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The famous French alpinist Lionel Daudet completed his program Tour de France or Dodetour. On Thursday, with excellent weather, he climbed Mont Blanc with friends Francois Damilano, David Othman and Vincent Sprungli. Lionel with Vincent went paragliding straight toChamonix. It was a feast! Thus, Daudet completed the route along the borders ofFrance: more than 7,000 kilometers on foot, bike and kayak. More than 400 days on the road, hundreds summits of climbing, a lot of excitement.

Today Alex and Lyuda arrived in Crimea. They gave a rent car in the airport of Simferopol and after 2 hours were at the rock area Nikita. They spent afternoon climbing with their partners.

Tomorrow they will try to climb a new route on the famous peak of Ai-Petri. This long multipitch route was open by Ukrainian climber Alexander Malinkevich few days ago and named after our Club  - “Seven Summits”.

Ai-Petri

Farewell ceremony with Ilyas Tukhvatullin and Ivan Lobanov, was held on November 15 in Tashkent. They were killed in an avalanche while climbing to the peak of Annapurna October 7, 2012. In the picture we see that same avalanche. The photo was taken by Alexander Bykov from Camp 2, where they were climbing. He came early and stayed alive.

One of the last photos of Ilyas Tukhvatullin and Ivan Lobanov, a few minutes before the crash. Ilyas is downstairs, he stopped to communicate by radio. A short time later, all this space will be filled with rubble of ice.

Unique photo by Gleb Sokolov, clearly visible location of the break area of snow and ice avalanche, which gives an idea of its real titanic scale.

http://www.racek-club.climberca.com/

The Snows of Kilimanjaro by NASA….

The views from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro—a 5,895-meter (19,341-foot) dormant stratovolcano inTanzania—are as surreal as they are spectacular. After ascending through multiple ecosystems—including cropland, lush rainforest, alpine desert, and a virtual dead zone near the summit—climbers can find themselves peering down on a thick blanket of clouds below that seems to stretch endlessly in the distance.

But in the immediate foreground, ice dominates the view. Looking north, a shelf-like block of ice with a sharp vertical cliff sits on an otherwise featureless, sand-covered plateau. In the other direction, a second ice field spills off the edge of the plateau, down the mountain’s southern face.

Kimberly Casey, a glaciologist based at NASA’sGoddardSpaceFlightCenter, was savoring the views from Kilimanjaro’s summit and caldera when she snapped these panoramic images of Kilimanjaro’s northern (middle) and southern (bottom) ice fields. The Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 satellite acquired the top image, which shows some of the same ice fields from above on October 26, 2012.

Casey was taking part in a September 2012 research expedition to Kilimanjaro to study the ice at the summit. For scale, bright tents that were part of the scientists' base camp are visible in the lower left of the northern ice field image.

Despite Mount Kilimanjaro’s location in the tropics, the dry and cold air at the top of the mountain has sustained large quantities of ice for more than 10,000 years. At points, ice has completely surrounded the crater. Studies of ice core samples show that Kilimanjaro’s ice has persisted through multiple warm spells, droughts, and periods of abrupt climate change.

But trends beginning more than a century ago suggest Kilimanjaro’s peaks may soon be ice-free. Between 1912 and 2011, the mass of ice on the summit decreased by more than 85 percent. Researchers say it’s no longer a question of whether the ice will disappear but when. Estimates vary, but several scientists predict it will be gone by 2060.

Rising air temperatures due to global warming could be contributing to the ice loss, but a number of other factors are just as important, if not more so. An increasingly dry regional atmosphere, for example, is starving the mountain of the fresh snow needed to sustain the ice fields. Drier air is also reducing cloud cover and allowing more solar energy to warm the ice surfaces.

Casey and colleagues noticed yet another ominous sign during their 2012 expedition. The northern ice field, which had been developing a hole since the 1970s, has separated. “This was the first year that the northern ice field completely divided into two,” said Casey.

“We were able to walk on land—or we could have even ridden a bicycle—directly through the rift.”

Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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Local Ultra Runner Completes Circuit of Mount Kilimanjaro

Saint Louisresident Jerry Frost was recently one of the first people in the world to run a complete circuit around the tallest freestanding mountain in the world: Mount Kilimanjaro. Frost, an ultra marathoner in his fifties, spent eight days running around the base of Mount Kilimanjaroas part of the first annual Stage Run around the Roof of Africa, a run hosted by the Tanzanian adventure outfitter Summit Expeditions & Nomadic Experience (SENE). Frost was one of ten international ultra runners to participate in this groundbreaking running event October 18-28. Other participants includedBoulderColorado’s Krissy Moehl, one of the most highly regarded female ultra marathoners in the world, and Simon Mtuy, Guinness world record holder for fastest unassisted ascent and descent ofMount Kilimanjaro. The runners were accompanied by videographer Andrew King ofSouth Africa’s D4 Productions, who is creating a short video series of the event that will be available later this year.

Frost and the other SENE Stage Run participants ran 170 miles and endured a total ascent of more than 35,000 feet as they ran around the steep slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The terrain was intense and varied as the group ran through rainforests, dry plains, coffee plantations, villages, and deep valleys on the ancient footpaths of the indigenous Chagga people. The run was fully supported and the participants enjoyed chef-prepared breakfasts and dinners at camp and snacks and beverages on the trail. The runners got a taste of local culture when they camped at local villages in the evenings. They also supported reforestation efforts by planting trees in thevillage of Marangu. On the fourth night, the runners were lucky enough to enjoy hot showers and comfortable accommodations at Simba Farm inWest Kilimanjaro.

The ultra runners did not encounter any major injuries or set-backs over the course of the run, and all runners completed the circuit within the time allotted. On their last night, the runners enjoyed a celebratory evening at Simon Mtuy’s private Mbahe Farm before parting ways and moving on to their next big adventures.

For more information, please visit

 http://www.facebook.com/StageRunAroundTheRoofOfAfrica?fref=ts

 or http://tanzaniatrailrunning.com/

Source: interact.stltoday.com

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All-women Nepali team to scale Mt Kilimanjaro

KATHMANDU: Two years after scaling the highest mountains in Australia and Russia, the all-women Nepali mountaineer team is all set to climb Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895m), the tallest peak of Africa, with the theme ‘A journey to educate young girls’ from March 1-7 next year.

In a mission to climb the tallest mountains in all seven continents, this will be their fourth expedition.

The Seven Summits expedition team successfully scaled Mt Everest (8,848m in Asia), Mt Kosciuszko (2,228m inAustralia), Mt Elbrus (5,642m in Europe) in 2008 and 2010 respectively.

Less than 300 people in the world have climbed the seven summits, of them only 51 are women where only two Nepali men have achieved this feat so far.

Shailee Basnet, team coordinator, said they would be highlighting the importance of ‘girl education’ during Mt Kilimanjaro climb ‘Kili for a cause’.

The team has been promoting girls’ education in coordination with various government and non-government organisations since their first expedition. “We have already reached out to 11,000 students in more than 100 schools across the country to promote education for girls,” she said.

The Nepali team will be joined by three African women to highlight the significance of

girl education around the world.

One of the climbers is a dynamic youth activist advocating against early marriage, the other is a teacher from the nearly extinct bushmen tribe called ‘the Hadzabes’ and the third climber is Hlubi Mboya (on the picture), a popular television actress in Southern Africa who is also the World Food Programme Ambassador against Hunger in South Africa.

According to Basnet, Nepali and Tanzanian climbers will be visiting various schools in Arusha andDares-Salaam,Tanzaniato tell their stories and encourage young students about the importance of education and to achieve their dreams.

The total budget for the Kilimanjaro climb is $50,000 in which 50 per cent will go to charity.

Childreach International is setting up online global donation campaign for the event.

The United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) is sponsoring the climb for three African Women. They will also produce a documentary movie featuring the climb.

The all-women Nepali mountaineer team on the slopes of Elbrus

Source: thehimalayantimes.com

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25 new peaks to be open for climbing

The government is planning to open new peaks that are in demand for the promotion of mountain tourism and to create new destinations.

The government had, in 2003, opened 111 new peaks, and later nine other peaks in 2004, but since then no new peaks have been opened. Currently, 326 peaks are allowed for mountain expeditions and adventure sports.

“We will soon forward our study report of the peaks that can be opened for expeditions like other regular peaks,” said under secretary at the Tourism Industry Division Surendra Sapkota. The division is currently studying applications from various regions that have requested the government to open certain summits for expeditions.

“We have a list of applications requesting us to open restricted peaks to create fresh destinations for tourists who arrive inNepalfor mountain and adventure tourism,” said Sapkota. “We are going through the documents and studying peaks that can be allowed for expeditions, and we are also taking suggestions from other related associations on the matter,” he said.

“As soon as we prepare proper documents, we will forward them to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, which after further verification will submit the report to the cabinet for final approval,” he said, adding that there is a demand for new peaks and along with the permission to open the peaks, it will definitely attract quality number of mountaineers and create new destinations.

“It has been more than eight years since the government last announced new peaks for expeditions, therefore, it is time that the government open new border-peaks for mountaineering,” said former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering Sherpa.

“We have also recommended 25 peaks, most of which are border-peaks that can attract quality number of climbers,”

said Sherpa, adding government must simplify rules and develop a one-window system so that the process is completed on time.

“It has been two years since we recommended names of border-peaks that are in demand among mountaineers,” he said.

Source: nepalmountainnews.com

Wade Davis' Everest book wins Samuel Johnson Prize

Winning author Wade Davis is also the National Geographic Society's Explorer-In-Residence

Wade Davis's book Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest will receive the £20,000 prize.

Judges said the "momentous" book, the result of 10 years' research and writing, "shed new light on events and stories we thought we already knew".

Davisis also the National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence.

The adventurer gives a detailed insight into the explorers' world, focusing on Mallory's expeditions and the impact of the Great War.

Chair of the judges, David Willetts MP, said it was a "fascinating historical narrative of a great adventure".

"It's an exciting story of human endeavour imbued with deep historical significance," he continued.

"Wade's scrupulous use of sources and attention to detail, combined with his storytelling skills and ability to enter into the minds of the people he is writing about, make this a thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable book."

Canadian Wade has written 15 books and produced the Geographic Channel's documentary series Light at the Edge of the World.

He flew into London from New Yorkfor the announcement of the prize at the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Waded received his PhD in ethnobotany from Harvard University

Willetts said that this year's shortlist was "very strong", which made Wade's win "all the more significant".

The rest of the judging panel was made up by writer and biographer Patrick French, The Guardian's non-fiction books editor Paul Laity, editor of Prospect magazine Bronwen Maddox, and philosopher, poet, physician and cultural critic Professor Raymond Tallis.

The prize is open to all non-fiction books published in English, by writers of any nationality, in the areas of current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.

Previous winners include 1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale.

Source: bbc.co.uk

It's been thirty years since the first Soviet expedition reached the summit of Everest, the world's highest mountain. And, to mark the occasion, the 70 climbers who reached the top...

Were honoured in Moscow last Thursday...
And re-lived some of their unique experiences, with Konstantin Potapov

ARKHYZ,Russia— After years of trying to suppress religious and ethnic tensions in its southwestern mountains with guns and troops, Russia is offering new incentives to combat unrest and terrorism: ski slopes and sandy beaches.

The idea is to bring jobs and prospects to the people of the North Caucasus, where Islamic fundamentalism and separatist aspirations have resulted in death and violence in the region’s mountains and a thousand miles away inMoscow, the target of suicide bomber attacks. The vehicle is an $18 billion plan for seven ski resorts scattered through the mountains and three beach developments costing $4.6 billion on the Caspian Sea.

The landscape here is awe-inspiringly beautiful, nearly everyone agrees, and economic development is vital to long-term peace. Then skepticism sets in. Will tourists feel safe? So far this year, 574 violent deaths have been reported in the North Caucasus. Last year, terrorists killed three Russian tourists near Mount Elbrus, at 18,510 feet Europe’s tallest mountain, where a small ski area has operated for years.

Much of the answer probably depends on the success of the 2014 Winter Olympics, which Russiais hosting in Sochi, on the Black Sea to the west. Islamists and grievance-bearing ethnic groups could attempt disruptions. Circassians, for one, want Russia to acknowledge czarist -era genocide against them in Sochi. Officials are counting on a well-run Games to stir up interest in Russian skiing and reassure vacationers.

The beach resorts would lie in the predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan, where police and militants regularly exchange gunfire. In July, a bomb was found on the beach in Makhachkala, the region’s capital, but was defused before it exploded. The attack came two years after another bomb maimed a woman on the same beach.

Russian leaders, from Vladimir Putin on down, support increased tourism and have allotted the government-sponsored Northern Caucasus Resorts $2 billion to begin development and seek investors. Foreign experts have been brought in to help, including Gernot Leitner, an energetic Austrian architect, skier and sports professional who played on the Austrian national volleyball team and spent eight years on the beach volleyball circuit.

“Only the Rocky Mountains are comparable with the North Caucasus,” said Leitner, who has skied for days on end in the region to select trails and sites for hotels and chalets. He was referring to the geography, not the infrastructure. Roads are narrow and rutted, hotels few. “It’s going to be nice. I believe in it.”

The resorts will take several years to build — roads, power grids and sewers have to be put in, airports constructed or expanded, and workers trained in the tourist business. Supply chains are non existent. But Leitner, chief executive of Master concept Consultants, said Russia will be 20 percent middle class by 2020.

“That means 30 million people with money to spend on vacations,” he said.

Farmland to ski country?

The nearest airport to Arkhyz is Mineralnye Vody, about 125 miles away on roads that wind through mostly Muslim villages and some Christian, where cows or herds of horses stop traffic in the evening as they return from grazing. In the last days of fall, elderly women sit outside the low brick or stone walls that surround their houses, soaking the last of the sun’s warm rays into their bones. The wood is chopped, the hay gathered as winter approaches. Along the roadside, people sell pumpkins, jars of honey, canned berries and pickled mushrooms and a thick mint-and-pine-infused syrup said to ward off the flu.

Leitner foresees many miles of slopes and trails, thousands of beds in hotels and cottages, supported by a newly created supply chain of thriving small businesses. And skiing, fabulous skiing, with golf in the summer.

“The good spots will be better than the best spots in theAlps,” he said. “It’s hard to say that as an Austrian, but it’s true.”

“All the resorts are in special economic zones, with special rights, so maybe it’s easier to control the flows of money,” he said. “We’re talking about a national project. When all the big guys are on board, things usually work in Russia.”

As the resorts develop, the lives of people here will improve, said Akhmed Bilalov, chairman of the board of the Northern Caucasus Resorts and for the last year a senator inRussia’s upper house of parliament. He predicts that as many as 300,000 jobs will be created eventually, directly and indirectly.

“That’s what provides security,” he said.

Alexei Malashenko, an expert on the North Caucasus at theCarnegieMoscowCenter, is dubious.

“If I wanted to go to skiing,” he said, “I would go toAustria.”

Malashenko said Arkhyz, in Karachay-Cherkessia, is quieter than much of the region. But his friends go abroad because vacations are less expensive than inRussiaand service is better. Corruption, he predicted, would raise prices here. And it will be a huge challenge to train historic traders as workers in a new service industry.

Big plans, uncertain reality

Security has been improving —Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in October that the rate of crime classified as terrorism has been declining, from 1,030 incidents in 2009 to 365 last year.

Acknowledging that progress, the International Crisis Group, an independent organization dedicated to conflict resolution, said in a major report in October that the region still needs a concerted strategy — improvement of rule of law and governance, along with the necessary economic development.

Malashenko agrees, but is pessimistic that Moscowcan provide that.

“It’s a piece of Russia,” he said. “I can’t imagine doing that in the Caucasus without doing it in all of Russia. Eliminating corruption is impossible because corruption comes from Moscow, and there is certain mutual understanding between corrupt officials in Moscowand their brothers in the Caucasus.”

Although Arkhyz appears bucolic and unthreatening, journalists touring the building site recently were unsettled by a heavy show of security. Men wearing uniforms of the Ministry of Emergency Situations went up the ski lift first and waited at the top until reporters were safely on the ground. Several other burly men in camouflage fanned out, scanning the perimeter, as the visitors walked the grounds. A police escort led the journalists’ buses back to the airport.

“Come, don’t be afraid,” said Rashid Temrezov, head of the Karachay-Cherkessia region. “I’ll guide you myself. Many people come here and no one bothers them.”

The Caucasus are well-known for extraordinary hospitality. Temrezov and a resaturant owner had a sheep killed for the reporters’ lunch. “It was alive just a few hours ago,” the restaurateur said cheerfully as the carcass turned on a spit.

Maybe, Malashenko said, he’s too pessimistic. But Russiahas had many big plans for the Caucasus.

“And what is the result? The same corruption, the same unemployment, the same resistance,” he said. “It’s a problem. It’s a problem forever.”

By Kathy Lally, Published: November 5

Board meeting of the Russian Association of Mountain Guides took place Nov. 2 in the Gostiny Dvor, in the Ski Salon. It still was rather a monologue of the Board with the elements of discussion with community guides. Noisy area of Ski Salon did not promote long conversation, they were put off for another time.

Declared program was generally fulfilled:

1. Report on the results of 2012. Zon-Zam S. Bryk R.

2. Discussion on the future structure of the educational modules of School. Shustrov A., M. Balakhovsky

3. Training programs for ages guides. Shustrov A.

4. Financial report on the follow-up in 2012. Bryk R.

5. Information about membership fees. Bryk R.

6. School plans for 2013.

7. Partnership performance: RED FOX, GRT, Petzl.

Roman Bryk - executive manager of the Russian Association of Mountain Guides

The 7 Summits Club is one of the initiators and sponsors of the Russian Association of Mountain Guides. At the meeting of our organization was represented by Denis Savelyev.

President of the Association Sergei Zon-Zam led the meeting. He spoke specifically and clearly, joking, and during the conversation led jokes in a serious direction. It became clear that Roman Bryk as a manager does not receive money from the Association. And his work is sponsored by FAR.

Budget of the Association is formed mainly thanks of sponsors of Gortex and Red Fox. The main item of expenditure - is payment of Canadians Lecturers. The first period of the Association can be called a "golden age", because we made a lot in spite of the predictions of the pessimists.

At the meeting of the Association of Mountain Guides Russia gathered as members of the first set, which included Kirill Anisimov (Elbrus), Maxim Balakhovsky (Kamchatka), Nikolai Polyakov (Krasnaya Polyana), Vitaly Ilyinykh (Moscow), Vladimir Gonchar (Elbrus), and members of the School the second set of names are also well known to all, it's best riders and guides of Russia, such as Victor Zakharin (Kamchatka), Anna Khankevich (Moscow), Peter Yastrebkov (Moscow), Vitaly Stegno (Stavropol Territory).

At the meeting the guides discussed the structure of educational modules and plans for the future of the School Guides for 2013

Yesterday at 11 am (local time), Vyacheslav (Slava) Adrov climbed the top of Mount Giluwe (4368 meters). It is the highest volcano of the continent of Australia, located on the territory of Papua-New Guinea. A local guide, the Papuan Ryuk Raima accompanied Slava’s climbing. Thus, Adrov have six volcanoes from the program "7 Volcanoes", he need to climb only Mount Sidley in Antarctica to finish this program. Before him, the program Seven Volcanoes was completed by Italian Mario Trimeri and Romanian Crina Popescu.

Before the ascent, Slava traveled to jungles and rivers of Papua. He visited the Maclay Coast, where there is a monument to Russian scientist and researcher Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay.

It was not like a Congress, it was a real holiday.Holidayof meetings, celebration of gratitude. More than 60 climbers from 10 countries of the former Soviet Union gathered in the lecture hall of thePolytechnicMuseum. UIAA President Fritz Vrejlandt was a guest of honor of the event. All the climbers on Everest were awarded by Commemorative " Mount Everest Climber", specially made for this day. All members of the Congress and the spectators were unanimous gratitude to the organizers.

Fritz Vrejlandt

Mountaineering Federation of Russia and the 7 Summits Club were the organizers of this unforgettable event.

Veteran of mountaineering, Professor Ivan Bogachev spoke about the history of preparation of the first expedition to Everest in theSoviet Union. The decision was made in 1948. Legendary Eugene Abalakov was then the main initiator of the organization of the expedition. After his death, Kirill Kuzmin took the preparation for Everest for himself. In 1959, an expedition was completely ready, but her departure was canceled due to the uprising in Tibet.

Only in 1982, the dream was realized for our climbers. 11 climbers have reached the top of the World by a new, very difficult route. This achievement has had a huge impact on all of us.

Climbers of 1982

In 1990, the new Russian flag was first raised on Everest. President of the Russian mountaineering federation Andrey Volkov was then among climbers.

In 1996, a team fromKrasnoyarskopened a new route (couloir Zakharova) on the northeast side ofMount Everest. In 2004, the national team under the leadership of Viktor Kozlov made a new route on the center of the North Face of Everest.

In the new century, a new life has come to Everest. Alexander Abramov, became a main person inRussiaon Everest. Total Alex participated in 12 expeditions to Everest, 10 of them as a leader. Dozens of climbers thanked him for his help in the realization of their dream.

Alex (on the left) and apart of the 7 Summits Clib Everest summiters

Photos of Danila Kolodin

Summiters from Ukraine (from left): Victor Bobok (3 different routes), Sergey Kovalev,Sergey Bershov, Mstislav Gorbenko, Igor Svergun, Alexey Bokov

Ivan Dusharin (3 times) came direct from Mount Kosciuszko

 (project Alpari - 7 Summits for 300 days)

 Anatoly Ovchinnikov - 85 years

Kazbek Khamitsaev from North Osetia

Kazbek Valiev

Fritz Vrejlandt and Andrey Volkov

Sergey Bershov

Vladimir Shataev

Maxut Zhumaev and Visily Pevtsov

Alexey Ovchinnikov, Sergey Bershov and Anna Arinina (second Russian woman on Everest)

Victor Kozlov

Alltogher

Yesterday two climbers from 7 Summits Club were on the top of Island Peak. This was at 11 a.m. The weather was fine, everything was fine. Dmitry and Alexei went down to thr camp at Chhukung without problems. Now they will go down the Khumbu Valley to Lukla. We are waiting for them in Moscow.

Everything started out okay. We decided to go for a walk aroundSydneybefore we leftAustraliaand pick up a couple of souvenirs. However, Max and Ivan got a little bit carried away inside one of the stores. They picked up a didgeridoo (an Aboriginal instrument) and started playing very loudly – to the point that the other shoppers had to cover their ears. They then decided to give a boomerang a toss to see if it would fly back.

The officers of the peace would not tolerate this type of behavior and they sent us off – to prison! Of course, this was done as more of a precautionary measure than anything else. We were sent to a rather unusual historic prison named the “Barracks of Sydney”. This was actually one of the placesEnglandbuilt to house some of the first convicts they sent toAustraliain 1819. We spent a bit of time there, lying on our bunks (actually they were probably more like hammocks) and thinking about what we had done.

We didn’t have much time left before our flight. After we told the lawmen there about the purpose of our visit toAustraliaand “Alpari: On Top of the World”, they took pity on us and decided to let us go (after getting our autographs). I guess they can take our prints next time we’re in town. We hopped into a water taxi and sped off to the airport.

So, it looks like we may make it back in time for our Everest celebration after all…

-Lyudmila Korobeshko, writing from a water taxi

The Everest celebration Lyudmila mentioned is to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the first Soviet expedition to Everest. It will take place on November 8 at theMoscowPolytechnicMuseum. All of the climbers from the formerSoviet Unionwho made the summit of Everest have been invited. Team Alpari has also been invited… as guests of honor.

Источник: http://www.alpari-life.ru/en/zakon-i-poryadok-po-avstralijski-alpinisty-v-sidnejskoj-tyurme/

Member of the 7 Summits Club, our good friend Andrey Podolyan climbed Mount Kosciuszko almost simultaneously with the team of "Alpari on top of the world." This was his crowning ascent program 7 Summits. 7 Summits Club congratulates Andrey and wishes new heights! Bravo!

Seven Summits of Andrey Podolyan:

Kilimanjaro, September 5, 2009

Aconcagua, February 11, 2010

Elbrus, August 1, 2010

Vinson, 23 December 2010

Everest, May 20, 2011

McKinley, July 5, 2012

Kosciuszko, 05 November 2012.

Everest 2011 www.vidgeversa.ru

And also:

Communism Peak, August 18, 2012

KorjenevskayaPeak, August 10, 2012

Andrey Podolyanu 40. He lives in Velsk,Arkhangels kregion. He was born and grew up in this area in the north of Russia. Andrey is one of the most successful businessmen in the area. He paid much attention to charity, built a church, built sport hill and did a lot of other good things. Andrey was a paratrooper in the Army, he is fond of hot-air balloons. Andrey now has the biggest balloon in Russia.

Employees trip of 7 Summits Club in Velsk, to visit Andrey Podolyanu. Photography.

https://7vershin.ru/news/all/item_2438/

7 Summits Club and the Mountaineering Federation of Russia invite to the Congress of Climbers of Everest.

Over sixty climbers who climbed the highest peak of the planet, will take part in the congress of the climbers on Everest, dedicated to the anniversary of the first Soviet and the first Russian climb. Among the participants – living legends of the Soviet and Russian mountaineering, members of expeditions in 1982, 1990, 1992 and of the north face of Everest in 2004.

"It's nice to meet people who have experienced the same thing you have. And who understand what is behind the ascent of this mountain," – Ivan Dusharin says about the upcoming meeting. He is one of initiators of meeting, who three times climbedMount Everest.

In the program of international meetings: films and video footage of climbing, slide shows, "the story of conquering Everest 1907 - 1953 years.", photo exhibition, an exhibition of unique materials from the Museum of Sport, presentation of Сommemorative " Mount Everest Climber"

"I am grateful to the organizers of the Congress, who took the trouble to collect climbers on Everest from the formerSoviet Union. Finally they created a club for all those who reached the top of the World. And I am glad that the club will have its symbolism as a Сommemorative of honor "Mount Everest Climber"- said Vladimir Shataev, one of the leaders of Soviet mountaineering, climbed Everest in 58 years.

All are invited. Entrance for guests of the Congress and climbers is free!

November 8, 2012, 18:00,Moscow, station "Lubyanka",New Square, 3/4, 9-th entrance, a lecture hall of the Museum.

At thePolytechnicMuseumon April 23 (May 7, New Style), 1901 there was a constituent assembly of Russian Mountain Society.

Сommemorative “Mount Everest Climber”

Today at 6:30 Moscow time (at 13-30 local) team deployed Alpari flag on the top of Mount Kosciuszko, the highest summit in Australia. Lyudmila Korobeshko Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov climbed six of the seven summits. Their project will be completed by the ascent of Mount Vinson in Antarctica in early December.

Lyudmila Korobeshko: Route was interesting, quite a lot of snow, strong wind. The corpse of a dead horse was not found. But on the track we saw a lot of horse manure. This led me to think that the rumors of the death of the horse are somewhat exaggerated. Hello! (They climbed via Dead Horse Gap)….

Source: http://www.alpari-life.ru/komanda-na-vershine-avstralijskogo-kontinenta/

Dmitry Ermakov, Alexei Bautin and Sergei Borisov stay on the top of Kala Patara. “Just 10 minutes ago we were on the top, we are now on the way down. The weather is beautiful, the mood is great. The first part of our journey is made”.

Rohan Freeman – the first Afro-American and Jamaican on the Seven Summits.

In April 2009, Rohan Freeman embarked on an incredible journey to accomplish his dream of summitingMount Everest. In May 2009, he reached the world’s highest peak. In June 2009, he returned home with his sights set on establishing his own engineering consulting firm.

Mr. Freeman was born and raised in Jamaica, and came to the University of Connecticut to explore his interests in the field of civil engineering. He went on to become a dually licensed Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor. His innate leadership talents and project management abilities have been enriched by his 25 year career in the industry working for nationally recognized firms, as well as the City ofHartford’s Public Works Department.

He is a man that is characterized by his passions, pride and drive. He embodies the spirit, culture and values of his firm. The establishment of Freeman Companies has been a challenging and exciting accomplishment, and Mr. Freeman is excited about the future success and the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Failure is not an option.

Rohan’s summit ofMount Everestis part of his larger initiative to summit the highest peak on each of the world’s seven continents. His conquest ofMount Everestmarked the fifth of his seven summits. He climbed in support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, and has served as an active member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2008.

A former track star at the University of Connecticut, Freeman said he first wanted to climb mountains in 1998, when he booked his first vacation to a winter resort. One winter sport led to another, he said, and in June 2002, Freeman and several friends climbed Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. He then scaled three of the other "Seven Summits" -MountMcKinleyinAlaskain June 2004, Mount Elbrus inRussiain June 2006 and Aconcagua inArgentinain December 2006 - before he attempted to climbMount Everest.

"Just the idea that he's done outreach and work with the youth of Hartfordand has shown them a much broader world ... that was very important [to us]," said fund President Kirk Sykes.

After Everest Freeman climbed the last two of the "Seven Summits": Vinson Massif in Antarctica and Mount Kosciuszko in Australia- in 2010. And finished this story climbed Pyramid Carstensz in fall 2012.

"When I returned from Everest, I stared my own engineering company," Freeman said. "I'm trying to see if I can make that a success."

Premlata Agarwal

Premlata Agarwal has added yet another mountain to her kitty! The oldest Indian woman mountaineer to have scaled Mt Everest has now also become the only Indian woman to climb Carstensz Pyramid, the highest peak of the Australia/Oceania continent, which is deemed one of the most difficult to climb.

Talking to mediapersons on her return, Agrawal (48) said she reached the 16,024-feet steep Carstensz summit ofIndonesiaon October 23, after seven days of trekking. She has now scaled five of the seven highest summits of all continents.

She took a tumble innumerable times during the expedition, braved consistent rainfall and slipped on slushy tracks to the base camp. “It was a very difficult and challenging climb. Several elements came across our trek but we did not lose heart. But I’m very happy to have come back successful,” she said.

It rained throughout the journey, in which she had threeUSmen climbers as part of the team. “We flew into Timika fromBalion October 15. Then we took a hour-long flight to Sugada village, which is one of the openings to the base camp,” Premlata recalled.

This resident ofJamshedpurwill go to Mt Vinson Massif (Antarctica) in December and re-tryMountMcKinley(North America) in May-June next year to complete her seven-summit campaign. She was forced to return without climbing McKinley last June due to inclement weather.

Agrawal has set sight on completing the mountaineering challenge of climbing the Seven Summits and Tata Steel is the proud sponsor of her expedition, and is supporting her with a sponsorship of Rs 80 lakh. Conquering all seven summits makes one a member of the Hall of Fame for mountaineers.

If Premlata achieves this remarkable feat — she is targeting 2013 for it — she will become the first Indian woman, and one the oldest in the world, to do so.

Antarctica's Tallest Peak

NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory passes Antarctica’s tallest peak,MountVinson, on Oct. 22, 2012, during a flight over the continent to measure changes in the massive ice sheet and sea ice. The flight is part of NASA’s Operation IceBridge, a multi-year airborne campaign to monitor changes in Earth’s polar ice caps in both the Antarctic and Arctic. Ice Bridge science flights from Punta Arenas, Chile, began on Oct. 12 and continue through early November. Mount Vinsonis located in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica.

Dr. Clare O'Leary

She's already conquered Everest, completed the world's Seven Summits and become the first Irish woman to reach the South Pole.

But now Dr. Clare O'Leary is aiming to make history once again as part of the first Irish team to cross the perilous, but little-known North Patagonian Icecap.

The pint-sized adventurer, from Bandon, Co.Cork, is part of a five-strong team that also includes Kerry explorer Mike O'Shea, which is attempting to cross the treacherous 120km distance.

The team, which set off from their base inChilelast weekend, is expected to spend the whole of this month hauling their sledges across the remote cap, which has only ever been crossed by a handful of people.

Even preparing for the challenge and packing the correct clothing was a logistical nightmare, as temperatures, on altitudes ranging from 1200m to 1500m, can range from -30C to 30C on the same day.

Both Clare and Mike have spent months training for the gruelling adventure, which is deemed particularly challenging because of the difficulty in accessing the icecap.

The team will have to climb a towering glacier before setting foot on the cap, while the journey will also include boat trips, camping and horse riding with South American gauchos and crossing a rainforest.

Earlier this year both Clare and Mike were forced to abandon their bid to become the first expedition to make it to the North Pole.

They were forced to pull the plug on the challenge to reach the remote Arctic point, because their plan to share chartered logistics with other teams fell apart.

Clare is the first Irish female toclimbMt.Everest and also the first Irish woman to complete the Seven Summits, which includesMt.Vinsonin the Antarcticand Mt. McKinley inAlaska.

Keep track of their progress at irishnorthpole2013.com.

Flight to Sydney was very tedious. The route was changed by airline and our team a long time was sitting inThailand, not knowing when will be allowed to fly further. Only after whole day on the road, Lyudmila Korobeshko, Ivan Dusharin and Maxim Shakirov arrived in Sydney. The first day was devoted to a sightseeing tour of this wonderful city.

Forecast Kosciuszko ...

Spring in theMountainsBlueMountainturned leisurely. Therefore, on the slopes longer than normal to save snow. Actually, all paths lead to the top, covered with snow. It, however, melts quite intensively. Moist, moderately warm weather contributes to this process. Each day will be at least a little rain, sometimes with the wind. In general, the picnic was not supposed to be.

http://www.thredbo.com.au/mountain/live-cams/

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Project “7 Summits for 300 days”

8th of September the team of Alpari Lyuda (Lyudmila) Korobeshko - Ivan Dusharin - Maxim Shakirov climbed theWestern Summit of Elbrus. It was their fifth mountain from the “big seven”. The most difficult ones – Mt Everest andMt.Denali were climbed in May and June 2012.Mt.Kosciuszko - the highest Australian hill is the next goal. It could not be difficult to climb it in November. The last one –MountVinson is waiting at the beginning of December. In recent years, the vast majority of those who arrive to climb theMountVinson, reach the top. So we have confidence that our target will be achieved.

“Alpari On Top of the World” project

It all started with a friendship with the leaders of the company of Alpari. Sometimes we go to the mountains together. In 2008, the leader of Alpari Andrey Dashin went with the 7 Summits Club inEcuador. It was his first trip to the mountains. Andrey felt interest in mountaineering and introduced it to his employees. Then there were Kilimanjaro, Alps,Tibet, Altai,Kamchatka. “It’s a good tradition. We all climb together, overcoming obstacles, cold weather, difficult conditions. But we make it,” commented Andrey Dashin.

During this visits it was burn an idea to raise the banner of Alpari the highest peaks of world.

The project’s goal is simple: climb the Seven Summits in just 300 days!

A bit more about Alpari:

Alpari is the world’s leading MetaTrader 4 broker, and, according to a recent report from “Forex Magnates”, one of the world’s three largest Forex brokers. In addition to online trading, Alpari offers a variety of other services including free analytical tools and partnership programs. Alpari has been providing online brokerage services for over 13 years, now with more than 540,000 accounts belonging to clients from 150 countries around the world. It is represented in more than 20 countries and more than 30 cities in Russia. It has earned the trust of clients and partners everywhere. Over the years, Alpari has racked up a number of prestigious financial awards, including one for being named the “Company of the Year in Forex” at the 2011 Financial Elite of Russia Awards.

The Team for Several Records

A team of experienced climbers will have to implement this idea. At the same time, managers of Alpari have to take part in several expeditions. The persons for the team of climbers was offered by the Mountaineering Federation of Russia after discussions with the 7 Summits Club.

Lyudmila Korobeshko is the captain of the team. She is the only Russian woman climbed Seven Summits and been to the North and South Poles (Last Degree).

Ivan Dusharin, 65 years old “patriarch of Russian alpinism”, is an internationally recognized climber with the supremely challengingK2, among many other impressive climbs, under his belt. He is a vice-president of the Mountaineering Federation of Russia.

Maksim Shakirov, author of “New Year on the Peaks” project, photograph and video operator, he is a well-known as “media-climber” who planted the flag of the 2014 Olympic Games atop Mount Everest and Mount Olympus.

Several records are planned to be broken if the team is successful:

- all-world speed record for women (Lyudmila Korobeshko);

- speed record for a team of three and more;

- age record for climbing 7 Summits in one year (Dusharin);

- first ever team to climb all Seven by non-standard route (not fulfilled yet, because the weather on Everest was unfavorable)

- several national records.

On the night of November 2, the team "Alpari on top of the world" has gone from Domodedovo airport inAustraliato climb the continent's highest peakMountKosciuszko. The mood was festive, because everyone continued to celebrate the anniversary (65 years) of Ivan Dusharin. And we jokingly remarked that one of the gifts was a birthdays "trip for three" inAustralia...

Our congratulations !

Ivan Dusharin. His official sporting status is master of sports of international class, “snow leopard”. He has been climbing mountains since 1964; 19 times summited 7,000m peaks of former USSR, also conquered Mont Blanc (1985), Aconcagua (1991, 2012), Everest (1992, 2005, 2012), McKinley (1995, 2012), Changabeng (1998), Nanga Parbat (1997), Cho Oyu (2002). While being younger Dusharin served in air-landed force, has a large number of parachute jumps. He is an engineer-designer by profession. Long time Ivan Dusharin was the head of the robot design bureau at AvtoVAZ plant. Now he lives inMoscowand work as a vice-president of the Russian Mountaineering Federation.

Ivan Dusharin

http://www.ageofhappiness.com/blog/ivan_dusharin_eng/234/

Sixty-five year-old Ivan is a mountain climber. Ivan Dusharin has decided to vanquish all of the tallest peaks in the world within one year. Over the past six months, Dusharin has already surmounted Kilimanjaro, Everest and Aconcagua. And during the next half year, he intends to climb another four of the world’s peaks. The idea is to climb to the highest points in each of the seven continents. At the end of May, Ivan descended from Everest and on the next day, following the photo shoot for The Age of Happiness project, he took off to triumph over McKinley, the highest point inNorth America.

No one inEuropehas ever climbed seven peaks in one year. For world mountain climbing, this is a significant project, considering that Dusharin and two colleagues on his team, Lyudmila Korobeshko and Maksim Shakirov, are deliberately avoiding the classical routes and choosing complicated paths for the climb.

That climb on Everest was Ivan Dusharin’s third. It took 59 days. «The temperature this time was good,» says Dusharin, only −45 c." And he recalls that the time before, he was less lucky. Then it was −54 c." True, this time the «good» temperature bestowed upon him lightly frostbitten fingers, as he had to take off his gloves in order to take pictures at the peak.

When Dusharin was 50, he climbed Changabang, the Indian peak, in such a way that no one had ever managed to do it previously—on the sheer face. The climb up the vertical wall lasted 16 days without a break, spending the nights on the face, as well, three of them hanging in a tiny piece of stretched tarpaulin.

How can you stand it? Ivan avers that the secret lies in relaxing. When you are able to relax your body properly, you can manage to rest even if you are hanging by one hand. Dusharin eagerly demonstrates how, exactly.

During hard climbs of many days, Ivan loses a lot of weight. On his last Everest ascent, he lost nearly 10 kilos. «Ordinary athletes have a body build,» he jokes. «But we mountain climbers have a body demolition.»

Dusharin’s method of weight loss is, of course, one of the most effective, but is also inhumanly arduous. Actually, with regard to mountain climbing, Ivan himself doesn’t value the ability to demonstrate physical endurance as much as the need to contemplate and make a decision. «This is a genuinely intellectual sport,» he says. «You have to think a lot.»

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Ivan’s Early Years

I was born in 1947 in Pokhvistnevo, a small town in the south ofRussiawhose name was borrowed from the nearbyvillageofOld Pokhvistnevo. As a child, I was interested in the origins of the name of my hometown. As it turned out, Lieutenant Pokhvistnev served under one ofRussia’s most celebrated military heroes, Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov. For his bravery and valor during the French invasion ofRussiain 1812, Pokhvistnev was awarded an estate in the Simbirkskiy province. The estate no longer remains, but the lieutenant’s name lives on as the name of two towns.

Life after WWII, especially outside of the big city, was difficult and humbling. Just getting hold of a loaf of bread meant standing in huge lines. The horror of fighting over bread crumbs is something that will be forever ingrained in my memory. I was probably 6 years old when I was trampled in a bread line. I was holding onto my mother as we slowly moved into the store. I remember the legs and feet around me, the bodies, the stuffy air, the cries I heard as we scrambled to get our share of bread. I was getting squeezed harder and harder, then darkness… I woke up, lying in the snow. Some woman wiped snow off of my face. “Thank God! He’s awake,” she said to me as she stood me on my feet. “Stand and wait for your mother,” said my savior as she disappeared into the crowd. I sat down in the snow. I could not stand. Everything hurt. It was difficult to breathe. I stared at the crowd of people squeezing into the store, not understanding what was going on and what had just happened to me. I don’t remember how much time had passed by the time my mother emerged from the crowd, her hair undone, her shawl in her hands, her face bright red. She looked horrible, yet satisfied. She was holding two small loaves of dark bread to her chest. She ran to me and said, “Thank God! And they gave you bread too. They took pity seeing how close you made it to the counter.” She wasn’t as interested as I was? I was alive and moving, so everything was okay to her. What about me losing consciousness? I guess I was not the only one. That was a pretty common thing in the bread line.

My mother fixed her clothing and we headed home. I still felt terrible, but I remained silent, trailing behind my mother. I was indifferent to the world around me, but I could see my mother was happy. We managed to bring home 2 loaves of bread for the family. Just knowing that I helped was enough to bring me back to full strength. This was how I spent my childhood: fighting for bread crumbs, gathering sorrels to make pies, picking berries and mushrooms, collecting hay for the goat. The children of the post-war period lived through difficult conditions, but the struggle to survive made us tougher. We grew up to be unpretentious, adaptable and resilient. We didn’t think of ourselves as unlucky or as having been dealt a bad hand by Fate. School.. I remember my school days, being around people much like myself; friends and comrades. I remember true friendship, training to be a pinko communist, speaking with wise and caring people – my teachers. Many of them taught us not only their subject matter, but important life lessons as well. Thank you to all of them!

I studied at a mechanical engineering school in Samara. It was a different atmosphere, a different type of school. I found myself mixed in with teenagers from the big city, from more advantaged families. My peers from the countryside were looked down on as outsiders, like people with a lower social status. The boys and girls who weren’t from Samara quickly began to understand how things worked and started to band together. In life, like attracts like. We were dressed more modestly. We ate poorly. We wouldn’t allow ourselves extra. We didn’t quite feel at home in the big city. But our persistence, our sense of fairness, our hard work and physical conditioning forced them to respect us and consider our opinion. In our studies, especially in practical subjects, we quickly overtook our fellow students from the big city. It was during this time, a period of self-affirmation and soul-searching, that I discovered parachuting, and more importantly, I was introduced to the mountains.

In January of 1964, I had my first taste of mountain climbing. By 1967, I was already enrolled in a school for future mountain climbing instructors. The mountains are a truly remarkable part of nature, a place where the bonds of friendship are formed. They are a place for personal struggle and maturation, where you learn about the world, yourself and everything that surrounds you. Everything was unusual, but it was amazing. I found myself surrounded by great people. Some of my teachers were: Svetopar and Kamille Koroleva, Vitaliy Abalakov, Vladimir Kizel, Yakov Arkin, Grigoriy Maslov, Ilya Martinov and many other terrific people, who helped us appreciate the beauty and the grandeur of the mountains. These were people of the highest intellect, who looked to share their personal knowledge and experience with us, who taught us to see and to love beauty, nature and life. Mountain climbing during that time, and with those people, was a world-class learning ground and I was fortunate to be a part of it. It had a powerful impact on my life.

Serving in the army is a special period in life, one that every man remembers. I was fortunate. My time in the army was difficult, but interesting as well. I served as a paratrooper in the Baltics, starting out in a heavy paratrooper equipment battalion. My technical education and my physical training came in handy. I graduated from my training unit with honors. Unexpectedly, I was sent to courses to become a Komsomolskiy paratrooper instructor. I had a lot of work, but it was interesting. The knowledge and skills I picked up from mountain climbing lessons came in handy. It was not a fool that said, “Never stop learning. Anything you learn might turn out to be useful.” After 11 months of service, I was made first sergeant, the highest possible rank for compulsory service. With some difficulty, I managed to get out of the army, although my commanding officers told me I should stay, that I had a great career ahead of me. But the mountains were calling me. In May of 1970, I returned to Samara, found some work, and left for the mountains. I came back from the mountains just in time to register for night classes. Life suddenly became more rigorous: work, school, sports.

Источник: http://www.alpari-life.ru/en/ivan_dusharin/

Ivan Dusharin

By Terry Wood. Special to The SeattleTimes

About. Mike Hamill is a professional mountain guide, writer, and photographer. He regularly leads expeditions to the mountains of the Seven Summits, among others, and has climbed all of the original Seven Summits at least four times, some as many as twenty. He has climbed them all in the course of one year several times, finishing them in 2008 in 220 days, the tenth fastest time to date. Mike was featured in the Discovery Channel’s television production entitled Everest: Beyond the Limits.

Mike has been guiding for more than a decade and callsSeattlehome when not on the road. He began his climbing career on the steep rock and ice of New England andNew YorkStatewhile obtaining a bachelor of science from St. Lawrence University inCanton,New York. He hails originally fromHanover,New Hampshire, andBridgton,Maine.

http://climbingthesevensummits.com/

Mike Hamill is part of an exclusive club, one of about 350 people who have climbed the highest peaks on all seven continents.

Hamill, 35 — a Maine native now with a West Seattle home address — has stood on top of each summit at least four times: four ascents of Mount Everest (29,035 feet), nine of Alaska's Denali (20,320 feet) and 19 ascents of Argentina's Mount Aconcagua (22,841 feet).

Figuring he knows the territory, Hamill has written "Climbing the Seven Summits" (The Mountaineers Books, 352 pp., $29.95), which outlines the details involved in reaching each continental high point, from Australia's Mount Kosciuszko (7,313 feet) to Antarctica's icy 16,050-foot Vinson Massif.

Hamill actually describes eight peaks, since some argue thatIndonesia's 16,024-foot Carstensz Pyramid, 60-plus miles off Australia's north coast (but part of the same continental shelf), is a preferred alternative to Kosciuszko. His book devotes a chapter to that debate alone.

A guide for International Mountain Guides inAshford,Wash., Hamill fielded a few questions in advance of his Sunday appearance at Wallingford's Wide World Books & Maps:

Q: Which summits stand out to you?

A: The two climbs I enjoy the most are Vinson Massif andDenali. Vinson is a truly unique experience. The remoteness and vastness of the continent are like nowhere else on Earth. The Alaska Range is an incredibly beautiful place, andDenaliis my excuse for getting back there each summer. The people are amazing, and there's such an energy in the summer from the sun never setting.

Of course, there's no feeling like walking down theKhumbuValleyinNepalafter a successfulMount Everestclimb.

Q: Can you pinpoint a common trait among people drawn to this goal?

A: They're goal-oriented, motivated people. They climb for a variety of different reasons, but the common thread is that they all enjoy working hard and attaining a goal that takes a lot of work and tenacity to reach.

Some are serious climbers, while others are people who began pursuing climbing to see the world and experience unique cultures. I've climbed with people from all walks of life and have had the pleasure of sharing these mountains with some of the most unique people on Earth.

Q: The hardest?

A: Mount Everest, followed by Denali,Aconcagua, Vinson, Carstensz, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro and Kosciuszko, in my opinion.

Q: How about Rainier?

A: I've summited Rainier 43 times and turned back high on the mountain another handful of times due to weather. Climbing Rainieris just about as hard physically as any mountain in the world. There are of course exceptions, like summit day on Mount Everest, butRainieris a huge climb and very strenuous even for fit guides.

The big difference is that climbs like Denali, Vinson, Aconcagua and Carstensz are much longer and so the effort is sustained over weeks, not two or three days.

Q: Your best tip for anyone contemplating the quest?

A: Start small and work your way up. It's important to get the basics down first. Safety is a big concern, so enrolling in some of the basic snow schools before attempting some of these big peaks is important. Being fit takes you a long way, even if you don't know the skills at first. You can pick those up. Toss a pack on and run upMountSia bunch of times. Fitness is the base to everything in climbing.

Climb Mount Baker,Rainierand other accessible peaks. Then work up to the higher, more technical peaks such as Denali and Mount Everest by climbing the easier of the Seven Summits as well as intermediate mountains such as the Mexican volcanos, in the European Alps and inSouth America.

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The Book

Mike Hamill’s consummate coverage of the Seven Summits is far more studied and detailed than anything I could have ever written. I feel deeply indebted to him for enabling me to vividly recall, roughly three decades later, each climb and to relive the insightful incidents and many magical moments which Frank Wells and I experienced and shared. Mike’s extraordinary guide will definitely encourage more left-brained, objective realists than usual to participate in the Seven Summits along with the many right-brained, dreamer adventurers who are naturally attracted to taking such giant leaps into the unknown.

— Dick Bass, First Person to Complete the Seven Summits

Watch for the book Climbing The Seven Summits by Mike Hamill to be out in May of 2012, published by The Mountaineers Books.

The Mountaineers Books: www.mountaineersbooks.org

Amazon Books: www.amazon.com

CLIMBING THE SEVEN SUMMITS: A Guide to Each Continents’ Highest Peak

Author: Mike Hamill

Mountaineers Books

352 pages, 8.5″ X 10″, 978-1-59485-648-8

First and only guidebook to climbing all Seven Summits

Full color with 125 photographs and 24 maps including a map for each summit route

Essential information on primary climbing routes and travel logistics for mountaineers, with historical and cultural anecdotes for armchair readers.Aconcagua.Denali. Elbrus. Everest. Kilimanjaro. Kosciuszko. Vinson. To a climber, these mountains are known as the “Seven Summits”* — the highest peaks on each continent. And from Antarctica toAlaska,NepaltoTanzania, each year thousands of climbers from all over the world attempt at least one of them, while a growing number have plans to climb each and every mountain. Drawing on years of experience, veteran Seven Summit mountain guide Mike Hamill describes overall considerations for expedition planning and high-altitude trips, gear recommendations, tips on international travel and logistics, and estimates of financial costs.

In-depth descriptions of each of the Seven Summits includes a regional map, a map of the primary climbing route, a route overlay on a photo, and a sample climbing itinerary that covers peak-specific technical climbing tips and what to expect on summit day. Throughout Hamill’s descriptions, renowned alpinists offer their own advice: Eric Simonson on Everest, Vern Tejas onDenali, and Melissa Arnot on Kilimanjaro. Hamill also includes the “other” Seven Summit, the Carstensz Pyramid inNew Guinea; climbing facts and figures for each peak; a history of the Seven Summits challenge; and a unique “compare and contrast” chart that reveals how the peaks stack up against each other. From the first steps of trip dreaming, to figuring out gear and plane tickets, to kicking those final, sublime steps up to the snowy top of Denali or Aconcagua — this is the one-and-only authoritative book to guide readers to all of the world’s Seven Summits.

*Within mountaineering circles there is debate over which peaks are considered the official Seven Summits. For the purposes of this guidebook, the Seven Summits are based on the continental model used in Western Europe, theUnited States, andAustralia, also referred to as the ‘Bass list.’

“If you have your sights set on the Seven Summits – the highest point on each continent – you can do no better in print than a copy of Climbing the Seven Summits by Mike hamill (the Mountaineers Books).

Peppered with tips on gear and technique, maps for the major routes and quotes from mountaineer- ing’s greats, it is an excellent reference for those serious about an undertaking that has been achieved by only 350 people.” - Action Asia Magazine

The unique event will take place in Moscow on November 8: All Everest summiters from ex-USSR will be together in one room.

"The Congress of the climbers" will be dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the first Soviet and the 20th anniversary of the first Russian ascents on Everest.

All climbers along the list of summiters are invited to participate. Beginning in 1982, and by 2012 more than 150 climbers from the former Soviet Union have climbed Mount Everest.

7 Summits Club acts as the lead partner in the Russian Mountaineering Federation organizing a meeting of climbers on Everest. It is no accident:

Alexander Abramov and 7 Summits Club had nine expeditions to Everest, starting in 2003. They all ended by reaching the summit. About 100 man/climbing accomplished it. So that members of our expeditions to Everest, the 7 Summits Club members will form a significant part of the invitees.

This event will be the official name is "Congress of the climbers." The exact time and the program will be announced later. But it is clear that it will be about historic climbs in 1982 and 1992, on the climb of the North Face and so on. Climbers will be awarded honorary by signs "Summiter of Mount Everest", there will show pi.

But "Congress" - is not only and not so much a meeting of sumiters, it is, above all, a meeting of climbers with the general public and the media.

We invite all members of the 7 Summits Club, all our friends, all who are interested in this topic!

Watch for information on our website.

"Congress climbers" take place on 8 November (Thursday) in the lecture hall of thePolytechnicMuseum

Moscow, New Square 3/4,