All news: September 2025

 Mount Elbrus has always been a challenge — not only for physical strength, but also for willpower. In September, I decided to undertake an experiment: to climb both summits of Elbrus while completely fasting. Five days — only water, herbal tea, and a little honey.

The idea of a “hunger ascent” was not accidental. I wanted to test the possibilities of the human body, to better understand how the respiratory system works at high altitude, and finally to overcome my altitude sickness. In previous expeditions, I noticed that eating consumed too much of my body’s energy: digestion drained my strength, food pressed on my diaphragm, and breathing became harder. Without food, however, I felt the opposite — lightness, full and easy breathing, high oxygen saturation, and no headaches. This contrast became the key discovery of my experiment.

The idea was not reckless: Alexander Abramov, the founder of the 7 Summits Club, once carried out a similar experiment, reaching the 5,642-meter Western Summit, and his experience inspired me. Abramov supported my decision and gave me recommendations, while the leader of our expedition, Alexander Dorojukov, agreed to oversee my attempt.

Diary of the Hunger Ascent

Day 1.
A group of 20 participants gathers at a long table. Hot dishes, aromas, laughter. I sit with only a cup of tea and honey in my hands. Physically, there is little hunger, but the habit of “eating together” becomes the main temptation.

Day 2.
The body begins to adapt in the mountains. Breathing becomes easier, as if my lungs have expanded. Walking feels comfortable, energy is steady. Hunger only shows up when I look at others eating.

Day 3.
Oxygen saturation — 97. I feel clear-headed and energized. No signs of fatigue. The main struggle is mental: not with hunger, but with habit.

Day 4.
A rest day before the summit push. My mind is filled with thoughts of food. I dream of homemade dumplings. But my body feels strong, light, ready for the night climb.

Day 5. Summit Push.
Sleepless night.
03:00 a.m. The start is slow because of groups ahead of us. This works in my favor: my body warms up gradually. Later the pace increases, and I feel incredible lightness.
• Eastern Summit — 5,621 m. Oxygen saturation — 96, which is a personal record (normally at altitude my readings were only 85–90).
• Western Summit — 5,642 m. The traverse took 1.5 hours, including a break for rest and changing clothes.

Not a single sign of altitude sickness: no headache, no weakness. My lungs breathe freely, and I am full of energy.

Experiment Results
• Complete absence of altitude sickness.
• Clear breathing and ease of movement.
• High oxygen saturation (96) at the summit.
• No fatigue or muscle pain, even after the climb.
• Plenty of energy, mental clarity.
• The body coped without any medication, vitamins, or supplements.

Achievement

I became the the first American woman to complete a hunger ascent of Elbrus, reaching both summits in a single push.

The greatest result for me: I finally overcame my “altitude sickness.” For many times it had ruined my expeditions, lowering my oxygen saturation and forcing me to retreat. Several pulmonary edemas, reanimation. But here, on Hunger Elbrus, I proved to myself that I could go farther and higher.

Conclusion

This hungry experiment was not just a sports record, but a way to unlock new possibilities of the human body. Elbrus showed me: strength does not always come from feeding the body — sometimes it comes from freeing it instead, and trusting its hidden reserves.

Facts About the Ascent
• Mountain: Elbrus (Caucasus, Russia)
• Summit altitudes:
• Eastern Summit — 5,621 m
• Western Summit — 5,642 m
• Summit push start: 03:00 a.m.
• Traverse time between summits: 1.5 hours (including rest and clothing change)
• Oxygen saturation at summit: 96
• Nutrition: water, herbal tea, honey
• Additional: no medication, vitamins, or supplements
• Unique feature: first female hungry ascent of both Elbrus summit.

I arrived at Manaslu Base Camp on September 20th. On the 22nd, I started, reached the summit at 5 a.m. on the 25th, and returned to Base Camp that evening.
The expedition took five days instead of the planned 25. I wasn't chasing speed—it just happened that way.

Lukas Furtenbach (his team made the first "xenon ascent" of Everest in the spring) even congratulated Abramov on "being the first Russian xenon ascent"—me. I did undergo a short xenon therapy course, but I didn't feel any "extra boost." Not because xenon is bad. But because I set out on an eight-thousander without acclimatization and without training specifically for the speed format. I summited and descended—but at what cost, that's another story.

I'll share a few conclusions.

1. Speed for the sake of speed is a dubious goal.

Yes, 25-30 days in the mountains is too much. People have time to burn out, get sick, or lose motivation. But the "arrived in three days, didn't really see anything, but spent two months preparing" scenario isn't mountaineering, it's a competitive race.

A healthy format for the future is 10-15-20 days. This is enough time to:
• switch from city life,
• rest your mind,
• communicate with people,
• experience the mountain, not just check in.

An expedition isn't just about the summit. It's about the process, the atmosphere, rest, adaptation, and experience. Sacrificing all this for a pretty number is foolish.

2. The shorter the expedition, the higher the cost of failure.

The classic format has a safety margin. You can arrive with a runny nose, lack of sleep, and a busy schedule—and gradually adjust. Recover, complete your treatment, reset your biorhythms, and get into the rhythm of the mountains.

With the speed option, there's no such leeway. You either arrive already "cleansed" of the city noise, or you're overcome along the route. This is especially true for entrepreneurs and managers—the body is preoccupied not with the mountains, but with thoughts of tasks and problems.

3. A true speed climb is expensive and energy-consuming.

If someone thinks they can simply "run an eight-thousander," they're mistaken. To climb quickly and safely, you need:
• 1.5–2 months in a hypoxic tent,
• regular consultations with doctors,
• hypoxic training at specialized centers,
• xenon (expensive and not yet fully understood),
• adjusting your sleep, nutrition, and recovery schedule.

For a busy person, this is disruptive and requires a serious budget and a significant investment of time. It's not something you can "do in between times."

4. How it really happened for me.

I went without acclimatization. I climbed "on pure willpower." And it was probably the most difficult experience of my life—and I've had my share of challenges.

Everything suffered:
• my body,
• my muscles,
• my internal organs,
• my psyche.

I thought about all the unpleasant things, felt fear, anger, and doubt. The pain didn't go away even after the descent. This isn't romanticism, it's not heroism—it's the price for being unprepared.
You definitely shouldn't do this!

5. Oxygen: the main conclusion.

I usually walk at a faster-than-average pace. But here it quickly became clear: I was failing. My heart rate skyrocketed, and I needed two inhales and two exhales for every step. The oxygen was supposed to arrive from Camp II, but I asked for it a little earlier. It felt better, but not critically so. The standard flow rate calculated for acclimatized people isn't enough – more is needed!

Key takeaways:
• With a high-speed format, oxygen may need to be turned on from Base Camp;
• Standard flow rates aren't suitable for someone without acclimatization;
• The faster the ascent, the more oxygen is needed.

What I think in the end:

Super-fast ascents only make sense in exceptional cases – record-breaking, sporting, or individual. Making a new standard out of this is dangerous.

The near future, as I see it:
• expeditions will be shorter,
• but not absurdly so,
• without physical and mental harm,
• with normal recovery,
• with life in camp, not rushed.

10-15-20 days instead of 25-30-40 is a realistic, healthy format for amateur climbers. It will make eight-thousanders more accessible and interesting, without burnout or consequences. But the shortening should be thoughtful, not a fad.

If my experience teaches anything, it's this: you can climb quickly. The question is, at what cost and for what purpose.

Artem Gurshtein, a member of the 7 Summits Club and a fellow climber, has completed a unique ascent of Manaslu, which could be recognized as a world record in several categories.

 Artem Gurshteyn (report): "So, friends, I'm returning home! The ascent took less than 44 hours (base camp - summit - base camp). The ascent began on September 22, 2025, at 3:30 a.m. The summit was reached on September 23, 2025, at 6:06 a.m. Descent to base camp was on September 23, 2025, at 10:58 p.m.

Arrived at base camp on September 21, 2025, at 12:55 p.m.

Departed for Kathmandu on September 24, 2025, at 7:52 a.m. The entire tour lasted 2 days and 19 hours.

All in all, less than 4 days in my beloved Nepal; I've never had such a fast-paced trip.

The founders of 14peaks Company say it's worthy of a Guinness World Record - time will tell.

The mountain is incredibly beautiful. Manaslu is the 8th highest in the world. The highest eight-thousander in the world, 8,163 meters. I experienced a wide range of emotions upon reaching the summit and had the strength to admire the beauty in detail during the descent.

 Artem Gurshtein:

This story dates back to September 2022, when I was part of the Skolkovo team at Professor Volkov's week-long training, sports, education, and, for some, even thought-activity module, "Two Summits". There, I first encountered mountains (mostly volcanoes and hills), and at the end of the program, we completed a very challenging (for me, at least) ascent of Koryaksky Volcano (3,456 meters). By fate, I was climbing in tandem with Professor Andrey Volkov, a Master of Sports of International Class in mountaineering, recent president of the Russian Mountaineering Federation, and the first rector of the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management.

It was incredibly challenging psychologically, even though I was "attached" to the professor. I was safe, on the one hand, but the sense of responsibility for moving in unison and carefully measuring every step, so as not to, God forbid, stumble and drag the teacher down with me and end up on Wikipedia, took a lot of energy. And at that moment, this climb became one of the most difficult events of my life! Something definitely changed upon my return, but I didn't yet understand what...

Then I learned about the "7 Summits" program and the "7 Summits Club" company, led by Alex Abramov, and in October of that year I climbed Kilimanjaro, and in December and January, Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Then there was Giluwe in Papua, Everest, more week-long "Two Summits" modules in September in Kamchatka, and more volcanoes and challenges.

 While on the third Kamchatka module, I learned that Alex Abramov wants to set a world record for the fastest ascent of the seven highest volcanoes on seven mountains. continents of the planet. I liked the idea and wanted to compete with a renowned climber... In the end, we completed the program in the same time (66 days), climbing to the summit of Antarctica's last volcano together.

 And then this June, Alex calls me and tells me passionately that new records for speed climbing on Everest were set in May and that we could try to prepare for the "fast" Manaslu. And that this would soon change the whole game, and we wouldn't have to spend so much time living in base camps and polluting the environment, etc., etc. Alex's idea immediately resonated with me, and I began preparing – acclimatizing at home. I sleep in a tent, gradually gaining altitude (the highest I slept was at 6,500 meters) and do daily IHT (interval hypoxic training) using a portable GIPOX device (I've completed over 50 IHT sessions from 1 hour to 1 hour 40 minutes). Alex Abramov, of course, is a master; he knew where the fertile ground was, where he could plant his next adventure))) An adventurer can spot another adventurer from afar.

In fact, the ingredients of this soup, called "Quick Manaslu," aren't complicated:

- idea (Alex Abramov) – 50%

- sleep in a hypoxic tent (400+ hours) – 20%

- Gipox IHT (70+ hours) – 20%

- discipline, morning exercises, faith in the outcome (foolishness and courage in common parlance), communication with professionals, support from family and friends… - 10%.

With Alex Abramov in Antarctica

The 7 Summits Club super guide Alexey Lonchinsky reports from Kenya:

News from September 25-26. On September 25, our "Improvisation" team woke up in a great hotel, in good spirits, located in Nanyuki. We had an early breakfast, after which we went on safari to the nearby National Park.

We saw zebras, various antelopes, rhinos, bulls, various monkeys, and lions!!! It was truly amazing to see animals in the wild. We then stopped for lunch at a trout farm. Then we returned to Nairobi, where we began our journey!

We had an unforgettable dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant. It's essentially a buffet, but you don't help yourself; the staff serves you. The only thing we didn't get to try was the crocodile; all the other meats were brought to us.

How do we like Kenya? We highly recommend a trip there. Well, if, of course, you're interested in new flora and fauna, beautiful views, and new experiences!

 Greetings from Manaslu! The results of the 2025 expedition, and most importantly, the entire team reached the summit. 12 of us! Plus Borya Egorov and Alexey Sivkov, who were also with us. We'd like to highlight Dima Pilshchikov's record. He arrived in Kathmandu on September 20th and reached the summit on the 25th without acclimatization rotations. It wasn't easy, but he didn't give up. He underwent a short xenon therapy course in Moscow beforehand. Olya Rumyantseva attempted the ascent without oxygen and reached almost the summit (8,046 m). Artem Gurshteyn, a member of the 7 Summits Club, reached the summit of Manaslu in 44 hours from Base Camp. He also completed a short hypoxic training course beforehand. He consulted with us when preparing for his ascent. The other team members also did a great job, ascending and descending at a good pace, without any delays.

This is already my 17th summit above 8000 meters in my career. 12 Everests, 3 Cho Oyu (once without oxygen), and 2 Manaslu. I don't know if there are any other climbers in Russia who have summited 8000 meters peaks 17 times? Please respond.

The 2025 Manaslu expedition was successful, comfortable, and fast. I look forward to seeing everyone on Everest in the spring of 2026!

Greetings to everyone from faraway Papua New Guinea from the "Huli Team"! Well, all adventures must come to an end! Yesterday we left Betty Lodge and returned to Mount Hagen!

That evening, at a gala dinner, we presented our participants with certificates for climbing Wilhelm Peak! We spent 10 days in PNG, and this trip was absolutely action-packed! We climbed Mount Giluwe and Wilhelm Peak, met more than 10 local tribes and learned about their traditions, and most importantly, each participant made new friends on this trip. After all, mountains are about people, and every member of our team made this trip unforgettable!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Congratulations to our climbers from the first group! They enjoyed excellent weather and, ahead of everyone else, were the first to reach the summit that day, September 24th. The queue was terrifying; standing at 8,150 meters and waiting was nothing to be envied. As usual, many participants will be rushing home after the summit, so congratulations and awards were distributed on the first evening together at base camp.

Our second group, led by Andrey Berezin, also made it to the summit. Its members are spending the night at Camps 2 and 1. We await information about their descent to base camp tomorrow so we can send them well-deserved congratulations!

 MANASLU 2025. The second group, led by Andrey Berezin, has reached the summit of Manaslu in its entirety! Members include: Yuri Dyachuk, Vasily Kernitsky, Dmitry Pil'shchikov and Olga Rumyantseva. Dmitry Pil'shchikov made a blitz ascent from Base Camp to the summit in five days, using xenon in preparation!

Olga Rumyantseva is currently descending to Camp 4, where Andrey Berezin awaits her. The remaining members are descending to the lower camps. Expedition leader Alexander Abramov is waiting for everyone at Camp 1.

The members of the first group are now at Base Camp and preparing for their flight to Kathmandu.

Photos and video from the ascent on September 24

September 24. Hooray! THE SUMMIT! The entire 7 Summits Club "Huli Team" summited Peak Wilhelm (4,509 m)! We left our base camp at 3,600 m and set out at 2:00 AM. It rained all evening, so we set out in rubber boots, which have become second nature to us during this trip.

The route initially follows the river, then emerges onto the cliffs. At 5:20 AM, the sky began to lighten, and we enjoyed an incredibly beautiful sunrise until 6 AM! The sky was a riot of color!

At 9 AM, we stood at the summit of Papua New Guinea's highest summit—Peak Wilhelm! The weather was so pleasant that we spent about an hour there, chatting and drinking tea above the clouds!

 On the descent, we were caught in the rain. We descended to camp at 2 PM, had lunch, repacked, and quickly ran to our cozy Betty's Lodge, where a hot shower and delicious dinner awaited us!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

The 7 Summits Club guide Boris Egorov reports from Nepal:

Greetings from Nepal! Hooray, it's finally happened! Alexey and I are now rightfully part of the 8000 Club, and Manaslu has been summited! We spent the night at Camp 1, reached Camp 3, and wondered what to wait. After a few hours' rest, we set out to climb. We were exhausted by the queues, but successfully reached the summit the next morning. We've now completed all forms of mountaineering, but we're not planning on stopping. We still have plenty of ideas!

September 23rd. Greetings from the "Huli Team" in Papua New Guinea! In the morning, after a hearty, delicious breakfast, we met the team of local porters and guides, loaded up our bags, and headed to Wilhelm Peak Base Camp.

The trek is short, only 8 km, but very scenic! The scenery here is unlike anything we'd seen in Mount Hagen. We first walked through the jungle, then reached an open viewpoint, and then a waterfall.

As we approached the camp, located on the picturesque shore of a lake, we were caught in a rainstorm that continued all night. But by 11 PM, the weather cleared, and the sky was dotted with a scattering of twinkling stars! We set off for the ascent at 2 AM.

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Early this morning, the first group of the 8000 Club expedition, led by Alexander Abramov, reached the summit of Manaslu. Six climbers were involved: Roman Sklyar, Evgeny Fedorov, Alexey Aksyonov, Daniele Wolfson, Vladislav Khomkov, and Farid Sagutdinov. Alexander Abramov also served as guide and leader. And, of course, thanks to our high-altitude Sherpa guides! The first group is descending; they almost reached Camp 2 at 12:00 Moscow time.

The second group, led by guide Andrey Berezin, is ascending to Camp 4 at 7,300 meters to begin their summit bid that night.

Guide Evgeny Fedyunin reports from Tanzania:

September 21. Hello everyone! Jambo Ma-Rafiki! The 7 Summits Club "Fura on the left" group successfully lost two kilometers of vertical drop and returned to civilization! Beer and champagne at the gate – the best way to restore the salt-alkaline balance!!! Everyone was happy. In the evening, diplomas and medals were awarded, and new plans for the mountains were discussed.

Take care! See you in the mountains! Best of luck and good weather to everyone!

September 22nd. Greetings from Papua New Guinea! We saw the main part of our group off at the airport, and with two other members, we continue our program.

We moved to Kundiawa and checked into Betty's Lodge – the coziest place in PNG, in our humble opinion. It's a wonderful lodge, everything is done with such care and love that it's truly heartwarming!

Lodge owner Betty has a place here. We have our own trout farm, a huge blooming garden, goats, and chickens. Everything we serve is grown here.

That evening, we had a delicious dinner and mapped out our plans for tomorrow. In the morning, we set out for Wilhelm Peak Base Camp. We'll be without communication for a day and a half.

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Manaslu Expedition 2025. Our three groups are currently located in three different camps. Group 1, with Alexander Abramov, is at Camp 3 (6,800 m), Group 2, with Andrey Berezin, has ascended to Camp 2 (6,300 m), and Group 3 (5,600 m) is at Camp 1.

Tomorrow, Group 1 will ascend to Camp 4 (7,400 m), while Groups 2 and 3 will ascend to Camp 3. The weather is clear, the night is cool, and everything is as planned. Group guides are Alexander Abramov and Andrey Berezin.

September 21st. Greetings from faraway Papua New Guinea from the "Huli na Giluwe" team!

Yesterday we visited one of the local "Mudmen" tribes, whose inhabitants decorate themselves with clay and wear huge clay masks. Afterwards, we checked into a hotel, where a celebratory dinner and awards ceremony awaited us that evening.

All participants were awarded certificates and medals for their ascent of Giluwe.

Over these six days, we lived a unique life filled with humor, mutual support, help, understanding, and, of course, exciting adventures. Nine completely different people, each unique, gathered on the other side of the planet and over the course of a week became a true team.

The most important words that were spoken were: "7 Summits Club, you make people happy!"

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.

Alexander Abramov's report: Teams 1 and 2 have reached Camp 1. Altitude: 5,600 meters. We ascended from Base Camp in four hours. Getting ready for dinner. Everything is great. Guides: Alexander Abramov and Andrey Berezin. 

The 7 Summits Club guide Alexey Lonchinsky reports from Kenya:

 Good morning! Our group completed a cultural program in Nairobi the day before. We visited the Giraffe Park and fed the Rothschild giraffes, which have been preserved at the center for almost 100 years. Then we moved on to the colonial museum of Danish writer Karen Blixen. It was a very cool, cozy house with period furnishings. We were horrified and then amazed by the severed elephant foot, which was used as a coffee table. We had lunch nearby, in an estate converted into a restaurant. Everything was great; we instantly adjusted to the city's 1,700-meter altitude! The cuisine in Kenya is excellent...

Pavel, Alexandra, and 7 Summits Club guide Alexey.

Best regards!

The team is preparing to climb Manaslu. We've split into two teams. The first (7 people) is led by Alexander Abramov and is scheduled to summit on September 24th. The second (6 people) is led by Andrey Berezin and is scheduled to summit on September 25th.

The weather is favorable, with a good weather window promised. There will definitely be traffic jams along the route, as these are likely the only five days when the summit will be possible. The weather will worsen after September 26th-27th.

We won't be taking Starlink with us to avoid distractions from the climb. Expect results on September 24th-25th.

September 20th. Hooray! The summit! The entire 7 Summits Club "Huli na Giluwe" team summited the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania, Giluwe, at 4,368 meters! We left base camp at 5 a.m. It was cloudy at first, but by dawn the clouds had cleared, opening up views of the summit.

The climb took four hours, and by 9 a.m. local time, the entire team stood on the summit!

Guides: Svetlana Kotlyar and Georgy Bushuev.