7 Summits Club company news - Page 3

The 7 Summits Club guide Olya Rumyantseva sends a message from Mexico:
Greetings from Mexico to everyone from the Axolotl group! Our group is the first of many the 7 Summits Club groups this fall to travel across Mexico, from summit to summit, toward North America's highest volcano, Orizaba.
Yesterday, we warmed up by climbing pyramids. Today, we had another acclimatization day and our first volcano, La Malinche. At almost 4,500 meters, we summited it as a team after a wonderful walk through a beautiful forest, a long climb over rocks, and even some rock climbing at the end.
The climb to La Malinche was challenging for everyone, but everyone accomplished the task brilliantly. Tomorrow, better acclimatized and almost rested, we will climb to the first camp on the slopes of the Orizaba volcano.

 Greetings from the slopes of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania! Everything is on schedule; our group is descending to the gates of the national park and should be back at the hotel today for a celebratory dinner and party celebrating the end of the program.

While we wait for details and photos from the group, we are publishing the travel diary of Sergey Sedov, who reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in three days.

 Sergey Sedov:

Arriving a day late, I decided to catch up with the group immediately. The expedition organizers were understanding and provided me with a local guide, porter, and transportation, for which I am eternally grateful. My physical condition allows me to undertake long treks upward, and in the end, Francis and I ran from the entrance to the national park to Horombo Hut in one day—or more precisely, six hours—covering 19 km and gaining 2,300 meters in altitude (from 1,450 to 3,750 meters).

 Having met the group there, the guides and expedition organizers and I discussed the option of continuing the climb separately at our own pace. Francis supported my idea of going to Base Camp the next day and immediately attempting the summit. This was his first attempt, but he was confident in both himself and me. I had arrived on Kilimanjaro after the Nepalese mountains and was well acclimatized with plenty of altitude to spare.

 The next day, when the group set out on an acclimatization radial hike, we continued our trek and reached Kibo Base Camp in three and a half hours. There we had lunch, held a briefing, and headed off to prepare for the summit push.

 We set out for the summit push at precisely midnight. We walked at a steady, confident, and steady pace, taking our time. We took our first short break at 3:00 AM, rested at 4:00 AM at Gilmansa Point, and then leisurely trudged to the summit, reaching it precisely at 6:00 AM. A blistering gust of wind awaited us there, so after quickly snapping a couple of photos, we descended at 6:15 AM. We had plenty of energy, the sun was warm, and our legs ran naturally down. In the end, the descent took only 1:40.

 At Base Camp, we changed clothes, packed our things, and set about executing another daring plan: to descend to the very entrance of the national park not just in one day, but before 5:00 PM.

 On the way back, we met our guys and wished them a successful summit push. In Horombo, we took a quick lunch break, in Mandara we treated ourselves to another half-hour rest, and by 4:40 PM, Francis and I were hugging at the entrance to the national park.

 I won't lie, the last few kilometers were incredibly difficult. By this point, everything was aching, but we persevered, kept up the pace, and continued down. It's no joke, we covered 40 km that day, including the summit push.

 In total, the entire program took us just three days. In short:

44 hours from start to summit.

4,450 m – elevation gain during this time.

34 km – ascent.

40 km covered on summit push day.

Total time: 54 hours 40 minutes.

Total distance: 68 km.

 Also on the descent, halfway between Horombo and Mandara, we met a legend of our mountaineering, Uncle Vitya, whom we had recently seen in Namche Bazaar and Kathmandu.

 In conclusion, I want to say that I didn't initially plan to set any records or chase time. It just happened that way. Appetite comes with eating. I want to thank the 7 Summits Club team for their flexibility and prompt problem-solving. I especially appreciate the exceptional level of organization—I had access to exactly the same facilities as the rest of the group the entire time.

And Francis and I became very close during this time. It even felt like we spent much more time with him than just three days.

 To be continued!

Photos and videos by the author - Sergey Sedov

The 7 Summits Club Guide Olya Rumyantseva reports from Mexico:

Greetings to everyone from Mexico, where we are beginning the climbing season on Orizaba! Today, the first large group, with the very Mexican name "Axolotl," began their journey to the summit of North America's highest volcano. We began our journey by exploring Mexico's most famous pyramids—the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon in the ancient city of Teotihuacan. Or rather, we tried to begin with a hot air balloon ride over the pyramids. But, alas. There was fog all morning, so the flights were canceled. And those balloonists who did manage to take off saw nothing but fog. We weren't too upset; we did some exercises with the hot air balloons as a backdrop, and then went for a walk around the pyramids and listened to amazing stories. Later in the evening we moved to the La Malinche volcano, which we will visit tomorrow for acclimatization.

Hello everyone! Recently, there were reports online of unrest in Tanzania related to the presidential elections and the usual disgruntled opposition and unrest related to it.

To quell the unrest, the internet was shut down throughout the country, and our guides sent short updates on the expedition's progress only via text messages. The situation is now improving, and communication is being restored.

 Our group is fine, everything is according to plan. The team is currently summiting and descending.

 But first things first.

 Expedition Diary

 Day 1. Our guides arrived in Tanzania and are fully prepared to welcome the group. Our team was unable to depart as scheduled the following day due to flight cancellations and delays due to the situation in Tanzania. But we managed to overcome the situation, and the entire group assembled in Moshi, the meeting point before heading into the mountains.

 Only one member arrived a day later than the group and was catching up individually. Looking ahead, I'll say that, due to his excellent physical condition and acclimatization in the Himalayas, our Sergey caught up with the group in one day instead of the planned two. He gained such momentum and got into the swing of things that he couldn't stop, overtook the group, and climbed Kilimanjaro in three days instead of the planned six. Sergey is now back at the hotel with a new summit on his list of accomplishments and is waiting for the rest of the guys at the hotel tomorrow.

You can't imagine how much joy it was to see and meet everyone at Kilimanjaro Airport. After all, difficulties bring a team together and unite.

 All the formalities have been completed, the equipment has been selected and checked, the introduction stage has been completed, the first batch of photos for Instagram and Stories have been taken. Note: Friendship won the high jump competition with the Maasai. The Maasai have a tradition that the strongest man is the one who can jump the highest.

Guides: Alexander Dorojukov and Leuan Atabiev.

The 7 Summits Club guide Dmitry Semenov reports from Nepal:

 Greetings from Kathmandu! The last members of our Mera Peak expedition flew home today. Unfortunately, prolonged bad weather and record snowfall prevented us from completing the program with a successful ascent.

The 7 Summits Club Mountaineering School in Tuyuk-Su. Today, our group completed its second ascent, climbing Oktyabrenok Peak along a 2B difficulty route! This time, we faced truly harsh conditions: fog, cold, and precipitation. And all of this wasn't just on a trail, but on a technical route where we had to climb and set waypoints. The instructor is pleased with the result. Tomorrow, the group will descend to the city for training on the climbing wall.

Guide: Ratmir Mukhametzyanov.

The 7 Summits Club Guide Boris Egorov reports from Nepal:

 Hello everyone! We haven't had any news, we've been hanging around here in Nepal, trying to fit everything in. In the end, those who needed to return home traveled 15 hours by jeep to Kathmandu and made it on time! Two of us, including myself, stayed behind to wait for the weather to improve. And we finally got it! We masterfully swerved through the traffic and reached Camp 3 by lunchtime. Those who made it, the other teams, were there by 10 p.m.! We were the first to reach the summit in the morning, right before the sun set. And neither the wind nor the lack of a trail stopped us. We made it ourselves. Great job!

Sergey, Evgeny, and our guide Boris!

Message from group guide Boris Egorov:

Our team arrived at Camp 3 at 6,400m this morning. The weather is great! We'll be heading out tonight to summit Ama Dablam! Wish us luck!

Mountaineering School in Tuyuk-Su. Today, our training group practiced moving along fixed ropes using jumars. They learned and practiced three different techniques: one with a single jumar, one with a jumar and a sling, and one with two jumars. Naturally, after each ascent, the students rappelled down using a sling and then repeated the exercise.

After that, we practiced belaying through the terrain and setting up a station on the ledge. Then we prepared a route sheet for the next route – to Oktyabrenok via 2A. Tomorrow, we'll climb again.

Guide/instructor: Ratmir Mukhametzyanov.

The 7 Summits Club Guide Boris Egorov reports from Nepal:

 Prolonged bad weather in the Nepalese mountains prevented climbers from ascents, and our "Experienced Yaks" group opted to descend for a while. This morning, the team returned, flew by helicopter to Ama Dablam Base Camp. We had a quick lunch and immediately set out for Camp 1. There's a good weather window ahead! There's a lot of snow and a lot of people, but we'll keep trying! Wish us luck on our second attempt!

Mountaineering school in Tuyuk-Su. Today was our first ascent as part of the training program! Object: Khrishchaty Peak along the Eastern Ridge, 1B category.

We left at 5 a.m. and returned at 6 p.m. We did a great job, a wealth of impressions, emotions, and, most importantly, a wealth of experience. A wide variety of things. Navigating rocky scree, snow-covered trails without crampons, climbing a real route in a roped-up team, setting up gear where we really needed it, getting lost in the fog, overcoming our fears, and much more—all packed into one day.

And in the evening, we had a sauna. That's just what you need after a climb. Tomorrow we'll rest and descend to Almaty.

Guide: Ratmir Mukhametzyanov.

The 7 Summits Club guide Dmitry Semenov reports from Nepal:

 Greetings from the highlands of Nepal! More specifically, from the high-altitude, snow-covered Khare Lodge (4,500 m). Today we made a short acclimatization hike near the village and held training sessions, practicing ascents and descents on a rope. There's a lot of snow; the locals say they don't remember seeing so much snow this time of year. But we're hoping for better weather.

Mountaineering school in Tuyuk-Su. Today we trained on the rocks. This is the most important part of the training before the main ascent. So tomorrow we'll reinforce our newly acquired skills.

Today we practiced rappelling, moving simultaneously on easy terrain, and installing belay points (camalots, nuts, and friends).

Guide: Ratmir Mukhametzyanov.

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from India:

 We're reporting on the two days we were without communication. The day before yesterday, we drove up to the gorge in a jeep and headed toward Ut-Kangri Base Camp. This is the highest peak in the Ladakh region – 6,075 meters. There were no people around. There was snow. We set up Base Camp at 5,100 meters. We decided not to waste time acclimatizing and went straight to the mountain. The ascent began at 7:00 AM. The route was initially easy over snow and rocks. Then, along a steep rocky ridge covered in snow. We reached the summit at 2:30 PM. It was difficult without acclimatization.

We returned to camp at 6:00 PM. It's cold and windy. But we did it!

Our new teams will be coming here next year. A fantastic program. The Indian Himalayas. Little Tibet. Buddhism and stupas. The Potala Palace and a 6,000-meter peak. It's all here, near the city of Leh.

The 7 Summits Club guide Dmitry Semenov reports from Nepal:

 Greetings from the mountains of Nepal! Today, our super group "Badgers Gangsters" arrived at our high-altitude lodge, Khare, at an altitude of 4,950 meters. This is the last comfortable lodge; next comes the high camp, where we'll spend the night in tents. Tomorrow is a day of rest and snow training.

The 7 Summits Club super guide Dmitry Semenov reports from Nepal:

 Greetings from the mountains of Nepal, from the super group "Badgers Gangsters"! Today we moved to the next high-altitude lodge – in the village of Thangnak, at 4,270 meters. The weather tested us today. It rained for the first part of the journey, and then snowed in the second. Good gear and a cheerful mood helped us overcome these difficulties. Tomorrow we move to the next high-altitude lodge, in Khare (4,900 meters).

Hello everyone! We mentioned earlier that our unique program, in addition to Orizaba in Mexico, included another ascent for acclimatization before Chimborazo (our main goal). It's time to reveal that the third planned summit was Antisana Volcano—a solitary beauty standing at the gateway to the Amazon jungle.

Antisana, also a five-thousander (one of 10 in Ecuador), at 5,704 meters, is the fourth highest in Ecuador, but it's wilder, less visited, and more technically challenging. There are no shelters there; you have to set out from a tent camp, and you need to bring everything you need with you.

The idea of climbing the technical Antisana (immediately after Orizaba and Chimborazo) arose as preparation for future projects, namely, as a preparatory stage for Alpamayo (a beautiful, technically challenging peak in Peru).

BUT! The thought of Chimborazo was nagging at me! Our friends Rustam and Franklin, continuing to monitor the weather and the slopes on Chimborazo out of habit, saw a weather window emerging. The slopes had thawed and frozen, the steps to the summit had been cut, and there was a chance of reaching the coveted summit.

Forgetting about Antisana, our friends rushed back from Quito to Chimborazo Base Camp at 5,300m and prepared for another summit attempt!

BUT! Once again, the weather turned nasty, and this time it was a complete disaster with thunderstorms and lightning. The downpour turned to snow, and the trail began to snow before our eyes again. We had to wait out the main squall in the shelter.

Then, several more attempts were made to ascend higher, and at the same altitude of 5,750m, we decided to turn around! And yes, this was already our fourth attempt at Chimborazo! But you can't say that any opportunity was wasted!

Everything that could be done, and even more, was done to achieve the goal! What can I say? In Rustam's opinion, everything was great, except the weather!

 Further goals have already been set! And when Rustam reaches Alpamayo, he'll still be keeping an eye on the weather in Chimborazo!

 To be continued!

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from India:

Today is a happy day. We've finished our dispute with the Indian army and police. And today is Lyuda and I's wedding anniversary. 24 years. In fact, 25 years together!

We flew to the town of Leh in Ladakh. It's a wonderful place. Reminds me of Skardu in Pakistan. We visited the monasteries. This is Tibet. The faith is Buddhist and Muslim, just like in Pakistan.

The language is similar to Sherpa and Gilgit. Tomorrow we're leaving to climb Mount Ut Kangri, 6,045 meters high. We're developing a new program. We'll be leading groups in the Indian Himalayas.

Get ready, comrades!

The 7 Summits Club  Guide Boris Egorov reports from Nepal:

Hello everyone! We're going through tough times on Ama Dablam. Bad weather has arrived globally, but there's a window for climbing, and we're preparing to set out for Camp 1 tomorrow. We'll make a final decision tomorrow morning, though. Today, we decided to get our blood pumping and ran to the nearby village of Pangboche. We have good cappuccino at base camp, but it was just a change of scenery.

Mountaineering School in Tuyuk-Su. Today, our study group in Tuyuk-Su had a day of arrival at the Alpine Camp. All participants arrived, made their way there, got acquainted with the alpine camp, and learned the schedule. In the evening, we held a gala dinner, where participants received gifts from the 7 Summits Club.

Tomorrow, the acclimatization program begins. We plan to reach the high-altitude zone, as well as a lesson on the basic knots of mountaineering.

Guide: Ratmir Mukhametzyanov.