All news: 30 June 2023

The guides Rostovtsev Artem and Spirin Alexander reports from Georgia:

Midnight greeted us with a clear, starry sky - so you can go! Breakfast, final equipment check. On the way! A chain of glowing lanterns stretched along the slope.   The hospitable Meteostation released us into the embrace of the dark silhouettes of the Caucasus Mountains. In the silence of the night we keep our way to the Gergeti glacier. Peacefully creaking with crampons, we take the first, confident steps along this majestic glacier, in the direction of the Maili Plateau. Here is the long-awaited dawn, our frozen limbs are finally thawing, warmed by the gentle rays of the morning sun.  We traverse a steep slope. We work in ropes.  Safely bypass seraks, continue to move to the saddle. The first harbingers of impending bad weather appear: snow flags on the top, clouds rise and thicken - we have a few hours of weather window left. 

Ahead is the most difficult section to go through and start the descent before the storm.  Everyone tried, but only four managed to stand at the very top.  And then there was a difficult, long and exhausting descent to the Meteostation. At some point it seemed that the mountain did not want to let go ... a strong storm wind, horizontally flying snow that hit the eyes (even under glasses) and swept the trail, visibility close to zero complicated the search for the right path, even had to use navigators to pass safely, the last part of the descent was complicated by deep softened snow on the trail. Wet, tired, but happy, we returned to the Meteostation that had become our home. Hot soup, a warm dry sleeping bag and a sound sleep - this is what we have been dreaming about for the last hours. Your favorite guides are Artem Rostovtsev and Alexander Spirin.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Iran:

 Greetings from Iran from the band that finally got its name! We are now "Deniski"! The second day of the Damavand program began with a climb to the ski hotel at 3600 m.  We were lucky that we climbed in comfortable conditions in the cabins to the hotel itself, because frequent stops of the cable car in the off-season are not uncommon. We stayed in a beautiful hotel "Tochal ", the comfort of which is especially appreciated at such a height. "Deniski" was checked out by local kebabs, but they still don't know what kind of "belly" holiday will be tomorrow!

 After lunch and a medical examination, mandatory for this hotel, we went at a calm pace to acclimatize to the Tochal Mountain, 3964 m high. We talked a lot on the way, took pictures, the team stuck together before our eyes. This is wonderful, because a good atmosphere in the group is the key to a successful ascent! Tomorrow we will move to Damavand, get permits and gourmet day. Guides Evgeny Fedyunin, Valery Myasoyedov and Olga Startseva.

Guide and director of the 7 Summits Club Lyudmila Korobeshko reports from Pakistan:

June 30. All salaam from Pakistan from the participants of the expedition to K2 “High Altitude Gene 2" or briefly GenKa2! Today we finally got enough sleep! Firstly, we slept on beds with blankets. Secondly, breakfast was already at 8.00 and there was no need to pack! After breakfast, we had a shower. And after lunch - an afternoon nap.

Tomorrow we make the first acclimatization rotation - to ABC at 5300 and return to BC.

The heads of the expedition to K2 Alex Abramov and Lyudmila Korobeshko and the expedition doctor Andrey Selivanov are in touch.

Super-guide of the 7 Summits Club Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Iran:

All salaam from Tehran! A new program of Damavand has started! The third group, most of the participants had previously climbed Elbrus and Kilimanjaro together.

And again a long and eventful day full of impressions. Traditional local dishes - dizi, various kebabs, fruits. The most famous restaurant in the Grand Bazaar area in a historic building, the first bank in Iran. Golestan Palace with a diamond hall, royal gifts for the shah - very impressive, and well, very immodest!

The beautiful Maryam, professor of the University Department of the Russian language and an expert in local history, again impressed with her stories and local legends! The welcome dinner, according to tradition, was held in the panoramic revolving restaurant of the Milad TV tower with a view of the evening sparkling Tehran, at an altitude of 290m. Tomorrow we begin active acclimatization!

Guides Valery Myasoyedov, Evgeny Fedyunin, Olga Startseva.