All news - Page 4

The 7 Summits Club presented Nikolai Cherny with a branded black fleece jacket. Our guest turned 87 on December 5th. His visit was more related to the upcoming Annapurna expedition as part of the "High Altitude Gene 3" project. It was interesting and informative to hear the ascent story and the route taken by the wisest of Russian climbers.

 On October 24, 1991, the first two Russians, Nikolai Cherny and Sergey Arsentyev, reached the summit of Annapurna. They climbed a route similar to the one used today. It is sometimes called the "Dutch" route, but it is more likely a variant of the route taken by a team from the Netherlands in 1977. Nikolai Cherny spent the final day and a half ascending with supplemental oxygen, of which he had only one cylinder. Arsentyev, however, climbed without it. And so, Black had to lead the way through the deep snow. It turns out they had a very high bivouac, at around 8,000 meters.

 From the interview: Which of the eight-thousanders was the most difficult for you?

 Probably Annapurna from the north. There were only four climbers on the expedition: the leader, an American woman whom Arsentyev later married, and Arsentyev and I – two members, in a double team. There was no one else. It was the most athletic expedition, semi-alpine style: no one, nothing – wonderful! No crowds.

 Judging by the following text, Nikolai Dmitrievich was the first to reach the summit.

The summit itself looks like a snow cornice curving south. Sergey approaches. We find two Polish coins on a ledge of snow – that means the Poles were here yesterday, their expedition was working the Bonnington route**... We admire the panorama for a long time. Sergei poses on the ridge, smoking a Camel and Winston cigarette – hoping to make a name for himself in advertising. It was 10 a.m. on October 24th.

... Our small expedition, the only successful one on the north face of Annapurna in the fall of 1991, had ended. 

** On October 21st, three Poles reached the summit: Krzysztof Wielicki, Ryszard Pawlowski, and Bohdan Stefko. And the next day, Wanda Rutkiewicz summited alone. Her teammates themselves questioned her summit bid, but later they accepted it. Their team had climbed a variation of Bonnington's 1970 route. The same was true for a group of Moscow climbers who summited Annapurna on October 26th. They included Vladimir Bashkirov, Sergei Isaev, Nikolai Obikhod, and Nikolai Petrov.

High Gene Chronicle 3! The tenth member of the Annapurna expedition, Alexey, has arrived at the 7 Summits Club office. That means the core team is already complete. We're still accepting applications, though, only for the waiting list—just in case any of the first ten are unable to participate. To submit your application, please email us at info@7vershin.ru.

Applications will be accepted until the end of tomorrow, December 26th.

This will be the third and final film in the legendary " High Gene" trilogy. If you'd like to be a part of it, now's the time to submit your request. You still have a chance!

Christmas news from the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Greetings to everyone and sincere Christmas greetings from the "Super Family" team and guide Sergey Larin! We wish everyone renewed light and clarity on the path! Our guys enjoyed the start of the high-altitude trek, loved the service, everyone is happy and satisfied! We wish the same for you!

The team spent the night at 3,800 meters, at Shira Camp, and today the guys will trek through Lava Tower to one of the most beautiful camps on the mountain, through a picturesque valley with scattered rocks and senecias – Barranco (3,900 meters). There they will spend the night with views of the savannah and the glowing night sky of Moshi.

With you, guide Sergey Larin and the Super Family team.

Sergey Larin, 7 Summits Club super guide, reports from Tanzania:
Greetings from Tanzania! This time we started from Arusha, not the usual village of Machame. Therefore, the transfer to the national park gates took a couple of hours longer. After completing all the formalities, we weren't able to set out until 12:00 PM.
At the entrance, local rangers decided to thoroughly inspect everything. According to Kilimanjaro National Park regulations, drones, plastic bottles, and alcohol are prohibited. This time, they paid more attention to plastic bottles. For water on Kilimanjaro, we usually use reusable flasks or a hydration system in our backpack.
Our team arrived at Machame Camp at 2,800 meters around 6:00 PM, right on schedule. The weather has been favorable so far; despite brief showers and a muddy road, we walked comfortably. During the rainy season, it's best to wear trekking boots for trekking and the approaches to the assault camp. While sneakers are easier to walk in, you can scoop up water in them. The temperature was comfortable for trekking (around 22 degrees Celsius), with a complete lack of wind and soft sunlight, diffused through the heather.
The team is cheerful and in fighting spirit! Ready for further adventures!
To be continued...

Greetings from Punta Arenas! A group of 7 Summits Club guides arrived here yesterday to prepare equipment, purchase food, and organize all other matters for the Antarctic expedition. Today, we are purchasing food, preparing equipment, and getting ready to welcome our participants.

Antarctic guides: Artem Rostovtsev and Alexander Dorozhukov.

And our unique Irma, who oversees all reservations and organizes group meetings.

Valdis Pelsh: Dear friends! New Year's is coming soon, and it's time for gifts. Give yourself a gift! Become a part of the final film in the legendary " High Altitude Gene" trilogy – " High Altitude 3 without O2: Annapurna." We have four spots available on the expedition, and we invite each of you! It will require considerable effort and money, but I assure you, the results will likely exceed expectations. And the old awards we received for " High Altitude Gene 1" and " High Altitude Gene 2" will take their place on the shelf, giving way to new ones. Because the film will undoubtedly be action-packed.

Alexander Abramov: And your grandchildren will see you, and even your great-grandchildren will be proud of the grandparents and parents they had.

Greetings from our guide, Sergey Larin, from cloudy Tanzania! We're opening our new winter-spring season on everyone's favorite Kilimanjaro! Our first super-team this season is called "Super Family." They're a wonderful couple and their children who decided to climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro together. This will be their first mountain experience!

We'll do everything we can to ensure their success!

The team arrived on a Turkish Airlines overnight flight and arrived at the hotel, where our guide, Sergey Larin, was already greeting them with flowers. We were delighted to see that the guys took their preparation seriously. They brought almost all their gear with them. The information briefing has been completed, the gear has been checked again, and the team is off to the summit.

We wish them good luck and good weather! We look forward to hearing from you!

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

Greetings from Argentina! The "Otkryvashka" group continues its active acclimatization on the slopes of Aconcagua. I'm writing to you from Camp Nido de Condores, located at 5,500 meters. How can I write to you from 5,500 meters? It's simple! We have Starlink here, just like we do at Camp Berlin at 5,950 meters. Without exaggeration, both the Base Camp and the high camps offer the absolute best services on the mountain. Separate large domo tents serve as dining rooms and mess halls at each camp, where you can rest and prepare for the big day. And registration for the January groups is still open. If anyone's still considering it, don't hesitate!

The 7 Summits Club guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Argentina:

 Greetings from Argentina! The "Otkryvashka" group ascended to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp at 4,300 meters yesterday. We settled into comfortable dormitories and were delighted to learn that our cozy dining room and mess hall, as in previous years, would be ours for the entire season. The 7 Summits Club flag was ceremoniously hung on the wall, officially marking the opening of the season! Today we took a leisurely stroll to the abandoned hotel, and tomorrow we have a radial ascent to Plaza Canada.

Want to be the hero of the film "High-Altitude Gene 3"? We've already assembled half the team, and another 17 people are on the waiting list. If you want to participate, it's time to hurry!

Filming for the final part of the legendary trilogy, " High-Altitude Gene 3," begins in 2026. The action takes place on Annapurna, at 8,091 m.

We are recruiting participants for the expedition that will form the basis of the film.

Participation requirements:

- Experience in climbing 7,000–8,000 m;

- Participation fee paid by December 30, 2025;

- Final audition with the film director.

Only 10 spots on the team.

We accept applications by email: info@7vershin.ru

The application deadline is December 25th. This will be the final, third film in the High-Altitude Gene trilogy.

The 7 Summits Club guide Olya Rumyantseva sends a message from Mexico:

Greetings from Mexico, from the "Promising Optimists" group! Yesterday, almost the entire group of us climbed to the summit of Volcano Orizaba. It wasn't easy. On the way to the glacier, a cloud covered us, leaving us covered in a crust of ice. I almost thought our epic ice climb would be repeated. But then the clouds cleared. Those who persevered, climbed the glacier, and continued along the volcano's snowy cone were rewarded with magical views and sunny weather.

And in the evening, a surprise awaited us – an unforgettable mariachi concert and celebratory fireworks.

The 7 Summits Club Guide Valery Myasoedov reports from Argentina:

Greetings from Argentina! The "Otkryvashka" group has entered the active acclimatization phase. Yesterday, we ascended from Puente del Inca to Confluence Camp, 3,400 meters. Before leaving, we took a short hike to the famous bridge. The weather is terrible, but we remain optimistic. Today, we made a radial hike to Plaza Francia and admired the beautiful views of the South Face of Aconcagua. Now we're resting and preparing for tomorrow's trek to Base Camp.

On October 18, 2025, the first-ever ascent of Elbrus's main summit by a sled dog team took place. The heroes were the dogs, who received the typical Sherpa names Mingma, Pemba, and Lhakpa, and their handlers, the Simonovs, father and son. Of course, the event organizer, Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club, was also a key contributor. And of course, the filmmaker, cameraman Ilya Gladkikh, who later edited this wonderful film, was also a key contributor. Various dogs sometimes climb Elbrus on their own or with their owners. But this was their first experience climbing Elbrus with a sled dog team.

 The group climbed in the second half of autumn, in rather harsh conditions. The weather forecast was poor, which is typical for Elbrus. Preliminary training and acclimatization taught them a lot about organizing the ascent. However, the summit push itself brought many unexpected surprises and proved quite extreme. The group ascended by snowcat to 5,100 meters. The climb took 3.5 hours. On the descent, the group faced a real storm: a blizzard, winds up to 50 km/h, rough snow, and icy patches. But Mingma, Pemba, and Lhakpa withstood the test. As did the people.

 Should we continue this experiment? We need to think it over for now.

Open the "Film Studios" page and choose your viewing method!

The 7 Summits Club  guide Olya Rumyantseva reports from Mexico:

 Greetings from Mexico from the "Promising Optimists" group! This morning, we reached our base camp at 4,200 meters. We immediately took an acclimatization hike along the slopes of Orizaba to 4,750 meters. Afterwards, we descended and were able to truly appreciate the comfort of our camp. Large tents, delicious food, a gas heater in the dining room, and satellite internet.

Tomorrow we move to the summit camp and begin the ascent the following night.

Valery Myasoedov, the 7 Summits Club guide, reports from Argentina:

Greetings from sunny Argentina! Here, the 7 Summits Club is opening the new climbing season on America's highest peak, Mount Aconcagua, at 6,962 meters. Yesterday, we met the first group at the airport, spent the first day organizing the expedition, and got to know the city. Today, we've already moved to the Puente del Inca camp and settled into comfortable cabins. The weather is unstable, but that's not a big deal right now; the main thing is for it to stabilize by summit day. Tomorrow, we're scheduled to hike to the Confluencia Camp.

The 7 Summits Club super guide Olya Rumyantseva reports from Mexico:

 Greetings from Mexico to everyone from the "Promising Optimists" group! That's the name we chose today during our climb of the Cero Negro volcano.

The climb was short and quite enjoyable, with a gentle climb and beautiful views, including of the neighboring Orizaba volcano.

In total, we gained about 600 meters and reached an altitude of 4,600 meters. There, at the summit of Cero Negro, we found a huge telescope.

After descending to the hut, we had lunch and conducted a gear check. Everyone was convinced they had all the necessary gear for climbing Orizaba and knew how to use it. Tomorrow we leave for Orizaba Base Camp.

First place in the Mountain Films category was awarded to the 7 Summits Club film "How Much Does Everest Cost?" Ilya Gladkikh also received the prize for best cinematography for three of our films, which were nominated in various festival categories. The filmmakers, Alexander Abramov and Ilya Gladkikh, personally accepted the prizes and diplomas.

The 7 Summits Club guide Natalia Marinkevich reports from the Elbrus region:

Certification successfully completed! Existing skills and knowledge have been systematized into more convenient algorithms, a lot of new and useful information, and a pleasant experience. Thanks to the wonderful instructors Sergey Privalov and Mikhail Mironov!

On November 29, at the gala evening of the Russian Mountaineering Federation, the main national award of the year, the Golden Ice Axe of Russia, was presented. The winner was the team of climbers who completed the first ascent of the eight-thousander Manaslu via a new route. It should be noted that before the main ascent, they reached the summit via the standard route without supplemental oxygen. We congratulate team leader Andrey Vasiliev and participants Natalia Belyankina, Sergey Kondrashkin, Vitaly Shipilov, and Kirill Eiseman! We wish you success in your future projects and look forward to any collaboration in the high mountains!

Our most active participant in recent years, Andrey Polyakov, has completed the Seven Volcanoes program! Today, he sent a video and photos from the summit of Ojos del Salado volcano. He completed the climb in 8 hours and 40 minutes with local guide Mario. The South American season is just beginning, and we're already seeing success! Andrey Polyakov occupies a remarkable 69th place on the list of Seven Volcanoes climbers. Russia is increasing its dominance in this program! Congratulations to Andrey! He's already climbed so many mountains, but there are always more to come. So, here's to new summits and achievements!