"7 Summits + 2 Poles" project news

Today began the adventures of our team. Having collected all things, in the morning we went to the mountains! Friends, what a beauty here! Majestic Andes of all shades of red and brown against the blue sky-stunning scenery!

By lunchtime, we got to Penitentes, checked into the hotel. Our guides Vladimir Kotlyar  and Viktor Ershov led the first acclimatization  trek to the altitude of 3000 m.

The sun is shining bright, and from the mountains blows soft and cool — perfect conditions for walking!

Team members feel great. Now we are having dinner and gaining strength! Tomorrow we will go to   Confluencia camp at a height of 3400 m, where we will meet again with Alex Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev.

  The second part of the project "7 summits in 7 months" begins. Today Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev bought permits for Aconcagua. Tomorrow is the start of the expedition!

The 7 Summits Club congratulates Vladislav (Vlad) Lachkarev with the ascent on the volcano Sidley and completion  the epic "Seven summits + Seven volcanoes + Two poles"! Waiting for him on Big Earth!

 According to updated data, the ascent on the highest volcano of Antarctica Mount Sidley took place on January 15. The group that gathered by ALE company, was led by Chilean guide Maria Paz (Pachi) Ibarra. It was an employee of the American Fred Aldridge (aviation coordinator) and three people who completed  by this ascent program "Seven volcanoes". This Indian Satyarup Siddhanta, the Hungarian Sandor (Sanya) Toth and the Russian, the representative of the 7 Summits Club Vladislav Lachkarev.

 Vlad Lachkarev is 42 years old and he is one of the most prominent businessmen of Irkutsk (Siberia, Lake Baikal). A recognized professional, founder of several companies, former Director of a large enterprise, an intelligent, strong-willed and consistent person. At one time, he struck all of us in the 7 Summits Club by his full report on the ascent of Everest.

Look here (in Russian)

On January 12, an unusual event happened at the South pole. A group of 13 men arrived here on bicycles.  It was the team of the 7 Summits Club: 11 members plus guides Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev. For the first time people on two-wheeled bicycles reached the South pole. And let the distance they traveled is not so great, it's still done!  Small, but a feat! Bright, unusual - will be something to remember!

Oleg Tinkov says hello to his countrymen from the South pole:

On January 6, a group of the 7 Summits Club successfully climbed to the top of Vinson Massif, the highest peak of Antarctica. The President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov led the assault. For him, this climb has been eighteenth on  Mount Vinson. The 7 Summits Club has been organizing ascent programs in Antarctica since 2004. The second guide was Artem Rostovtsev, for whom it is the second Antarctic season. The ascent was very difficult.  Due to delays in the arrival of the second part of the group, the acclimatization schedule was not possible. The decisive assault takes 12 hours. But everything ended well.

Hello!  Abramov Alexander and Artem Rostovtsev from Antarctica. Now our team of cyclists has returned to the Union Glacier. Our journey is coming to an end. Everyone feels good and great... we'll wait for the plane to Punta-Arenas, it's scheduled to be tomorrow.

Hello!  Abramov Alexander from the South Pole. Today, our team on bikes  reached  the South Pole. We drove more than 15 kilometers a day and as a result became the first people in the world who conquered the South Pole on two-wheeled bicycles. We have great photos, great views of the pole, with bikes... we'll post them later.

In General, our crazy idea was realized. Everyone is very happy, despite the fact that the weather today is very bad. There was a very high risk of frostbite. The road was in fact  invisible. White snow merged, it was very, very difficult.

Well, that is all. Our mission actually ends here. We hope to fly to Union Glacier tomorrow. On the 14th our Soviet IL-76 will be able to arrive and take us.

The mood of the team is great, cheerful. All the guys make future plans for new adventures…

Victor Yershov, guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

We climbed to the top of Aconcagua yesterday!!! Very harsh weather conditions, temperatures down to -40 ° C, strong winds up to 60-70 km / h. But most of the group with guides Viktor Ershov and Zhenya Staroselsky, 9 people, climbed to the top! A real storm! And we're the only ones in 7 days who could get in. We started from the camp Nido De Condores, 5500 m, and in 16 hours climbed the mountain, and for another 5 hours – went down. Today we have reached the Base - Plaza de Mulas, tomorrow we run to the entrance to the Park and to warm Mendoza!

 Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club and guide the group, from Antarctica:

 Today we flew from Union Glacier to the region of South Pole.  We arrived at the mark of 50 km, where we were met by a ratrak (snowcat) with sledges, in which there were 13 bikes and  13 skis. Today we went skiing 15 km to the camp, which Artem set in advance (kitchen and all tents).

That is all right. It is cold, -30 degrees and wind. But members of the team say that in the North pole was much worse. Tomorrow we have 35 km by Bicycle to the Pole. Usually we go 40 minutes and then all collect and drink tea. With us there is a snowcat.

So, tomorrow we have to make a world record - to come to the South pole on two-wheeled bicycles. No one has done this before us. We're 13 people.

Hello!  It is Alexander Abramov from Antarctica. Today we have several significant events. It's January 9th. First, I want to congratulate Artem Rostovtsev on his next birthday! Secondly, today our team, which has already reached  South Pole and  climbed Mount  Vinson, must fly home. On the mainland, in Chile, a new team arrives, 10 people who are going on bicycles to "conquer" the South Pole.

 As long as Union Glacier has great weather, no wind. The sun shines. All is ready, things are collected. Artem Rostovtsev has already flown to the South Pole. In the morning he will go to meet our team on the transport at the point where the team will land. In General, everything is fine!

The 7 Summits Club, hello!  Abramov Alexander and Artem Rostovtsev from Antarctica. Today we descended from the High camp of Vinson massif and even, despite the bad weather, we managed to fly to the base camp. We were taken on a Twin Outter plane all packed with our stuff. And now we are at the Union Glacier and, as a matter of fact, this is the end of our journey. We are waiting for IL-76 to arrive on January 9…

 Also on January 9 our new team arrives. This is the question  of setting of a world record - an achievement of the South pole on two-wheeled bicycles. This has never been done before

 All the while! We'll call again tomorrow…

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

Aloja, dear! Merry Christmas, everyone! We celebrate it at the height of 4400 and we have the right weather, Christmas!

 And this is the current situation in the base camp Plaza de Mulas!

Alexander Abramov from Antarctica:

  The team with guides Alex Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev climbed to the top of the Vinson Massif. We left the camp around 12 noon. It was very cold,  according the forecast - minus 28 degrees and poor visibility. But gradually the weather improved. We have a strong team. In General, in the evening we climbed to the top. It's midnight, we went down to the High camp. But as you know, it's light in Antarctica and it doesn't really matter what time you get home.

At last, you congratulate us!

Tomorrow we'll be shutting down the camps and trying to fly to Union glacier. Now the weather is non-flying. Tomorrow it promised a strong wind and snow. So we managed to summit!

 Vlad Lashkarev became the first climber from the city of Irkutsk, which finished the project "Seven summits". Also, we have two people in the team who opened this path on the "seven summits"by climbing Vinson, for them it was the first mountain. Artem Rostovtsev went for the third time to Vinson, Abramov – the seventeenth time. And with this ascent I started my project "Seven summits in seven months". While everything turns out, the first mountain is made... That is all!  Bye!

Guide the 7 Summits Club Vladimir Kotlyar from Argentina:

 Hello dears!!! Our friendly fighting detachment Las Heras went to 5500 for acclimatization. And we did not just go, and even stayed for the night. The team proved themselves well, went up quick and cheerfully. Advanced team under the leadership of Viktor Ershov and Eugene Staroselsky has climbed for five and a half hours. The rearguard (group of Hedonists) under the leadership of Vladimir Kotlyar ascended in six and a half hours. The acclimatization program has been completed, now we will wait for a weather window and pray for good luck!

Guide of the 7 Summits Club Vladimir Kotlyar from Argentina:

 Hi, The 7 Summits Club! Group Las Heras continues to acclimatize. The whole group we went to 5000 m. the weather was great, but a little wind blows. The heads of members, of course, still ache, but this does not prevent us from being on the wave of positive and enjoy the surrounding beauty!

Hello!  Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev from Antarctica.

 Finally, a miracle happened, and we were taken to the base camp of the Vinson Massive. It happened at 9 am. ... Immediately we took on the shoulders of all our goods and dragged it to the Low camp, which is at an altitude of 2800 meters. It was very difficult. Of course, we do not have enough acclimatization. And that's why tomorrow we'll be spending the night here at 2800. Day after tomorrow we hope to move already in the advance camp (High camp) for the assault.

 Everyone is in a good mood, everyone is healthy. In General, everything is fine, thank God.

 We wish  all a happy New Year !

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

 Holidays are holidays, but you can not miss the acclimatization day. Today we walked on the glacier Horcones and went to visit to our friend painter Miguel! And in the evening we congratulated our Julia on her birthday!

Hello! This is Alexander Abramov from Antarctica. Today 1th January, I congratulate all with New Year! Our team is finally all together. Artem Rostovtsev and his team returned from the South Pole.

And we were supposed to fly to Vinson last night, just before the New Year. But since the team of Artem arrived very late, in the end, we decided to stay, to celebrate The New Year at the Union Glacier. We were supposed to fly to Vinson this morning, but it was foggy there. All things are collected, we play volleyball waiting for departure to Vinson.

Okay, bye! We're good. The team send Hello to everyone!

 Follow the movement of our groups on the map

https://www.iridium360.ru/guest/journey/96b9bff0#!#actors

The 7 Summits Club  begins a new year 2019 with a successful ascent of Kilimanjaro. The team "Merry New year" under the leadership of our guide Dmitry Ermakov climbed to the highest peak of Africa - all participants, without loss!

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

Hello, 7  Summits!!!!  I wish everyone a happy New Year on behalf of the Las heros team! Today we all moved to the Plaza de Mulas, in our base camp.  Our staff Anechka, Andrey and Valery have already prepared everything for the holiday!!! Hurrah!!!

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

 Hello, 7 Summits Club! We've finally gone to the mountains! Today our base is a small ski resort of Penitentes, at a height of 2700 meters above sea level. Having reached this place, we prepared our simple belongings for transportation on mules, and went for acclimatization. The whole group went to the height of 3100. When I looked back at the group, goosebumps ran on the skin: after all, such a detachment can capture some medieval city!