"7 Volcanoes" project news - Page 3

Greetings to everyone from Rustam and Franklin, still from North America!

As a reminder, Rustam is returning for the third time to climb Chimborazo (6,310 m, Ecuador's highest peak and the farthest point from the center of the Earth), but decided to acclimatize in Mexico. The plan was to climb Mount Orizaba, North America's highest volcano. Rustam had already been to Ecuador twice and climbed all of the country's most interesting volcanoes. Don't go the same old route!

 Well, what can I say! After wonderful acclimatization trips in Mexico on smaller volcanoes, Orizaba herself decided to show what she's capable of when she's not in the mood! Before reaching the summit, there was sunshine, then storms began somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, and snow fell over Orizaba, and then it started raining. All the other teams turned around, but ours continued on!

When we reached the glacier, at 5,000 m, we finally decided that acclimatization was sufficient and that it was time to turn back. We returned to base in splendid isolation, alone with the mountain and the storm in the Pacific Ocean.

At the hotel, we finally wrung out all our belongings, dried off, rested actively, recharged, and before flying to Ecuador, we stopped to see the famous pyramids in Mexico City. But we didn't climb them because it was still raining!

 Goodbye, Mexico! Hola Ecuador! Chimborazo is still waiting!

 Greetings from the & Summits Club guides to everyone from the Elbrus region! As is customary, every five years we undergo recertification and pass exams to prove our guiding skills. Yesterday we arrived at the Adyl-Su mountaineering camp. We explored the grounds, took a walk around the area, completed formal paperwork, and met with the examiners and the certification committee.

Today we began testing our knowledge and have already successfully passed some of the exams. We'll continue tomorrow.

 Your guides:

Alexander Dorojukov, Evgeny Fedyunin, Dmitry Semenov, Kristina Putintseva.

The 7 Summits Club guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Iran:

Greetings from Iran! The "Oktyabryata" group summited Damavand yesterday at a good pace, in 7.5 hours! The forecast had us on our guard, but it only galvanized us. In reality, the weather was wonderful, and the forecast proved unfounded. Damavand gave us a powerful blast of smoke as we left, so the masks we had prepared were very welcome. Now we're in Tehran, resting, recovering, and thinking about our future plans. After all, the "Oktyabryata" are the future Pioneers!

Hello everyone! We have news. Our friend Rustam Makharramov is flying to America to make his third attempt at Chimborazo Volcano 6310. The one in Ecuador is the furthest peak from the center of the Earth and the highest peak in Ecuador. What can I say, the volcano has a truly unique, powerful, incomparable energy; it captivates and captivates.

Rustam was definitely captivated by it, and he says this time he won't leave Ecuador until he reaches the summit!

But this time, it's not that simple. To diversify his acclimatization and plan for the future, a unique program has been developed, the likes of which we've never seen before.

Orizaba and its associated volcanoes in Mexico (that's North America, mind you) were chosen for acclimatization!

For those who may have forgotten or don't know, Orizaba is the highest volcano in North America and is part of the "Seven Volcanoes" project. Many consider Orizaba to have one of the most beautiful craters among the many volcanoes.

And after Chimborazo, there's another peak planned, less well-known but very inviting and a wonderful preparation for new projects. We'll tell you more about it later!

Now our team, Rustam, and his friend, Ecuadorian guide Franklin, are already in Mexico. All documents have been verified (carefully check the required set of documents before leaving for Mexico; without them, entry into the country can be problematic), all formalities have been completed, and a gastronomic tour of the capital has already been completed. Our team is also acclimatizing on the volcanoes La Malinche (4461 m) and Sierra Negre (4580 m).

It was a beautiful day on La Malinche. The climb is relatively steep, but the guys made it without any problems. Sierra Negra is home to one of the world's largest telescopes. Our team reached the summit without any problems, enjoying every step.

Rustam is acclimatizing and gaining strength every day! And the team is ready to move on!

The 7 Summits Club super guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Iran:

 Greetings from Iran! The "Oktyabryata" group ascended to Camp 3, also known as the assault camp, at 4,200 meters today. The weather was favorable—it was cool and windless, and we climbed at a good pace. The peak season on the mountain is almost over; there are only a few other people in camp, although the weather conditions so far appear quite suitable for a summit attempt. It was great to see our old friends—the jeep drivers and muleteers—who are always happy to help us, despite the low season. Special thanks to our Iranian girls—guide Parisa and cook Narges—for the photo shoot! They certainly added a special touch to this news.

The 7 Summits Club guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Iran:

Greetings from Iran! The "Oktyabryata" group is briskly following its itinerary. Today we moved to the wonderful Arses Motel near Damavand. The day began with an ascent to Mount Tochal, 3,964 meters (12,500 ft) – an easy climb along a well-trodden trail with a beautiful panorama of Tehran. At the summit, despite the haze, we had a clear view of our main destination – the Damavand volcano itself. There, at the top of Tochal, we chatted with friendly Iranian police officers and took a group photo. Then, after descending by cable car to Tehran, we headed to the foot of Damavand, to the Iranian Mountaineering Federation House, where we obtained permits and took the traditional photo. From the Federation House, it's just half an hour to our beautiful "Arses" (mentioned above), where a wonderful lunch and afternoon rest awaited us. In the evening, we visited the thermal springs and dined at our favorite kebab shop in Larijan. Everything is on plan; tomorrow we ascend to camp at 4,200 meters.

The 7 Summits Club super guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Iran:

Greetings from Iran! Damavand unexpectedly invited us to visit in October. And we didn't refuse! And so, the group, appropriately named "October Children," began their program. Tehran is attractive and lively at any time of year, whether in July, September, or October. It's cooler now, of course, but that actually makes for a comfortable stay. Visiting the Golestan Palace, the Milod Tower, and buying souvenirs and pistachios—we managed all of that yesterday, in just the first day. And today, we've already ascended to the Tochal mountain hotel at 3,600 m, begun acclimatizing, and leisurely hiked to 3,850 m. Tomorrow, we plan to climb Tochal, the highest point in the region.

Greetings to everyone from faraway Papua New Guinea from the "Huli Team"! Well, all adventures must come to an end! Yesterday we left Betty Lodge and returned to Mount Hagen!

That evening, at a gala dinner, we presented our participants with certificates for climbing Wilhelm Peak! We spent 10 days in PNG, and this trip was absolutely action-packed! We climbed Mount Giluwe and Wilhelm Peak, met more than 10 local tribes and learned about their traditions, and most importantly, each participant made new friends on this trip. After all, mountains are about people, and every member of our team made this trip unforgettable!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

September 24. Hooray! THE SUMMIT! The entire 7 Summits Club "Huli Team" summited Peak Wilhelm (4,509 m)! We left our base camp at 3,600 m and set out at 2:00 AM. It rained all evening, so we set out in rubber boots, which have become second nature to us during this trip.

The route initially follows the river, then emerges onto the cliffs. At 5:20 AM, the sky began to lighten, and we enjoyed an incredibly beautiful sunrise until 6 AM! The sky was a riot of color!

At 9 AM, we stood at the summit of Papua New Guinea's highest summit—Peak Wilhelm! The weather was so pleasant that we spent about an hour there, chatting and drinking tea above the clouds!

 On the descent, we were caught in the rain. We descended to camp at 2 PM, had lunch, repacked, and quickly ran to our cozy Betty's Lodge, where a hot shower and delicious dinner awaited us!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

September 23rd. Greetings from the "Huli Team" in Papua New Guinea! In the morning, after a hearty, delicious breakfast, we met the team of local porters and guides, loaded up our bags, and headed to Wilhelm Peak Base Camp.

The trek is short, only 8 km, but very scenic! The scenery here is unlike anything we'd seen in Mount Hagen. We first walked through the jungle, then reached an open viewpoint, and then a waterfall.

As we approached the camp, located on the picturesque shore of a lake, we were caught in a rainstorm that continued all night. But by 11 PM, the weather cleared, and the sky was dotted with a scattering of twinkling stars! We set off for the ascent at 2 AM.

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 21. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club "Fura on the left" group successfully lost two kilometers of vertical drop and returned to civilization! Beer and champagne at the gate – the best way to restore the salt-alkaline balance!!! Everyone was happy. In the evening, diplomas and medals were awarded, and new plans for the mountains were discussed.

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

September 22nd. Greetings from Papua New Guinea! We saw the main part of our group off at the airport, and with two other members, we continue our program.

We moved to Kundiawa and checked into Betty's Lodge – the coziest place in PNG, in our humble opinion. It's a wonderful lodge, everything is done with such care and love that it's truly heartwarming!

Lodge owner Betty has a place here. We have our own trout farm, a huge blooming garden, goats, and chickens. Everything we serve is grown here.

That evening, we had a delicious dinner and mapped out our plans for tomorrow. In the morning, we set out for Wilhelm Peak Base Camp. We'll be without communication for a day and a half.

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

September 21st. Greetings from faraway Papua New Guinea from the "Huli na Giluwe" team!

Yesterday we visited one of the local "Mudmen" tribes, whose inhabitants decorate themselves with clay and wear huge clay masks. Afterwards, we checked into a hotel, where a celebratory dinner and awards ceremony awaited us that evening.

All participants were awarded certificates and medals for their ascent of Giluwe.

Over these six days, we lived a unique life filled with humor, mutual support, help, understanding, and, of course, exciting adventures. Nine completely different people, each unique, gathered on the other side of the planet and over the course of a week became a true team.

The most important words that were spoken were: "7 Summits Club, you make people happy!"

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

September 20th. Hooray! The summit! The entire 7 Summits Club "Huli na Giluwe" team summited the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania, Giluwe, at 4,368 meters! We left base camp at 5 a.m. It was cloudy at first, but by dawn the clouds had cleared, opening up views of the summit.

The climb took four hours, and by 9 a.m. local time, the entire team stood on the summit!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 20. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Hooray, the summit! Today, the 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left" successfully summited Uhuru Peak, the main peak of the Kilimanjaro massif at 5,895 meters! As with all the days of the climb, it was sunny, but quite cold at altitude. It's winter in Tanzania, after all. We're now warming up in our camp on the edge of the jungle.

Tomorrow, we descend to civilization.

September 19. Giluwe. The "Hulu na Giluwe" team completed the trek to Giluwe Volcano Base Camp. We arrived at the entrance to the national park early in the morning and set out at 7 a.m. Ahead of us lay 13 km of jungle trekking, then we entered the swamp zone.

The weather was excellent, which is rare in these parts! We reached Base Camp in five hours. We settled into our large, comfortable tents, had dinner, and played Mafia and Elias in the evening.

The team is fantastic and already very close-knit. We held an evening briefing, and tomorrow morning we set off for the mountain! Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Guide ща the 7 Summits Club Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

 September 19. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! Today, the 7 Summits Club group "Fura sleva" reached Kosovo Camp at 4800m. The weather is great again. We're getting ready for the push! We leave just after midnight. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

The Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 18. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left," after a delicious hearty breakfast, set out to assault the Barranco Wall, which at first glance seems like an impenetrable fortress... But anything goes, and we conquered it in two hours!

At the top, there was a pit stop for tea and then a trek through two lunar valleys with lava fields. We arrived at Karanga Camp, at 4,030 meters, by lunchtime. And for lunch, we had borscht—wasn't it borscht?

Now it's time to rest, tomorrow is the final ascent to the summit camp, and tonight, the ascent!

Take care! See you in the mountains! Best of luck to everyone!

 Greetings from Papua New Guinea! Our team has been renamed "Huli na Giluwe" (the first word is the name of an indigenous people in Papua, by the way). Today was a day packed with cultural activities. After breakfast, we headed to Paya Village, where a tribal festival was taking place! About 10 different local tribes had gathered there today, each decorated in their own unique way: bright feathers, headdresses, and painted faces. They put on a real show with music and skits.

 Afterwards, we tried the traditional dish "mumu"—pork baked with sweet potatoes in banana leaves in a pit. After lunch, we moved to Magic Mountain Lodge, had dinner, had an evening briefing, and decided on the next day's itinerary.

We're heading into the mountains in the morning! We're climbing Mount Giluwe! We'll be out of contact for almost two days, so don't lose us, wait for us!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

The Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 17. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club group "Fura on the Left" completed the most challenging day of the trek today – the ascent to Lava Tower (4,640m) and the descent to Barranco Camp (3,900m) at the foot of the famous Barranco Wall. The group accomplished the task brilliantly. The weather was favorable, once again without precipitation. The service, as always, was excellent!

Tomorrow we'll sleep an extra hour!

Take care! See you in the mountains! Best of luck to everyone!