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Artem Rostovtsev, guide of the 7 Summits Club, finished 25th in the competition Ultra-Tour du Mont Blanc. Start was August 31, finish - September 1. Artem was the first runner fromRussiawho took part in this prestigious competition. His time was 13 hours, 41 minutes.

Frenchman Francois d’Haene was the overall winner of the 103km race, with a time of 10 hrs 31mins 30 secs, 31 minutes ahead of Swede Jonas Buud, withUSathlete Michael Foote third with a time of 11 hrs 19 mins 0 secs.

Lizzy Hawker (GB) crossed the finishing line atChamonixin 12hrs 32mins 13secs to take the women’s title early this morning in the tenth running of the event.

She came in 16th overall in a race shortened and switched to a different course because of severe weather conditions. Lizzy Hawker finished 45 minutes ahead of second-place Francesca Canepa.

This year’s Ultra-Tour du Mont Blanc took place wholly inFrance.

Difficult weather conditions high on some of the Alpine passes forced organisers to alter the route to avoid some areas, meaning runners will not pass throughItalyandSwitzerlandas in previous years.

The course has been shortened as a result to 100km, and the new route will entail about 6,000m of ascent.

Organisers said conditions on the Col du Bonhomme, Col de la Seigne and Grand Col Ferret were too difficult to run the race over.

My first time on Elbrus was in 1967. It was part of a climb to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Soviet Union where 2,500 people would attempt the summit en masse in a grand spectacle called “Kabardikiada”. At the time, I was studying to be a climbing instructor. The instructors-in-training at my school had been assigned a total of around 600 climbers – about 20 each. They were from all over the Caucasus region; from a number of different schools, clubs and organizations. As an aspiring climbing instructor, I was entrusted with a group of young climbers from Kabardino-Balkaria (a republic in southwestern Russia, just north of the Greater Caucasus Mountains), many of whom already had a few climbs under their belt. They arrived motivated and relatively well-prepared, but they were still very young. In the briefing I was given, it said that they were all at least 16 years of age (at the time, you had to be 16 to climb Elbrus), but just looking at their faces I could tell they were younger.

We put them through some training, but it was fairly minimal. It was raining most of the time.
The forecasts we were getting kept saying that July 29 would be the ideal day for the climb, so we began planning everything around this date. The day before the climb, we made our way to “Ice Base”. Our team was led by Honored Master of Sports (a title bestowed to esteemed athletes in the USSR) Aleksey Ugarov, one of the greatest climbers of that era and leader of the first expedition to conquer Peak Korzhenevskaya (7,105 m, Tajikistan).

I remember seeing Aleksey once in 1953. He was running around in nothing but leather shorts barking commands into a megaphone, trying to drive his team of young climbers onwards. It was quite a spectacle to behold, especially since the team hadn’t managed to get in the acclimatization it needed (due to bad weather) and most of us could barely move our legs.
Ice Base deserves a whole other story of its own. More than 2,000 people had been crammed into camp there. There were hundreds of tents, kitchens filled with provisions, a movie theater, a photo studio and a number of other buildings. We had initially been promised catering, but were instead treated to dry rations due to the heavy snowfall (the firewood was soaked). To us at the time, the food seemed fit for a king: chocolate, sour cream, fruits and other delicacies we had never even seen before in our lives.

On the morning of July 28, we all took part in a movie that was being shot about the expedition before setting out on an acclimatization climb. Amidst a backdrop of rockets being fired and shouts of “Hooray!” we began our ascent, only to get caught up in the deep snow within the first 10-15 meters. Many of us fell face-first in the snow while the cameras were rolling. A helicopter circled overhead, filming us from above as we waved our flags and banners. One small group of people arranged themselves to spell out “50 лет СССР” (50 years of the USSR). We all got tired pretty quick, and then came a strong snowstorm. We descended back down to our tents without getting in the proper acclimitization.

We began our attempt at the summit on July 29 at 2 AM. Our long “centipede” worked its way up to the “Refuge of the Eleven” where we were met by a crowd of climbers who had been camping out there. Most of our team made it to the refuge, but afterwards, our ranks started to dwindle. People were beginning to collapse; their legs just giving out on them. Many of the climbers who were falling were athletes: fighters and weightlifters that were not used to giving up. A volunteer rescue team was there to bring them back to their senses or to simply carry them back down the mountain. There were others who simply sat down in the snow, looked at their instructors and said that they couldn’t go any further. Many of the people we were forced to leave behind asked those of us left standing to take their “tokens” to the summit.

Before the climb, each of us had been given a token: a small aluminum disc inscribed with our name, hometown and date of birth.

At the summit, we were to drop this token into a metal box. We were told that this box would be reopened in the Year 2017 – the 100-year anniversary of Soviet power – and that each of the climbers who was still alive would be invited to a huge gathering to commemorate the climb. So it wasn’t really a matter of honor or pride; they just wanted us to drop their token in the metal box so they would be invited to the 100-year anniversary party and maybe receive some sort of award.

We ascended the mountain slowly but surely, losing some of our comrades along the way. Most of my young climbers from Kabardino-Balkaria had been forced to throw in the towel. As we approached the Pastukhova Rocks, only 4 remained from my original group of 20: a father and his son who was studying at the Nalchikskiy Institute and two young girls who simply refused to give up. At one of our stops along the way, one of the girls passed out, toppling over like a felled tree. I barely managed to catch her. I squeezed lemon juice into her mouth to revive her and sent both of the girls back down to the gathering point below, essentially passing them on to another instructor. The three of us still remaining pressed onward, gathering tokens along the way. I made it to the top along with the father-and-son duo. We dumped a handful of tokens into the metal box and had our pictures taken. We also had the chance to see a motorcycle that Mikhail Kakhiani and some of his friends had hauled up to the peak earlier. On the summit, rallies were held, speeches were given, shouts were heard and flags were waved. Everyone was having the time of their lives. All of my fellow instructors made it to the summit as well. We chatted for a while before leading what was left of our teams back down. The weathermen had been right on the mark. That was pretty much the only day we could have made an attempt at the summit. When we got back to the stadium at the Itkol Hotel below, we were given a hero’s welcome, as if we had achieved something incredible. There were flowers, fruits and drinks (only of the non-alcoholic variety for the climbers). I’ll remember everything that happened that day for a long time to come. My young climbers thanked me for teaching them and for helping them along. A few of us exchanged addresses and stayed in contact for a number of years following our climb.

So that’s how it all went down. My first climb on Elbrus was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Elbrus. Its beaming twin peaks beckoned to me as I looked through my window as a child.

Occasionally, some of my friends from school and I would hike towards the glistening giant. Sometimes we would even make it as far as the Bermamyt Plateau. At this point in my life, the thought of climbing Elbrus hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Later, I joined the mountaineering club at my university. We began to draw nearer and nearer – first to Irykchat (a glacier on the east side), then toChegetPeak(or Maliy Donguzorun, if you prefer)… Elbrus, however, remained out of reach. It was too great a challenge for us with our limited experience and our sub-par climbing equipment.

It was finally in 1996, the year I graduated, when our coach pulled a few of us aside and told us to start preparing for Elbrus. We had less than a month before our expedition, so we really had to get down to business. I would jog around Mashuk (a 10-kilometer run) three times a week. Every time the twin-peaked Elbrus came into view as I rounded the bend, I would think to myself, “I can do it. I have to. I haven’t been training this hard for nothing.” I imagined that this would be one of the major achievements of my early years. One of my friends was going to give birth. Another had found a job. I would be the one who climbed Elbrus.

On weekends, we would hike up to the highest peak in the foothills – Beshtau (1,401 m). I remember one of the last hikes before the big climb. My girlfriend and I were wearing our new shoes, which we had bought especially for Elbrus. They were leather, with a layer of Vibram. We spent just about everything we had on those shoes. The plan was to wear them in a bit so we wouldn’t get blisters on our big climb ahead. It turned out to be a good idea. What we had anticipated might have otherwise happened on Elbrus happened instead on Beshtau. Our feet were covered in blood. I had never had blisters that bad before.

The two of us were a sad sight as we headed back from Beshtau to meet up with our coach. I was limping, trying to hold back tears. Natasha forced me to keep a straight face: “Lyudmila, I know it hurts, but hang in there. You need to make it seem like everything’s fine. Smile!” It took every last ounce of my strength to force a smile.

Finally the time came. Elbrus isn’t just a climb. It’s a journey. We started out from the Ullu-Hurzuk valley and worked our way through four passes up to the Kukurtliu wall. In other words, we hiked from west of Elbrus to the north side of the mountain. On the way, we even saw a bear!

We started our attempt at the summit from the Oliiniykovskiy Hut at 3,600 m. It was around 2 o’clock at night. It was windy. Around 5 o’clock in the morning the wind started to get even worse. “It’s nothing, just a light morning breeze,” our guide told us. That quote would later became an inside joke among us, especially since the winds got even worse – it was practically a hurricane up there. Despite the worsening conditions, we knew there was no turning back. We had worked too hard. We finally made it to the western summit around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Sure, we were slow – the climb took us more than 12 hours – but we made it. And that’s what counts.

I have had the chance to climb Elbrus a number of times since then: with friends, with clients, the eastern peak, the western peak… even the “Cross”. However, that first climb will always be the most special to me.

Alpari-life.ru

Currently, Canadian Elia Saikaly is on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. August 24, he was with a group on Cheget .. Great weather contributed to good photos. On the eve of his departure for Russia Saikaly published a nice article about the features of climbing Elbrus ..

Elia Saikaly is a Canadian social entrepreneur whose award-winning films, global adventures and dynamic public engagement initiatives inspire others to FIND their most meaningful LIFE and spark positive change.

Whether he’s traveling with a nomadic tribe in the Sahara, climbing the world’s highest peaks, (4 Everest Expeditions + Cho Oyu and 5 of the Seven Summits) or communing with polar bears in the Far North—Elia has proven himself to have the determination, stamina, skill, resourcefulness and vision required to meet the greatest of challenges.

As an adventure filmmaker, he has successfully broadcast back webisodes to networks such as CTV, NBC, CBC and RDS from some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet including Mt. Everest where he successfully shot, edited and broadcast a web series from the top of the world to over 20 000 Canadian students.

http://www.findinglife.ca/

FindingLife

http://vimeo.com/34680158#at=0

Everest:Summit!

So You Want to ClimbMount Elbrus

I'll never forget the day I was sitting in the airport lounge inAtlantain 2008, on my way toRussiato climb the highest mountain in Europe, when I looked up at the monitor and read the headline "War erupts betweenRussiaandGeorgia".

My flight was set to depart toRussiain less than 45 mins and I could hardly believe what I was seeing on television. In that moment, I was 'pinged' by my climbing partner Omar, an Egyptian friend, who wrote, "A bit of alarming news. War erupted and we're unsure if we'll be able to climb. See you inMoscow". "See you inMoscow? That's it? We were about to be climbing in an area next to the war zone and all I get is "See you inMoscow?"

I was new to climbing and I had never been toRussiabefore. I had yet to meet my team and I was there not only to climb, but to shoot the entire experience in HD video. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time since I had no idea what was going to happen. Would we be permitted to climb? Would the country be off limits? Would we be sent home upon arrival? We had a lot at stake, including our lives. Here is a glimpse of what happened on

Day One:

http://youtu.be/6CbeKBXEm90

So let's talk a bit aboutMount Elbrus. Famed and sought after by climbers all across the globe for being credited as the highest mountain inEurope, the mountain has two summits, the west (and higher summit) towers 5642m and the east summit (just slightly lower) stands 5621m. In mountaineering circles, it's often climbed by those seeking to complete the challenge of the seven summits -- to climb the highest mountain on every continent.

I sometimes refer to Elbrus as the Kilimanjaro of Europe. Like Kilimanjaro, it's the highest mountain on the continent, it's accessible, quite affordable when you compare it to other notorious peaks such as Everest and it's easy enough that just about anyone who is fit and who has basic mountaineering skills can reach the summit. What makes Elbrus dangerous is that some amateur adventure seeking enthusiasts make the mistake of underestimating the mountains and die on her flanks. In 2003, various unofficial sources claim that there were 48 deaths in the surrounding area. However, the biggest threat to any climber is the weather which I ultimately experienced first hand by the end of my first expedition in 2008.

So why did I climb Elbrus? It's simple: I was hired to document an all-Arabic expedition whose climb was in support of a Middle Eastern charity. I was brought along as the sole filmmaker, my classic 'one- man show', whose responsibility was to capture and document the climb, using a wide array of Canon DSLR's and accessories, from the base to the summit of the mountain.

Given my mountaineering history (a few Everest expeditions, 5 of the seven summits, Cho Oyu etc.) Elbrus should have been a piece of cake right? It's lower than Kilimanjaro and there's a chairlift that takes you up to 3000m point. In fact, you can even buy shish kabobs at the top of the chairlift if you're hungry. Did I mention Elbrus was a ski resort? Yup, that's right. You, your friends, and even grandma can ride the chairlift and get within striking distance of the summit without even exerting yourself provided that you're familiar with getting off chairlifts. Joking aside, 3000m and above is where the climbing begins. In my case, climbing was the easy part. Dealing with all of my technology, at a high altitude and uncontrolled environment, with a group of people that weren't willing to wait for me to 'get the shot' was what made my task of reaching the top three times harder than my colleagues.

Imagine this: every time you decide to roll camera, you're expending energy that you need for your summit climb. When you do decide to roll, you need to be conscious of how much time/energy it will require to catch up to the group -- an exhausting endeavour at high altitudes. If you manage to catch up to the group, you're likely out of breath and unable to stabilize the camera due to your panting. If you're ambitious and want to get ahead of the group to create a shot of the entire group coming towards you, then you'll need to factor in how much energy that requires as well.

You're carrying your camera gear in addition to all of the gear that everyone else is carrying like water, warm clothes, extra gloves, food etc. You're wearing crampons (spikes on the bottom of your boots) and risk tripping and falling down the mountain while destroying your equipment. In addition, you worry about storytelling, audio, interviews and the grandest of challenges, backing up all of your footage and recharging all of your batteries in the cold while everyone is sleeping peacefully after their arduous day.

The lack of rest and exhaustion you experience hinders your body's ability to properly acclimatize and lessens your chances of remaining healthy and strong and summiting the mountain. Add to this the beauty of this is that the more you worry about all the things that can go wrong, the greater the toll the altitude takes on you and minimizes your chances of succeeding.

So how did I deal with all of this? I followed some simple rules that can be applied to any climb. Whether you're climbing Kilimanjaro, Elbrus orMt.Everest. Here is what I did to stay healthy; ensure I stayed with the team and delivered outstanding footage to my client.

#1) Manage your stress:

No matter what happens, take the climb is one step and one day at a time. I will not worry about anything. EVER. That's the code. I'll be conscious of all things occuring around me and within my own body but I will not allow my mind to create unnecessary stress. If you remain stress free, then you're halfway there. I've seen too many people psych themselves out and as a result the body shuts down.

#2) Manage the basics:

Sleep. Food. Water. This is the simple science of mountaineering. It sounds like first-grade advice but you'd be amazed to know how many people mess this up. Altitude can suppress your appetite. Even if you're not hungry, eat anyway! You are in control. Your body is burring calories at an exhorborent rate. Feed it and you're chances of success will be maximized. Drink four to five litres of water a day and try to sleep eight hours. In my case, this was a challenge, but it will be the key to staying healthy so I can shoot the entire climb, from base to summit.

#3) Check your ego at the door:

That means having the humility to know when your body is sending you warning signs.AcuteMountainSickness -- otherwise known as AMS -- can affect anyone at anytime. If left untreated, AMS can lead to very serious cases of pulmonary and cerebral edema, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs and the brain. The side effects could be as severe as death. The Canadian climber who died this past spring onMount Everestsuffered from edema. If you have a headache, it's the first sign. Nausia, insomnia, irritability, lack of appetite etc. are all warning signs that you're pushing your body too hard or that you're not acclimating optimally. In my case, if I needed to rest and slow down, I would.

#4) Monitor your oxygen saturation:

This is the amount of oxygen saturation in the blood. I'll be carrying a pulse/oxymetre with me for my next climb. This will contribute (as I don't rely on these devices as the sole indicator of low saturation) to the overall picture of my health.

#5) Smile. Laugh. Breathe.

Live the experience in the moment. Nothing is quite like being above the clouds, close to the heavens, ever-present and living an adventure.

So how do you know if climbing Elbrus is for you? Well, if you've doneMountKilmanjaroand you're looking for the next mountain challenge, Elbrus could be for you. You'll need some basic mountaineering skills to pull it off, a strong team, a logistics or expeditions company like my friends at Adventure Alternative. It's slightly lower in altitude compared to Kilimanjaro, but you're climbing on snow and mixed terrain which is a different ballgame entirely. Your fitness level should be high in order to maximize your experience. The last thing you ever want to do is climb above the clouds and be staring at your feet the entire time!

Seven years ago, I took a huge risk to pursue a career as an adventure filmmaker. I shut down my small, corporate video-production business and gave it all up to chase my dream of becoming an adventure filmmaker. and it's moments like these remind me that those risks were all worth taking. You can never go wrong by doing what you love and following your passion.

I ended up reaching the summit on one of the most miserable days in August-Elbrus history. I stood on the summit with my close friend Omar Samra, against all odds, with zero visibility as we shared an unforgettable adventure together that remains to this day, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I can only hope to be so fortunate this time round. If I'm truly fortunate, I may even be gifted with a clear and unobstructed view from the rooftop ofEurope.

Reach for the skies in all that you do everyone!

Follow Elia Saikaly on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eliasaikaly

Today, the entire team of 7 Summits Club climbed to the top of theWestern Elbrus. This 10 members from Tyumen and 4 guides. And then four person and guide Alexander Abramov also ascended the Eastern peak of Elbrus. Thus, having a "cross of Elbrus." This Kristina Melnikova, Julia Anisimova, Pavel Rudenko and Salavat Mananov. At the Western Peak they were at 8 a.m., and on the East at 10:45. The team managed to reach Terskol on the evening. The weather was beautiful.

Tomorrow all members fly away home.

In a group of 10 climbers fromTyumen:

1. Kristina Melnikova

2. Andrey Frank

3. Christina Novoseltseva

4. Salavat Mananov

5. Oleg Pestov-Zhukov

6. Marina Pestova-Zhukova

7. Julia Anisimova

8. Xenia Malgavko

9. Pavel Rudenko

10. Vadim Abanin.

4 guides - Alexander Abramov, Andrey Berezin, Alexey Vodolazkin and Hussei Kuchmezov. And Lena Trishankova - Manager of our Nepal office.

A new refuge on the Saddle of Elbrus

Today, August 22, the group of the 7 Summits Club, eight climbers + one guide, reached the summit of Mount Ararat. All are healthy, all went down on the same day to the camp 4200 m. The next day, the team went down to the city of Dogubayazit and continues the program….

The team:

1. Oleg Wightman

2. Luba Ivanova

3. Vitali Kareev

4. Igor Kareev

5. Vasily Kolesnikov

6. Svetlana Kolesnikova

7. Artem Romanov

8. Vyacheslav Romanov

9. Alexey Soloviev.

The famous Austrian skyrunner Christian Stangl returned home from the Karakoram. After successfully climbing the second highest peak of the world - K2, he completed a program of "seven second summits of all continents." Now the 46-year-old athlete is committed to complete the program, "21 century - 21 summits", that is to climb the three highest peaks of all continents. Next year Stangl should climb up to the third highest peak in the Caucasus Shkhara. This is a rather complicated and dangerous peak, the official height of 5193 meters. It can be climbed both from Russia and from Georgia- Shkhara is the highest peak in this country.

After attempting to false an ascent in 2010, Stangl shared attention to the proof of the fact of reaching the top. Among other things, he made a panorama.

Photos published by Adam Bielecki.

Group of Victor Saunders (known English guide, climber and writer) today climbedMount Elbrus. Two climbers reached the summit, one could not. The weather conditions were very hard. Today's climb was made at the third attempt, before that a storm, strong gale and poor visibility made it impossible to reach far then Pastukhov rocks.

Before Elbrus the group climbed the second highest peak of the Caucasus- Dykhtau.

Victor Saunders

Hello! This is Alex Abramov. I am currently working as a guide ofTyumenteam of 10 climbers. Weather is disgusting. We went yesterday to Cheget; it was hail, very strong winds. The guys got it. Yesterday they took the new equipment in our shop. I hope everything will be good now.

Now we are trying to climb the shelter Bochki, on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. The weather is bad. The cable car is not working. But we are going.

7 Summits, hello! This is Dmitry Ermakov from the slopes of Peak Communism. Yesterday, August 19, all the remaining group in the amount of four people climbed to the top ofCommunism Peak. These were Andrey Podolyan, Sergei Shchekoldin, Dmitry Ermakov and our local guide Misha. Now we go down to the base camp. The weather is beautiful, a mood is great . So, all is well. Hello!

On August 18, a new group of 7 Summits Club flew toTurkeyto climb Ararat. They are our friends fromNizhny Novgorod, from the club of travelers "Parallel". 6 people from Nizhny Novgorod and two participants fromMoscowandSt. Petersburg. And our guide Luba Pershina.

Now the group is in a camp at 3200 meters. The team is trying to acclimatize before storming the biblical mountain.

Traverse of Mont Blanc was made by the fitness clubs World Class team with guides of the 7 Summits Club.

Team (11 people):

Alexey Levkin - Coach World Class, organizer fitness tour ofMont Blanc,

Igor Konovalov - coach of the World Class,

Dmitry Onishchenko,

Anton Kuzkin,

Maxim Kozin,

Sergey Zhukovsky.

Daria Ufimtseva,

Tatiana Monakhova,

Natalia Fraiman,

Oksana Avdeeva

Irina Redina.

Guides:

Denis Savelyev,

Artem Rostovtsev,

Boris Tenigin,

Pavel Milanov,

Tina Taova - Tour of "7 Summits Club".

Yesterday, 15/08/2012, the following members of an international group of 7 Summits Club reached the summit:

Geoffrey Ritchie Wood,
George Mark Chambers Beattie,
Derek John Mahon,
Rasmus David Bugge Henriksen,
Bent Henriksen.

Noel Richmond Hanna was their guide, he ascended the summit of the two days - 14.08 and 15.08.

08/14/2012 the ascent and ski descent made by:

Noel Richmond Hanna,
Adam Paul Leeb,
Eberhard AAlfred Lange.

From 16 people in the group, only eight made it to the summit! According to witnesses, who on the same day was on the mountain, at the top you can just lie! Wind is not even allowed to walk on all fours!
This is a very good result, because the weather is nasty, snowing with rain and terrible wind. And the forecast is until bleak!

7 Summits, hello! This is Dima Ermakov from the base camp Moskvin glade. Today, our holiday is completed. Tomorrow we will go up to the side of Communism Peak. Four people will try go to the top: Dmitry Ermakov, Andrew Podolyan, Sergey Schekoldin and our local guide Misha. Gena Maykov, Vladimir Danilov and Mikhail Filippov will wait for the helicopter. They plan to fly out 18th of August, by the first flight. All members feel good, all are rested. So, all is well with us. Hello!

Communism Peak

Photos from Korzhenevskaa Peak

The Summit Ridge

The Summit !

Communism Peak

Just we finished the first phase of World Class Team to ascend to the highest point in Western Europe - Mont Blanc. Today the team have made a simple acclimatization walk to the summit of Mont Joly (2525 m). All love it! Weather was great! Guides (Denis Saveliev and Artem Rostovtsev) noted that the group is strong enough prepared. At least 2 months before the trip, all participants were trained in a special program to maximize the chances of a successful ascent.

The team (11 people):

Alex Levkin - Coach World Class, the organizer of the fitness of the tour of Mont Blanc,

Igor Konovalov - World Class Coach,

Dmytry Onishchenko,

Anton Kuzkin ,

Maxim Kozin,

Sergei Zhukovsky,

Daria Ufimtseva,

Tatiana Monakhova,

Natalia Fraiman,

Oksana Avdeeva,

Irina Redina .

Guides:

Denis Saveliev

Artem Rostovtsev

Boris Tenigin

Pavel Milanov

Tina Taova - co-organizer of the tour of the "7 Summits Club", a photographer :)

An international team was working on the program “Elbrus from the north”. Three members reached the eastern peak of Mount Elbrus. This: Charles Wesley Clements III (U.S.), Ionut Radu Ropota (Romania) and James Richardson (Canada). Another climber Charles Wesley Clements II reached an altitude of 5350m. Two person did not summit attempt. This is Adam Roberts (Canada) and Grant Lester (UK). All climbers are down to Kislovodsk, are happy and plan for next year to conquer the Mount Elbrus from the south side. In the evening at a gala dinner guides presented certificates to all participants of the expedition.

 We made it ! And made fast enough - for 5 hours to the summit and back at 7 hours. It's faster than many local guides, but we were three. The weather was great, but eve was snow and the state of the route was "not very good" on the rocks - a lot of snow We are very pleased with the ascent. I heartily congratulate my fellow Roman Grezky and Alexei Kabanov. It was not easy.

Hi! It is Ludmila Korobeshko from Pastukhov Rocks. So, now our multi-ethnic group descended? We reached almost in full the top, the western summit of Elbrus. One climber, Brazilian, failed to reach the top. For her it was the first experience in the mountains. In general, we have risen fast enough, go down also quickly. It should be noted that the "ringleader" was Irena, and the men ran after her. And it should be noted, of course, Catherine, for which it was also the first experience in the mountains. Interestingly, she won the trip on the joint action of the Red Fox and 7 Summits Club. It was hard for her, but she managed, and now she runs down, so that we could not hijack her. In general, we're having a good time and enjoy life. But we finally celebrate, of course, when the go down to his shelter. Hello!

The group led by Victor Bobok successfully reached the summit of Lenin Peak. Here are some photos from this expedition. Summiters: Andrew Filkov, Alexander Morozov, Lilia Boguchara and Victor Bobok.

Greetings from Tokyo! Yesterday, the entire group gathered in Tokyo. And today we went to the foot of Mount Fuji. Yesterday, we went sightseeing in Tokyo. It is very hot, the temperature 32, humidity 95%. Tonight we're going to go to the top of Mount Fuji. Hello from Japan from Marina ! Good-bye!