional Far Eastern breakfast with red caviar and white fish, which our participant from Khabarovsk Nikolay brought.

Our group is notable for the fact that almost half of the members are teenagers aged 14-17, who run like meteors, leaving behind the honored experienced old guys. But we'll see how everything goes.

Tomorrow we'll climb to Refuge of 11, where we'll conduct snow and ice training.

Group guide Lyudmila Korobeshko.

The 7 Summits Club guide Alexander Avtomonov reports from the North of Elbrus:

Greetings to everyone from the Northern Elbrus region from the "Three from the Lartsa" group! Our team made an acclimatization rotation to our assault camp today. We went down to the base through the "stone mushrooms". We were lucky with the weather today.

The 7 Summits Club guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from the Elbrus region:

08/19. Greetings to everyone! The 7 Summits Club group "El'Barso" today had an acclimatization climb to the area of the Refuge of the Eleven, at an altitude of 4100 meters. There we held the so-called "snow-ice" training sessions, where we worked on the technique of  climbing and belay (self-arrest) on snowy terrain. There we met another group of the 7 Summits Club "Super Girls" led by Alexander Abramov. We went down to the hotel and after a delicious lunch held classes on the technique of movement on fixed ropes and belay systems.