Asia - Page 5

Greetings from Iran! "Perseus and the Perseids" have started the decisive part of the Damavand ascent program. The night before, we spent the night in the brand new Arses motel with an excellent kitchen, where everyone had their own room the size of an apartment, and from the balcony there were magnificent views of the other side of the valley. This morning, we climbed in retro jeeps to the Mosque, and then made a six-hour climb to the camp at 4200 m, where we will spend three nights. The weather is good, our Iranian guides note the unusually warm season on the mountain, we hope that we will be lucky too. Guide Valery Myasoedov.

Today, in bad weather conditions, the Manaslu-25 team was able to fly to the village of Samagaon, located at an altitude of 3600 meters. The trail to the Base Camp begins from here. However, not all of them arrived. Two flights landed in Samagaon, and the third did not make it and

stayed in the village 17 km below us. Tomorrow, the guys will probably walk up. Like the entire expedition, this will be a day of acclimatization at this altitude.

 Photos by Olga Rumyantseva (Life as an adventure)

The 7 Summits Club Guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Iran:

Hello everyone from sunny Iran! Our group "Perseus and the Perseids" is climbing higher and higher to Damavand, going deeper and deeper into the country and getting closer and closer to the cherished goal.

Today the team acclimatized and enjoyed the views of Tehran, Damavand and the surrounding mountain ranges from the slopes of Mount Tochal.

Then we moved closer to Damavand. We stayed in a cozy hotel at the foot of the mountain. We received permits for the ascent in a ceremonial atmosphere, regained our strength in the healing thermal springs, tasted local cuisine and enjoyed the views in anticipation of a closer acquaintance with the mountain.

Tomorrow, according to the plan, the group should already reach the Base Camp at an altitude of 4150 meters.

The 7 Summits Club guide Andrey Berezin reports from Nepal:

Namaste from Nepal! The main group of the 8000 Club Manaslu expedition gathered in Kathmandu. We visited the city's sights, participated as spectators in the colorful Indra Jatra festivities. We packed our things, bought the necessary equipment for the expedition. Tomorrow morning we fly to the village of Samagaon at the foot of our mountain. The group's guides are Alexander Abramov and Andrey Berezin.

Valery Myasoedov, the 7 Summits Club Guide, reports from Iran:

 Greetings from Iran! Yes, it has happened! The only group of this season to Damavand arrived in Tehran today. How we waited for this and hoped that the country would open up and welcome us again. At first glance, everything is as before, life is in full swing, the bustle of the capital and traffic jams, the bazaars and shops are open, our favorite local team, our best hotel Espinas Palace...

 Everyone remembers us and was waiting for us. According to tradition, today there was a city tour, a visit to the Tajrish bazaar and the mosque of the same name. At lunch in the Milad Tower, the group was already in full force, some of the participants arrived on a daytime flight. After lunch we stopped at a store with oriental sweets, bought pistachios and other goodies, and upon returning to the hotel we checked our gear. At the welcome we got to know each other better and discussed the program for tomorrow. The day flew by in an instant. Tomorrow we are going up to the mountain hotel for acclimatization.

President of the 7 Summits Club, head of the Manaslu expedition Alexander Abramov from Nepal:

 My 30th expedition to eight-thousanders has begun. We are going to Manaslu. I have 25 expeditions to Everest, one to Manaslu and three to Cho Oyu. In them, 16 ascents to peaks above 8000 m have been made. I can't believe it myself! Today we received a permit for the mountain and the first participants have arrived. Everything is going according to plan.

According to our Nepalese team, the Manaslu Base Camp is fully prepared to receive our expedition. Comfortable personal tents, public areas, a kitchen, and a toilet. Food, gas, a generator, and oxygen cylinders for climbers and Sherpas have been delivered to the camp. Everything is going according to plan. We hope that the weather will not present any unpleasant surprises this year. A combined team of Sherpas from the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal (EOAN) is already working on the route. Seven experienced fighters promise to hang ropes along the entire route by mid-month. As usual, there will be a large number of climbers on Manaslu in the fall. Good luck to them all and to return victorious and without injuries!

 Base Camp, September 2, 2025

 On September 3, the President of the 7 Summits Club company, Alexander Abramov, flies to Nepal. Our traditional autumn expedition to the Himalayan eight-thousander Manaslu begins. This time, under the flag of the 8000 Club, we have gathered an impressive team of 12 participants and three guides. For about half of the participants, this will be the first attempt to climb the eight-thousander. The rest can already be called "collectors". We are following the information from Nepal!

 Expedition participants  MANASLU 2025

 FEDOROV EVGENII

PILSHCHIKOV DMITRII

SAGUTDINOV FARID

DYACHUK YURY

AKSENOV ALEKSEI

SKLIAR ROMAN

WOLFSON DANIELLE

KHOMKOV VLADISLAV

KERNITSKIY VASILY

SIVKOV ALEKSEI

RUMYANTSEVA OLGA

ANTIPINSKIY ANDREY

Guides

ABRAMOV ALEXANDER

BEREZIN ANDREI

EGOROV BORIS

Galymzhan Kuspanov from Iran: Tonight at 4:30 we were preparing to start the climb. We had breakfast and set off, and reached the summit at a good pace in 6 hours. The route is completely trekking. Along the way we saw an ice waterfall that never thaws, as well as sulfur emissions that look like steam from a giant boiling kettle. Hydrogen sulfide actively comes to the surface, it even burns your throat. Everyone puts on buffs over their mouth and nose, and tries to run past this place as quickly as possible.

The smell is about the same as a burnt match. But seeing a living volcano is very romantic.

We went down to the Base Camp in 2.5 hours, mostly on scree, flashlights were very useful, they protected us from small stones. The weather was windless and excellent all day!

The sixth volcano out of seven brings the dream of completing the entire "seven volcanoes" project closer.

Iran/Damavand. News from the "Otkryvashka (Opener)" group, that is, from Galymzhan Kuspanov.

 Today we made an acclimatization rotation - preparation for the night ascent to the summit. The day after tomorrow I plan to make the ascent and then descend to Tehran. I'm a little worried, our guide Maryam promised to give me an exam on the history of Persia.

I feel good, my mood is cheerful. It's calm here.

The "Opener" group, having experienced all the joys of living in hospitable and fabulous Tehran, enjoying Iranian cuisine, making acclimatization trips to Derbent and Tochal, receiving a beautiful permit for climbing in the office of the Mountaineering Federation, bathing in the pleasant health thermal baths of Rineh, set out for the Damavand Base Camp this morning. Having taken pictures against the backdrop of probably the highest mosque in the world 3100m, and having loaded their bags onto mules, they quickly reached the Base Camp 4200m lightly.

We settled in a cozy house (thanks to the 7 Summits Club) to the envy of numerous residents of the tent city.

His own Russian guide and participant Galymzhan Kuspanov from Kazakhstan.

The 7 Summits Club guide Viktor Volodin sends from Georgia:

Greetings to everyone from the "Syty Kazbek" group! And the well-fed will not enlighten the hungry. And so we put a bold point in the form of khinkali! Yesterday, the entire group in full health and sanity climbed to the top of Kazbek. Congratulations and awards to everyone!

The 7 Summits Club group "To Ararat with Ararat" climbed to the top of Mount Ararat today, with Ararat (that's the name of one of our participants), but not only with him, but the whole team! Hooray! At two o'clock in the morning we left the camp and climbed to the top at a steady, measured pace. At the top of the route there was a fairly strong wind, about 40 kilometers per hour, but it did not break us, and we reached the summit of Mount Ararat. Then there was a long, rather grueling descent, first to the assault camp, then to the base camp and then to the hotel. Now we have all settled into the hotel and are resting. With you was the guide of the 7 Summits Club Sergey Avtomonov.

The 7 Summits Club group "To Ararat with Ararat" climbed to the assault camp today. The day was very hot and we walked to the camp slowly. It is not very clear whether this made it easier or not, but all the participants feel good and are ready for the ascent. In the evening, we adjusted the crampons, decided what everyone should wear for the exit. The weather forecast for the day of the assault promises sun and breeze. So, at night we go to the ascent. With you was the guide of the 7 Summits Club Sergey Avtomonov.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin sends from Kyrgyzstan:

 Hello to everyone from Kyrgyzstan! The "Old Bucks" group successfully climbed to the top of Lenin Peak, height 7134 meters. After a week of waiting, we finally caught a weather window between periods of strong winds, and climbed to the summit in excellent weather conditions. Today we are already in the first camp. Tomorrow - the trek to Achiktash and then immediately go to Osh. We were late!

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Viktor Volodin reports from Georgia:

 Latest news from the group "Well-fed Kazbek". Today our team in full force climbed for acclimatization to an altitude of four thousand meters, to a small chapel located above the Meteorological Station. Then we held theoretical classes on equipment, remembered how to put on crampons on high-altitude boots and also tested all the equipment in practice. After lunch there was rest and preparation for an early start to the ascent. The group members feel great, their appetite is good.

Our group on Ararat decided on its name, we are called "To Ararat with Ararat". Today we went radially from the base camp to the assault camp. The whole group safely reached the height of 4200. It was warm and comfortable. We walked slowly and slowly reached the camp. We sat there for half an hour, then went down to the base camp. Now we are resting, getting ready to go to the assault camp tomorrow. From where we go to the summit at night. With you was the guide of the 7 Summits Club Sergey Avtomonov.

The 7 Summits Club guide Viktor Volodin sends from Georgia:

 Warm greetings from sunny Georgia! Today the group "Well-fed Kazbek" left the lodge "Altihut" (3014 m) and, slowly, in good weather, reached the Meteorological Station, also known as the refuge "Betlemi Hut", at an altitude of 3650 meters. We settled in, rested, ate, enjoyed the views. The participants and the guide are feeling great.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Viktor Volodin sends from Georgia:

 Big greetings from sunny Georgia from the group "well-fedKazbek"! Today our whole team started from the village of Stepantsminda in the direction of the summit. Before leaving, each participant threw in about 50 khinkali and khachapuri, washing it all down with saperavi. Then we got to the church by car, from where our path ran along a picturesque path, through the Sabertse pass (3000 m), and after lunch we reached our goal. We checked into a very comfortable lodge "Altihat" with all the amenities. The participants feel great, their appetites are good.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin sends from Kyrgyzstan:

 Hello to everyone from Kyrgyzstan! The "Old Bucks" group has climbed to the Camp 3 of Lenin Peak, from where we will set out to climb tonight. The wind was blowing and snowing all day while we were walking from Camp 2 to Camp 3. We settled into tents, had dinner and went to bed. Tomorrow is the climb.