World mountain's news

Carlos Sa marathon runner and climber has entered the record books after his conquest of the highest peak in the Americas.

The Portuguese knocked nearly five hours off the record for the ascent of Aconcagua cutting the time from 20 hours to 15 hours and 42 minutes.

The mountain, in the Andes range inArgentinarises to almost 7,000 meters and this was Sa’s second attempt at the record.

Technically in mountaineering terms it is known as an easy climb, but it has what is called, “a hidden evil” the intense cold which has caused many injures to climbers in the past and Sa also had to cope with deep snow hampering his progress to the top and that record.

Source: Euronews 

From 7Summits-Club

Carlos Sa or Carlos Gomes Dasa - 39 years old ultra sky-runner of world class, one of the first on all ratings.

That record toAconcaguawas carefully prepared. Carlos Sa with his team arrived to Argentina in December. On December 27 there was his first climb of Aconcagua for acclimatization and route studying. The first attempt of establishment of a new record took place on January 13. However in the upper part of a route conditions were unfavorable - snow swept up the track. The second attempt took place in three days. On January 16 Carlos started at 5:20 a.m. from an entrance to the national park Horcones, from height of 2750 meters. His start was noted by employees of the park who and fixed then his finish. At the top of Aconcagua (6962 meters, on the last measurement) the Portuguese was approximately at 5 p.m.. . And at 8:34 p.m. Sa returned to Horcones. Total time, that is a new record – 15 hours 42 minutes. Distance – about 81 kilometers, vertical drop – about 4500 meters.

Time of the Portuguese runner is confirmed as record by official representatives of National park. Also it was reported that Karlush Sa broke a record of the Peruvian Holmes Pantoja Bayona (20:35).

It, probably, means so that the time shown in 2007 by Spaniard Jorge Egochiarega - 14 hours, 5 minutes and 54 seconds – are recognized informal, or more precisely, as the officially unrecognized.

In 2000 Pelissier, Brunod and Meraldi - Italian team (all stars of ski-mountaineering) climbed on top of Aconcagua from Plaza de Mulas in 3 hours 40 minutes (1:12 – for descent). Still this result is considered as a record.

Well-known Catalan Kilian Jornet (at the left, Carlos at the right ) intends to establish new speed records at all Seven Summits.Aconcaguais planed for 2014. What route he will choose ?

Season opened, as usual, on November 15. The number of tourists, climbers once again increased, by 10 percent. This occurred despite a significant increase in the cost of permits. Weather was good at first, but in December spoiled. Most climbers returned home without the summit, because of the strong winds

Many climbers asked for help from rescuers during the first period of the season. Mainly these were minor incidents.

The most significant rescue was in early December. Eliana Caamano, a girl-guide, hired by the U.S. company Mountain Trip, tried to climb to the top with a disabled Afghan war, 29-year-old American, Neil Duncan

 Eliana and Neil did not reached the summit because of bad weather and fatigue. On the descent they were hit by a snowstorm, gave a signal for help and stay for a night in the region of Independencia. A group of four young rescuers went to meet them. They went half night, and it was not in vain. Neil lost his sight (snow blindness), was in very poor condition. Only the use of artificial oxygen and medication has helped him gain strength for further fight for life.

The next day a large group came up for the rescue, it was about 25 people went out from the camp Plaza de Mulas. By the joint efforts they managed lowered Eliana and Neil to the Nido de Condores camp. From there, a helicopter was able to pick them up to Horcones.

At the end of the year there was a bad case with a Japanese mountain climber. At Plaza de Mulas Rangers suddenly noticed that 34-year-old Minoru Kawada does not come out of the tent third day. Opening it, they found a Japanese climber unconscious. He was urgently transported to the hospital inMendoza, but doctors do not guarantee that he can be saved. So far, he's in a coma.

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Colorado man among two mountaineers killed on Argentina climb

By Kirk Mitchell
The Denver Post

An avid climber and adventurer, Eric Nourse traveled to Alaska in 2006 to tackle Denali. (Photo courtesy of Candee Nourse)
When planning how to summit 22,841-foot Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, Greeley resident Eric Nourse, as usual, chose the riskiest route.

On Saturday, the decision had terrible consequences. He and longtime friend David Reinhart of Lake Oswego, Ore., died, likely from complications of altitude sickness. Only Eric's twin brother, Greg Nourse of Portland, Ore., survived.

"He never wanted to die. He's just a large risk- taker," Greg Nourse said of his brother.

Greg Nourse spoke Tuesday via Reinhart's satellite phone from Mendoza, Argentina, where Eric Nourse's body was taken for an autopsy.

Reinhart met the Nourse brothers at a fraternity at Oregon State University in the late 1980s. They shared a taste for extreme adventure, and for the next 23 years they often traveled together to the Alps, Denali or the Andes in South America.

Eric Nourse, 41, had a Greeley flooring business. Whenever he could, he was in the wilderness: kayaking, rafting, scuba diving, skiing, snowboarding, fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking, hunting elk.

The twins and Reinhart would plan big trips for months. In 2004, the Nourse brothers rode motorcycles through Mexico, Guatemala and Belize for two months. They climbed Denali twice.

Eric Nourse was full of life, said his wife, Candee Nourse.

"He could climb a tree like a monkey. There was something that was not quite human about him," she said.

Candee Nourse said she never worried previously about her husband going into danger because he was never worried, but this time was different. It wasn't that the South American peak was a technically difficult climb.

"He said, 'It's the weather. It gets brutal, and it takes lives,' " she said.

The three friends reached the "high camp" tents at 19,200 feet in elevation on Mount Aconcagua by Thursday. They considered going on the Polish Traverse but decided to take the more challenging route up the face of the Polish Glacier.

At 4 a.m. Friday, the three embarked for the summit with Eric Nourse leading the way under a full moon.

The glacier was almost all ice with little snow for traction, and it was much steeper than they had anticipated. They had not carried enough ice screws and snow pickets along for the longer ice climbs.

"It was more taxing and time- consuming," Greg Nourse said.

They didn't reach 22,000 feet in elevation until after dark. Reinhart was suffering from altitude sickness and couldn't go any farther.

Eric Nourse said he was going to summit the mountain in the moonlight, find the less challenging trail down the mountain and get help.

Greg Nourse said his brother climbed another 600 feet and searched for the trail down.

Climber Eric Nourse sets off on his 2006 Denali climb in Alaska with gear in tow. (Photo courtesy of Candee Nourse, The Denver Post)
When he couldn't find the trail, he climbed down the steep north face of the mountain.
"It was basically a sheer cliff," Greg Nourse said.

The decision slowed Eric Nourse considerably. The next morning, 10 hours after his brother had left, Greg Nourse strapped his friend to an ice wall and climbed the mountain to find the easier trail down.

He waited near the summit for 2½ hours before the first climber of the day reached the peak so he could ask how to get down the mountain. While there, he called Reinhart's wife, Char, who set into motion an emergency response in Argentina.

"It was a really emotional phone call. She knew we were in trouble," he said.

Six hours later, Greg Nourse made it back down to the high camp. His brother limped into camp 90 minutes later, exhausted. Argentine EMTs advised Eric Nourse to climb down the mountain and not sleep. The oxygen content in his blood was dangerously low. Porters offered to carry their equipment down the mountain for them. But Greg Nourse said his brother felt that would have been admitting defeat.

"Eric wouldn't have any part of that. We carried our gear up the mountain, and after a little catnap he would carry it back down. He was never concerned about dying," Greg Nourse said.

Minutes after Eric Nourse went to sleep in his tent, emergency workers tried to rouse him. His heart rate dropped. When it stopped, they tried to resuscitate him.

But he was dead.

It took another 2½ days before porters reached Reinhart's body on the glacier. Reinhart had somehow climbed another 150 feet up the mountain before collapsing.

UAE-based adventurer scales Carstensz Pyramid in Oceania.

DUBAI: The UAE-based adventurer Suzanne Al Houby, a Palestinian, has returned from her latest expedition with another world record as the first Arab woman to scale Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), the highest mountain in Oceania, peaking at 4,884 metres.

Al Houby is famous for becoming the first Arab woman to climb Mount Everest last year and with this latest climb she has now officially conquered six of the Seven Summits — the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Compared to previous expeditions, Al Houby has embarked on a pursuit of her goal, Carstensz Pyramid, located inPapua,Indonesia, which offers its own set of unique challenges.

The approach for this climb is known as the most difficult in the world.

The area is extremely inaccessible, with the journey beginning in a multi-hour flight acrossIndonesia, with as many as six stops, before landing on theislandofPapua, where the mountain is located.

From there, Al Houby and the rest of her expedition made a gruelling six-day trek across steep terrain through rainforests, swamps, mud slides and rock walls just to get to the base camp.

The expedition was supported by tribal porters from the Dani tribe, a people who live outside of modern civilisation and who have practised cannibalism well into the 20th century.

During the trek, the expedition had to pay sums of money to tiny villages as they passed through for fear of animosity towards them.

“The weather conditions were really bad because of continuous heavy rains,” says Al Houby.

“We were wet all the time and the rain made steep sections difficult to cross.”

“The continuous deterioration in weather affected the health of some of the climbers.

“This made me develop a nasty lung infection that began to make me weaker each day until we reached the base camp,” she said.

After reaching the base camp and taking a day’s rest, Al Houby pushed through on her attempt to the summit.

“I climbed the vertical rock walls until we were high up on the summit ridge. There we stood in front of one of the highest mountain obstacles in the world: a 12-metre gap between two rock pinnacles with hundreds of metres drop in between.

Along with Al Houby on the expedition was another Arab climber, the Jordanian Mostafa Salameh.

“This was the first time I’ve ever had another Arab climber in the team with me and the camaraderie was just amazing.

“We had a great time and we crossed the most challenging section higher up together,” she said.

Besides being the first and only Arab woman to ever climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain on earth at 8,850 metres, Al Houby was also the first Arab woman to climb Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Vinson (the highest mountains in Western Europe, Europe, South America and Antarctica), in addition to Kilimanjaro and Toubkal, the highest mountains in Africa and North Africa respectively, amongst others.

The summit of Mt. Everest

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Everest hero Mostafa turns attention to charity and poles hikes

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/everest-hero-mostafa-turns-attention-to-charity-and-poles-hikes-1-2659648

Mostafa Mahmoud

By David O’Leary

A FORMER city hotel worker who quit his job to climbMount Everesthas become the first Jordanian to scale the highest peaks on each of the world’s continents.

Mostafa Mahmoud Salameh, from Bruntsfield, resigned from his job as food and beverages manager at the Sheraton in 2004 to embark on the life-altering challenge of scaling the world’s highest mountain.

Not content with just reaching the 8850m summit, however, the 42-year old has gone on to complete the Seven Summits challenge and become a Jordanian national hero into the bargain – he has been knighted by the Middle Eastern state.

Last Friday, the Queen Margaret University graduate reached the summit of the Carstenz Pyramid in Indonesia, finishing an eight-year odyssey which has seen him scale Everest along the border of Nepal and Tibet/China; Mount McKinley in Alaska; the Vinson Massif in Antarctica; Aconcagua in Argentina; Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Elbrus in Russia.

He said: “It’s a relief to finally complete them all. I head toJordannext week to hand the flag back to the king ofJordan. It was easily the toughest trek I’ve ever done, just getting to the mountain through dense Indonesian jungle was an ordeal.

“It would take us a whole day just to complete 200 metres, there are also about 50 different tribes living in the area and we would have to stop and trade with each one.

“Everest base camp was a walk in the park in comparison.”

He added: “After weeks with no shower, eating rice for breakfast lunch and dinner, I finally made it to the top of a giant, jagged rock, raising the Jordanian flag on the last of my Seven Summits.”

The intrepid explorer still callsEdinburghhome, though, and regularly returns to the city.

He said: “Edinburghis my base and I return every couple of weeks. The next time I’m back I will go to a few schools and give some talks. My wife is pregnant at the moment and we are going to have a second child in four weeks time so this will be my next summit.”

Following the birth of his child, Mostafa will begin training for his next adventure in January and is planning a 60-day hike to the South Pole before flying toNorwayto begin a journey to the North Pole.

He added: “If successful I will become one of only 25 people in the world to complete both the Seven Summits and both poles. My plan is to complete the South Pole in November 2013 and finish the North Pole in April 2014.”

Next April, Mostafa will also lead 20 Jordanian celebrities to Everest base camp to raise more than a million dollars (?625,000) for the King Hussein Cancer Foundation.

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Blind climber receives Hillary grant for Seven Summits

Blind runner Neelusha Memon and helper Olly Marshall finish the Coast to Coast race at Sumner

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Legally blind adventurer Neelusha Memon’s dream of conqueringSouth America’s highest peak is one step closer thanks to a Hillary Expedition Grant.

Today it was announced she was one of seven teams to receive a Hillary grant, which provides funding from Sport New Zealand for Kiwis to undertake outdoor challenges.

The 28-year-old Wellingtonian has set out to summit the seven highest mountains across the seven continents, starting with the 6960m-high Mt Aconcagua.

Ms Memon said she was thrilled to receive the grant, which would help to fund her ascent of the Argentinian mountain with support guide Gavin Lang.

‘‘I didn’t think it would ever really go ahead, based on the fact we couldn’t get funding, so to get this grant is a massive thing for me.’’

The worldwide expedition was a personal challenge for Ms Memon, the ‘‘ultimate test’’ of her physical and mental endurance.

But she was also hoping to set an example for others to follow.

‘‘I’ve got impairments but I’m still able to complete my dreams, with the right support.

‘‘Once they realise it, pretty much everyone is limitless in what they can do.’’

When she was 16, Ms Memon lost 70 per cent of her vision after a post-viral autoimmune response caused her to fall into a four-month coma.

She also lost her sense of balance, and had to learn how to walk, talk and swallow again.

A lifelong fan of the outdoors, Ms Memon has been setting herself adventure challenges since 2010, when she climbed Mt Aspiring in the South Island.

In February this year, she became the first legally blind runner to complete the Coast-to-Coast race.

She hopes people will track her fitness, balance and altitude training as well as the November 2013 ascension of the peak on the Hillary Expedition website, and will be inspired themselves.‘‘I wantNew Zealandto come along on the journey with me, and be part of this – to encourage people to get out in the outdoors.’’

After reaching the summit of Aconcagua, Ms Memon planned to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Carstensz Pyramid,Denali, Vinson and Everest, over the next five years.

THRILL-SEEKERS

- Sarah Wilson will complete a Cook to Cook multi-sport expedition, climbing Mt Cook, cycling to Picton, then kayaking acrossCook Straitin January 2013.

- Brothers Nathan and Nigel Watson will climb 21New Zealandmountains over 2000m in 21 days in February, in theNelsonLakesNational Park.

- In April, Rob Frost, Ben Dare, Andrei van Dusschoten, and Scott Blackford Scheele will attempt to be the first Kiwi team to summit Himalayan peak Anidesha Chuli, also known as the White Wave.

- Kayaking team Jordan Searle, Barny Young and Shannon Mast will make a record-breaking attempt in April for the first kayak descent of the Grand Canyons of theChimbuRiverinPapua New Guinea.

- In May, Mayan Smith-Gobat will free-climb ‘‘The Nose’’ wall inCalifornia’sYosemite Valley, and will try to break the current speed record of 2 hours 26 minutes.

- Christine Burke will attempt to become the firstNew Zealandwoman to reach the summit of both the  Gasherbrum1 and 2 mountains on the Pakistan-China border, in June.

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To be the first sevensummiter in Colombia

Colombian climber Manolo Barrios prepares himself for one of the biggest challenges of his storied career: climbing the tallest mountain inAntarcticaby himself, reported local media on Tuesday.

In 2001, Barrios became one of only four Colombians to ever reach the top ofMount Everest. Such a feat would usually be the peak for any adventurer, but for Barrios it was not enough.

"What now?" Barrios asked after scaling the world's tallest mountain.

The idea of 'The Seven Summits' originated after Barrios and others scaledMount Everest. The idea is simple -- reach the highest point on every continent.

"We climbed Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount McKinley in Alaska, Aconcagua in Chile and Elbrus in Russia. But in my case," said the 55-year-old Barrios, "I need only this mountain [Antarctica's MountVinson] and one in New Guinea."

Located on the Ronne Ice Bank 1,200 miles from the South Pole,MountVinsonis 15,256 feet above sea level.

Barrios plans to climb the ominous peak in December, when the weather can be even more unforgiving than normal. Sunlight shines 24 hours a day and winds can reach speeds of up to 180 miles per hour. In addition to the hurricane winds and the unyielding brightness, Barrios will have to deal with the cold and the solitude.

"It is one thing to talk about it, it is another to live it," as Barrios put it.

If all goes according to plan, Barrios will make it to the top of Mount Vinson, the sixth of his 'Seven Summits', by the end of December and will plant the first Colombian flag onAntarctica.

But as Barrios himself admitted, summiting the mountain is dependent on one thing.

"The mountain will decide when I turn back."

On Everest

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Abkhazia declared a climbing war to Georgia

Mount Aconcagua (6962 m altitude) in Argentina become a theater of a climbing war between Georgians and Abkhazians. December, 20 four Abkhaz mountaineers (led by specially invited to this project famous Swedish explorer Johan Ernst Nilson) starts an expedition to conquer the tallest summit of America. Abkhazians want to plant on the top a flag of their country, Georgia's breakaway autonomy. Before the first trip to the Andes, the Abkhaz climbers have already set flags on Elbrus (5642 m) and Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 m).

Abkhaz Foreign Ministry has decided to support the project with public funds and businessmen of the republic.

In January 2012, the well-known Georgian climber and politician George (Gia) Tortladze planted on a top Akonkagua not only Georgian flag but a banners with the words "Georgiawithout occupation." Later, in April, he climbed Mount Everest (8,848 m), setting on the highest peak in the world similar exposition with an extension, which added the words "Russiaget out from Georgia!".

- Due a weather conditions any flag or banner do not stay long on the tops, the main thing - to capture it all on film - George Tortladze told to the newspaper "Izvestia". - Then show it on different channels - this is a great response.

Tortladze criticized Swedish climber for taking part in the Abkhaz ascent.

Influential politician - George (Gia) Tortladze. Two times Everest Summiter

- I think he will get big money for this expedition. And if he did take part in the promotion of separatism, I put this in the world of travelers. Nielson will regret - said Tortladze.

Tortladze also continues his sports-political exploits. With the Georgia flag and an anti-Russian banner, 52-year Georgian plan to climb the fifth summit of planet - Makalu (8485 m) in the Himalayas. This will be in spring with an international team of 10 climbers.

In Spain, continues to grow and scale a reality show called “El Conquistador del Aconcagua” - Conqueror of Aconcagua. The program is conducted by the Public Basque TV for three years. On the one hand, this is a logical extension of long-term work with broadcasters famous climber Juanito Oyrasabal.

On the other hand, this is author's work a well-known TV showman 45-year-old Julian Iantzi.

Now it is the third edition of the program. The first, in 2010, was rather experimental. In 2011, it turned to be full-size. But only now it promise to reach expected scale and popularity.

Which of the 14 applicants will rise to the top, who will be eliminated by spectators, who then would not let the mountain itself? There is the central question that every Monday raised during a demonstration of the next story and then discussed by viewers under the famous journalist Iñaki Lopez.

Home Online TV

www.eitb.com/es/television/programas/

A huge amount of material posted to Youtube:

Video presentation

Daniel Gomez (director of Recursos Naturales Mendoza province – the main official person onAconcagua) believes that the program is very useful to promote the area. And the activity of TV team is completely under the control of the authorities, which do not allow to do anything that does not match right from their point of view, the behavior in the mountains.

So Gomez responded to emerging in regional government fears that the "Aconcaguais converting to the film set," and doing it "for cheap." 50,000 pesos - less than 11 thousand dollars, Basques pay for all permits. It adheres to draw up an annual rates. However, there are concerns that the scale of actions of visitors fromSpainis too big for such price.

While Victor Bobok, in anticipation of the final group of the 7 Summits Club on this season, travels to cities and beaches of South America, we'll monitoring some interesting events that have occurred on the slopes of the highest mountain in South America in the last few weeks.

Richard Parks has beaten the weather to reach the second summit of his epic challenge to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents and trek to both Poles. The former Newport Gwent Dragons player reached the summit of Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, on Saturday at 2.54 pm local time.

Rapidly deteriorating weather meant that Parks had to decide whether to risk gale-force winds in order to reach the summit of the 22,830ft Argentinian peak. Before scaling the summit, Parks said: "These kind of decisions are always tricky and need to be talked through at length. I am lucky to have the expert guidance of our experienced leaders as well as a good team."

The former Wales international is aiming to raise £1m for Marie Curie Cancer Care through his 737 Challenge - climbing seven peaks and reaching three poles in seven months. Parks reached the South Pole in December and Mount Vinson, in Antarctica, last month. His next challenge will be to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, the 19,340ft African peak.

He now has 155 days to reach five more summits and the North Pole. If he were to be successful in his challenge he would be the first person to climb all seven peaks in a calendar year.

*******

January 29 was a good day for climbers. It also did not offer with good weather, but the wind was stiller and occasional lack of visibility was not an insurmountable obstacle. On this day, American Alan Arnette reached the top. This is another hero of our previous news which set out to climb Seven Summit within a year raising unds to fight Alzheimer's disease. Most of his expeditions was and will be organized by International Mountain Guides. On Aconcagua their team had as summiters 8 clients and 3 guides. Rare luck for this year, and it is show quality of guiding.

*******

A visually impaired Pole and another with only one lung who climbed the highest peak in the Andes, the Aconcagua, have returned home from their expedition.

Journalist Lukasz Zelechowski, who is blind, and marathon runner with one lung Piotr Pogon conquered the 6962 meter peak, with practically no acclimatization, after a 17 hour long nighttime climb on 29 January.

“We were extremely tired and had to climb on very unstable terrain”, Zelechowski has told a press conference in Warsaw.

The two climbers admitted that they paid heavy a price for this feat apart from the obvious fatigue. One of them suffered frostbite, another had painfully burned hands from the scorching sun.

Lukasz Zelechowski had already climbed the tallest peak of the Caucasus, Mount Elbrus, as well as the Kilimanjaro in Africa. “The mountains are my passion. I don’t intend to give up climbing,” he said.

Piotr Pogon, who lost his lung due to cancer when he was sixteen, is still battling with the disease. “I have renewed cancer but I am not giving up. I want to drink as much from life as I can”, he told the PAP news agency.

*******

Speed record for the Polish route, or are not completely Polish?

The name of the Peruvian mountain guide Holmes Pantoja Bayona became known a few years ago, when he in 2006 he set a speed record ascent of Aconcagua via the normal route. His result was 20 hours 32 minutes from Horcones to Horkcones was later surpassed by the Spaniard Egocheaga. February, 3 this year, 32-year-old Peruvian athlete ran the second classics - Polish route, more technical. True, the path was not direct Polish and it is unlikely the record will be so attractive to beat it.

It is interesting to note that setting a record Pantoja came just 4 days after climbing the mountain with clients. It was his 21 th ascent of Aconcagua in 8 years of work as guide.

Starting from the gate of the national park, Apu, as everyone calls him, ran lightly up the camp Colera. There he was waited by his friend Vito Magni. They together traverse on the "Polish" side. At the foot of the steep part, they roped, and an ice wall, "the Polish direct route" climbers climbed, insuring all the rules. But quickly. Time from Horcones to the top was 20 hours, 16 minutes. And recorded. Friends went down for the night at a shelter Elena near Colera, where sat all night without warm clothes. The next day, Apu went down to his Kawasaki motorcycle, left at the entrance to the park. And started to implement further plans. Namely: a couple of days drink wine with friends in Mendoza, to move by motorcycle in Chile, lie a couple of days on the beach, and then home home. In native Huaraz, which is a few more days for its magnificent two-wheeled machine.

Site of Holmes Pantoja: http://www.apuperuvian.com

Tomorrow a representative delegation leaves Mendoza in the direction of Aconcagua. It is a team from Belgium, consisting of about 30 people. Among them, the most senior official person of the country for this moment. It is the Prime Minister of Flanders, 48-year old Kris Peeters.

The expedition set  the task to climb Aconcagua.  15 members of the team in one or another way are affected by asthma. Actually, the main goal -it is  not even the climbing. This is a demonstration to all the people whose lives are complicated by the different diseases that an active lifestyle, sports - it's not just possible,  they need it.

In airport

By the way, Mr Peeters is a great friend of Russia. He was elected an honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, often visiting in our country. The last time in October, Mr. Peeters held talks in St. Petersburg with the local authorities. As always, he came with a mass of concrete and constructive proposals.

Kris Peeters is not particularly fond of climbing, to his credit is only an ascent of Mont Blanc. He is known as the past athlete and a big fan of cycling. Until 2004 Peuters with his economic and philosophical education, worked in various business communities, including at European level. In 2004 he became minister of the environment in Flanders, and quickly became famous due his courage, radicalism and consistency. Proclaiming the highest standards in Europe, environmental protection, he did not leave it in words. Therefore, Mr. Peeters became in 2007 the prime minister of Flanders.

Among asthmatics participating in the expedition, only three have climbing experience. Others, primarily engaged in cyclic sports. Undoubtedly, the most important part of the team are physicians, as well as video operator. In short, it is a solid event and, as usual, they use money collected for charitable purposes.

We wish you success, my friends!

Moscow: An honorary doctor of MGIMO University of Russia, in international relations

Three young persons from Swiss invented a rather original program for their trip. Three elements, three ways to travel, and all without motorized means, without hotels and restaurants, without guides or porters. From the doors of their homes - to the summit of Aconcagua. This means: from the resort of Nendaz in Pennine Alps, first to the French port of Camargue by bikes (600 kms), then across the Atlantic Ocean on a simple boat (up to Buenos Aires - more than 11 thousand kilometers), then again by bicycle to the gates of the Aconcagua National Park (about 1000 kms). And further, a start of a climbing program, high-altitude climbing to the highest summit of South America. They called their project elenent3 and site - elenent3.ch.

All three adventurers are medicine workers, and age mates, they are 29 years. Jessica Mermoud was born in Montreux, was educated in Lausanne and then moved to the mountains to work. Guenole Addor (center) was born in Lausanne, however, spent much time in the homeland of his ancestors in Britton, on the archipelago of Glenanes. There he was accustomed from childhood to seamanship, was engaged in yachting, what, in fact, has become a key point in creating a new project elenent3. Pierre Metrailler also studied medicine in Lausanne, but later mastered another profession. In 2007 he became a professional mountain guide.

It so happened, that in their journey "the fourth" element was involved. Damage of boat and bad weather delayed travel on the islands of Cape Verde. The delay was three weeks long. They had to change travel plans. So there appeared a "fourth element" - a South American bus. This simple popular form of transportion has been chosen as a compromise, the main thing - do not go by plane. Friends crossed Atlantic Ocean and landed in the Brazilian port of Salvador. From there they reached a sity of Mendoza by different buses travelling about 5,000 kms

In itself, this is an amazing adventure.

A route according a plan

As a result, the team saved a few days, which were used for acclimatization ascent to the top of Cerro Valesitos (5400m). After that, they were joined by Guenole’s girlfriend Sylvia. And at four, they went in the direction of Aconcagua, highest peak in South America ...

 The mountaineer form Vitoria (Basque, Spain) Josu Feijoo and teammate Jon Goikoetxea from a team of athletes with diabetes have managed to climb Mount Aconcagua - the highest mountain in South America. Josu has been climbed all times controlling disease through 'Emminens Connect', a telemedicine system created by Roche 'Emminens Connect', which sent the message levels for mobile physicians in Spain. Josu became the third of diabetics to climb the highest peaks on all continents.

  Completion of this program a long time was postponed due of Fejoo's participation in the space program by Richard Branson. Last year he passed all tests in the U.S. astronaut training centers, but the flight is delayed. In April 2009, Josu chose the time and went to the "green continent", made an ascent of Mount Kosciuszko and Carstensz. On Aconcagua, he took with him another two diabetic climbers from other parts of Spain …

High on the Carstensz

 In 2006, Josu Feijoo climbed on the north side Everest and was on the summit on May 18, as the first diabetic in history. Two others famous diabetic Austrian Geri Winkler and American Will Cross climbed from the south. The Austrian, who came to the foot of the mountain on bike from the level of the Dead Sea (the lowest point of land on Earth) was on the top on May 20, and an American (father of six children), climbed Mount Everest on May 22. With this ascent Cross completed a program of "Seven Summits", Winkler did it two years later.

Become the first astronaut among people living with diabetes - this is now the main objective of Josu. Basque is going to fly within a team of Virgin Galactic, the private space tourism project, which implements the famous billionaire Richard Branson. During the flight, he intends to use insulin, a new generation, which has a longer effect.

With his spaceship

Now Feyo is 43 and 19 years ago he was diagnosed with diabetes type-1. He never stops mountain climbing, but only in recent years, he managed to reach a new level. He managed to establish permanent cooperation with sponsors and become almost a professional traveler. In addition to the "seven summits" on account Fahey dozens difficult climb at home and in the Alps, independent trips to the North and South Poles, and much more. Josu married, wife's name is Tanya and their daughter grows up.

"I have learnt how to exploit it, but not just for Josu Feijoo, more than anything I’ve done it for the whole group"

www.irrika.net

Published in : Enthusiast Written by Lorea Arakistain on 2009-04-06

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. And as far as this mountaineer is concerned, there’s no doubt that there is. He will shortly be packing away his mountaineering boots and, wrapped up in an astronaut’s suit, will be heading into Space. If everything goes according to plan, he will be the very first diabetic astronaut. So far, he is the first diabetic to have reached the two Poles and Mount Everest.

You’re going into space!

When I was five and used to write to the Three Kings of the Orient, I used to put: “I want to be an astronaut”. And yes, I can say that Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar, and Santa Claus or Olentzero do exist. Because in a few months’ time my dream is going to come true and I’m going to be so proud to be able to take my country’s flag, the ikurriña [the red, white and green Basque flag], into space.

Aren’t the eight thousand metre peaks close enough to the sky?

Mountaineering is a way of life, I’m going to be a mountaineer all my life. Life goes on, you meet that challenge, you do the North and South Poles, you scale 8,000 metre peaks, Mount Everest... But age, the social commitments you have with respect to research… cause you to close some circles and open up others. And if you combine the fact of closing certain circles with your dream of becoming an astronaut, you get the right chemical combination to make this little reality come true.

How did this proposal come about?

5 years ago when I was surfing the Internet, I saw that an American company was designing a spacecraft. I started sending e-mails to support the venture. And then to my surprise they sent me an e-mail thanking me for my encouragement and asking what they could do for me. I replied immediately saying: “I want to be an astronaut.” And they said: “You could try, only you’ll have to pay for the fuel.” And that was it.

And who is going to pay for the fuel?

A trip into space is terribly expensive, it costs thousands of millions. I spoke to the laboratories, to the companies that had been sponsoring my climbing projects. I have the support of some Basque companies that would love to see the ikurriña in Space, thanks to a few Basque politicians who spoke to them. These companies are not after the marketing, but are doing it to support the chronically ill. The impact that my trip is going to make as a chronically ill person is considerable. Nothing is going to be impossible any more. It will be complicated, but not impossible.

You’re going to conduct an experiment, and it won’t be the first one, will it?

We’re going to experiment with a new kind of insulin in which the hormone has been slowed down to a maximum. It isn’t about the hope of a cure but about improving quality of life. We’re also going to try out a new device for measuring glucose in the blood; it’s more modern and has a telemedicine system.

An adventurer, How and since when?

In the Basque Country being a mountaineer is easier than unwrapping a lollipop. But I don’t regard myself as an adventurer, although I do get itchy feet. I would never have thought that because I scale mountains that there would be companies that would want to acquire my image rights and that I could live off that. Although I’m in no doubt that this will soon be coming to an end.

A diabetic can’t be a fire fighter but can be a mountaineer or go into space.

There are people who have climbed with me and who cannot be forest rangers. It’s today’s Spanish legislation that imposes these barriers on us. I know that when many school kids find out I’ve reached the summit of Mount Everest, they say: “Why not?… I can do the same sport”.

How has diabetes changed your life?

It has transformed it. It started when I was 23. With your first wages you like having a night out, but all of a sudden an endocrinology specialist appears and tells you to forget everything you used to do and that you have to change all your habits. I was depressed for nine months; I had a really bad time. But then I realised that I didn’t want to live for diabetes.

You say you are finding out how to exploit your diabetes.

I can’t hide the fact that there are companies out there. I think I have learnt how to exploit it, but not just for Josu Feijoo, more than anything I’ve done it for the whole group.

Federico Campanini lost his life on Aconcagua in January 2009. Created in memory of Federico, The “El Fede” Campanini Foundation is dedicated to providing information, guidance, training and financial assistance to support ongoing efforts to improve mountain rescue on Aconcagua and in other commercial climbing areas. 

elfede.org

Federico, or as he was fondly known, “El Fede,” Campanini was an Argentine climber and mountain guide whose passion for the mountains and for life was contagious. Federico found solace and purpose in the mountains and he loved sharing his knowledge and love of them with everyone who knew him; the lives of his family, friends, clients, and many others were changed forever by his presence.

Mission Statement:

The endeavor will not be easy, but it is possible through the support from those who share Federico’s love for the mountains.

Text by Amber Christiansen, widow of Federico

Off to move mountains…it moved me

I left for Aconcagua on Jan. 13 with the head park ranger of Aconcagua. On January 15 we arrived at Plaza de Mulas base camp (14,000 ft) and we stayed there for 4 days in order to acclimatize. It was quite an amazing time in which I talked to many people who participated in the rescue efforts of Fede and the Italians (more than 60 in total participated in some form, whether by melting snow or trying to save Fede's life). All were very moved and affected by the loss of Fede's life and I think my presence was a positive one, a reminder that something positive can come from a tragedy. We talked a lot and discussed ideas for the future and everyone learned how to use the equipment. Many, both locals and foreigners expressed interests to support rescue efforts. In addition, National Geographic was doing a documentary on Aconcagua and its search and rescue system. They interviewed me; hopefully this will also generate international interest, we shall see...

In four days time, there were four separate rescue efforts. In each one, the equipment that the foundation donated was used.

On January 19 we installed the first rescue cache at Nido de Condores (17,700 ft). That night, a Czech climber suffered from pulmonary edema and we used the oxygen from the cache.

On January 20 we left at 7a.m. from Nido de Condores to Independencia (21,000ft.) Another group went to La Canaleta (22,000ft). After we installed the cache at Independencia we spent an hour and a half resting and talking about life. One hour later we received news that a woman collapsed at the summit of Aconcagua. The same group of individuals that had installed the rescue cache at La Canaleta helped the woman by using a litter and oxygen that they had put in the cache just one hour before. We had already started descending when we heard the call for help. We waited at Camp Berlin (about 19,000ft) for three hours to help them with the descent of the woman in the litter. By the time they arrived it was dark and ten of us (me being the only woman) took turns carrying the sled. It was a crazy time, and I kept focusing on the woman's eyes, to make sure she didn't close them. She was French and didn't speak any Spanish and very little English. She was scared and I tried to soothe her fears. When we got to Nido she was put on oxygen and then they descended her to Plaza de Mulas in a litter where she was evacuated the following day in a helicopter.

My goal was to save one person's life with the rescue equipment and this occurred just one hour after they were installed.

The next day a woman fell while descending and broke her leg. Again the litter was used as well as a trauma kit for stabilizing the break. The first aid kits that were stored at Nido de Condores were never stored, they were used every day, one incident after another.

I cannot explain life, or the events that occur, or why, when Fede was struggling for his life this equipment wasn't there, but it is there now, it is there now.

After this experience, and being there, and seeing the summit, I decided I needed to summit, to see what happened.

On January 23 at 12:00p.m. I summited Aconcagua. It was a struggle, I felt nauseas, but I understood the efforts of so many individuals who tried to save Fede.

Aconcagua is a community of people that share a love for the mountains, they take care of each other. Unfortunately they don't have the support of a government which should provide more resources.

So, on January 25 I began my return to the entrance to Aconcagua Provincial park. I decided I wanted to walk, even though I was offered a ride in the helicopter. It was difficult to leave, this community that works together and saw me as a hero. I am not a hero, but I did love Fede and I do also, love the mountains. I have learned more about the accident, and it continues to break my heart, but life must continue, it must.

T o understand death is to understand life.

There is still a lot of work to do but something is moving.

Please help support our cause to improve rescue efforts by sharing your thoughts and ideas in the forum or donating to our funds for rescue and training efforts.

Please contact amber@elfede.org for more information or questions on how to donate.

The line of Medicine Buddha (VI WI4 M4, 6,500'/1,980m of new ground) on the 3,000-meter south face of Aconcagua. Chad Kellogg joined the Messner Route and then the upper Argentinean Variation above the enormous serac band.

 American Chad Kellogg has soloed a dangerous new line on the famed south face of Aconcagua (6,962 m).

Red line - route of Kellog, blue - exit variant of Messner

 Kellogg traveled to Argentina with Rory Stark, aiming to acclimatize on the normal route on Aconcagua's north side and then attempt a line on the south face. Kellogg also wanted to try a one-day round trip on the normal route.

 As planned, Kellogg summited via the normal route on December 17, but Stark was stricken with pneumonia high on the mountain. With the help of some fellow Americans, they descended all the way to base camp that day, but Stark remained severely ill and had to be helicoptered to town for treatment; he eventually returned to his home in Alaska and recovered.

 On December 21, after repacking their gear and laying plans for a solo attempt on the south face, Kellogg hiked in to the base. A snowy winter and recent poor weather had plastered the face with ice and filled in crevasses, leaving it primed for a solo attempt. Kellogg scoped an unclimbed, avalanche-threatened line between the 1982 Slovenian Route to the left and the 1954 French Route (the original line on the face) on the right.

 That afternoon, he hiked up to the foot of the face to check conditions. In an account of the climb that he wrote after returning, Kellogg said, “I was able to determine that the initial bergschrund was crossable and that the initial WI5+ pitch was flowing heavily with water and was best avoided. It seemed as though the majority of the climb was 65°-70° snow and ice, punctuated with vertical ice steps. The real difficulty lay in surviving the ice avalanches from the frequent serac falls. It was the summer solstice, after all, and the temps had really heated up. I walked away from the base, and minutes later a huge avalanche swept the route and avalanche cone where I had just been standing. I tried to steel my nerves against the possibility that I could be swept into that debris at the base from any point on the route within the next 6,500 vertical feet. I told myself that this was my route and in eight hours I would be on it.”

 Kellogg hoped to complete the route in one long day, and he took minimal gear: a 30-meter, 8.1mm rope, about a dozen pieces of protection, and a stove and one fuel cartridge. He brought a few extra clothes and double boots for warmth, but no tent or sleeping bag. “I managed to rest for a few hours before I got up at 1:30 a.m.,” Kellogg wrote. “I centered myself with a meditation session before preparing for my departure.”

 Leaving his camp at 4 a.m., Kellogg approached the face, crossing two large crevasses and the bergschrund. After climbing some snow slopes to bypass the steep, wet ice pitch at the base, he traversed left and then downclimbed and rappelled a couple of hundred feet to reach the central gully, where snow and ice patches allowed faster progress-a good thing because of the enormous serac bands that loomed thousands of feet overhead.

 Several avalanches fell down the route as he climbed, but Kellogg escaped harm. Above a rock step and ice pitch, he reached a snow basin below the biggest serac band at ca. 6,000 meters. A very steep, short pitch of ice on the left side of the seracs gained the upper glacier. At this point Kellogg had climbed about 2,000 meters in 12 and a half hours and was on pace for a one-day ascent.

 After a rest stop to brew a couple of liters of water, he traversed right to join the Messner Route (Reinhold Messner's 1974 solo direct variation to the French Route), still hoping to finish the climb that night. However, he soon encountered unconsolidated sugar snow and began wallowing. At 11 p.m., realizing he'd never make it to the top that night in such conditions, he downclimbed to the glacier and prepared for an open bivy.

Serac avalanche sweeps the lower gully where Kellogg had ascended. Photo by Chad Kellogg

Kellogg shivered for seven hours in temperatures he estimated at 10°F (-12°C). When the sun hit him in the morning, he continued upward, finding some better snow along with vertical ice and mixed passages on the upper Messner Route. By early afternoon he was within 400 meters of the summit ridge, but the snow conditions were very poor again. He had run out of water in midmorning, and he had no more fuel to melt snow As he continued upward, Kellogg's hands got soaked in the wet snow, and by evening he realized he had frostbite on his right thumb. He radioed rangers and told them he was near the ridge, and they encouraged him to keep moving and said they'd meet him at the Nido de Cóndores ranger station (at 5,300 meters) as he descended.

 At 10 p.m., Kellogg reached the high ridgeline between Aconcagua's two summits. He had been on the face for 42 hours. In high winds, he struggled down the rocky ridge crest until he reached the Canaleta scree gully and joined the normal route. At 1:30 a.m., he made it down to the ranger station, where he finally could relax and get some hot drinks.

Kellogg called his new line Medicine Buddha (VI WI4 M4).

 A few days later, on December 29, after recovering from his effort and getting treatment for his frostbitten thumb, Kellogg began an attempt on a one-day climb: a 50-mile round trip with 14,000 feet (4,275m) of elevation gain. He ran and climbed as far as Berlin Camp at 5,950 meters in 9 hours 15 minutes, but there he discovered that someone had broken into his gear cache and stolen the boots and equipment he needed for the summit. The speed attempt was over.

 Dates of New Route Ascent: December 22-24, 2009

 Sources: Chad Kellogg, American Alpine Journal