All news: November 2016

November 26, three climbers from the 7 Summits Club Dmitry Ogurtsov, Sergey Bakulin and Eduard Zakharov made an ascent of Mount Toubkal, the highest in North Africa - 4167 meters.

 In September 2016 GRIT&ROCK announced a launch of an annual international FIRST ASCENT EXPEDITION PRIZE to enable female first ascents. The award, the largest of its kind globally, will fund a female-led expedition team up to the amount of GBP5,000. The aims of the annually awarded prize is to promote and encourage female participation in pioneering alpine ascents. The Award is open to individuals and climbing teams with majority female participation and is meant to provide funding for those who need it most.

The application deadline is January 31, 2017. The jury comprising Victor Saunders, Catherine Destivelle, Lydia Bradey and Lise Billon will choose a winning project by March 1, 2017.

To learn more, please download the award document here

or contact us at award@gritandrock.com

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The Alpinist magazine:

Masha Gordon, the founder of Grit & Rock, explains: "During my Explorers Grand Slam record bid [She holds the female speed record—Ed.], I spent over a hundred days in various base camps around the world where I have encountered quite a few budding female alpinists in commercial groups doing normal routes on high altitude peaks," Gordon said. "That contrasted with very few independent women climbers who were part of the teams launching alpine-style ambitious summit bids. That made me wonder about the disconnect. I looked at the history of Piolets d'Or, the Oscars of Alpinism, and discovered that in its twenty-four-year-long history it has been won only twice by women. Fewer women alpinists get sponsored as brand athletes.... As a result, women get less expedition experience and, perhaps, dare less, feeling unqualified. This vicious cycle creates an unintended high-altitude glass ceiling. Our $6,000 First Ascent Expedition Grant was designed to act as a catalyst to encourage more competent female alpinists to launch their first ascent bids."

Gordon said she wasn't sure how much interest there would be when she announced the grant. "Our fear was that we would get few applications," she said. "So far, the queries we've had came from highly competent climbers. So far, so good!"

The selection panel consisting of Lydia Bradey, Catherine Destivelle, Victor Saunders and Lise Billon will award the first prize in February. Bradey was the first woman to summit Everest (8848m) without supplemental oxygen in 1988. Destivelle did an eleven-day solo first ascent on the Petit Dru (3732) in 1991, the Destivelle Route (VI 5.11b A5, 800m), and the following year she became the first woman to complete a solo ascent of the Eiger Nordwand, which she did in winter in 17 hours in 1992, among many other climbing feats. Saunders is still blazing new routes in alpine style at age 66, which he did earlier this month on Sersank Peak (6050m) with Mick Fowler in the Indian Himalaya. Billon is a 2016 Piolet d'Or recipient for the second ascent of Cerro Riso Patron (2550m) in Chile via a new route called Hasta las Webas (AI5+, M5, ED- 1000m), which she climbed with Jerome Sullivan, Diego Simari and Antoine Moineville.

[Photo] Masha Gordon collection

"If we can encourage women to think outside of the box, lead their own expeditions and explore routes in remote parts of the world, it would be a fantastic achievement," Bradey said.

"Our Foundation's goal is to help raise a generation of brave and confident girls through the power of [the] outdoors," Gordon said. "These girls need role models. This prize is aimed at helping create them."

The 7 Summits Club opened booking  of the group in 2017: Climbing Kazbek (5033 m), Georgia.

Mount Kazbek - one of the most famous peaks of the Caucasus, the height of 5033 meters above sea level. Climbing requires little mountaineering experience. Georgia - a country which surprised by their attitude to the guests. Local guides are real professionals, they will ensure a safe ascent.

 Standard program

 Arrivals every Sunday - the next date of June 11-16.

Price: 480 euros.

 VIP program

 Dates: September 3-9.

The cost of 1190 euros.

November 24, the 7 Summits Club held a lecture in our office on the Grand Pereiaslavskaya street. Lyudmila Korobeshko was the keynote speaker, she spoke about his impressions of the visit to South America, told interesting facts. She gave a lot of useful information about the organization of trips to Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. Olga Rumyantseva helped Lyudmila, she spoke about her favorite area - Patagonia. Thanks to everyone who came and listened! We hope for new meetings and joint travel...

  Our group named HOT SIZE under the command of the 7 Summits Club guide Vladimir Kotlyar rapport on completion of the program. Everything was great! All the plans made at 100%! Khumbu Valley, Base camp, Kala Patar and Island Peak...

Galina Rossova: We had a great work out, we try new routes and new methods of technology. We remind you that everyone at every level (even if it is any one) we are happy to meet for Mondays in the DDS palace, on Thursdays - in the Rock City.

Today, the group of 7 Summits Club, all members, under the leadership of our guide Vladimir Kotlyar climbed Island Peak – the famous Himalayan peaks. Well done! Watch the video clip directly from the top!

Vladimir Kotlyar, the guide 7 Summits Club expedition to Island Peak: Hello everyone! Today we stopped in Chhukung. We held classes on movement on fixed ropes, learned to climb up and down.

Irina Zisman:

... Tomorrow we begin the ascent to which we went  8 days … We have behind us the Everest base camp, climbing KalaPatar. And today we look at the whole day to Island Peak - the goal of our journey ...)

Many thanks to Andrey Balta for the wonderful pictures!

Traveling on the program "Baikal ice" included in the list of the best in the world - "30 of the most memorable trips” by the magazine National Geographic Traveler

 This unforgettable landscapes of Lake Baikal ice, ice caves and hummocks, ice  on the rocks, ancient rock carvings, beautiful rocky beaches, fantastic sunset Baikal, dense Siberian taiga and transparent ice.

You will be able to touch the Buddhist Stupa of Enlightenment at Ogoy Island visit Olkhon Island and Sandy Bay.

Come with us to Lake Baikal!

Tour on Lake Baikal - "Baikal ice." Program (in Russian)

Vladimir Kotlyar, the guide of the 7 Summits Club: Early morning, the altitude of 5500 m.  Wind plays with colorful prayer flags, the sun begins to peek out shyly from behind Everest, painting in soft pink snow-capped mountain ranges and peaks. I'm sitting on top of Kala Patar in the nest of the check boxes and backpacks. Frosty morning air is pleasant tingling skin. How is it beautiful!

 The group went to the Kala Patar and  in the base camp. Today we spend the night in Dingboche.

 Please find some photos from our summit day. Carstenzs expedition 2016 led by Alex Abramov.

Vladimir Kotlyar, the guide of an expedition of Club of 7 Tops on Island peak:

 Hi, friends! We are in Pheriche! Competitive spirit, excellent weather (very fie). Views are tremendous!!!

Vladimir Kotlyar, the guide of the 7 Summits Club, an expedition on Island peak:

The “Hot Size” group came in the capital of Sherpas of Namche-Bazar. Thanks to the photographer of our team Andrey for tremendous, colourful and atmospheric photos!

Vladimir Kotlyar, guide of the 7 Summits Club: Morning began with a joke and presented a name to our group. Having arrived in Lukla, our men sat down in the territory of Sunny garden loggia, waited for me. We ordered a breakfast and so far made it for us, Andrey went to market disorders, to buy to himself socks.

   Having chosen socks, he asked the grandmother-seller in English: What size? The grandmother smiles, nods and repeats: What size? Andrey repeated: I ask you, what size? The grandmother smiles, nods and repeats: what size, what size. So proceeded until Andrey didn't understand that for the grandmother the question what size sounds as a greeting or a wish of good day. And she just repeats it as a reciprocal wish, smiling and nodding.

  It very much amused us also all day while we were on route from Lukla to Modzho, we cheerfully greeted passersby the phrase of "What size". We went without hurrying, enjoying beauty, as required always stopped to take pictures, told jokes, and nodding each other, said What size and with laughter continued a way. On the way to Modzho we saw snow-white Tamserku in all beauty. I just adore this track! Snow-white peaks, coniferous forests, the turquoise river with white foam of thresholds, deep gorges, suspension bridges, caravans of yaks and the blue deep sky over the head!

   All this begins from the first day of a track at the exit from Lukla and comes to an end with return to this town. By the evening the joke about what size turned into the name of the HOT SIZE group. Such here interesting transformation!

Dear Friends,

 It’s not a secret that this spring, we organized an expedition to mount Everest from the North side, in conjunction with «7 Summits Club», «RD Studio», «RedFox», «Yandex» and «Toyota». The expedition was stopped in half way, due to an earthquake magnitude of 8 – We were lucky that nobody from our Expedition was hurt. We were forced to evacuate.

Despite this fact, we managed to create a panoramic view of our 19km route, right from Base Camp (5100m) to Advanced Base Camp (6500m).

The Panoramas were published before the release of the film "Everest".

In the autumn of 2015, inspired by the many positive responses from your side, we decided to finish the job and began to organize an expedition in 2016.

May 20, 2016, we managed to reach the summit (8848м) and completed the full route whilst picturing everything in 3D panoramic views from base camp to the summit. May 22, 2016, we returned to base camp uninjured and safe.

Early June 2016 when we returned to Moscow, we started going through all the raw materials and then commenced our work to ensure it was of the highest standard. We created a special interactive page dedicated to the climb. Now, because of our project, everyone will be able to travel our full journey right from base camp (5100m) up until the summit of Everest (8848м). You will be able to pass this scenic mountainous route without exposing yourselves to any danger. 

We wanted to make such beauty more accessible and wanted to share with you this joy and positivity.

And yes – we were the first in the world to do a full 3D panoramic view of route to highest point in World – Everest Summit!

Thanks to all of those who participated in the project. We really appreciated your support. We appreciated your selfless dedication and inspiring enthusiasm.

Special thanks to:

- Anatoly Topol and Konstantin Lysenko from Yandex team – without your enthusiasm and faith, this project would not have taken place

- Olga Bolotova from the team Neq4 – as the most energetic team member of our project

- RD Studio team, and personally to Valdis Pelsh, Kristina Kozlova, Alexander Kubasov, Vladimir Kudinov – for your support in the mountains – with you there was never a boring moment

- expedition team and to Alexander Abramov – for the excellent organization of the expedition and the feeling of tranquility

- Vladimir Kotlyar and Vlad Moroz – for their selfless help during the expedition, faith and dedication

- Max Shakirov, project partner – because you were always never far behind

- colleagues, to team and to management – thank you very much for the opportunity you gave ma and fot believing in me

- parents, relatives and friends – for their support

- and, of course, to the Toyota team – for «Always a better way»

Together we make the world better – thank you.

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"I want to share with you the inspiring beauty of the world we live in."  Roman Reutov

Vladimir Shataev ascended to the summit of Kilimanjaro at 9:30 November 3, 2016, in company with another great friend of our Club Alexander Sobolenko. They left the last camp to Barafu at 01:30. The climb took 8 hours. Vladimir Shataev is 79-a-half years old, he was born May 1, 1937. It is a national record of age ... but only for men. The absolute record belongs to our compatriot Angela Vorobyova – 86 years!

Despite the fact that early November is considered the end favorable for climbing season, the weather was quiet. Snow (about 2 cm) fell only to assault the camp Barafu.

According to Vladimir, trekking to the summit on the Machame route is a much cooler than Marangu, on which he has been climbing two times. The route seemed much more beautiful, varied and difficult. Climbing on Marangu and Machame is 2 different mountains. It was a pleasant discovery!

Kilimanjaro from Machame route is really beautiful.

Alexander Sobolenko plans had to prepare for the next climbs and to lose weight. According to him, the second paragraph failed, because he was very well fed.

Nadezhda Nikitina is back from Nepal, where she made one of  the most famous Nepalese trekking route - "Around Annapurna". Journey under the leadership of our Nepalese guide was organized by 7 Summits Club. On return, a Nadezhda shared with us her impressions and photos. She said that the local guides worked perfectly, that the country is a wonderful and there you have to return again and again

Fully gallery here:

Our Indonesian partners are famous for their trademark technique - inscribed flags on top of the mountain and certificates. Therefore, the awarding   procedure can be regarded as the end of the expedition. Though it may be, we still have to go home. But  to leave heat in South-East Asia for the cold of Russia is not very desirable.

1. Our group guided by Maxim Bulahovsky successfully climbed the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro - Uhuru peak via the Machame route. They made it 2 days ahead of schedule! Now they are down to the Millennium camp and then to the exit of the National Park. Their plan: go on a Safari early in order to see more animals.

2. The group of Artem Rostovtsev has also reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. So they celebrated the birthday of Pavel Altukhov. We also congratulate Paul with summit and birthday!

3. Another group is now in the assault camp Barafu and preparing for the most important moment - the exit to the summit bid.

4. Well, Alex Lagun (St. Petersburg) is off to Tanzania to meet the adventure, to make my first ever climb (photo)

Alex is planning for the first time to try yourself as a climber and to experience all of what have long told fellow climbers...

PHOTOS BY ARTEM ROSTOVTSEV

Our team on the Pyramid Carstensz returned to the paradise island of Bali, to relax and to heal the wounds. Mission accomplished - passed through the jungle, met with the Papuans, climbed to the top. Now  we have memories and stories for a lifetime. But so far only photos: