All news: January 2010

It has been a very busy few months for me and my family. In a recent development on the dispute of Nepal Mountaineering Association, the Government of Nepal has posted me once again as the President of NMA until such time that another election can be held and the position passed on. The Ministers' Cabinet of the Government of Nepal held a special meeting at Kala Patthar Plateau (5,542 m) on December 4th near Mt. Everest Base Camp, to raise awareness about the impact of Climate Change on Nepal. Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and 23 other ministers attended the meeting, where a 10 point ‘Declaration’ was released which calls for concerted actions to minimize adverse effects of climate change in the Himalayan region

The meeting held at such a high altitude was substantial in drawing attention to the dangers of climate change and global warming on the Himalayas, days before UN negotiations on climate change in Copenhagen. This meeting gained worldwide media coverage and it showed the commitment of the Nepalese Government towards the burning issues of Climate Change and the mountain environment.

Following this, Summiteers Summit to Save the Himalayas was organized by the Government of Nepal in Copenhagen to mark the International Mountain Day on December 11, 2009. Led by honorable Minister for Forestry and Soil conservation, Mr. Deepak Bohora, this rally was an accompanying event in the 15th session of UNFCCC conference. The objective of this program was to draw attention of international community towards the Himalayas and the impacts of Climate Change on the Himalayas so that the important role of the Himalaya mountain region in regulating global climate regime can be well recognized by all.
Government ministers and mountaineers from Nepal in Copenhagen (image: Hank Hwang, Chinese Taipei Mountaineering Association)

This event was a humble request to the world community to pay greater attention to the challenges of climate change in the mountains and to value their unique contribution to the global ecology. Also please visit :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/dec/10/copenhagen-sherpa-himalayas

On behalf of the Government of Nepal, as President of Nepal Mountaineering Association and Union of Asian Alpine Association, I had the great pleasure to co-ordinate the gathering of International Mountaineers from all over the world in Copenhagen for this event. A large number of people (estimated between 900-1200 by the Copenhagen police), including 35 renowned Nepalese Mt.Everest summiteers, many international Mt.Everest and 8,000 m peaks summiteers, celebrities of International repute, Nepalese living abroad and supporters from all over the world with a concern for global climate change gathered and marched together in the streets of Copenhagen to highlight the challenges faced by the Himalaya in the context of global warming.

The event also included other activities such as the “Himalaya- Changing Landscapes” photo exhibition; a cultural program by a Sherpa cultural group and a Danish band; speeches by mountaineering leaders and icons and the issue declaration to Save the Himalayas. Nepal Mountaineering Association along with several organizations such as Nepal’s National Trust for Nature Conservation, ICIMOD, WWF, Nepal Tourism Board, the World Bank, Danish Embassy, Union of Asian Alpine Association, ESA, and NRN joined hands with the government to launch this special event.

I thank all the participants for their concern and support towards saving the Himalayas and the mountain environment.

Just ahead of the Climate Change talks in Copenhagen, my son Dawa Steven along with renowned mountaineer Apa Sherpa, 19th times Mt.Everest Summiteers went on a ‘European Expedition.” On expedition they visited 10 major European cities. They attended various events and exhibitions, participated in many talks, gave lectures and presentations, met high- profile politicians and celebrities, and spoke to the media delivering the message from Himalayan communities who are on the front line to face the impacts of climate change. The ‘European Expedition’ was part of the Climate for Life campaign of WWF and directed to raise the profile of the Himalayas in the global climate debate. Dawa Steven and Apa are both Ambassadors for the Climate for Life campaign.

Starting from Prague, Dawa Steven and Apa passed through Brno, Bratislava, London, Viterbo, Gland, Chamonix, Vienna, Brussels, Paris and finally to Copenhagen. In London, Dawa Steven spoke to Members of Parliament at Westminster. In Gland (Switzerland), Dawa and Apa met Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International and were awarded “Leaders of a Living Planet” the Highest award for conservation given by WWF. Dawa Steven also informed the Austrian President about Nepal’s problems in the face of Climate Change and handed over the summit rocks to the President. Similarly in Brussels (Belgium), Dawa Steven spoke at a Climate Change rally to 13,000 people and participated in round table talks at the European Parliament where members of Parliament, South Asian Nation Ambassadors and officials of the European Commission were present. In Paris, they handed over the Prime Minister’s Letter to the Chief of Protocol of the President’s Office. Also please visit:
http://www.climate4life.org

Looking forward to an exciting New Year, we also have many programs planned.

Mt. Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee will be celebrated on 28 May 2010 and on the same day Save the Himalaya Conference will be held. On 29 May 2010, various programs will be organized to celebrate International Everest Day.

Conforming to the success of Imja Tsho Action Event 2009, Dawa Steven Sherpa and his iDEAS team will organize Imja Tsho Action Event 2010 this year also on 10 June 2010. The run titled Beat the GLOF Action Run will start from Imja Lake (5010 m) and end at Khumjung Village covering a total distance of about 35 kilometers. Following the Action Run on 11 June 2010 will be Save the Himalaya – Khumbu Festival at Khumjung Village to focus on the mountain communities, the mountain environment and the impacts on them due to climate change. Also please visit www.theuiaa.org/act_mountain_protection.html

Eco Everest Expedition 2010 will take place this year with a special program. This year Dawa Steven and his Eco Everest Expedition team has planned to collect and bring down garbage from the Mountain, including at altitudes as high as 8000 m and above. The plan is to create a team of 10 Sherpas to clean up garbage and debris from such high altitudes. This year’s expedition targets to bring down 1000 kgs of debris from high altitude (above Camp 2) and 6000 kgs of debris from Camp 2 and below.

I once again hope to receive your support and encouragement for our efforts in the New Year.

Best Wishes,

Ang Tshering Sherpa

Founder Chairman
www.asian-trekking.com

The New Yew started with the growth of activity.

A record number of 7 Summits Club's expeditions held in January. All of them were successful.

Here's a summary of them:
1. Expedition to the highest point of Africa - Kilimanjaro. Group as a whole has risen to the top.
2. In January There were three expeditions to the highest point of South America - Aconcagua. In two expeditions all participants reached the summit. In the third expedition 11 out of 12 people reached the.
3. New Year's expedition to the highest point of Australia - Kosciuszko. All people reached the top. Also as part of the expedition was an active motor race on New Zealand.
4. Expedition to the volcanoes of Ecuador. The whole team summited the volcanoes Chimborazo and Cotopaxi.
5. Closing of the traditional 7 Summits Club expedition to Antarctica. One group had reached the South Pole, passing more than 100 kilometers. A second group climbed to the highest point in Antarctica - Vinson Massif. And the third group to passed more than 300 km from Base Camp Vinson Massif to sea level.

 January 17, 2010 Polish journalist and explorer, Martyna Wojciechowska went to great air travel on the route: Warszawa - Amsterdam - Kuala Lumpur - Jakarta - Makassar - Biak - Nabire (New Guinea). Austrian guide and a physician Robert Miller was her partner. Martyna met him in Antarctica a year ago. They chose to travel to the base camp helicopter flight from  Nabira. January 20 in this town there was a conflict with the local people, which demanded to abandon the helicopter and move on with a caravan of porters. Martyna, perhaps, would not mind, but they had not time.

 Local residents began blocking  helicopter, but did not show persistence .. January 22, at 5 a.m.  helicopter evacuated the command to the base camp of the Pyramid Carstensz. Under the plan climbers has to stay two days there for acclimatization. But Robert insisted to go immediately. While the weather was good.

   The climb started went well. But on the crest  the weather worsened. Martyna has no big experience in rock climbing, so it was hard. As a result, the amount of emotion and adrenaline was beyond measure. "I wanted to lie down and die."  Thanks Robert everything ended well. The entire climb from camp to camp took 10 hours.

 The program "Seven Summits" is completed,  no doubt -  then will be two poles on skis.

 Martyna Wojciechowska is 35 years old. She has a degree in Economics and has her principal place of work - Editor in Chief of the Polish editions of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. Martyna  worked a lot on television, where it participates in different projects and has long been a television presenter.

 Martyna traveled to 70 countries, participated in rally etc. In 2002, Wojciechowska started mountaineering practice climbing Mont Blanc. In 2003 -  Kilimanjaro. After the idea of climbing Mount Everest was born. For training, Martyna ascended  Aconcagua in early 2006. In May 2006, there was a greatest success at the highest peak of the planet.

 In 2007 – she added McKinley and Mount Elbrus. After a break for the birth of h daughter: in 2009 – Mount Vinson and then Carstensz.

  Congratulations!

  www.martynawojciechowska.pl/

 In preparation for the expedition to Everest it was used stamp "model for Playboy." Martyna actually filmed and published on  pages of the famous magazine. But she has always been a business woman, making an excellent career.

On Elbrus

A 17-year-old boy from Utah has reportedly become the youngest person to climb the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, after reaching the peak of Antarctica's Mount Vinson on Tuesday.

Johnny Collinson began his quest on Jan. 19, 2009, on the summit of Argentina's Aconcagua, completing the feat on the same day just one year later.

Known to the climbing world as the Seven Summits, the group of mountains include Alaska's Denali, Elbrus in Russia, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Indonesia's Carstensz Pyramid, and Mount Everest.

According to his Website, Collinson's father is a member of the Ski Patrol at the Snowbird Ski Resort in Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, and taught Johnny how to ski at age 2. Two years later the young Collinson climbed Washington's Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the contiguous United States.

Mark Gunlogson of Mountain Madness, the adventure travel company that orgainzed the Mount Vinson expedition, says Collinson's year-long quest likely cost in the neighborhood of $150,000.

Fewer than 250 people have conquered the Seven Summits since mountaineer Richard Bass started the challenge in 1985, but like many things in the world of climbing, it is not without its share of controversy.

Bass' list of the Seven Summits included Australia's Mount Kosciuszko in lieu of Carstensz Pyramid, which he considered to be in Asia. A year later a rival climber Reinhold Messner argued that Australia and Indonesia are actually both part of a larger continent called Oceana, and that the Indonesian peak, at 16,024 feet more than twice as high as Kosciuszko, is the true highest summit in the region.

By the measure of the Bass list it was a resident of Malibu, California named Johnny Strange who is the youngest to climb the Seven Summits, reaching the top of Everest in May of 2009 at age 17, at the same time that Collinson was on the mountain. Strange climbed Mount Vinson when he was 12 years old.

No word if either of the young men plan to go after those eighth peaks for good measure, but they'd better watch their backs. According to travel website Gadling.com, a 13-year old boy named Jordan Romero has climbed five of the summits and is planning to take on Everest and Vinson this year.

  Yesterday, the group of 7 Summits Club under the leadership of our guide, Maxim Bogatyrev went to Mendoza. Maxim has sent details of the ascent and a picture  from the summit.

   Acclimatization was held by the scheme BC - Camp 4900 (Canada). The second night was at the Condor 5600. Then we went to rest in the base camp. And after two nights we went into the assault. The weather was variable. One day, an incredible for these places amount of snow has fallen. The level of snow was - on his knee. The team started out at 4 a.m. One hour later, our hands - feet began to freeze. I was forced to give trental to my comrades.  But we keep up a temp. At 1 p.m., the group in dense column reached  the top. Without of Ilya Petrunichev, who heroically came to the 6000. That he was very surprised all. After all, he was ill in the base camp . Local guides say that they never had such a strong team. All at 6000m!

   Ilya was waiting for us in 6000 for two nights. January 16, 2010 on the birthday of the Club Captain Alexander Abramov 7 Summits, we were at the top.

Here are the names of those who that day stood at the top:

Borodkin Peter

Vol'per Vladimir

Zagorskaya Anna

Zamalaev Paul

Kornev Mihail

Kornienko Konstantin

Kornienko Svetlana

Nadvodnyuk Vadim

Turovsky Mikhail

Chmel Catherine

 and guide Bogatyrev Maxim

Our friend and partner Noel Hanna, Northern Ireland based adventure sports trainer and endurance athlete finished his project named 7 SUMMITS TO SEALEVEL. It means climbing Seven summits of the world's highest peaks, followed by seven arduous and top-speed descents to Sea Level. Almost five years, seven continents, thousands of column inches in media coverage - and one goal in sight, a new entry in the Guinness Book of Records.

Noel Hanna, 42 is no stranger to nature's extreme challenges. He has competed in many of the world's most grueling endurance races such as, The Marathon Des Sables, Deathvalley 135, Discovery Eco-challenges and Himalayan 100 miler to name just a few.

For Noel Hanna, a man to whom challenge is a familiar friend, the quest was to go much further than previous expeditions - and add a dimension to the Seven Summits Challenge that would test, push, demand and enthrall: to follow each summit expedition with a race to Sea Level by man-powered means and accompanied by an observer from the Guinness Book of Records.

A seasoned mountaineer and endurance athlete, who is also a consultant advising endurance event organizers on course design and expedition logistics, Noel began his challenge in 2005 from Aconcagua.

In spring 2005 Noel Hanna and his wife Lynn joint an expedition of Everest organized by 7 Summits Club and led by Alex Abramov. Despite a setback on his first ascent Everest in 2005, when an eyesight problem forced him to turn back just one mile from the summit, he has relentlessly pursued.

Next year, again with Alex Abramov, they return to Everest North Face. 21st May 2006 he leave camp 2 at 0130 hrs for summit climb. Arrive at summit at 0945 hrs.

Except of his 7 SUMMITS TO SEALEVEL program Noel and Lynn Hanna joint 7 Summits Club for following project:

2009 Climbed to the summit of Mt.Everest 8848mts ( south side).

2009 Climbed to summit of Mt. Elbrus 5642 mts Russia.

On December 2009 Noel left for a 7 week expedition in Antacrtica with a team of 7 Summits Club. 22th of December 2009.Noel with our guide Victor Bobok has climbed Mt.Vinson 4897 mts After some days in Christmas they started for almost 300 km skiing to the sea at Hercules inlet. It takes 8 days to finish 4th of December in Patriot Hills.

Noel Hanna and his wife Lynn on Elbrus

2006 after Everest

With Nikolay Cherny on Everest 2009

Dec 09/Jan 10 : MOUNT VINSON,

Antarctica

Autumn 2008 : CARSTENSZ PYRAMID,

Australasia, Indonesia

Descent to sea level, Nabire in 11 Days 9 hrs 5 mins

Jul 2007 : ELBRUS,

Europe, Russia

Descent to sea level, the Black Sea in 4 days, 22hrs, 50m.

May 2007 : DENALI,

North America, Alaska

Descent to sea level, the South Pacific Ocean in 10 days, 20 hrs, 30m.

Dec 2006 :KILIMANJARO,

Africa, Tanzania

Descent to sea level, the Indian Ocean in 37hrs, 44m.

May 2006 EVEREST,

Asia, Tibet - Nepal

Descent to sea level, the Bay of Bengal in 16 days, 23hrs, 15m.

Jan 2005 ACONCAGUA,

South America, Argentina

Descent to sea level, the Pacific Ocean in 28hrs, 23m.

Link with UCF:

Noel is linking this final leg of his Guinness Book of Records summit to sea level challenge attempt to his ongoing fundraising for UCF. He will be building on the total raised for the charity by the Personal Everest project.

Noel expedition log onto www.7summits2sealevel.com

Today January 12 morning Victor Bobok came to Moscow from Antarctica. And already at lunch time he appeared in the office of 7 Summits Club. Victor told fascinating stories about his adventures on the White Continent.

Recall that in last 45 days Victor Bobok made:

- With the first group (Dmitry Moskalev, Vladimir Lande, Yuri Taydakov, Igor Grishkov) go skiing more than 100 km and reach the South Pole

- With the second group (Igor Grishkov, Andrew Filkov, Patrick Sain and Noel Hanna) ascended to the highest point in Antarctica - Vinson Massif (4897m)

- With the third group (Noel Hanna and Dr. Derrick) went skiing more than 200 km from Vinson at sea level (Hercules Inlet).

- And then traveled two days by bus through the entire Argentina (from Punta Arenas to Buenos Aires), harrying  to fly home.

Just two weeks later Victor again fly to South America in order to lead an expedition 7 Summits Club on Aconcagua.