All news: December 2022

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Bon Dias from Argentina! The group of the 7 Summits Club "Coca-Cola 2×5" today moved up to Colera's high-altitude camp. The height is six thousand meters. We settled in tents. Tonight we have an assault. Since we got to Christmas today, we met it with a small snowfall, which is now happening outside our tents. Tomorrow we will start to the summit!

Director of the 7 Summits Club Lyudmila Korobeshko reports from Peru:

Greetings from Peru from Alexander Abramov and Lyudmila Korobeshko!  On the first morning of our stay in Peru, we went to the Rainbow Mountains. On the way, we admired the endless herds of alpacas and wonderful views. We drove part of the way to the Rainbow Mountains on quad bikes, as we had to hurry to the second part of the program of this eventful day (which we will tell you about later)…

At the top, we unfurled the flag of the 7 Summits Club and enjoyed the views of the local highest point - AUSANGATE - a technically difficult six-thousandther. Rainbow Mountains pleased us with their multicolored iridescences. Plus, we were lucky to climb almost alone, as we decided to go from another, less popular side.

By lunchtime we had already returned to Cuzco and set off to meet a new adventure.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

The group of the 7 Summits Club "Coca-Cola 2×5" left the Plaza de Mulas camp to climb Mount Aconcagua.  According to the plan, we are going to storm the summit on December 25. Tonight we'll spend the night at Nido de Condores, tomorrow we'll spend the night at the camp Colera. The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Buenos Dias! The Coca-Cola 2×5 group successfully acclimatizes before climbing to the highest point of the two Americas. Yesterday we climbed the Nido de Condores, 5600 meters.  We spent the night in a high-altitude camp, and to consolidate the acclimatization process, we climbed to Plaza Berlin, 5900 meters. After that, we went down to the base camp of Plaza Mulas, where we will rest before the final climb to the summit. The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

Antarctica is a place to meet interesting people. You never know who you might meet on our super trips. And here is a new and completely unexpected surprise. At the Union Glacier base, we were met and greeted by the famous Will Smith. Pleasant acquaintance!

Will was in Antarctica in preparation for the show “Pole to Pole" of Walt Disney National Geographic.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Punta Arenas (Chile):

Our expedition to Antarctica on the Vinson Massif has ended. Of the 12 days, 8 had terrible weather. We fought with the wind, held flying tents, carried loads and took photos with frozen fingers. But the result is excellent, the whole team was standing on top of the highest mountain in Antarctica - Vinson Massif! The whole team rallied like one powerful fist. The team had participants from different countries: India, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Russia. This is a true friendship of peoples. Everyone helped everyone, worried, rejoiced together.  Great team!

As a result, the first Kyrgyz, Kadyr Nurmamatov, stood at the top of the Vinson Massif. And also the oldest Indian who completed the project "Seven Summits" - Sharad Kulkarni. And the second Indian woman who ascended the Vinson Massif is Anvita Padamati. The rest of the participants also climbed to the top, together with two guides Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Bon Dias! Today our small but very friendly team continued to acclimatize on the slopes of Aconcagua.  The acclimatization plans included an ascent to Plaza Canada, an altitude of 5000 meters.  Upon returning to the base camp, we learned that Argentina became the World Football champion for the first time in 36 years! Tomorrow we rest, go through a medical check and prepare to go out with an overnight stay in Nido de Condores.  The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

We arrived at the Base Camp at 6 am. We walked in the shadows. The temperature was around -30C. We walked all night. It was light, but cold.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Bon Dias!  We are in the Plaza de Mulas!  The Coca-Cola 2×5 group came to the Plaza de Mulas, an altitude of 4,300 meters, this is the Aconcagua base camp. Here we will spend most of our time, simultaneously making radial and acclimatization rotations before storming the summit. The path from Confluencia to Plaza de Mulas is 18 km, with a height difference of 800 meters. The first part of the way passes through the valley of the river without a significant set, and the second part of the way, from where the camp is visible, passes through the rugged terrain of the western slope of Aconcagua.  We are resting today.  We are recovering.  The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

The weather is fine, visibility for a thousand kilometers, a light breeze. The whole team of the 7 Summits Club (at midnight Moscow time) it stands at the top of the Vinson Massif: 2 guides and 8 participants.

Now the team has gone down to the High Camp. And we continue the descent to the base camp. The weather is deteriorating.

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Buenos  Dias! The Coca-Cola 2 ×5 group, after the first night at 3500, in Confluencia camp, to consolidate acclimatization, made rotation towards Plaza France, climbing to a height of 4000 meters. We did not reach the Place France itself, as it takes 6 hours to go there in one direction.  We decided to save energy, because tomorrow we have to climb to the Plaza de Mulas, and this is already 4,300 meters and 18 kilometers over rough terrain, sometimes meeting with herds of mules, and in the heat above 30 degrees.  After returning from a walk, there was a daytime siesta, after which there was a mandatory medical check giving permission to move to the next camp.  The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

Hello everybody! Our team is at the High camp. We climbed here in 6 hours, having overcome 700 meters of fixed ropes. There is almost no wind here now. Beautiful weather. We set up tents and found all the equipment that we left last year. Now we have had dinner and are getting ready for bed. Tomorrow at 11 am we plan to start for the summit. For me, this should be the 19th summit of the Vinson Massif in my life. And for our main guide in Antarctica Artem Rostovtsev – the 11th. On December 17th we plan to return to the Base Camp.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

Yesterday our group had a rest day on Vinson Massif. The wind was blowing hard. Now we are going to the Assault camp (High Camp) with all the things. Tomorrow, according to the plan,  we will go to the summit of the Vinson Massif. Wish us good luck!

The guide of the 7 Summits Club Andrey Berezin reports from Argentina:

Bon Dias!  Our Coca Cola 2×5 group started the walking part of the way to the Aconcagua base camp, Plaza de Mulas. After we registered at the entrance to the Aconcagua National Park, we had to come to our place of residence for the next three days – the Confluencia camp. We covered a distance of 7.5 km in 3 hours with halts and photo sessions of the surroundings and local birds. The guides of the group are Andrey Berezin and Viktor Volodin.

 President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

News from Antarctica from the Vinson-2 group. Today we made an acclimatization rotation  to an altitude of 3500 m.  The shadow comes to the Lower Camp (Low Camp) only at 3 a.m. and the cold period lasts until 10:30, so we had breakfast at 12:00. Then Artem Rostovtsev and Kadyr Nurmamatov started a high-speed ascent to the High Camp at 3800 m to check everything we have there. All the other seven participants and Alex Abramov climbed at their own pace a thousand meters along the railing rope. We took with us to the end of the ropes some equipment and food for the High Camp. Tomorrow we have a day of rest and preparation for the decisive days.

And on December 15th, our plan is to climb to the High Camp already to storm the summit. On the 16th - the summit, the 17th descent and, ideally, a flight to the Union Glacier base. On December 18, we have scheduled a flight to the Mainland.

 President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from Antarctica:

Today our team moved from the Base Camp to the Low Camp in seven hours. The weather has finally improved. We set up tents, had lunch and are now getting ready for bed. Tomorrow, according to the plan, we climb to the end of the fixed ropes for acclimatization. And after that we will be ready to storm the summit.

 Photos from previous expeditions

A message from Antarctica dated December 10. Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club, reports:

Today our team observed bad weather at the Vinson Massif base camp. Some of the groups went to the upper camps. But we stayed because the forecast is bad. In the afternoon, Artem and Kadyr ran to the Low Camp camp, checked the depot. The rest of the participants were resting from yesterday's hike. We were playing chess when we suddenly heard a cry that the tent was flying away, one tent was blown away by the wind. We started fighting the squall. Hell. We rushed to sprinkle all the tents with snow for 50-60 cm around with a snow shaft. The wind was getting stronger.  An hour later, all the tents, including the dining room, presented the appearance of snow caves. The strongest hurricane is expected tonight. Then the wind will weaken. And we're going to Low Camp.

The guides of the 7 Summits Club are Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev.

Friends, love the mountains, love nature, go to the mountains!  Congratulations on the International Mountain Day! The 7 Summits Club is always ready to help you with travel arrangements. Follow the updates of our programs.  Mountains should give us the happiest moments of our lives, and giving people happiness is our mission.

  If possible, leave the mountains clean after you!  And in general, do everything possible so that the mountains remain (become) a territory of freedom, a territory where you can meet with pristine nature, a place of joyful meeting with friends, a place you want to return to, where you want to bring children, where everyone will be happy!

UNO Official information

Women move mountains

The theme of this year's International Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December will be Women move mountains.

Women play a key role in mountains' environmental protection and social and economic development. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture, and experts in traditional medicine.

Increasing climate variability, coupled with a lack of investment in mountain agriculture and rural development, has often pushed men to migrate elsewhere in search of alternative livelihoods. Women have therefore taken on many tasks formerly done by men, yet mountain women are often invisible due to a lack of decision-making power and unequal access to resources.

As farmers, market sellers, businesswomen, artisans, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, mountain women and girls, in particular in rural areas, have the potential to be major agents of change. When rural women have access to resources, services, and opportunities, they become a driving force against hunger, malnutrition, and rural poverty and are active in the development of mountain economies.

International Mountain Day 2022 is an opportunity to promote gender equality and therefore contribute to improving social justice, livelihoods and resilience. 

Get to know more about women in mountains and use FAO's, communication materials in all six UN languages, which are available on their website.

While Women move mountains is the suggested theme for 2022, countries, communities, and organizations are welcome to celebrate IMD through a theme that is more relevant to them.

Celebrate this International Day 2022 with your community and friends preparing an event or joining the conversation on social media using the hashtag #MountainsMatter. Pass on some of the key messages, or share about the important role of women in mountains, or post, or a photo of your favorite mountain.

Natural jewels we should treasure

Mountains are home to 15% of the world´s population and host about half of the world's biodiversity hotspots. They provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity. Their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the SDGs.

Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.

This problem affects us all. We must reduce our carbon footprint and take care of these natural treasures.

The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN to declare to 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains. The first international day was celebrated for the first time the following year, 2003.

Its roots date back to 1992, when the document “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development” (called Chapter 13), was adopted as part of the action plan Agenda 21 of the Conference on Environment and Development.

Most recently, the UN proclaimed 2022 the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development. 

And here we are again gathering here, on the other side of the world in the Southern Hemisphere, when we have a cold winter in Russia, there is always sunshine, lots of light and warmth, delicious tart wine and the best steaks, endless pampas and numerous mountain peaks, amazingly beautiful snow-capped summits and fantastic glaciers, unique Patagonia and Iguazu waterfalls... It's all about Argentina, of course! The team of guides of the 7 Summits Club gathered in Mendoza yesterday on the eve of the upcoming season in Aconcagua, and it promises to be long and eventful.  By the end of February, dozens of lucky people will try to realize their dreams with us. Aconcagua, 6962 m, always attracts climbers with its exclusivity - the highest point of America, the second highest peak of the Seven Summits program, a unique corner of the world in the Andes mountain system. And we have a lot to do to ensure that our groups receive everything necessary for the successful completion of the program. In the next few days we will reactivate our casts, check all the equipment, buy the necessary equipment and food for high-quality operation of the Base and high-altitude camps.  There is a lot of work to be done, and we will do everything possible, put our whole soul into providing our groups with the highest level of service. If you still have doubts about participating in the ascent program on Aconcagua, discard them! We are waiting for you!

From Mendoza, the guides of the 7 Summits Club are Viktor Volodin, Andrey Berezin, Dmitry Semenov and Valery Myasoyedov.

President of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Abramov reports from the Union Glacier camp in Antarctica:

A message from Antarctica, from the Union Glacier camp. The Vinson-22 team.  Today we got up at 6 am.  At 7 o'clock the team went to the airport, where we were met by a comfortable Boeing. Each passenger here is entitled to 3 seats, a whole row. Therefore, our flight to Antarctica was successful, without any adventures. We flew over the Drake Strait for a long time and then saw through the portholes a snow-white continent surrounded by ice shelves and icebergs. On the edge were the mountains of Alexander Island.

The weather is really clear. Only a strong wind at high altitude. We landed gently, if you can say that about landing on bare ice. The Union Glacier camp was met with comfort and delicious food. Everyone happily began photographing Antarctica. Today they started sending groups to the Vinson Base Camp. We were supposed to take the second flight. We had lunch. The first two groups flew away.  And then they announce to us that today there is a strong wind at Vinson Base Camp and our flight is canceled. So we also had a delicious dinner. We put up our tents. And now we are getting ready for bed. We hope to fly to the mountains tomorrow morning. Guides Alexander Abramov and Artem Rostovtsev.