All news: 26 June 2010

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.