7 Volcanoes for 70 Days

Hi, Seven Summits! It is Artem Rostovtsev, Mexico, the State of Puebla. This morning, till noon, we were at the top of the peak of Orizaba. We started at 2a.m., planned for 8 hours to reach the summit. But we have prevented by sudden cracks. So I inform all that Orizaba became cracked. The glacier is in the cracks. But we do not stop, only slowed down for one hour. While looking for where to go, where to jump. And at 11-30  we were already on the top. Now we are down and we are resting in the city of Puebla. So it is possible to congratulate all us with the successful ascent. The whole group was at the same time on the summit. The weather pleased, ice conditions - not.

Future plans - cultural and historical leisure.

Hello from Mexico! From Artem Rostovtsev.

Today, the first part of the travel of Artem Rostovtsev’s group to Central America ends. Goodbye, Guatemala! The country is somewhat struck by the abundance of mountains, natural beauty and exoticism of everyday urban life. Ahead - Mexico and climbing on snowy Orizaba Peak.

Photos from the ascent of the highest mountain in the country Tajumulco Volcano (4220 m)

On Friday, January 29,   Alexander Apalko climbed the top of the Peak Orizaba in Mexico. Congratulations! He was accompanied by our local guide Israel Breton. Yet another participant, Andrey Parshin has reached a height of 5300 m. It was the harsh weather conditions, and the most important thing in the difficult condition of the route: the ice ....

 Our men in Mexico, Alex and Andrey, yesterday 27 January climbed the  mount of La Malinche, 4460 m. This is the climb for acclimatization to the main goal of expedition - Orizaba.

We started climbing at 8 am and at 12 were already at the top. Good weather, but strong winds were accompanied their ascent (sometimes up to 80 kilometers per hour)

 Today, January 28^th, our small  group left towards Orizaba Peak.

Fragments of the climb to La Malinche

View on La Malinche

and on the way to Orizaba Orizaba

Once we settled in the loggia, it started to rain. Rain went to the darkness and midnight. All around it was wrapped up in mist, so that come true what was promised by all our predecessors. They said that we will go in the sputum, in swamps, trembling dank. In the morning, it was announced earlier (5 a.m.) wakey. There was no rain. Looking ahead, I will say in that day it did not start, it started only with the following darkness.

By the way, the loggia, where we settled (name Magic Lodge) was quite a good quality. Stilt house for two people, electricity, toilets in each, hot water, clean linen, warm blankets (important! - 12 degrees in the night), great food from a local chef, a lot of fruit.

In the morning we got into jeeps and drove an hour to the village of Malka at an altitude somewhere in 2550 m. There we met porters of 14 people (2 for each person). Local guide Luke came with us, he was from the village of Paya. The porters were divided exactly in half on bare and shod.

We distribute the goods and went. On this day our guide Olga Rumyantsev promised us 7:00 grueling transition. First, a bit along the fields, and then we went into impassable jungle…

About four hours later we were on the barely visible path, climbing over fallen tree trunks and forced his way through the bushes. Sometimes porters had to work a machete. One of the locals are periodically read to us a short lecture on the local flora (fauna there is miserable).

The first big rest we did after four hours of walk, came out of the woods on an alpine meadow. By the way we have risen about a thousand meters. The mood was good: More three hours at an open area with a small rise - and we are in the camp. But three hours later accompanied us Papuans showed no indication that we will soon stop. And our forces were calculated at the end. I asked - where? And I get the answer: three hours. Maybe a mistake? We are waiting for Luke to ask again, but he confirmed. It came as a surprise even to Olga Rumyantseva. And Luke said that, first, it will be a normal place for the camp not earlier than three hours, and secondly, that place is convenient because is close to the top.

 We go further, angry and knackered, knowing that he was right. Around the swamp, there is no place to put the tent. Someone tries to joke, they say, the Papuans have no watches there, so their concept of time is extensible. Not fair. Papuans were very punctual (told breakfast would be at 6:30 - and it was), and the sense of time they have correct. As a result, the very first of us did go three hours. And the latest (this, of course, I) – at all four. All this time we walked by a long ridge at an altitude of approximately 3800-4000 meters, the trail first rose 50-100 m, then fell and rose again.

At the end of such difficulty we lost scored meters, going down at 300 meters to the river and the forest, where there really was a clearing suitable for the camp. An hour went to make a campsite. …. I was upset by my tent and laid down to sleep on an empty stomach, I only drink.

Full in Russian

Post illegible, in the finale, you can make out the following:

We waded through swamps, across the marshes. Finally, we got the highest volcano in Australia and Oceania - Giluwe ... Now the team is down in the hotel: washed, resting ... the next two days we will get acquainted with the local culture.

Australia's highest volcano, located on the island of New Guinea, in the territory of Papua New Guinea - is the object of a new expedition 7 Summits Club. Our guide Olga Rumyantseva lead a group consisting of proven fighters, experienced travellers. The first stage - a very difficult, because it consists of several flights ...

All turned out as always spontaneously. We just took a bus in Mendoza and went to Copiapo. Just to kill time, since before the plane there was five days. In Copiapo, we hired a pickup and decided to try to go to Ojos. Ojos del Salado - is the highest volcano in South America and the world.

So we got into the car and drove to the Atacama Desert. I do not drive a car, and Xenia has no experience of driving an SUV, but we are not scared. In the evening, courageously overcome all difficulties off-road, we were in the high-altitude camp "Atacama" at an altitude of 5200. It is 5 am when we began to climb to the top. The weather was clear but very windy. In Elbrus in such wind, I would not be led, to be honest. I do not know when exactly – at 2 p.m., perhaps, we were "standing" on the top.

Then there was a rapid descent. After resting for five minutes on foot, Xu sat behind the wheel of our car, and we rushed to the Laguna Verde, warm up in the hot springs. The next day we traveled through the neighborhood, stopping at various places of interest. We visited the lakes, waterfalls, gorges, salt marshes, seeing the wild flamingos. I was struck by the beauty and abundance of colors of the desert. This is my first meeting with this desert, but I hope not the last.

Now we're sitting at the airport waiting for the plane of Oxana. Today she flies home, and I stay in Chile. No exact plan as usual there, just go to the south. What will come of this? Wait and see...

Chile – it is an amazing country of 1000 volcanoes and thousands of lakes, glaciers and deserts... In Chile, there is 15 regions, all lovely and picturesque. Today I want to show you just one - Atacama ...

Often travelers, who come to climb Ojos, in a hurry do not have time to see this beauty.

All (awesome) photos Atacama here >>>>>>>

Well, now a few words about the ascent ofOjos del Salado.... It's time ...

No special difficulties, most importantly, as always - be lucky with the weather. Well, no need to rush - 7000 meters yet – a need of acclimatization has not been canceled ...

I had hoped to acclimatize on Orizaba, but between the two mountains I got 14 days. A lot, too many. But I could not resist and tried to start climb on top of Ojos immediately after arrival. I had a luck, but... not right!

We had a picnic with a guide Mario first right into the crater, well then moved to the top, in total spending on the summit more than three hours. Good weather and lack of wind contributed to this. But in the end, the desire to go down to the restaurant and wash out to sea and had overpowered ...

Oh yes, our car was not able to climb up to 5800 meters, so we lugged all by yourself from the 5200 and back. From Copiapo to Copiapo we spent 6 days for the ascent ...

Along the way I lost the camera. Then it was found, but returned me only flash card with photos. Sorry for the camera, which was on Everest, South Pole, and many other points ...

But I'm happy, now I have something to show you ..

Take care of yourself! Good luck in the mountains. Vitaly S.

Gallery (50 pictures) "Ojos climbing" >>>>>>>

I was with Israel Breton, who of his 37 years he goes to Orizaba 18 years .. What can I say .. For most physically fit people the ascent under such leadership will not be difficult .. We did 4.5 hours to the top and with the first rays of the sun, I took out the camera.

Do not miss this moment when you could see a huge shadow of the mountain on top of which you are pleased to stand .. For some reason I always do not wish to go from the top … first long climb, climb, and then finish ! Striking feeling .. such pacification and then .. Especially on Everest struck it and I remember - all fussed with some flags, photographed "in memory " , although most in this situation rarely generally get at least some good shots , and I just stood there and watched the sunrise over the Earth, trying to understand where I remember what I saw .. And it was so nice and peaceful ..

So it was the same on Orizaba– quite met the sun, made some jump for pictures and we had to go down ..

FULL GALLERY >>>>>>>>

In December of this year, two of our climber of 7 Summits Club completed the program Seven Volcanoes. First is Olga Rumyantseva successfully finished a unique program "Seven volcanoes " for one year and alone (solo). Thanks to Kaspersky!

And so, we got a message that Vitaly Simonovic climbed theOjos del Salado. He performed this program climbing the highest volcanoes of all continents. Congratulations to the heroes !Russianow has three (first - Vyacheslav Adrov ) of the world's five "conquerors " of the seven volcanoes. We hope to extend this list next year! Alex Abramov is on queue, his trip to Ojos starts 1th of January.

Vitaly sent a massage direct from the summit of Orizaba

December 1 Vitaly flew to Mexico, where the goal of his ascent will be the highest volcano in North America -Mount Orizaba. If everything will be normal, immediately after the descent, he crashes in Chile, where is his final object of Seven Volcanoes. This is the highest of all the volcanoes in the world Ojos del Salado.

The first of volcanoes for Simonovich was Kilimanjaro in 2011. There is a chance that Vitaly will be the fastest man in the world who have completed the program Seven Volcanoes . And, because not so long ago Vitaly Simonovicр has successfully completed the 7 Summits in two versions : with Carstens Pyramid and Kosciuszko, he could be the fastest on the sum of two programs: the 7 Summits and 7 Volcanoes .

Good luck!

December 11 (Tuesday) at 14:00 in the ITAR-TASS /Tverskoy Boulevard, 2, 2nd Floor / will be a press conference on the topic "The Russians on the highest peaks of the continents." Recently, the popularity of the "7 Volcanoes" is growing. We are talking about the conquest of the highest volcanoes all continents over the world. InRussiathere are two people who are close to this performance - Alexander Abramov and Vyacheslav Adrov. In addition, Vyacheslav Adrov holds 2 records ofRussia/ Russian Book of Records / associated with the activities at altitude.

In a press conference we will meet: Honorary Polar Russia, vice-president of the Russian Geographical Society, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Museum Victor Boyarsky, master of sport mountaineering, multiple conqueror of Everest, the head of "7 Summits Club" Alexander Abramov, recordsman of the "Book of Records of Russia" Vyacheslav Adrov.

Vyacheslav Adrov

An article about this (in Russian)

http://www.abajour.ru/files/92-99_198.pdf

Yesterday at 11 am (local time), Vyacheslav (Slava) Adrov climbed the top of Mount Giluwe (4368 meters). It is the highest volcano of the continent of Australia, located on the territory of Papua-New Guinea. A local guide, the Papuan Ryuk Raima accompanied Slava’s climbing. Thus, Adrov have six volcanoes from the program "7 Volcanoes", he need to climb only Mount Sidley in Antarctica to finish this program. Before him, the program Seven Volcanoes was completed by Italian Mario Trimeri and Romanian Crina Popescu.

Before the ascent, Slava traveled to jungles and rivers of Papua. He visited the Maclay Coast, where there is a monument to Russian scientist and researcher Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay.