"7 Volcanoes" project news - Page 108

13 February 2013 . The Moscow Times.

State-owned North Caucasus Resorts, which oversees a project to develop that region as a tourist destination, said it appointed its new acting CEO because the former one had resigned due to health reasons.

"Alexander Sadikov, who until today held the post of deputy CEO for government relations and infrastructure development, has been appointed as the acting CEO of North Caucasus Resorts. The former CEO, Alexander Nevsky, has resigned due to health reasons," it said in a statement posted on the company's website.

The press office said the reshuffle had nothing to do with the situation around the company's president and chairman of its board of directors, Akhmed Bilalov, according to Interfax.

Last week, President Vladimir Putin ordered to dismiss Akhmed Bilalov from "all positions" after blaming Bilalov, who was also a vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee, for delays and cost overruns at an Olympic ski jump site in Sochi.

Russia Today about Akhmed Bilalov dismissing and more about Winter Olympic in Sochi

http://rt.com/news/sochi-2014-putin-official-dismissal-635/

Heads have rolled after Vladimir Putin’s inspection of Sochi-2014 Winter Olympic venues and infrastructure under construction. A dramatic cost overrun combined with schedule disruptions of some sites has resulted in tough measures.

Exactly one year ahead of the beginning of Winter Olympic in Sochi, the Russian president arrived in the future Games capital on Wednesday to get to know personally how the construction and preparation works are advancing. He was so disappointed that the next day he fired the vice-president of Russia's Olympic Committee, who has been directly involved, including financially, in the construction of the most troubled Olympic venue.

On Wednesday Russian state TV showed a rare instance of Vladimir Putin publicly rebuking the country’s high officials – in this case those responsible for preparation to the Sochi-2014 Winter Games. And the men had to make guilty excuses.

The ‘Olympians’ had to admit that in some cases the schedule has been missed by years and costs skyrocketed.

Putin learned that the RusSki Gorki ski jump facility is two years behind schedule and still unfinished, while its cost has ballooned from an initial 1.2 billion rubles (US$40 million) to 8 billion rubles ($265 million).

Deputy prime minister, and head of the Olympic preparatory commission, Dmitry Kozak told Putin that responsible for the situation is a private construction company that was working at the site from the start.

Having learnt that the delinquent company belongs to the vice-president of Russia's Olympic Committee Akhmed Bilalov, the Russian president made some pointed remarks.

“So the guy is vice-president of country’s Olympic Committee? And he is doing that kind of job, dragging the project backwards?” Putin asked.

The president demanded information on Bilalov, what positions he occupies and which other projects he oversees. It turned out that Bilalov also heads another multi-billion-ruble project, the ‘North Caucasus Resorts’ project to create world-class ski resorts in the Russia’s south.

“Good job, fellows. Let’s move on,” Putin said, urging the entourage to get to another venue with better construction results.

“Cost increases are possible during construction, but they must be justified,” Putin said in televised remarks later. "The most important thing is to make sure that no one stole anything and there is no groundless rise in cost,” he stressed.

On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak told reporters in Sochi that Akhmed Bilalov is being dismissed from all posts and positions.

Kozak explained that infraction of obligations Bilalov had as an investor of an Olympic venue became a “problem for the Russian Federation, not its citizen Akhmed Bilalov."

Akhmed Bilalov

“Such people [who do not fulfill their obligations] should not work either in the national Olympic Committee or the North Caucasus Resorts project,” Kozak concluded.

Although the delegation of the International Olympics Committee which joined Putin in Sochi is satisfied with the current progress of the works, it had to stress that the ski jump facility construction schedule is really pressing.

Vladimir Putin had to soothe them, saying that, "I do hope that despite all the technical difficulties, everything will be commissioned on time.”

The Sochi-2014 Winter Games are already considered to be the most expensive Olympics ever. With estimated costs of $50 billion, it surpassed the previous record holder, the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

And it definitely stands more than twice as high as the London-2012 Games, which were estimated at only $19 billion.

This huge cost can be explained by the fact that 85 per cent of the infrastructure had to be built from scratch to replace the city of Sochi’s decades-old Soviet-built outdated communications, roads, power stations, tunnels in the mountains etc.

Jean-Claude Killy, chair of the International Olympic Committee's coordination commission for the Sochi Games, said that the job already done is outstanding and no less than 80 per cent of the overall job is done –only the RusSki Gorki ski jump facility is worrisome.

 Hello! This is Alex Abramov from Mexico. Today, the team OLMA reached the summit of La Malinche volcano. Climbing was more difficult than we thought. We walked up hours, and four hours we were going down. That is, all get 11 hours. At the top there was no snow. All in all, everyone was happy. We walked down into town late at night. Tomorrow we move to another place. Goodbye!

The expedition begins. Tina Taova a specialist for corporate clients of 7 Summits Club arrived in Mexico City in advance. Today she met the main group (10 participants) and the main guide – Alex Abramov. This expedition is organized by the OLMA company . The plans: excursions, climbing two volcanoes and then, a rest in Acapulco.

On February 13 and 17, 1943 Soviet mountain infantry troops ascended Elbrus to throw off Hitler's flags that had been previously placed there by the German Edelweiss division and put the Soviet flags above Europe's highest mountain peaks.

In the spring of 1942 after his failure to seize Moscow Hitler focused on the southern flank of the Soviet-German front. A fierce battle for the Caucasus began. Hitler sought control of the region’s oil resources, says Mikhail Myagkov, expert at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“By seizing control of the oil fields in Baku and Grozny Hitler would have been able to unleash a global war that could have lasted for decades. In August-September of 1942 German Army Group A led by field marshal List with support of the Romanian troops was on its way to the Caucasus in order to win control of the Malgobek and Mozdok passes, as well as the town of Vladikavkaz.”

In August of 1942 the Berlin Radio reported: “Germany’s flag is waving above the highest peak of the Caucasus. Brave soldiers of the 1st Edelweiss division have placed the symbol of the German military glory on Mount Elbrus.”

The coverage of the battles taking place in the Caucasus controlled by Reich Minister of Propaganda Goebbels sounded like the country’s victory over the Soviets. But this turned out to be an illusion. In late December of 1942 the Red Army troops and the Soviet Air Forces launched a counter-offensive against Army Group A. To avoid a defeat the Nazi troops had to flee the Caucasus. On February 4, 1943, the Soviet mountain infantry troops were ordered to examine the abandoned German camps on Elbrus and replace the Nazi flags with Soviet ones. The operation was led by renowned athlete Alexander Gusev. Twenty soldiers divided into three groups to fulfill the task.

Expert at the museum of the Sports and Physical Training Institute Irina Didiguriya: “They did not have any uniform, just the basic equipment needed for alpine climbing. They also had padded jackets and automatic guns. The ascension took them several days because a team of 11 alpine climbers that had operated before the war no longer existed at the time.”

The ascension was not affected by snowfalls or freezing wind. The Elbrus West dome, which is 5,642 m high, was reached on February 13. The mount's East dome (5,421 m high) was ascended four days later. Many monuments were placed near Elbrus in memory of WW II heroes.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_02_12/How-the-Soviet-Army-ousted-Nazis-from-Elbrus/

Our guide Denis Savelyev sent an information from Chile, from the town of Copiapo. Yesterday, he met a group of the 7 Summits-Club (6 members) that arrived with transfers from Moscow. On the way, nothing is lost, no one got lost. Denis already purchased products, rented a car. Now together, they go in the direction of Laguna Verde. The group plans to make to begin an acclimatization climb.

The President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov spent several days in the Elbrus region. It was a business trip. In the village of Terskol there is a branch of 7 Summits Club. Here we opened a rental of ski and mountaineering equipment, a service for tourists from Russia and around the world. It was necessary to solve a number of important organizational tasks and to get managerial report. However, when the weather is such wonderful, how can you sit in the office? Therefore, Alex and the Branch Director Anna Dymova took snowshoes and went into the woods. In support of them went dog of Anna. During the two hour walk, they made a couple of dozen good pictures. Snowshoeing is good, and skiing is good too. Slopes in the region are in excellent condition, great for skiing, snow is soft, there no crowd….

Elbrus is waiting for you. The route of ascent on Elbrus is still in the ice condition. But by April, the ice should be reduced. See our programs…

Jan 28, 2013. Kaspersky Team....

Olga Rumyantseva has succeeded in her solo-climb of the highest volcano in Antarctica –Mount Sidley! Olga was lucky with the weather (though you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise from her messages) and transport – so much so, that she is already back inMoscowfull of impressions and with some stunning photos.

We asked Olga about the surprises – both pleasant and unpleasant – the difficulties she faced and the feelings she had after making it to the summit.

Source: http://blog.kaspersky.com/category/special-project/

Congratulations! How was the climb?

The climb up Sidley lasted four days. The sky was overcast; it snowed and was very cold. The most serious problem was a lack of visibility, so any climbing was impossible. So as not to waste time I carried my tent up part of the way twice –1500 m the first time and 600 m the second time. It meant the last leg to the summit was just an 800m spurt. I was lucky with the higher camp: it was warm and there was no wind, which meant I could lie down and bask in the sun when it was shining on my tent.

On the summit of Mt.Sidley

The fourth day brought strong winds that blew away the clouds. But it was very cold, about -25, though with the wind-chill factor is felt more like -35. Everything froze, but the visibility was great, so I could admire the scenery. During my ascent I spotted some impressive snowy “mushrooms” as large as a house.

The climb was easy, though it was hard to call or take photos because of the cold. I wish I could have taken more – the scenery from above was something else! Actually, I didn’t expect it to be so beautiful there. It certainly brightened up my climb.

What was the most difficult part about climbing Sidley?

Dragging myself out of the tent on the day of the climb.

It was very cold, even forAntarctica. My hands were frozen. Everything froze the moment I stopped. But then the wind dropped and I felt much warmer, though my fingers almost got frostbite dialing a phone number on the peak.

Overall, the most difficult part was waiting…for the planes, for the weather…

How do you cope with extremely low temperatures?

I’m not very good at dealing with very low temperatures. The cold immediately gets into me and it can be disheartening. I’m not a fan of the cold!

What can you say about your first volcano a few days after the climb?

I am happy with the successful start to the project. The climb of the oldest, most mysterious and, I hope, coldest volcano of the project is under my belt. Next stop – Kilimanjaro!

Were there any difficulties on your journey back from the volcano?

Well, it wasn’t easy. Even getting to Union Glacier Camp was a problem! The weather changed dramatically, with strong winds blowing acrossAntarctica. It was a bumpy landing at Union Glacier. They’d never experienced such strong winds at the camp – I have never seen such sturdy tents before, and the planes were surrounded with other vehicles so they didn’t blow away. But Union Glacier is fairly close to civilization – there was only a flight to Punto Arenas left. Though, that could have been delayed too, as disaster struck: the Ilyushin, the only plane that flies toAntarcticafrom the mainland, broke down after we’d gone to Sidley. The engine had to be replaced. While we were out at Sidley they had been trying to fix it and had even flown out an engineer fromMoscow. While the plane was being fixed, lots of people from several expeditions were stuck at the camp! I thought I wouldn’t get a place on the first flight. Everything ended happily though – everyone was flown out on the same plane.

What are the first three things you do when you get back to civilization?

I have a wash – you can’t beat a hot shower after an expedition. I think everybody does that first. Then I catch up on my sleep – any bed is a luxury after long nights in a tent in the snow. I eat. As a rule, after a climb we go to a restaurant and order meat, salads, wine – everything we had to do without during the climb.

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THE KASPERSKY 7 VOLCANOES EXPEDITION

Jan 15, 2013

Kaspersky Team

Climbing the highest volcanoes on every continent alone, without any backup is definitely not for the faint-hearted! You’d have to be bold, spirited…and just a little bit crazy. But Olga Rumyantseva certainly isn’t daunted by the prospect. She has set off to conquerMt.Sidley, Kilimanjaro,Mt.Giluwe, Damavand, Elbrus, Pico de Orizaba andOjos del Salado. Now, we at Kaspersky Lab rate commitment and dedication very highly, and that’s why we’ve decided to help Olga in her undertaking.

Olga (38) has a successful career as a financial consultant behind her and is the mother of two daughters, but she hasn’t stopped there. Her hobby of mountaineering turned into her profession in 2008 when she became an instructor at the Seven Summits climbing club. We asked Olga about her passion for climbing and why the 7 Volcanoes project is so important for her.

Why did you decide to conquer the seven volcanoes?

You don’t conquer mountains; you climb them, or you don’t climb them . The number seven appeals to people. Seven notes, the seven colors of the rainbow…seven continents. The challenge of climbing the world’s seven highest summits on all the continents has long been popular. In recent years a new challenge – climbing the highest volcano on each of the seven continents – has also gained popularity. I like that it’s not just some random number of volcanoes but a whole project. Every new summit is a new discovery, a new journey. And it’s something anyone can do, unlike the Seven Summits.

Why those seven volcanoes in particular?

That’s the specific challenge – the highest volcanoes on each continent. Volcanoes really are fascinating. They’re alive.

Of those seven volcanoes, I’ve been to four as a guide: Elbrus, Pico de Orizaba, Kilimanjaro, andDamavand. While I was taking clients up those volcanoes I got the strong urge to return to them myself and climb them the way I wanted to, and am capable of doing, without having to worry about anyone else.

Why do it alone?

Alone is not exactly the right term. I would say without a team, without any backup.

Usually when people plan a mountaineering expedition there is a team where everyone has a role and they all start working together to achieve that goal. And although every person is important, within the framework of the expedition, he or she can easily be replaced. In other words, the group is more important than the individual.

I’m not a team player. I don’t like team sports. I need to know that the result is all down to me, that it depends on me and nobody else, that there’s no chance of sitting on the substitute’s bench.

Having said that, mountaineering is not really a sport. There is no competition as such. There’s no winner or loser. You need to set a target and reach it. It’s important to adhere to your own standards. Climb the way you want to climb. For me, climbing is a way of life, a philosophy…

Do these climbs enhance your experience in any way?

The 7 Volcanoes project envisages trips to various corners of the planet. This is not just about the physical side, but also new impressions, getting to know new people and their cultures. A lone traveler is more open to meeting new people.

I think, I’ll meet lots of new people and make some interesting acquaintances during training and the actual climbs. If I find kindred spirits among those new people, if I see them share my goals (all of these seven volcanoes are in fact popular climbing destinations), then it’s quite possible we may travel some of the way together.

At the same time, I will have everything I need for traveling on my own, so I can keep traveling independently from other people regardless of the circumstances.

How difficult will it be?

It depends. In general, it’s pretty tough: most of these volcanoes have altitudes over 5000 m. This is high-altitude mountaineering, and it requires serious physical training. Just like on any other big mountain, a climber can encounter harsh weather conditions on these volcanoes.

How do you train for that?

Just like for the other climbs: you need to train your body for intense physical activities in an environment where there’s insufficient oxygen in the air. Any physical exercises will do, be it long-distance running, swimming, etc. And most importantly is a strong desire to reach the summit. 50% of your success is down to your positive psychological state. I have that type of attitude: wait, endure and believe in your own strength.

Could anyone do it? Let’s say an office worker. Could he or she just go and climb a volcano?

Yes. But you can’t just get up and go. You need to find an experienced guide and then go. In order to climb, and, more importantly, descend afterwards, stay alive and in one piece, you need to know how to acclimatize yourself to extreme altitudes, how to plan your physical reserves, be able to orient yourself while on route, to know about the peculiarities of the weather in the mountains, the hazards of mountain, have basic mountaineering skills (such using crampons while walking on ice, etc.), and loads of other factors.

The only exception is Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano inSouth America. It’s nearly 7000m high. You must have experience in high-altitude mountaineering before going up to such an altitude. Of course, people can try it without the right experience, but they most likely won’t make it and cause irreparable damage to their bodies.

As for the other volcanoes, they are quite appropriate for newbie mountaineers. Just one example: last year, Sergey Pikkat-Ordynskiy from Kaspersky Lab, climbedOrizaba, the highest volcano inNorth America, without any prior mountaineering experience – that guy had never been in the mountains before and wanted to find out what mountains are and how to climb them.

Is there any special psychological or physical training? For example, how many kilometers should you be able to run or how many chin-ups should you be able to do to go on an expedition like this?

You really need to want to do it. You must be able to endure cold, hunger, physical exertion, pain. The acclimatization process is often not easy for people going to the mountains for the first time and can cause severe headaches, loss of appetite, weakness. You must be able to overcome this, to pull yourself together and keep going on in spite of it all.

There are no exact figures. You just have to be in good physical shape. But … it depends on the result you’re aiming for. If you just want to climb with a guide, visiting the gym from time to time is enough. If you want to climb and enjoy it, you have to exercise regularly – go running and swimming two or three times a week.

As for me, in periods of regular training I go running two or three times a week (8-15 km, or if I have time and I’m in the mood, I can even run 20 km) and swim 1-1.5 km two or three times a week as well.

Doing chin-ups is not necessary. It may be necessary to train for technical ascents when the mountaineers climb a wall. You get up these volcanos on foot. There are only small parts of the route where you have to climb. I can do chin-ups . I can do about three, but used to be able to do 15.

Mountains are fascinating, but they are not meant for human life. Therefore, you have to be able to survive there. And enjoy it.

Why do you think Kaspersky Lab decided to support you? In what ways are you similar?

I think our most important similarity is the ability to set goals and achieve them expanding the limits of your capabilities, even if it’s not that easy. There’s also self-sufficiency and an openness to everything new and exciting – new people, new ideas.

P.S. The Kaspersky 7 Volcanoes Expedition is not Kaspersky Lab’s first experience in collaboration with the world’s highly recognized explorers. In 2009 the company sponsored a group of women who skied more than 900 km from the coast ofAntarcticato the South Pole. In 2012 with the support of Kaspersky Lab, British explorer Felicity Aston became the first woman in history to ski cross Antarctica alone, having set a new world record.

Guides of the 7Summits-Club Marina Nemirova and Alexay Kabanov visited Kosta-Rica and Panama during the New Year vacancy. They made a wonderful trip and share with us their photo collection...

On January 27th 2013, adventurers from all over the globe will assemble at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The team, the largest ever group to attempt the world’s tallest free standing mountain, aim to ascend the 19,340 foot high and fly from the summit. The climb and paraglide mission, something that is usually banned by the Tanzanian Government, will raise over US$1 million for 3 charities making a difference on the ground in Eastern Africa; Plant With Purpose, WorldServe International and One Difference.

The expedition was made possible by a small but passionate team from Australia who have worked for over 2 years to plan and convince the Tanzanian Government to temporarily lift the ban on paragliding from Kilimanjaro for this once in a lifetime event.

200 ADVENTURE PHILANTHROPISTS TO FLY FROM THE ROOF OF AFRICA TO HELP THOSE IN NEED ON THE GROUND

On January 27th 2013, adventurers from all over the globe will assemble at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The team, the largest ever group to attempt the world’s tallest free standing mountain, aim to ascend the 19,340 foot high and fly from the summit. The climb and paraglide mission, something that is usually banned by the Tanzanian Government, will raise over US$1 million for 3 charities making a difference on the ground in Eastern Africa; Plant With Purpose, WorldServe International and One Difference.

The expedition was made possible by a small but passionate team fromAustraliawho have worked for over 2 years to plan and convince the Tanzanian Government to temporarily lift the ban on paragliding from Kilimanjaro for this once in a lifetime event.

Adrian and Paula McRae

THE EXPEDITION
A team of more than 1,000 porters, guides, and crew will support the 100+ adventurers. The group will spend seven days making the trek to the 19,340-foot peak where the pilots will launch. This is slightly longer than most groups take to summit Kilimanjaro, in order to optimize the pilots’ acclimatization and minimize the risk of hypoxia and Acute Mountain Sickness.

Even with the extended time for acclimatization, not all pilots will summit. Sub-freezing temperatures, nausea, headache, dizziness, and fatigue are common effects of high altitude that could impede the proper mental or physical state required to safely launch a paraglider. Only the strongest will succeed.

THE PILOTS
For each pilot, the mission is very personal, and for many the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Participants commit to raising a minimum of $5,000 USD towards the charity fund, and have to pass a rigorous application process. Over 300 pilots have registered their interest from over 60 countries from as far afield asRussia toNepal fromSingapore toPeru. So far, over 100 pilots have been accepted as Official Wings of Kilimanjaro Pilots as a result of our strict screening process, focusing on experience to ensure the highest level of safety for all involved.

This remarkable record-breaking event will be communicated to the world via international sport, lifestyle and news media coverage; alongside global distribution of content via online, cable and network platforms, including popular video distribution and social media sites (Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, etc). A feature film will also be made, following the stories of select pilots and team members.

Paragliding participants currently include several newsworthy individuals from the world of adventure sport, adventure traveling and philanthropy.

http://wingsofkilimanjaro.com/index.php/home/

7 Summits Club joins numerous congratulations to Vyacheslav Adrov, who after climb of Mount Sidleycompleted the program "Seven Volcanoes." That is, he climbed up seven highest volcanoes in the seven continents (according the current version). The first inRussia, the first in the CIS, the first inMoscowand our Club. But Vyacheslav have another project. He wants to find a new highest volcano inEurasia, and plans to do in the nearest future. We wish him luck! New high and new achievements!

Heroes of the epic climb of the highest volcano in Antarctica have already left the icy continent and landed inPunta Arenas(Chile). We are waiting for them inMoscow.

Fresh pictures from Sidley:

Adrov in Papua

Paul Nicholson wrote :

.. Slava is only the third person in the world (!) to complete all 7 of the Volcanic Seven Summits - and he is also the first Russian to do it! And he has also done the two poles too! VERY IMPRESSIVE and worthy of recognition ...

Slava is a humble and very classy man, he would never ask me to write this email to you. Instead, I am writing it exactly because Slava is such a good guy :-), and because his achievement deserves recognition!

According information from a member of our Club Vitaly Simanovich, the whole team reached the summit of Mount Sidley. The weather was perfect, a temp of ascent was very slow, because all climbers were waiting for Paul. Vitaly and friends are amazing by the beauty of unreal  scenery of Mount Sidley.

Congratulations !!!!

Photos from 2011

According an information from a member of 7 Summits Club Vitaly Simanovich, 16th of January the expedition set up a camp at altitude 3400 meters. From here they will try to climb Mount Sidley. Our members Vitaly and Viacheslav Adrov, as Olga Rumiantseva (Kaspersky 7 Volcanoes Expedition), are in good conditions and were ready to go in alpine style. But the group climbs in one team, and Paul Nicholson from Canada feels worse and go slowly with a guide David Hamilton.

Photos from the 2011 expedition

PRNewswire

Kaspersky Lab sponsors new project to conquer 7 volcanoes on 7 continents.

Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, announces the start of an adventurous new project: the Kaspersky 7 Volcanoes Expedition. Renowned mountaineer Olga Rumyantseva will become the first woman to solo-ascend the Volcanic Seven Summits, the seven highest volcanoes across the continents, within one year.

Supported by Kaspersky Lab, Olga will solo-climb Mt. Sidley (Antarctica), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mt. Giluwe (Papua New Guinea), Damavand (Iran), Elbrus (Russia), Pico de Orizaba (Mexico) and Ojos del Salado (Chile/Argentina). Summiting these volcanoes is considered one of the toughest mountaineering challenges in the world, and the fact that Olga will be the first in history to ascend them alone in less than 12 months merely adds to the challenge.

Although Olga is going to set a record, the expedition is more about testing the spirit and personal achievement. Olga commented: "This has been my dream for a long time. I'm an adventurer; I like to explore and do things that have never been done before. The difficulty of this challenge makes it even more interesting for me! I'm so grateful Kaspersky Lab has helped me turn this plan into reality, and given me the chance to fulfill my dream."

Kaspersky Lab CEO and co-founder Eugene Kaspersky said: "In our company, the notion of personal achievement, of the will to win is one of the most important. We believe one person can do a lot if he or she is truly committed to the goal and to the dream. People like Olga are real winners. She is capable of following her dream and moving forward no matter what obstacles are in her way. That's what unites us with Olga and I believe that her achievements will inspire our whole team around the world! We'll be following her progress closely throughout 2013."

The Kaspersky 7 Volcanoes Expedition started on 11 January 2013 with the ascent of the highest volcano in Antarctica: Mount Sidley with a summit elevation of 4,181-4,285 meters (13,717-14,058 ft.). It is a massive, mainly snow-covered shield volcano which is the highest and most imposing of the five volcanic mountains that comprise the Executive Committee Range of Marie Byrd Land .

The Kaspersky 7 Volcanoes Expedition is a new step for the brand in collaborating with the world's highly recognised explorers. At the beginning of 2012, with the support of Kaspersky Lab, British explorer Felicity Aston became the first woman in history to cross Antarctica alone, having set a new world record. Another expedition dating back to November 2009 saw the company sponsor the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition. This project brought together women from Brunei, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom who skied more than 900 km from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole to mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth.

About Olga Rumyantseva

Olga Rumyantseva was born in the city of Tver, Russia. From an early age she had a keen interest in mountain trekking and mountaineering. What started out as a hobby scaling peaks in the Caucasus, the Khibiny Mountains and mountains in Central Asia later turned into a lifestyle. She received a first grade in mountaineering and became director of the Moscow State University alpinism club. In 2008 Olga started her dream job when she became a mountaineering guide. Throughout her climbing career she has ascended numerous mountains on every continent.

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Vyacheslav Adrov: Hi Club! News from Sidley. Our ascent with 1400 meters vertical drop, turns into an expedition. Tomorrow we are going to put an intermediate camp at 3500 meters. The main problem - a state of health of Paul. He still can not walk and is in a tent.

Photos from 2011 expedition

Operation for the delivery of a climbing group to the base of volcano Sidley ended successfully. Two of the aircraft were involved in the action. DC-10 was used in order to deliver fuel for refuel. The group flew on a Twin Otter. The plane landed almost in the crater of Sidley. The base camp is set at an altitude of 2870 meters. Vyacheslav Adrov reports: “Camp was set, we had a dinner, now we are preparing for overnight . .... Weather is gorgeous, warm, no breeze. Another two days the weather will be like this. " However, not everyone feels good at that height. Therefore, plans of whole expedition are not fixed yet.

Members of the Sidley expedition: Vyacheslav Adrov, Vitaly Simonovich, Olga Rumyantseva (all - Russia), Paul Nicholson (Canada) and the guide of ALE David Hamilton.

Photos from the expedition of 2011

Let's count.

(1) Alexander Abramov with four comrades goes by ski to the South Pole - the program "Last Degree".

(2) According to the plan 10th of January, Vyacheslav Adrov and Vitali Simonovich  start for the program climbing the highest volcano in Antarctica Mount Sidley.

(3) Large group (12 people) began its long journey to the summit of Aconcagua. Guides our Club: Dmitry Ermakov and Denis Saveliev.

(4) Another large group (10 people, guide Artem Rostovtsev) began the program Climb of Kilimanjaro. They will also visit a safari and Zanzibar.

(5) Another large group (12 people + 1 guide) started with a program of  the climb of Kilimanjaro one day earlier, on January 2. This is - a joint project of the Donetsk Vertical-Tour and 7 Summits Club. Most of the participants are from teh city Donetsk, as well as guide Vyacheslav Vyblov.

Just a few small groups of Kilimanjaro travel by programs of basic services:

(6) - January 2, Machame route

(7) - January 3, Marangu route

(8) - from January 7 to Machame Route with Safari and Zanzibar.

For individual applications travel the following members of our Club.

(9) Jamil Manizada met the New Year at the top of the highest mount in Australia (island and contitnent)Mount Kosciuszko

(10) Mary Dyachenko celebrated the New Year in Mexico, climbing Orizaba.

(11) We have a group in Indonesia, on the islands and volcanoes.

(12) Tomorrow, January 6, the Group of 7 Summits Club arrives for trekking to Everest Base Camp.

(13) On January 3th  a group of our Club came in Morocco. The program includes: -climbing the highest peak in North Africa -MountToubkal and excursions to historical places.

(14) Finally, three days later, on January 9th, another group of 7 Summits Club will start to Chile. Program: Climbing the highest volcano of the World Ojos del Salado,  and after that  make Patagonia cruises and tour wineries in Chile.

Total - 14 teams for the New Year and the first half of January. Our personal best record.

Members of the expedition to Mount Sidley are in base camp Union Glacier. The weather does not allow to fly on the route. January 16 - this is the earliest possible date for start. Vyacheslav Adrov and Vitalmy Simonovich are waiting for good news from ALE and send greetings to all.

Prolonged period of bad weather was in the mountains of Caucasus. This was accompanied by heavy snowfalls. Clearly, this has created a critical situation for mountaineering groups. The first case occurred on Kazbek. A group of four climbers from the city of Volgodonsk climbed to climb Kazbek to plateau at about 4,500 meters, and there they were waiting for the weather. Continued bad weather forced them to abandon the assault of Kazbek. Snow was very high. On the descent group was crashed by an avalanche. Only one of them was left on the surface. He called the emergency services. His companions were found only in 2 days. Three people were killed.

On Elbrus a group of climbers spent a night in a storm on a small rescue shelter in the saddle. On the descent, one climber Artem Ivanov was broken by strong wind in the beginning of traverse. He fall for about 500 meters. All attempts to approach him failed. The weather is very bad, rescuers could not get through the storm to the victim. Rather, he is already dead.

Elbrus in Winter

In the reigon of Bezengi two very strong groups chose to climb a very serious climbing routes on the North Face of Krumkol. One led by Valery Shamalo, another – by Victor Koval. They made two very strong climb. However, in the vicinity of the top a storm came. It fall so much snow that a descent became too dangerous. The situation was critical. Food ran out, some of the climbers had frostbitten.

Famous team from the Heliaction company came to the rescue. Private helicopter flew from to Bezengi. The weather improved and the climbers were rescued.

Watch the video

Our group made a successful ascent of Kilimanjaro. It was a little cold, it was hard, but all members were on the top. We then spent two days on safari in the Lake Manyara parks and Ngorongoro. The program ends on Zanzibar.

Guide Group: Artem Rostovtsev

Team members:
Anton and Valery Konobeev,
Liana and Renad Chabdarov,
Eugene and Eugene Kravt,
Daria Ufimtseva,
lubov Mironov,
Valery Ustinov.

As we reported, on January 10 the second in the history expedition to the summit of the highest volcano in Antarctica -Mount Sidley will start. This very remote from civilization mountain is part of the project seven highest volcanoes of continents. A group of the 7 Summits Club for Mount Sidley climb consist of  Vyacheslav Adrov and Vitali  Simonovic. Permanent guide of ALE David Hamilton goes with them. Multiple summiter of Mount Everest, he had (early in his career, in the first half of the 90) lots of climbs in the Caucasus.  Another partner and a client oa ALE - it will be a Canadian climber, doctor of geology Paul George Nicholson.  

Paul Nicholson - a Canadian geologist, constantly working in Saudi Arabia. He works in the oil industry - Saudi Aramco. In his spare time, he studied all the traces of volcanic activity in the Arabian Peninsula. Paul went on five continents for climb the highest volcanoes.  In case of success at Sidley, he will ascend to the Ojos del Salado, to become the third in the list "seven volcanoes" climbers after Mario Trimeri and Coco Popescu.

Paul sent us pictures from his ascent of Mount Giluve( Australian continent)

Date of ascents Paul Nicholson

Giluve, 14/09/2008
Damavand, 08/07/2007
Kilimanjaro, 17/11/2004
Orizaba, 16/11/2010
Elbrus, 17/08/2005

Additional objects:

Ararat, 29/08/2011

Nicholson

Photos from Giluve

Photo Gallery of Sidley 2011 (Alex Abramov)

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