All news: 23 July 2023

Greetings to all from Ascole from the "Don't even think" team!

Since we left the K2 base camp, our trek has been going through torrential rains every day. But everyone has their advantages: firstly, there is no sweltering heat, and secondly - the mountains surrounding us, wrapped in clouds, look quite gloomy, but no less beautiful.

Yesterday was a long and physically energy—consuming day - we walked 22 km from the Urdukas camp to Paiju. Before reaching a couple of kilometers to the campsite, we made a big halt on the river bank, spread out the mats, lay, chatted, drank tea and looked at the turbulent flow of the dark waters of the river. It was great!

Yesterday we spent the last night in tents, and early this morning we went out towards Ascole. We walked 14 km at a brisk pace in the rain, and then switched to jeeps, which brought us to our destination.

Our caring local partners have sent us the ripest and juiciest mango from Skardu for dinner!!! So today we have a real holiday! Tomorrow we leave for Skardu!

Svetlana Kotlyar and Alexander Spirin were in touch.

Nikita Slotin, super-guide of the 7 Summits Club, reports from Kyrgyzstan:

Greetings to all from the Lenin Peak base camp from the group "Everything is going according to plan"! On 22.07.23, the group in full force at 13:30 stood on the peak with a height of 7134 meters. For many, this height has become a personal record, at which none of the participants is going to stop! We left Camp 3 at 2:00. An unpleasant wind was blowing, but the sky was starry, it remained to trust our gut and forecast. At 8:00 we climbed the 6800 "knife", the sun came out, and life immediately got better. The wind died down, and we began to roast our carcasses, slowly wandering to the top. The ascent from the Plateau of Parachutists was not easy, especially these takeoffs, behind which, as you think, there should be a peak, and there turns out to be another takeoff. And here it is!!! The summit! And on the descent, a bonus was waiting for us - a climb from the jumper to the third camp, to the long-awaited tents... And today our team is already at the height of 3600 in the bar.

Bad weather has descended on K2 again. Rain in the base camp, snow along the route. The first and second groups are together in Camp-2, and the third remained in the ABC Camp. While waiting for news. There is a very strong company of Sherpas on the route, whose task is to make a route to the top. And it is possible that they will succeed.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Olga Rumyantseva reports from Tanzania:

 The Kilimanjaro climbing program of the “Kiliman 23” team has ended. Yesterday morning we woke up to the sound of rain - the first rain in all seven days of travel. Before that, the weather was perfect. And on the last day, the rain only wetted the road so that it was not very dusty. After breakfast, the traditional farewell ceremony with the team took place. Everyone sang and danced heartily. Many kind words were said. Saying goodbye to those who helped us these seven days, the guys left a lot of clothes, shoes and other things useful in the mountains as a gift.

After twelve kilometers of descent through a beautiful and slightly foggy forest, we came to the gates of the national park, where there was a farewell festive lunch.  At the hotel we continued to celebrate the end of the expedition. All climbers on Kilimanjaro received diplomas and commemorative medals for climbing.

And yesterday I met a new band on Kilimanjaro. Today the Kilimans flew home, a new group, which has no name yet, went on an excursion to the waterfall.

And tomorrow morning we will go on the route.