All news: October 2010

Over the course of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, the LOLA team has diligently watched as the highest point on the Moon got higher and higher. No, the Moon is not expanding, but rather the LOLA profile coverage increases each month so the chances increase that a ground track will pass directly over, or very near to the highest point. The highest point on the Earth is at the summit of Mount Everest, which is 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level. The lunar high point is 1938 meters higher than that of the Earth ! However there are several major differences between the two points. Mt Everest is a relatively new feature on the Earth.

It was formed as tectonic plates collided and pushed up to astonishing heights what was once seafloor, over the course of about 60 million years. The lunar high point is very ancient, and was possibly formed as ejecta from the enormous South Pole Aitken basin piled up during this cataclysmic event, in a matter of minutes, more than 4 billion years ago. Another key difference between the two highest points is slope. The flanks of Mt Everest are very steep, while on the Moon the approach to the summit has slopes of only about 3°, assuming you skirt around impact craters.

According to Mark Robinson, chief of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) camera team the lunar high point is 10786 meters high!

The selenean summit was identified using an instrument known as the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) also mounted on the moon-circling LRO satellite. As the LRO sweeps along just 30 miles above the lunar surface (it can orbit so low due to the lack of any atmosphere) the LOLA laser generates a record of the peaks and troughs beneath.

Once the LOLA had identified the lunar highpoint's general vicinity, an allied team of boffins in charge of the spacecraft's camera took over for the final precision fix.

Once the LOLA team had the spot narrowed down to a small area, the LROC team commanded a NAC stereo pair (12 August 2010) to get an even higher resolution measurement of the elevation and coordinates of the highest point. Once the stereo pair was on the ground, the LROC team processed the images into a digital elevation model (DEM), or topographic map.

Though it is actually higher than the peak of Mount Everest, as the photo shows the moon's topmost spot is far less dramatic - more in the nature of a high plain or plateau, with the ground sloping away around it at no more than 3° according to Robinson (apart from impact craters). It lies near the Engel'gardt crater on the fringe of the Korolev plain, on the lunar far side. Robinson considers that it was probably formed by ejecta - molten rock - piled up during the cataclysmic South Pole-Aitken meteor impact over four billion years ago.

The LRO was launched back when NASA was still expecting to send humans back to the Moon in the near future, and perhaps to establish permanent inhabited bases there. Thus it was of the first importance to thoroughly map the surface, in order to avoid hairy landings into the unknown like those made by the early Apollo astronauts.

Though President Obama has now decreed that there will be no return to the Moon, the LRO has still made many interesting discoveries

7 Summits Club President Alexander Abramov flew today in Mexico. He will lead a climbing program to the highest volcano in North America, Mount Orizaba (app. 5700 meters). In addition, the cultural program planned for the group. It will begin with a presence on the famous holiday "Day of the Dead" (November 1-2). At the same time Luba Ivanova will be in Mexico and will help our captain and his team to understand what is going around. The group, which flies by different ways includes our friends and regular travel partners: Vyacheslav Adrov, Alexander Dubinkin, Sergei Dudko, Natalia Zvereva, Dmitry Krasnov, Alexander Morozov.

"Round Table. Russia mountain guides - becoming a professional community "was held on 29 October as part of the exhibition "International Ski Salon”. It was an informal meeting of members of the Association of Mountain Guides of Russia, a report of committee and discussions of some details of its work. one of the chairmen of the organizing committee of the Association of Mountain Guides of Russia Sergei Zon-Zam introduced Russia Officer Russian Mountaineering Federation (RMF) Roman Bryk for a report.

Post Roman was quite brief. The Work is proceeding and is now in the stage of signing contracts with partner organizations. The choice is approved in favor of "Canadian" model, with separation of the ski and climbing blocks. Fedor Farberov is working on programming. Partners RMF for the School of guides to determine for 2011. In the near future site of the Association of guides should start working.

Maxim Balakhovsky made on submission of the draft Etique Code was made by a mountain guide. Actually, he just read it with little commentary. In developing the basis for the Code is taken code UIAGM. This part of the Round Table program caused the most lively discussion ..

The second chairman Nicholay Veselovsky, Director of "Vertical World Co  made an announcement for 2011: Schematic diagram of the Russian national school of mountain guides, modules for 2011 and  school partners. Next year, two units of the School will be held in June and one general unit will be held in December.

Partners: Gore-Tex, Red Fox, Pieps, Petzl,

Leading the seminar stressed that for  the first issue of school guides, they are going to possibility to take part  for future teachers of the school guides. The process of recognizing the future diploma by UIAGM structures will be very long and we have to start it, even if not completely ready.

Now a new state tourism development program in the North Caucasus aimed at construction of Olympic facilities in Krasnaya Polyana. However, all republics of this region have their own plans for development of mountain infrastructure. So in North Ossetia, a work on construction of a large resort in the area Mamison pass already began. In addition, the river valley Genaldon is the focus of the authorities, through which the route goes to one of the most famous mountains of the Caucasus – Kazbek (5033m). In this year's there was a regular annual International alpiniada from 4 to 13 September. About 200 people from Russia and CIS countries have climbed to the top of Kazbek. But now the route is still without a single mountain huts, all nights are in tents.

Chairman of the Republican Committee on Tourism, Oleg Karsanov stated that the Committee has developed a plan to build on the route to the summit of Kazbek on the northwestern slope of the glacier Mayli three mountain huts: at elevations 2,300 m, 3450 m, 4149 m.

The highway to the village Tmenikau will be reconstructed and extended further up to the level of 1950 m (sandy river of Genaldon). Wide footpath will be laid to the upper hot Karmadon springs (2300m), where it will be built a largest hut. In this area there are great opportunities for trekking and easy climbing. Except in the Kazbek district has a number of beautiful mountains: Dzhimarai-Hoch, Miley-Hoch, Shaukudza, Dzarasova Peak (Peak Polyakov), Pastukhova Peak, Peak Surveyor.

A traditional route to Kazbek from Russian (Ossetian) side

 Genaldon Valley

Karmadon hot springs

To the summit of Kazbek

Construction of rescue hut on the saddle of Elbrus carried out almost three years. Mountaineering Federation of Russia supported an initiative of some climbers, there were found money and volunteers for the work. Grand opening of the hut was on Sept. 1 2010, at an altitude of 5,300 meters. In September, Alexander Abramov, lead a group climbing Elbrus, had organized rescue work for a Polish climber. Hard to say, could this be done without the hut.

However, in late October, guide Eugene Kruten, climbing on Mount Elbrus, found that the refuge is destroyed. Upper part of hut is separated from the base and lying quite near but aside. This fact has caused surprise and intense discussion of what happened. In principle, the general conclusion is: it must be restored. Reason of destroying: changes in design, connected with the loss of some details during winter storage. Wind on the saddle has hurricane strength, quite often. We need more precise engineering calculation.

Two photos from Eugene Kruten

Rescue work at the hut

1th September, opening

 Ludmila Korobeshko flew yesterday from other parts of the world, which stuck to a large part somewhere in the stone age. Lots of impressions, which, alas, she will not have time to present as text. Fortunately, the camera worked fine, despite the complete lack of recharge, at a constant 100% humidity at the beginning of the path and cold, in the end. We can not publish all the pictures and all video, tried to select the most interesting and posted on our site...

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VIDEO

Today, a group of 7 Summits Club under the leadership of Victor Bobok successfully overcame the Cho La Pass, leading from the valley Gokio in the Khumbu valley itself. For overnight they stopped at a lodge in the village of Lobuche. For tomorrow is scheduled early exit, to climb Kala Patar, then to reach a place of base camp of Mount Everest and still have time to get down lower than Lobuche. All members of trip feel very good. And in the morning, and in the afternoon and in the evening. Especially at evening party. The fact is that six of seven members of the expedition play guitar quite well.

Hi ! Finally we got out of the jungle ! Hooray ! It was not easy. Thus, 16 October, we ran into (less than 5 hours) to the top of Carstensz Pyramid (4884m) from the base camp. The weather favored us up to the summit. At 11 a.m. local time, we stood at the top, the members of the 7 Summits Club - Igor Kosarev, Yuri Beloyvan, Ludmila Korobeshko.

During descent the weather turned bad and we went down along wet ropes.

The next day, porters did not come. We are agitated. The day was lost. A day later they came and we all ran together down in the snow (first) and rain. Until Pinapa (a village near Ilaga), we went for 4 days. On the last day we made almost 2,5 day distance, and last 4 hours went in complete darkness in the jungle and swamps. At 10 p.m., our team came to the village. Local residents greeted us with shouts and laughter. They carried us in the guest house to Mr. Luther and his wife, Nani.

We are planning to fly to Vamena, on a visit to this ritualistic cannibals.

Today, 16 October, the team of " Seven Summits Club ", Ludmila Korobeshko, Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev climbed the summit of Carstensz Pyramid, considered the highest in the Australian continent. Details are not known to us yet. The group descended to the base camp and getting ready to go back through jungles to Ilaga Village and then by planes home. Ludmila Korobeshko became the first Russian woman completed the "Seven Summits" according to 7 + 1 version.

Climbing Himalayan mountains in the Fall can be risky at best. Each day is shorter, it is progressively colder and winter looms. So every summit, especially Everest, is highly valued by the climbers. This year, Fall 2010, we saw two summit successes of very different types.

First up is the only Fall Everest summit since the Fall of 2008. Eric Larsen and his small Sherpa team summited Everest at around 6:35 AM local time on October 15th. They broke trail and fixed their own ropes on the way to the top. Eric reported in an emotional audio post from the summit that they summited . He later reported they threaded the needle of a tiny weather window descending in white-out conditions to the South Col. He promised more details upon return to Base Camp.

His outfitter, Himalayan Trailbalzer listed the Sherpa team as: Mr. Tshering Sherpa, Pasang Temba Sherpa, Mr. Nima Dorje Tamang, Nima Dorje Tamang, Dawa Gelzen Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa and Da Tenji Sherpa.

There had been other teams on both the north and south but all abandoned plans throughout the season. Dangerous snow conditions were the culprit on the north side and running out of time was cited on the south. But Eric, wanting to complete a year long goal to ski to both poles and summit Everest on behalf of his "Save the Poles" mission persevered. Eric's stated goal:

"This expedition will tell the story of these remote places so we can better understand how our actions affect the poles and ultimately the planet," Larsen says. "We all need to be reminded that we must act now to stop global warming."

Please visit his website for more details. Congratulations Eric!

Another impressive summit was the Soldiers to the Summit team lead by Everest summiter and blind climber Eric Weihenmayer. They put 8 soldiers on the summit of Lobuche, 20,075′, which is often used for acclimatization for Everest climbs. From their site, Soldiers to the Summit: The goal of the Expedition and World TEAM Sports is to demonstrate to everyone that great things can be achieved no matter how high the obstacles.

From the team website:

We did it! On October 13th, eight of our injured soldiers reached the 20,075-foot summit of Lobuche. These men and women overcame their injuries, gave it their all, and achieved a great victory—not only for themselves but for other veterans, disabled people, and all of our sponsors.

We set out from high camp at 17,000 feet in two teams. The first team—consisting of Brad Bull, Steve Baskis, Sherman Bull, myself, Jeff Evans, Kami Tenzing, Ashley Crandall, Michael Brown, Rex Pemberton, and Didrik Johnck—left at 1:15 AM; Ashley felt the altitude and turned back. The second team—Charley Mace, Matt Nyman, Matt Murray Luis Benitez, Ike Isaacson, Dan Sidles, Kevin Cherilla, Chris Morris, Nico Moroulis, Chad Jukes, Chad Butrick, Brian Mockenhaupt—left camp at 3 AM. Catherine Raggazino (Rizzo) also felt the altitude and stayed at camp and Cody Miranda elected to stay with her.

Congratulations to all these climbers. See the previous report on their expedition.

The fall season is not over with climbs on Pumori, Ama Dablam and a few other Himalayas mountains underway.

Climb On!

Alan

Arnette is a speaker, mountaineer and Alzheimer's Advocate. He is climbing the 7 Summits starting with Mt. Vinson in November 2010 to raise $1 million for Alzheimer's research. You can read more on his site.

At the beginning of next year's a team of 7 Summits Club will participate in a climbing expedition to the highest volcano in Antarctica - Mount Sidley. In middle of January, an aircraft Basler, traditionally used for flights to the South Pole, is to land in the vicinity of the volcano. Conditions of the landing will be available only upon arrival. This expedition is an initiative of the 7 Summits Club. Initially, our club was planning to send four climbers and one guide. However, the injury of one of participants reduced it to four people. And the Antarctic operator Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE) collected on this program a few more people.

Team of 7 Summits Club: expedition leader Alexander Abramov, the Russian climber Igor Grishkov, Italian mountaineer and explorer 58-year-old Mario Trimeri and a Romanian girl Crina Coco Popescu, who in December will be 16 years old. In the case of success, Trimeri and Popescu, will become the first people who climbed seven of the highest volcanoes in the seven continents. They had already visited six of the list:

Ojos del Salado (6893m) - the highest volcano in South America. Located in Chile.

Kilimanjaro (5895m) - the highest volcano in Africa. Located in Tanzania.

Orizaba (5700m) - the highest volcano in North America. Located in Mexico

Demavent (5671m) - the highest volcano Asia. Located in Iran.

Elbrus (5642m) - the highest volcano in Europe. Located in Russia.

Giluve (4,368 m) - the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania. Located in the eastern part of the island of New Guinea.

And nobody else in the world, have not yet done.

Scientists had visiting a region of Mount Sidley several times, but with climbing plan only in 1990. It was a scientific expedition from USA. An experienced New Zealand guide-climber Bill Atkinson participated in this expedition. Americans used a powerful C-130 Hercules and they were able to land 28 kilometers from the volcano Seeley. Thanks to the power plane, Americans brought with them many goods and, in particular, tracked snowmobiles.

The goals were academic and focused on the collection of rocks, Geophysical and glaciological studies. Scientists have been there for quite a long time and underwent several geophysical routes. Along the way, they made two ascents. First, they climbed a nearby volcanic cone of Mt. Waesche, 3292 meters. They climbed up on a snowmobile to almost the highest point. Climbers ascended in crampons only final 20 meters. At Sidley, scientists and guide Atkinson crossed the crest of the crater. Probably, they reached the highest point. But Atkinson can not remember any details.

In accordance with a plan of our expedition, we will climb on skis. It will be special touring skis for polar expeditions, which used for the program "Last Degree". Crampons will probably need only for the final stage, as the north-western slopes of the mountain are very gentle. It is unclear now, where our plane could landed. At what will be distance to the mountain. Altitude of the ice dome at this site is about 2000 meters. We assume that the ridge of Mount Sidley consists of several peaks with almost equal height. We would like to climb all the highest ones and give them names. Determinate the main summit, the highest point to make this trip fully ready for the following climbers who go on the program "Seven volcanoes.

It's even hard to count how many flights it took to get to the starting point of the route village Ilaga. Six or seven. The total route of Ludmila Korobeshko was following: Moscow - Dubai - Jakarta - Bali - Sulawesi - Biak - Nabire - Ilaga. Her partners on the journey Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev flew directly to Bali, they have one less flight.

Everything goes according to the plan. Tomorrow, their caravan has to start the route via Jungles to the foot of Carstensz Pyramid. In case of success Ludmila Korobeshko become the first Russian woman on the top of this mountain and the first one who completes the program “7 + 1 summits”.

The Economist Magazine

“MOUNT EVEREST is singing for joy and the Brahmaputra River swirling with happiness”. Or so says an official Chinese newspaper (using the Tibetan names, Qomolangma and the Yarlung Tsangpo). After much delay, China has started to extend its controversial railway line in Tibet that will draw more tourists to the mountain and boost trade with South Asia. How happy the outcome will be is not so clear.

 Planning for the 253km (157-mile) line from the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, to the region’s second city, Shigatse, began in 2002, four years before Lhasa itself was connected to China’s railway network. The authorities appear not have been deterred by the problems that the railway brought to Lhasa. A tourism boom and a flood of immigrants from China’s interior contributed to an explosion of unrest among embittered Tibetans in March 2008. The launch ceremony in Lhasa of the $2 billion extension on September 26th was celebrated by dancing children in elaborate Tibetan costumes. Chinese television said the line would be of “great significance for the strengthening of ethnic unity”.

 Like the route to Lhasa, which crossed the highest terrain of any railway in the world, the single-track extension will involve considerable technical difficulties. Nearly half of it will go through tunnels or over bridges (96 of them). It will cross areas prone to earthquakes, landslides and sand storms. Whereas the line to Lhasa had to traverse unstable permafrost, the new one will be challenged by geothermal fields with hot springs. All this at an oxygen-starved altitude of 3,550-4,000 metres.

 The railway will make it easier to reach Mount Everest, which can expect to see a lot more tourists eager to be photographed in front of the world’s highest peak (Shigatse is also due to open an airport soon, Tibet’s fifth for civilian use). In 2007 the Chinese side of the mountain recorded 27,476 visits by Chinese tourists, almost twice as many as in 2006, after the new rail service to Lhasa had opened. Environmentalists are worried.

Shadows over Qomolangma

 So are the Indians. The government in Delhi has been nervously watching China’s build-up of infrastructure in Tibet. The extension to Shigatse, besides facilitating military movements near China’s border with India, is likely to boost trade with Nepal, where the two giants are vying for influence in a power struggle that is still going on. China has long-term plans for more extensions of the line, to Nyalam on the border with Nepal and to Dromo near Bhutan and the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal wants the railway extended to Kathmandu, which India fears would give China more clout in a country India sees as part of its sphere of influence. Another proposed line, from Lhasa east to Nyingchi, would bring the network close to the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, most of which China claims.

 Tibetans might have mixed feelings too. The rail link to Lhasa brought disproportionate benefits to ethnic Han Chinese whose language and culture enabled them to take quicker advantage of the Han tourist influx. Tibet Business News said the majority of traders in Shigatse were migrants from beyond Tibet. It quoted a woman from neighbouring Sichuan Province saying that the railway would cut her costs of doing business in Shigatse by half. Expect more like her to come.

 Correction: An earlier version of this article had it that “most of China” claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Rather, (all of) China claims most of Arunachal Pradesh. This article was corrected on October 8th, 2010.

The Economist. Full text >>>>>>>

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China official  information

 LHASA, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- China began work on Sunday to build an extension to the world's highest rail link, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, linking Xigaze, the second largest city in the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region.

 The 253-km line from Tibet's capital Lhasa to Xigaze will pass through five counties as well as over the 90-km long Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon.

 The work will take about four years.

 This is the first extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway that opened in July 2006.

 The Lhasa-Xigaze railway, with a budget of 13.3 billion yuan (1.95 billion U.S. dollars), is capable of transporting 8.3 million tonnes of cargo per year. The local authorities did not provide a projected annual passenger number.

 Zhang Qingli, Communist Party chief of Tibet, said the rail line would make train services available in southwestern Tibetan regions which currently rely solely on roads for transport.

 The railway will detour around nature reserves and drinking water sources and more measures will be taken during construction to better protect the fragile plateau environment, Zhang said.

 Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun said the extension is a key project in China's long and medium-term railway network expansion and will speed up Tibet's social and economic development.

 It will also play a vital role in boosting tourism and promoting the rational use of resources along the line, he said.

 Further, Tibet is planning to build another railway to link Lhasa with Nyingchi to boost tourism and the economy in Tibet.

 During its four-year operation, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has reduced transportation costs and greatly boosted economic growth in Tibet, especially through developing tourism and other local special resources, Liu said.

 Xigaze, with a history of more than 600 years, is Tibet's second largest city and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lamas.

 Xigaze City is the administrative center of the Tibetan prefecture of the same name, a 182,000 square km area that borders India, Nepal and Bhutan. It is also famous for Qomolangma (known as Mount Everest in the West), which rises up from within it.

Part of our expedition is already in Kathmandu, the team leader with best climbers is coming down. The weather on Cho Oyu again deteriorated. Strong winds and high avalanche danger made it impossible to attack the top for our advance team (I.Svergun, S. Bublik, A. Zakolodny, A.Kijko). They decided that climb above Camp 3 (7400m) is extremely difficult because of deep snow and very dangerous. Besides, the last few days the strong wind was blowing in the upper part of the route.

Just a few climbers remain at base camp. Only the Koreans decided to starve and wait at base camp the weather, which by forecasters was promised in 5 days.

Our climbers, have tickets from Kathmandu on October 16, so they can not stay for another 10 days.

As they say: "The Mountain does not allow me go!" We go back to come again.

Director of our Club, a mountain guide Lyudmila Korobeshko went today on an expedition in Irian Jaya, for climbing Mount Carstensz Pyramid. Yet no woman from Russia was on the top of that mountain, the highest point of Oceania. Experienced climbers, our loyal customers Yuri Beloyvan and Igor Kosarev left with Lyudmila. They will have a long flight, a march through the jungle and challenging rock climbing. Good luck!

From left: Igor Kosarev, Yury Beloyvan and Marat Safin (Cho-Oyu expedition)

At the beginning of last week there were doubts about the fact that someone even be able to climb Cho-Oyu. A significant part of expeditions turned their work. The head of our expedition (Ukraine - Himalaya 2010 + 7 Summits Club) Igor Svergun and Sirdar Mingma Gelu (7summits Adventure) also inclined to the idea of shutting down. However, after getting fairly good prognosis, as well as reports of the successful ascent of some German climber, they decided to continue the expedition. Tickets from Kathmandu were taken on October 16, so that you can still compete.

Manaslu

Hard season: the Himalayas against the climbers ... first autumn climbing and loss of ...

 September 28 Japanese climbers from the team of the Association of Mountain Guides have got in an avalanche on the way from base camp to Camp 1 on the slope of Dhaulagiri. Mountain Guides Osamu Tanabe (49 years), Toshio Yamamoto (1936), Daisuke Honda (32) and Sherpa Pasang Gyelu Sherpa are died. Tanabe was the leader of Himalayan mountaineering in the country of the Rising Sun ". He has had 9 eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest in winter by south-west face, K2 and Makalu by a new routes.

 Osamu Tanabe

Season on Manaslu is more successful. Although not without sacrifice. A Japanese mountaineer has died at the base camp.

Success of the Spaniards is in a focus. Carlos Pauner reached his 10th eight-thousander. And Carlos Soria, who turns 71 years old, went on the 9 th. This year veteran of the Spanish mountaineering completed the program of "Seven Summits", and plans "to make" 14X8000 before 2014

Soria and Pauner in the base camp

In the team of Himex a large group of climbers reached the summit of Manaslu on October 1. Russell Brice CEO (58 years) for the fourteenth time climbed peaks above 8,000 meters. True, 9 times it was Cho-Oyu. For Sirdar Phurba it was, by the way, 23th 8000 m peak (15 times Everest) and he became the leader among the Sherpas in this field.

Guides of Himex on the summit: Adrian, Russel and Marc

And the first of the season on top Manaslu was a leader of the expedition Dream Guides Kenton Cool. He led the team of three members and three sherpas. According to Kenton, tireless Dorjee Sherpa make almost all the way to the summit as first. From the summit of Manaslu Cool and one of the clients Andrew Eggleston went to the camp 4 on skis. It was September, 30th.

According to information from an expedition leader Fabrizio Zangrilli, 1th October, some German climber managed to reach the summit of Cho Oyu. This immediately restored power to several companies, they have resumed the upward movement in the camps.

Later it turned out that they were two experienced climbers 42-year-old Austrian Rupert Hauer and guide of the expedition 39-year-old Alix von Melle, known as a girlfriend of Luis Stitzinger. Ascent from Camp 3 to the top took 6,5 hours. There was a very strong wind, but good visibility.

If a forecast will be justified, we could expeat another climbs on Cho Oyu. We hope that among the lucky winners will be the names of our climbers.

Chao, Walter ...

Italian Walter Nones was found dead under the SW face of Cho Oyu, he was 39 years old. During a reconnaissance of a new route for south-western face, he climbed to an altitude of 6,800 meters with the Sherpas. Later he came out already in the solo assault. Misfortune.

Kilian Jornet, a Spanish mountain climber and endurance athlete, set a new record for the fastest climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro earlier this week, making his way from the base to summit, and back again, in just 7 hours and 14 minutes. The previous record for the climb was held by Tanzanian Simon Mtuy, who made the round-trip journey in 8 hours and 27 minutes.

Standing at 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and a popular trekking destination amongst adventure travelers. Most hikers who go to the summit take six or seven days to complete the trip, which means Jornet was moving at a pace of roughly one days worth of climbing per hour. A pretty impressive feat no matter what the trail conditions are.

Jornet set out on his record-breaking attempt at 8AM local time on Tuesday and reached the summit just five hours and 23 minutes later. Running past the famous Uhuru Peak sign, he immediately started back down the mountain, finishing up an hour and fifty minutes later.

Kilimanjaro is famous for its five climate zones that begin in at the base on the savannah, which gives way to cloud forests and then marshlands. From there, climbers proceed up into high alpine desert and finally arctic conditions at the top. Jornet had to not only deal with those changes in climate along the way, but also large fields of rock left over from the last time that the volcanic Kilimanjaro erupted.

Upon reaching the finish line after his record breaking run, Jornet was greeted by the previous record holder who embraced the man who just shattered his old mark by an hour and thirteen minutes. I guess even he was impressed by this amazing display of strength and endurance.

September, 30 we had a traditional evening meeting friends of 7 Summits Club. At this time, a record number of people came to hear reports on our expeditions. The famous mountain climber, winner of the Piolet d'Or Jury Koshelenko was the chief guest. He spoke about his expeditions to Peru and the Pamirs. Then our guides were made with tales of his expeditions, we have shown films and pictures. Victor Bobok and Oleg Banar sang songs, we gave prizes for the best slogan for the club, played the lottery etc…

Photos from the party – full gallery is here >>>>>>>