All news: June 2010

    Today, on the first day of July, the group of Victor Bobok successfully climbed the highest summit of the Alps, and Western Europe, Mount  Mont Blanc (4808 m). The summit was reached by whole team, except  Katya Chmel, who had problems with shoes. List of climbers: Victor Bobok, Bogdan Bolgov, Sergei Dudko, Dmitry Krasnov, Alexander Krovikov, Konstantin Ostapkevich.

12-year old alpinist, Matt Moniz summits Denali, Whitney and Elbert to raise money and awareness for best friend's illness. Matt Moniz is the newest and youngest alpinist on the Mountain Hardwear Athlete Team. This 12-year-old from Boulder, CO has an impressive climbing resume with Denali, Mt. Whitney and Mt. Elbert as his most recent accomplishments. But his climbing serves a greater goal: to raise funds and awareness for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.

At age twelve, Matt Moniz is a passionate and naturally skilled alpinist having climbed to Mt. Everest Base Camp and summited Cerro Aconcagua, Mt. Elbrus, and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Most recently, Matt summited a tall trio of North American peaks in just eight days. On June 3rd, he summited Mt. McKinley (Denali at 20,320 ft., the highest peak in North America), Mt. Whitney on June 8th (14,505 ft., highest in the contiguous U.S.), and Mt. Elbert (14,443 ft., the 2nd highest in the lower 48) on June 11th. He was in the company of his favorite climbing partner and father, Mike Moniz, and their hand-picked crew.

But Matt isn't your average mountain climber or your average kid. "Matt has impressed us on every level, as an athlete, an alpinist and as a kid with a really big heart," said Chris Strasser, Mountain Hardwear's athlete and promotions manager. "He climbs for a bigger purpose."

Shortly after summiting Cerro Aconcagua in 2008, and the youngest person to do so, Matt started getting a lot of attention from media and the climbing community. Shortly thereafter, his dad told him, "Heroes are those who help others." It was then he decided to start climbing for a purpose, and that purpose was his best friend Iain Hess who suffers from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. "I thought about the shortness of breath you feel when climbing a big mountain, and how it is exactly how Iain feels everyday of his life," said Matt. PAH symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath and dizziness similar to the symptoms of pulmonary edema commonly experienced by mountain climbers at high elevations.

In July 2009, Matt launched an expedition to climb fourteen of Colorado's famed 14,000 foot peaks in fourteen days ultimately raising $20,000 dollars for PAH research through the Iain Hess Breath Easy Fund. Matt and his team successfully summited each of the fourteen peaks in just eight days. They covered a total of 36,846 vertical feet and 65 miles bringing national attention to this rare and little-understood disease. Mountain Hardwear contributed $1000 to the fund by sponsoring Matt's ascent of Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado.

Mountain Hardwear is thrilled to support Matt in his high alpine adventures and honored to have such an exceptional young man on the Mountain Hardwear Athlete Team. For more information about Matt, his expeditions and his fundraising efforts for PAH, please visit: MountainHardwear.com, Climb7.com or http://climb7.com/Blog/.

Matt also serves as an Outdoor Nation Ambassador working to empower youth to reclaim, redefine and rediscover the outdoors. He will be attending Outdoor Nation's Youth Summit in New York City on June 19-20, 2010.

 Climb Mount Elbrus with us, the best way to visit North Caucasus….

 Yet another construction site has emerged in Russia, this time in the North Caucasus. A 5,000 square kilometre area is due to turn into a world-class ski tourist centre. Some private investors are prepared to invest money in the ambitious project, and the Russian Government has also pledged support. The “North Caucasus Resorts” project, presented at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, has won the support of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. 

 The concept to develop tourism in the North Caucasus has been encoded “Height 5,642”, which is the height of Elbrus Mount, - the highest peak of Russia and Europe. This is one of the more impressive places the world over, where anyone enjoys staying during any season of the year. But so far tourists could basically enjoy the mountain from afar, since it is only the southern hillside that boasts minimal infrastructure that Alpine skiers and mountain climbers could use to practice their sports.         

 There’ve been numerous attempts to turn Elbrus into a tourist paradise, but the cost of the project has invariably proved an insurmountable barrier. But now that the Russian Government has decided to invest in the project, albeit partially, the situation has changed for the better. A decision has been made to develop infrastructure both on Mount Elbrus and in the adjacent area, which boasts an overwhelming plant life. As a result the new project comprised several resorts in six republics, namely Dagestan, North Ossetia, Karachayevo-Cherkessia, Adygea and Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Krasnodar Region.

 This will help minimize the expenditure and bring the regions closer to each other, Dmitry Medvedev said, and elaborated.

 Each of these republics, Dmitry Medvedev says, has its own industry, agriculture, its own problems, but none has had the idea that would bring them together in terms of business. I am certain that if the project is carefully thought out, everything will work out nicely, and nothing can possibly prevent us from carrying it out, including security problems. I hope we will still meet at one of these resorts, Dmitry Medvedev said in conclusion.         

 Under the project the tourist infrastructure of the North Caucasus will be built from scratch. To make the construction site attractive to investors, each resort will get the status of a special economic area, with preferential tax treatment, loans and other preferences. The project is due to be carried out in 20 years; the original investment will make up some 40 billion roubles; which is slightly more what the Sochi-2014 Olympics project needed for implementation.         

 Huge funds to be invested are certainly a drawback, but the project also boasts unquestionable advantages, including the creation of new jobs. It is no secret that the mentality of the North Caucasus residents has little to do with an effective development of an industrial complex, but the service sector, restaurants and hotels, are precisely the place where local residents will be happy to work in

KATHMANDU: Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action, a group of women mountaineers from Nepal aiming to summit all seven of the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, will begin its international leg on June 29 in Asutralia. Marking the Golden Jubilee anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Australia, the mission kick starts its expeditions from Australia.

After winter climb of Mt Kosciuszko we are waiting for the women team in Russia. 7 Summits Club eill organize climb of Mt. Elbrus for them.

Prior to the departure, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will hand over national flag to the team on June 27 at Shital Niwas.

“ We will be using the expedition to highlight the urgent issue of climatic changes,” said Shailee Basnet, coordinator of the team. The team members have successfully climbed Mt Everest in May 2008.

“During expedition, the issue of climate change struck the members deeply. Subsequently, while travelling across the country motivating students for protection of environment, we witnessed serious effects of climatic changes,” said Basnet.

The project will be made carbon neutral via carbon offsetting.

The team will focus on solar lanterns, bio-gas, and tree plantations in the Himalayan villages to offset the carbon emission resulting from this project.

Asha Kumari Singh, Chunu Shrestha, Maya Gurung, Ngabhang Phuti Sherpa, Nimdoma Sherpa, Pema Diki Sherpa, Pujan Acharya, Shailee Basnet and Usha Bist are the members of the expedition team.

The team has estimated a budget of $ 1.3 million for the entire project.

The peaks in the challenge include Mt Kosciuszko/Targangil (Australia), Mt Elbrus (Europe), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), Aconcagua (South America), Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania) and Denali (North America).

The very young Romanian alpinist Crina Coco Popescu (15) completed climbing the Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America, reads a release. A member of the Sports Club Altitude Mountaineering and a representative of the Romanian Mountaineering Federation, Crina climbed the fifth peak of the Seven Summits Circuit, the circuit of the highest mountains of each of the seven continents.

Located in Alaska, the Mount McKinley (6,193.5 meters high) is the fifth peak Crina climbed in the Circuit. The climbing took ten days, while the weather was hostile, although most of the expeditions in fine weather, need 14 days, and the authorities of the Denali National Park recommend provisions for 21 days.

At the moment, Coco is the youngest alpinist of the world who succeeded to reach the top of one of the highest mountains of the world listed in the Seven Summit Circuit. Late in 2010, she plans to climb up the Vinson Massif of Antarctica, the last but one in the Seven Summits, as well as the Sidley Mount the highest volcano of Antarctica, the expedition’s costs amounting to 50,000 euros.

A successful expedition would turn Crina in the first she-alpinist of the world, who completes the Volcanic Seven Summits and would take her only one step far from becoming the youngest climber who ends the Seven Summits Circuit.

Coco also joined the North America 2010 Expedition organized by the Sport Mountaineering Altitude Club. Among the expedition’s targets were Pico de Orizaba (5,636 meters), in Mexico, and the Mount McKinley one of the highest peaks of the Continent, and they happened over May 20 – June 21.

Safely reaching Anchorage, the group has moved today to Talkeetna. Heat. The Weather is quite dull, but the mood is not spoiled. A couple of hours after arrival, we met our guides-Americans. They organized a briefing on acquaintance, then have lunch together.

In general, became acquainted quickly ... become easier

The team consists of our friends/ Among them a couple from Moscow, Dmitry Mokhnachev Nadejda Voskresenskaya. They climbed with us Kilimanjaro, Vinson, Aconcagua, Carstensz and a couple of times to Elbrus (of their five joint climbing to the highest summit of Europe's).

Multiple world record holder Anatoly Yezhov plans new achievement in Alaska. He will raise a record-setting pace weights at the highest peak of North America. 7 Summits Club climbers acquainted with this wonderful man at the top of Aconcagua and is now our Club became members of his outstanding achievements.

Together with Anatoly Yezhov came two legendary climber Michael Ishutin and Sergey Penzov, master of sports, experienced instructors, representing the city of Severodvinsk.

One of the oldest of our friends Yuri Lukyanov represents the Kazakh city of Shymkent, to his credit 7 or 8 trips with our club. His partner will be a compatriot Erbol Urazalin and Nicholas Derevianko from Ufa, they repeatedly traveled with us. Dmitry Sokov from South-Kurilsk is also our long-time partner. In general, a strong company!

June 24, we invite you to the traditional meeting, party of the 7 Summits Club. The results of our main expedition of year - Everest, as well as many other travel (Ama Dablam, Island Peak, Kilimanjaro, Morocco, Mount Elbrus, the North Pole, Kailash and other) ... Interesting and unexpected guests. Do not miss out, it will be interesting!

June 24, 2010, on Thursday, we invite all friends, acquaintances and strangers while on the traditional party evening 7 Summits Club! We invite everyone! Admission is free!

Videos, photos, stories of climbers, questions and answers, plans for the near and distant future. Dinner buffet , of course.

Thus, on 24 June at 20.00 in the shop "Activny Otdych" (Bask) to: Metro Prospekt Mira Str., Bolsh. Pereyaslavskaya, 7.

After climbing Mount McKinley Vladimir Dyukov, Maadyr Hovalyg and Marianne Surunchap visited our office on the way home. Our three climbers, origin from Siberia, made the sturm ot the highest peak of North America on June 8. On this day the weather was relatively benign, at least, it gave a chance. Vladymyr Diukov together with a Polish climber was on top in the middle of the day, where he waited for more climbers from Donetsk (Ukraine). Tuvans (Maadyr and Marianna) walked his own pace and reached the summit a later, in the evening. All climbers simply rave about Alaska and is very grateful to Arthur Testov. The legendary mountaineer, climbed McKinley in winter, met and escorted our climbers. He talked about the local customs and lit with guests "the pipe of peace" ...

See gallery at this link

Namaste and warm greetings from Nepal

The 2010 Spring Mountaineering season from Nepal side has been very successful. My son, Dawa Steven Sherpa, Leader of Eco Everest Expedition 2010 and his team members returned to Kathmandu at the end of May safely and in good health.

Total Number of Climbers on Mt. Everest

This Spring 2010 season we saw a slightly lower number of expeditions attempting Mt. Everest. On the Nepal side 157 foreign climbers and 190 High Altitude Sherpa climbed Mt. Everest. Though CTMA has not been able to provide us exact numbers, during this same season I predict the total number of climbers on the Tibet side to be around 165.

The latest information from the office of Ms. Elizabeth Hawley, chronicler of all Expeditions in Nepal, gives some very interesting facts. Between 1953 and 2009, the total number of ascents was 4557 by 3163 individuals (some having summited more than once).

Adding this year’s spring total of 513 ascents, of which 268 are new summiteers and the rest are repeat summiteers. In summary, the total number of ascent until today is 5070. Whereas, the actual number of persons having summited Mt. Everest is 3431 till date.

Eco Everest Expedition 2010

In 2008, Eco Everest Expedition team brought down 965 kilos of garbage, including 75 kilos of human waste from above base camp. Similarly in 2009 Eco Everest Expedition brought down 6000 kilos of garbage under the “Cash for Trash” program which excluded 115 kilos of human waste produced during the expedition. The same year wreckage of an Italian Army helicopter was also recovered from the edge of the Khumbu Icefall (5486m). The helicopter had crashed between Camp I and Camp II (approx. 6200m) on Mt. Everest during the Italian Everest Expedition in 1973. The Eco Everest Expedition team brought down 700 kilos of wreckage of the helicopter. Since 2008 until today Eco Everest Expedition brought down more than 12,000 kilos of old garbage and more than 300 kilos of human waste produced by Eco Everest Expedition from Mt. Everest for proper disposal. The main sponsor of the garbage collection for 2008 and 2009 was Asian Trekking and for 2010 were Asian Trekking, Reinhold Messner, The North Face and The Alpine Convention.

At the same function Honorable Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Sarat Singh Bhandari presented the Tenzing-Hillary Award to Ms. Junko Tabei (the first woman to summit Mt. Everest) for her support in developing mountain tourism. Similarly the national and international summiteers of Mt. Everest in 2010 were honored with medals regarding them as Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal Tourism Year 2011.

The 16th SAARC summit recently held in Thimpu, Bhutan has endorsed Nepals’ proposal to appoint Apa Sherpa as SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Change for two consecutive years. On a program organized on 31st May 2010 he was handed over the certificate of SAARC Goodwill Ambassador by the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, Sujata Koirala.

Free Entry Visa for Nepal to Mt. Everest Summiteers:

On the eventful day of Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Sarat Singh Bhandari declared to provide free visas for Nepal to Mt. Everest Summiteers. He also said that the Mt. Everest Day will be celebrated in all of the Nepalese Embassies abroad from 2011.

The event was organized by Government of Nepal, Nepal Mountain Association (NMA), Nepal Toursm Board, Civic Society of Kaski , Myagdi,Baglung and Parbat District. The Honorable Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mr. Sarat Singh Bhandari was Chief Guest. The Guest of Honour was the renowned Austrian mountaineer Kurt Diemberger, the first summiteer of Mt. Dhaulagiri and the only remaining person alive to make first ascents on two 8,000 meter peaks.

Also present at the event were representatives from various organizations and many veteran mountaineers like renowned Climber Ang Rita Sherpa, Serap Jangbu Sherpa, Kuniko Yagihara- climbing leader of two successful Dhaulagiri Expedition on 1978 and 1982, and leader of Yeti Research Expedition around Dhaulagiri.

Groups and individuals from Pokhara as well as from outside Pokhara performed presented cultural performances. During the programme, the Government of Nepal and the Civic Society felicitated Kurt Diemberger and other mountaineers who were present. At the function, Kurt Diemberger shared his climbing experiences and his visits to Nepal.

Similarly, Golden Jubilee of the first ascent of Mt. Dhaulagiri was celebrated with much enthusiasm at Beni (Myagdi District), Baglung (Baglung District), and Kushma (Parbat District) on the 14th of May 2010. The events at Pokhara, Beni, Baglung, Kushma were a tremendous success in showing the concern towards the mountains and promotion of mountain tourism in Nepal.

50% Reduction on Mt. Dhaulagiri Royalty Fee:

On the occasion of Mt. Dhaulagiri Golden Jubilee, the Government of Nepal has decided to reduce the royalty of Mt. Dhaulagiri by 50% as well as to provide free entry visa to Nepal for Mt. Everest and Mt. Dhaulagiri summiteers for 2010 and 2011.

Beat the GLOF Action Run and Save the Khumbu Festival 2010:

On 4 June 2010, Beat the GLOF Action Run and Save the Himalayas-Khumbu Festival was organized for the second consecutive year in Khumjung Village in the Khumbu region. The one day event started off at 7 am with Beat the GLOF Action Run.

112 runners, out of which 79 were males and 33 were females, participated in the Action Run. The run route started from Khumjung (3790m) and passed through Kyangjuma (3550) –Namche (3440m)-Phurte (3390m) -Thamo (3842m) - back to Phurte (3820m) – Syangboche (3720m) – Khunde (3840m) and ended back in Khumjung (3790).

The first male runner Karma Sarki Sherpa completed the run route (16 kilometers) in 1 hr 59 minutes and 10 seconds whereas the first female runner Ang Phuti Sherpa completed this distance in 2 hrs 34 minutes and 45 seconds. Ten first male and female runners were awarded cash prizes at the Khumbu Festival.

Locals from Khumjung, Khunde, Phortse, Pangboche, Thame and Namche had participated in the festival which showcased traditional Sherpa culture. The various villages partook in the Sherpa dance exhibition. Students from Khumjung School presented a Drama highlighting the issues of climate change. The drama was titled “Message from the Doctor.” Youth groups performed songs and dances and entertained the audience. National and international dignitaries, media and press trekked up to participate and cover the event.

The event was organized by iDEAS in collaboration with Sherwi Yondhen Tshokpa (Sherpa Students Network). The event was sponsored by The North Face, Asian Trekking and Nepal Mountaineering Association. Agni Air and Tara Air provided complimentary air tickets to the participants and media personnel flying from Kathmandu. Himalayan Eco Resorts, Paradise Lodge and Hotel Camp de base provided complimentary lodging and meals to the dignitaries and members of the media and press. The event was supported by Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone Management Committee, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Tourism Year 2011, WWF Nepal and Khunde Hospital.

This Event which will take place annually in the month of June aims to draw the attention towards the risks of potential GLOFs in the area. I welcome all our friends to come and support us by participating in this event.

Tibet Expedition Spring 2010 Summary:

The 2010 Spring Mountaineering season has been very eventful as well as filled with tragedy and sorrow.

I am saddened to report that there were four fatalities [3 who were on 'expeditions'] on North side of Mt. Everest this season. Among them was our Hungarian friend Laszlo Varkony climbing with Hungarian Everest Expedition 2010.

Please join me in praying for eternal peace for the departed and for strength to the bereaved families.

New Regulation on Tibet Expedition from Autumn 2010:

“In order to promote the organization of expedition, improve team quality and avoid waster of resources, China Tibet Mountaineering Association has implemented some additional provisions for future permit applications, size and reception.

Now the expedition must apply the climbing permits in one month before. If the climbers required applying visas in their own country, they must mention in one month before. As per this new regulation the size of the team for three major peaks (Mt. Qomolangma, Cho-oyu and Shishapangma) must be above 5 pax (can contain Nepalese staff) and the ratio for clients with Nepalese staff should be 6:4. The age bar for the climbers has been limited between 18 – 60 years and if the climbers’ age is not within this provision, must provide proof of special health-related applications.”

Lastly, it is my pleasure to keep you all up to date as to our activities here in the Himalaya. If you have any questions please let me know. I thank you for your support in the past and look forward to our cooperation in the future.

Best Wishes,

Ang Tshering Sherpa

Chairman

Asian Trekking

The famous Russian collector of eight-thousanders, Honored Master of Sports, Sergey Bogomolov visited office 7 Summits Club. In outcome of the spring expedition on Annapurna he can say simply: he is happy. Finally, the mountain let him climbed with the fourth attempt. They just did everything correctly, just vast experience allows to calculate the forces right, patiently waiting, go by own speed, do not pay attention to others. Relations in the international expedition were normal, that is businesslike and with friendship. The formal leader was Peter Pustelnik, with Kinga Baranovska, Slovak Peter Hamor, Joao Garcia (Portugal), Horia Calibesanu (Romania). Direct partner of Sergey was famous Eugene Winogradsky from Yekaterinburg.

--

Sergey gave us 25 photos with ascents of Pumori and Annapurna for posting on the site 14-8000.

See the gallery ....

To become the first Russian to have risen to all 14 eight-thouthanders, Bogomolov should climb yet one another mountain. But this mountain - it is the formidable K2, probably the most capricious and unpredictable mountain in the world.

In order to successfully go to K2, Sergey Bogomolov mind to make a big project and build a strong company of climbers. The main option at the moment - the ascent from the north, from the Chinese side. Arriving by jeeps from Alma-Ata and further with camels caravan. The route from the north to K2 is in general easier and (more importantly) safer than from the south. However, the difficulties of organizing caravan, supply of expedition, require much more effort than in the south. And groups of climbers do not appear here each year.

In a small team it will be very hard, so Sergei Bogomolov plans to build a strong and friendly international team, with Russian-speaking core. We are ready to help him in this, especially because Bogomolov has been a guide of groups of 7 Summits Club. And we hope that our cooperation will continue in the future...

With Miss Oh

With Juanito Oirazabal

The summit !

It would seem that Californian Jordan Romero set a record that may never be broken. According to The Times of India website, the China Tibet Mountaineering Association, which governs climbing on Mount Everest’s north face, recently decided to set age limits on who could scale the mountain.

In short, only people between the ages of 18 and 60 will be allowed to climb the mountain. Exceptions can be made for those as young as 16, but anyone younger than that is out of luck.

Nepal already has restrictions barring anyone under age 16 from climbing Mount Everest. China and Nepal share the mountain along their common border. Mount Everest is 29,029 feet tall and is the world’s highest mountain.

Jordan became the youngest person to ever climb Mount Everest last month. He’s 13. I’m not certain what this will do to his plans to climb Cho Oyu, another Himalyan peak along the China-Nepal border. Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth-highest mountain.

Some plans had already been made to break Jordan’s record. According to The Times of India, a Nepalese climber had sought to train 11-year-old Nepali children to break the record. Those plans are now dashed. The online report said the China Tibet Mountaineering Association made the new restrictions in reaction to Jordan’s climb — and the ensuing controversy...

Jordan Romero welcomed in our base camp club-tent

Today at 7:15 am a group of climbers Vyacheslav Abyzov, Aida Abyzov, Andrey Dashin and Vladimir Melentiev from a glorious company Alpari and guide Seven Summits Club Ludmila Korobeshko climbed to the summit of Uhuru, the highest point of the massif of Kilimanjaro and the whole of Africa. By five in the evening the group went to the shelter Horombo, where they were waited impatiently by the support group of Julia Dasha and Roxana Zainullina. Our congratulations and wishes for new summits!

Mountaineering Federation of Russia this year formally approved a new collection of peaks - Snow Leopard of Russia. 7 Summits Club welcomes this initiative, although we consider the list of summits is not optimal. To become a holder, a climber must climb on 10 Russian famous peaks.

Alex Slotyuk, president of the Federation mountaineering of Moscow was the initiator of the establishment of the title. After several months of discussion, the Board of Mountaineering Federation of Russia approved regulations. Everyone who confirm ascents will be awarded plaques and diplomas.

In order to become a "Snow Leopard Russia" you must climb the following Russian summits:

• Elbrus (5642 meters)

• Dyhtau (5204 meters)

• Koshtan-Tau (5151 m)

• Mizhirgi (5025 meters)

• Pushkin peak (5100 meters)

• Dzhangitau (5085 meters)

• Shkhara (5068 meters)

• Kazbek (5034 m)

• Klyuchevskaya Sopka (4688 m)

• Belukha (4506 meters)

"I have made a career of doing the Seven Summits, so it's nice to know that not only can I do them, I can do them the fastest and the most. It's my stamp," Tejas said Friday in a phone interview from his home in New York City. "It's my chosen career, and because of that I want to do it well and I want people to know me for it. It's also something I'm very proud of. I've put a lot of energy into it." Tejas said he's been thinking about making a new run at the speed record ever since his previous record was broken back in 2006 by an Indian climber who accomplished the feat in 172 days. Ireland's Ian McKeever lowered the record to 156 days in 2007 and Denmark's Henrik Kristiansen lowered it to 136 in 2008.

MCKINLEY IN 4: At 57, Alaska legend continues to push envelope.

Anchorage Daily News

By BETH BRAGG

bbragg@adn.com

http://www.adn.com/2010/06/04/1307993/climber-tejas-reclaims-seven-summits.html

Published: June 5th, 2010 07:28 PM

The latest feat for Alaska climbing legend Vern Tejas is a high-altitude, record-setting sprint that took him to every corner of the planet and to the top of the highest peak on every continent.

Tejas, who became a household name in Alaska in 1988 when he became the first climber to complete a solo winter ascent of Mount McKinley, returned to the summit of his beloved McKinley on Monday to break the world speed record for climbing the Seven Summits. He did it with two days to spare.

Tejas, 57, climbed the highest peaks on each of the seven continents -- plus a peak in Papua New Guinea that many consider a mandatory eighth climb to complete the package -- in 134 days. The old record, set in 2008 by a Danish climber, was 136.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the accomplishment was the speed with which Tejas made it from the top of Mount Everest in Asia to the top of Mount McKinley in Alaska. He stood atop Everest, which at 29,035 feet is the tallest peak in the world, on May 24. One week later he was standing atop McKinley, which at 20,320 feet is the tallest peak in North America.

"That was a pretty quick one," said Tejas, who spent four days on the slopes of McKinley, a mountain that he said takes most people two weeks to climb.

This is the second time Tejas has owned the Seven Summits speed record; in 2005, he accomplished the feat in 187 days. A guide for Alpine Ascents International whose job takes him to Everest and McKinley almost every year, Tejas also boasts the record for the most Seven Summits completions with nine.

"I have made a career of doing the Seven Summits, so it's nice to know that not only can I do them, I can do them the fastest and the most. It's my stamp," Tejas said Friday in a phone interview from his home in New York City. "It's my chosen career, and because of that I want to do it well and I want people to know me for it. It's also something I'm very proud of. I've put a lot of energy into it."

KEEPING ACCLIMATIZED

Tejas said he's been thinking about making a new run at the speed record ever since his previous record was broken back in 2006 by an Indian climber who accomplished the feat in 172 days. Ireland's Ian McKeever lowered the record to 156 days in 2007 and Denmark's Henrik Kristiansen lowered it to 136 in 2008.

"I got motivated after some uppity Indian climbers decided they were gonna go after it, and it just stuck in my craw that these guys from India who didn't know anything about climbing were going for it," Tejas said. "Neither had much of an inkling or a love of the mountains and it just kinda busted my chops that they were so well-funded they were gonna pull this off and take the record away from me. That made me hungry to get it back."

Kristiansen's 136-day achievement gave Tejas the final nudge he needed to try to reclaim the record.

"It was like a gauntlet going down," he said. "I thought, 'Oh, I should be able to do this.' "

A series of fortunate circumstances helped him along the way, including the chance to share a helicopter ride off Everest with one of his clients who wanted to get to Katmandu in a hurry, saving Tejas a couple of days of hiking. Also assisting his efforts: a guiding job that both paid his expenses for three of the climbs, including Mount Vinson and Everest, and kept him acclimatized to high altitudes on his round-the-world whirlwind.

The guiding job took Tejas up Antarctica's Mount Vinson three times last winter. His third climb up the 16,067-foot peak ended with a Jan. 18 summit -- and started the clock ticking on his record attempt. From there, his journey took him far, wide and high:

• A Jan. 30 summit of South America's 22,820-foot Aconcagua, followed by a quick trip home to New York's Greenwich Village "to say hello to my wife and grab some new gear."

• A Feb. 19 summit of Carstensz Pyramid, a 16,032-foot peak in New Guinea that he climbed while guiding a party of Alpine Ascent clients.

• A Feb. 27 summit of Australia's 7,310-foot Kosciuszko, a one-day climb after which he returned to New York for one day, mostly because airfare to his next stop -- Africa -- was cheaper if his itinerary took him through North America;

• A March 6 summit of Kilimanjaro, a 19,340-foot climb he managed to do in 48 hours instead of the usual six or seven days, in large part because he was already acclimatized;

• A March 20 summit of Russia's 18,510-foot Mount Elbrus, a one-day climb for Tejas but a week-long climb for most others -- another feat made possible by pre-acclimatization, Tejas said.

• A May 24 summit of Everest, an ascent slowed by the fact Tejas was again working as a guide and had to move at his clients' pace, not his. He summitted a week ago Monday, giving him till June 1 -- or nine days -- to descend, fly from Nepal to Anchorage and get to the top of Denali. "That was one of my biggest challenges," Tejas said. "On the 24th of May I was on top of Everest thinking, how am I going to get down, get back to Alaska and get up (Denali) fast enough?"

Providing the answer was a client who, upon reaching Everest's summit, called his girlfriend on a satellite phone and proposed. She accepted, which made the climber so eager to get home that he hired a helicopter to take him off the mountain. The climber knew about Tejas' pursuit of the record, so he invited Tejas to ride to Katmandu.

Once he made it to McKinley, Tejas needed four days to reach the summit of a mountain he has scaled more than 40 times. He climbed to 10,000 feet the first day and 14,000 feet the second day, spent the next day at 14,000 and on the fourth made the push for the summit, getting there in nine hours.

At about 5 p.m. Monday, the clock stopped ticking and the record was his again.

TRAVELING CHEAP

Tejas suspects it's only a matter of time before someone tries to lower the mark even further. And he thinks it can be done faster -- by others, and by him.

Tejas took time off between Kilimanjaro and Elbrus to meet his son in Alaska for a spring-break ski trip to Alyeska. His original plan was to climb McKinley during that span, but his boss at Alpine Ascents worried that a winter ascent of McKinley might make Tejas fatigued, late or both for the start of the climbing season on Everest. So Tejas went to Alyeska instead and put off McKinley.

He joked that his four-month adventure probably set two records -- the speed record, and one for what he called "the most insignificant budget for the Seven Summits."

People like McKeever and Kristiansen often get sponsors to provide six-figure budgets, he said. Tejas was able to cover expenses for three of his climbs -- Vinson, Carstensz Pyramid and Everest -- thanks to his job, and he said he spent an average of $1,000 apiece for the others. He said he's learned to travel cheap over the years.

Tejas will remain in New York for about another week -- his wife, Carole, is a Manhattan attorney he met while guiding on Elbrus a few years ago and married at the top of Mount Vinson in December 2007-- but will be back in crampons in a week or so, when he returns to Alaska to resume guiding on McKinley.

He celebrated his 57th birthday in April, while preparing for the Everest climb, and said he feels fit and strong enough to keep chasing big goals.

"I feel like I'm pretty primed right now," Tejas said. "I feel lucky to have a supportive wife, and a boss who's supportive of my desires to be strong and unusual and different, and to still have my health."

The Seven Summits

• Vinson Massif in Antarctic, 16,067 feet;

• Acongagua in South America, 22,829 feet;

• Kosciuszko in Australia, 7,310 feet;

• Kilimanjaro in Africa, 19,340 feet;

• Elbrus in Russia, 18,510 feet;

• Everest in Asia, 29,035 feet;

• McKinley in North America, 20,320 feet.

(An eighth peak, 16,023-foot Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea, has in recent years been acknowledged by the international mountaineering community as a must-do climb for those wanting Seven Summits fame. It is part of the Oceania region, sometimes called Australasia, which in some parts of the world is considered a continent that includes Australia.)

Junita Sambahangphe successfully scaled Mt Elbrus (5,642 metres), Russia, on May 25, at 1:30 pm. Junita who earlier scaled the Mount Everest wants to scale seven summits — the highest mountains in all the continents. Among which Sambahangphe has already scaled Mt Everest, Nepal, and Mt Elbrus, Russia. Now, she is planning to climb Mt Denali, USA, later this year.
Sambahangphe has on her expedition list Kilimanjaro (5,895 metres), Denali (6,194 metres), Aconcagua (6,962 metres), Carstensz Pyramid (4,797 metres) and Vinson (4,897 metres) to scale.
Sambahangphe who arrived in Nepal on June 1 said that the total expenditure incurred on scaling Mt Elbrus has been about Rs 7 lakh, including the costs of equipment. The expenditure was borne by Non-Resident Nepalese (NRN) based in Morocco. Sambahangphe was somewhat not happy at government not helping her financially in her expedition.
Currently, she is looking for funds for her future expeditions. Once the financing problem is over, she will start her expedition to Mt Denali in September – October, this year.
“I have started my expedition with a message of, ‘Peace and Tourism Promotion — Nepal Tourism Year 2011’, from Elbrus, Russia, and will continue it till I have scaled all the seven summits,” she said. Her next expedition will cost Rs 15 million and other expeditions, especially to Antarctica, will be the more expensive, she said.
Sambahangphe plans to complete her expedition of scaling all the seven summits by 2013. Her motto through these expeditions is to ‘Save the Himalayas and Promote Nepal as Mountain Tourism Destination’. Sambahangphe, a student of gender studies at Padma Kanya Campus said that a good educational background is a must for people wanting to opt for a career in mountaineering.
Born in Aambung-9, Terhathum, before climbing Everest, she underwent a 35-day mountaineering course at Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). She made her first climb of 6,000-metre height, and later scaled the Mt Everest.
The growing mass of people scaling the Mt Everest should be quality mountaineers rather than people having vested interest. Many uneducated people take to mountaineering as a viable career option since it has all the trappings of fame and glory. However, this one is a different story.

Alex Abramov and Mingma Gelu with a group of Nepel women climbing Everest last year

This morning a group 7 Summits Club under the leadership of Ludmila Korobeshko flew to Tanzania. Itinerary - Classic Marangu Route to Kilimanjaro. Parties to the six, they are from the market leader Forex company Alpari. At the head - her head Andrey Dashin, once again traveling with us. This is our fives group ti climb Kilimanjaro this year.

This morning a group of 7 Summits Club under the leadership of Oleg Miller successfully climbed to the top of the Western Peak of Elbrus. Nadejda Voskresenskaya, Dmitry Mokhnachev, Rima Ramchandra and Jonatan Gilmore (both from the UK) reached the highest point. Nitin Chhibbar and Daria Mohnacheva turned back from the Saddle. They, like the whole group are OK. All together, they went down  to our favorite hotel Povorot.

Red Fox Elbrus Race - 2010

8-12 May, 2010

A new record on skyracing to the Elbrus was set on the festival of extreme kinds of sports "Red Fox Elbrus Race".

An athlete from Moscow Mikhail Klimov climbed the highest summit of Europe for two hours and twenty seven minutes within the main discipline of the festival that is skyracing to the Elbrus.

Andrei Puchinin has been taking part in the festival for three years; he called the day of the 10th of May "the Records Day" as 30 athletes ascended the highest top of Europe. The last year result was improved more than 16 minutes and it became the main achievement. Five participants among the leaders were able to improve Semyon Dvornichenko's result who was the winner last year (2:43).

After the finish the record-holder Mikhail Klimov, master of sports in cross-country skiing and second- class sportsman in mountaineering, said that his victory in skyrunning in Red Fox Elbrus Race was the result of the training during many months when he mounted the top of the Elbrus for nine times. «My ski training and proper acclimatization helped me much».

We should notice that skiers' participation and elite change became the main discovery of the festival: another skier, a sportsman from Yakutsk Dmitry Ploskonosov became the leader of the first stage of 2010 Skyrunner® World Series Trials: Vertical Kilometer®, the victory in it gave him 100 points in the world rating.

«I was surprised a little that there was such a long ascent, I had to run so much, the pace was set very high at the beginning, - Dmitry said after the finish. - I decided not to lag behind the leaders; I was following the leaders' group up to the finish. Step by step the group was lessening and only two of us left before the finish. And I won».

«Vertical Kilometer» was held in Russia for the first time. The distance with the vertical drop of 1000 meters was made from Polyana Azau till the Stance «Mir», it became the highest one in the World Series Trials. The result of forty eight minutes and one second made the Russian sportsman the winner of a man's contest; as for the women - the best was Megan Kimmel from the USA with the result of fifty nine minutes and seven seconds (10th place in the total contest).

Besides, Megan Kimmel from the USA became another discovery of the festival: she won three from four woman contests except the Vertical Kilometer, Megan was the leader in the skyrace to the Elbrus (she set a festival record among women - three hours twenty two minutes and sixteen seconds) and in the personal ski-mountaineering race, she also took the second place in the team ski-mountaineering race (in a pair with Natalya Alexandrova from Magnitogorsk).

Within the ski-mountaineering programme there were contests in the Open Cup in the Elbrus Region, the Cup of Russia (man and woman personal contests), All-Russian interagency contests in ski-mountaineering among military men in the Victory Cup in personal and team contests.

The winners of the Victory Cup in the team contest were the military men from Interior Ministry troops Ivan Rybakov (Grozny) and Sergey Matkin (Balashikha). Their team was the first on the finish. The winner of the "Victory Cup" in the personal contest was also Ivan Rybakov - "the golden ensign", he demonstrated his leadership in ski-mountaineering among the military men last year too.

The golden medals of the Cup of Russia and the Open Cup of the Elbrus Region were handed to Yuri Kurganov (Chelyabinsk) and Mingalim Sibaev (New Zealand). Among the women pairs the best proved to be the team of Elena Kirievskaya (Magnitogorsk) and Karina Mezova (Nalchik).

The eventful programme of the festival finished with the four-kilometer race on snowshoes with the vertical drop of 500 meters. The whole team of the festival: participants, judges, organizers, members of the press took part in it. The distance ran from "Krugozor" till "Mir", the total length being four kilometers. Andrei Fedorov from St.-Petersburg and the athlete of the Red Fox Asia Team Ksenia Maeva from Almaty were among the leaders in the man and woman contests; Andrei had won mountain race for mountaineers "The March Hare" and he was awarded a free trip to the festival from the Company Red Fox.

The participation of the athletes from St.- Petersburg club for the people with the limited possibilities "Mashtab Plus" was initiated by the organizers of the festival - the company Red Fox and the Russian Mountaineering Federation. Six sportsmen with poor eyesight took part in the Elbrus Race and successfully achieved the summit. Each of them was awarded an official sign "The Russian Mountaineer".

The director of the Company Red Fox and the participant of the festival Vladislav Moroz (the ascent time to the Elbrus was five hours and four minutes) draw the main conclusion: "The leaders' record time, the number of athletes, including foreigners (this year sportsmen from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Georgia, USA, Lithuania, Greece, New Zealand took part in the festival) and safety of this event demonstrate real growth of both sports skills of participants and organization level of the event. I must also notice the contribution made by the Government of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Elbrus Search and Rescue team of Emergency Ministry, the head of the company "The Elbrus Cable Cars", and the head of the National Park "The Elbrus Region". I am really proud of the team who has been organizing such a great sports holiday. I hope that after Vertical Kilometer is included into the schedule of World Series Trials the number of participants from Russia and abroad will increase next year."

For additional information, please, contact:

Anna Stolbova

+ 7 926 814 17 63

a.stolbova@gmail.com

Ola Senior Abramov,

I just came back in 'civilization'. I wanted to let you know last news about our North America 2010 Expedition on Altitude Mountain Club.

Last week on May 21th I climbed Pico de Orizaba - highest vulcano in North America. As you know already this is the 6th from 7 volcano for me from Volcanic Seven Summit. The last one will be Mt. Sidley in Alaska. As I do know I'm already on a little step to be the first omen who make Volcanic Seven Summits & also the youngest climber....

Next days we do have here in Mexico a meeting with the Romanian Ambasador. She wants to promote my achievements in Mexican Press. Do you mind if I'll put in the press release infos about the expedition in Antarctica & that you'll guide the first women for Volcanic Seven Summits in Antarctica?

Best regards,

COCO

Crina (Coco) Popescu is a 15 year-old alpinist, representing the Romanian Alpinism and Escalade Federation

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 Crina climbed Pico de Orizaba (6.194 m). This is her sixth volcano from the Volcanic Seven Summits

The next challenge for Crina is McKinley (6,194 m) from Alaska, the Altitude Mountain Sportive Club informs. Crina Coco Popescu is a 15 year-old alpinist, representing the Romanian Alpinism and Escalade Federation.

Pico de Orizaba (5,636 m) from Mexico is the highest North American volcano and the sixth volcanoes she escaladed in the circuit of the seventh highest volcanoes on each continent - Volcanic Seven Summits.

Coco is the world's youngest female alpinist to climb the world's highest volcanoes. At the end of 2010, Crina planned to climb Sidley from Antarctica - the last volcano from the Volcanic Seven Summits. The mount on Mt. Sidley in Antarctica would make Coco first world alpinist to climb all there is to climb in the circuit.

The young alpinist Crina Coco Popescu is taking part in the "North America - 2010" expedition organised by the Altitude Mountain Sportive Club. The aims of the expedition is to climb the highest volcanoes on the continent - Pico de Oribaza from Mexico (%,636m) and the highest top on the continent, McKinley (6,194 m) from Alaska.

She was born on December 3, 1994 in Rasnov. Coco is currently a student.

Crina Coco Popescu achievements record:

2010 - 21 May: Mexico – Pico de Orizaba (5635m) – the highest North American volcano, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit;

2010 - January.: Papua, Indonesia – Carstensz Pyramid (4884m.), world youngest alpinist in Romania - the highest top in Australia and Oceania, the most technical top in the SEVEN SUMMITS Circuit;

2010 - January.: Papua New Guinea – mount Giluwe (4,368 m), the world’s youngest alpinist, first alpinist from Romania - the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit;

2010 - January.: Australia – mount Kosciuszko – the highest mountain in Australia, the Dick Bass version from the SEVEN SUMMITS Circuit;

2009 - July : Russia, mountain Caucasus, top Elbrus (5,642 m) – the highest top in Europe, SEVEN SUMMITS Circuit, the highest volcano in Europe, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit;

2009 - June : Tanzania, mountain Kilimanjaro, top Uhuru (5,895 m) – the highest top in Africa, SEVEN SUMMITS Circuit, the highest volcano in Africa, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit;

2009 - January.: Argentina, Cordelier Andes – Aconcagua (6,963 m), route "Route Polish Iceberg", the world’s youngest person – the highest top in South America, SUMMITS Circuit;

2008 - December.: Chile, Atacama – top Ojos del Salado (6,893 m), world’s youngest person – world’s highest volcanoes, the highest volcano in South America, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit.

2008 - top Alam Kooh (4,850 m), the North face, premiere for Romania;

2008 - the Alborz Massive (Iran), top Damavand (5,671 m), world’s youngest person – highest volcano in Asia, SEVEN VOLCANOES Circuit;

 2008 - Mount Caucasus – top Kazbek.(5,047 m) ), world’s youngest person;

2008 - May: Mount Olimp – top Mytikas (2,919 m), in winter;

2007 - Nepal – top Kalapattar (5,550 m), Everest Base Camp;

2007 - Turkey – top Ararat (5,165 m), world’s youngest person;

2007 - Mont Blanc(4,810 m);

2007 - The Alps- Mont Dolent (3,800 m);

2005 - The Alps- Dente del Gigante (4,014 m).