Asia - Page 107

Today, 21 May, as previously predicted, wind was decreased. It allowed the first group to climb to the camp at an altitude of 7700 meters (camp 2). The second group climbed up to North Col (7000 m). Sherpas continued carry goods to upper camps. So, the expedition is going up with a lag of one day. And now dates of summit assault are defined, respectively, for 23 and 24 May.

Most of expeditions from the north and south moved to high-altitude camps. The summit wave on the south will be 22 May. On the north most of climbers are behind for about a day.

The first group of expedition 7 Summits Club is blocked at the North Col (7000 m) by strong winds. For the second day, no one could go up. Sherpas, who were unable to carry loads to the upper camps, are also sitting in the tents. The second group remains in the camp ABC. Waiting on Everest, tedious, anxious - it is a heavy need. The main thing is not to get sick, save a form. Wind is expected to become moderate already the next night. However, in the coming days are expected with snowfalls. Would it be a good window for climb ?

On the eve Sherpas and Tibetan climbers from a Chinese expedition completed the processing route of ascent of Everest from the north. As primary information, six people reached the summit. The expedition 7 Summits Club, analyzing weather and other factors, on general meeting, adopted a plan for decisive operations. The team was divided into two groups.

Each of them will be accompany by Sherpas climbers.

First group: guide Noel Hanna, Andrey Filkov, Vadim Nadvodnyuk, Mikhail Turovsky, Steve Berry, James Wilde. Exit at the North Col - 19 May. 20.05 - camp 7700 m, 21.05 - camp 8300 m, 22.05 - summit and descend to camp ABC.

Second group. Guide Sergey Larin, three Poles (Krzysztof Ginalski, Malgorzata Piezh-Penkala, Daniel Mizera), Elena Gorelik, Zdravko Dejanovic.

Exit at the North Col - May 20. 21.05 - camp 7700 m, 22.05 - camp 8300 m, 23.05 - summit and descend to camp ABC.

Alexander Abramov and Nicholay Cherny on the situation will be in camps 7700 or 8300, run by the ascent and descent. We get confused weather forecasts from different operators. But for all the senses, the monsoon will come soon.

Today, May, 16 in the morning, leader of the 7 Summits Club Everest expedition Alexander Abramov, Sirdar of the expedition Mingma Gelu and two mountain porters Nima Wangdi and Pemba Nurbah climbed Northern summit of Everest (Changtse, 7550 m) along the Southern Ridge. The climb took 6 hours, the route was quite difficult, according to our classification 4B - 5A category of difficulty. Alexander Abramov has compared it with classic route on Khan-Tengri from the Saddle . A lot of mixed climbing using ice tools, ice screws. "Difficult climb, we are tired. But I'm happy. I admired this summit since 2000. In 10 years no one climbed it. But it is also Everest, although Northern ! "

The group descended on the North Col (7000 m.), the expedition continues.

May, 13 a group of climbers from Club 7 Summits climbed on Ama Dablam. Now they go down, everything is OK. It was Pavel Laktyushin, Dmitriy Nikitin, Vladimir Khitrikov (our guide) and two Sherpa climbers.

Today the whole team, led by Nicholas Cherny, went into the Tillman’s Glade for additional acclimatization. I and Mingma tomorrow go to the Middle Camp and the day after to the ABC. 16 – 17 of May a weather "window" is expected and our Sherpas plan to finish supply of goods and equipment to the camp at 8300m. And we (Alex and Mingma) probably go up to the Changtse in this brief moment of calm. Weather forecast promised after 22 May good conditions and we plan to climb the main Peak on these days ...

Alex Abramov

Thanks to Alex there was a meeting of generations: 13-year-old Jordan and Nicholay (a legend of Mount Everest, aa  www.jordanromero.com)

Changtse, South Ridge

We rested three days in Xegar and Tashidzong, where we fished for trout in mountain river, and from where we brought a fresh lamb. Then the whole team gathered on May 9 at the Base Camp. And the holiday began.

We invited all expeditions, which were in BC (15 expeditions) and staged a party in honor of the Victory Day. This is the traditional celebration here. Almost everyone came, because now in the camp has nothing to do, there is too strong wind above ABC camp. Guests were interesting to look at the camp of "7 Summits Club", especially at a big new tent, named a space station. Inside that big tent more than fifty people sat around the table.

The party was fantastic. People eagerly communicated with each other, drinking beer and other beverages. Climbers from different expeditions tried to know each other better. In the focus, of course, were women, only seven for hundreds of men.

Everything was going so well that the official part was not required. But one time Alex Abramov told about the Victory Day. The people happily agreed, that is all, and they continued their conversation.

Soviet and German military marches sounded, someone even danced. In the next tent somebody was singing with a guitar. The guests were reluctant to finish, joy and communication. The party lasted from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. .

People sometimes have to relax. Such an unusual event memorable!

About plans of our team: for May, 15 forecasts promise a small window for 1-2 days.

But we are a big and serious expedition. We want to wait for a good stable weather for climbing. We hope the good weather will come after the 23rd May.

Best regards,

Alex Abramov

President of "7 Summits Club"

In 2008, the year of the Olympics in Beijing, the Chinese announced that they provided cell phones to camp ABC (6500m). This was called "China Mobile". So it was - they put on from BC to ABC 4-5 powerful repeaters. All repeaters except one, are on the slopes of the mountains surrounding the valley and it is hard to pin down. Therefore, up to the Middle Camp there is a very good mobile connection.

But above the Middle Camp, we found on the trail broken by someone, probably by Tibetan yaksmen, amplifying station (repeater). Solar pelted with stones, antenna and cables were plucked out of touch. Who do it ? Now there is no mobile in the ABC camp, because the signal is fed from the amplifier to an amplifier, and now the chain is broken.

Training in the area of the camp ABC.

During the acclimatization ascent, we surveyed the route of ascent on the southern ridge of the North summit of Everest (Changtsze).

Yesterday all members of 7 Summits-Club Everest expedition depart to Xegar on 4200 m for rest. Jeeps come only at 7 p.m., so we had time to put our new eightmeters-tent. The task was not simple, but interesting. Nicholay Cherny acted as foreman and as topman. Then the rest teammates enthusiastically joined in the work, including Sherpas. When it came time to raise the curtain, it was 15 people working together. ...

This is a real super-construction. Outside you can not understand the scope, but it towers high over our giant yellow tent. Inside the tent - everything looks like a cinema hall and recreation room for 20-25 people.

Today a team of our four guides and doctor Igor Pokhvalin, with a sense of accomplishment, go to Tashidzong at 4000 m, to rest for 2 nights. On May 9, we plan to return to the base camp and invite guests for celebration on the Victory Day in the new tent. .

Best regards !

Alex Abramov

In recent days, there was a peak of bad weather. In the morning, on May 5, as was predicted by forecast, there was heavy snowfall. We, four guides, Alexander Abramov, Nikolay Cherny, Sergey Larin, Noel Hanna, after consultation, decided to turn the whole team down from ABC to the Base Camp. Moreover, the forecast for today and tomorrow promises to bad weather and the forecast is justified.

Snow falls in the base camp too. We must wait till end of this attack of monsoon. Thus, the process of acclimatization is complete. We decided to organize rest for the team until May 9 holiday, and then plan the assault on Mount Everest.

Climb North summit, we also plan to climb after May 9. We are now 16 climbers and 12 Sherpas. Everybody felt fine.

Alex Abramov

May, 9  Russia celebrates The Victory Day, the  most significant holiday for our country. Nickolay Cherny, who last year turned 71 years old, is currently in camp ABC at 6500. He work as a guide of the  7 Summits Club Everest  International Expedition under the leadership of Alexander Abramov. Whole team of climbers is preparing for the second acclimatization climb to the altitude of 7700 meters. At that time, Alexander Abramov and Nickolay Cherny are going to take a new route to the North Peak  of Mount Everest, named also Changtsze,  7550 meters, via the Southern Ridge from the North Col.

Direct view on the ridge

Profile - right ridge

Nickolay Cherny

Alex Abramov

Alexander Abramov reports from the camp ABC. Our Everest expedition went to the ABC camp. Climbers successfully carried out an acclimatization ascent to the North Col. Guide Sergey Larin with three members Sergei Dudko, Dmitry Krasnov and Andrei Perepelkin stayed on an additional night at the North Col. After three nights of rest, we'll go for a second acclimatization ascent, this time to the height of 7700 m. All goes as planned, the weather is normal: with snow almost every day after lunch. And now it's snowing, in spite of the forecast.

ABC: when it is a good weather

In Namche Bazaar, we purchase a product, and some equipment. Then we noted the so-called "garbage deposit". Tomorrow at 8 am we leave in Pangboche.

Everything is OK. Vladimir Khitrikov

The search for Laszlo Varkonyi has ended. Today morning according to the informations of the Hungarian embassy in Beijing, the Ministry for foreign affairs informed us, that by the report of the Chinese contact officer they finished searching for Laszlo Varkonyi. The local authorities will fill out a document on the lethal accident. The decision was made because after searching for two and a half they presumed that they won't find him dead or alive. In the area of the searching the ice is not stable and the weather was adverse.

David Klein told by phone that he would rather talk about his from Kathmandu. Now he only said: 'There was an avalanche accident, an icefall. My friend Laszlo Varkonyi has died, I was lucky, the safety rope held me.' David will start off to Kathmandu today afternoon or tomorrow morning and hopes to reach it tomorrow evening.

Statement of David Klein, April 27, 2010

Yesterday around noon we were on our way down from the North Col (7000 m) to the Advanced Base Camp (6400 m), when at half way, at a relatively easy area the ice started to fall, which means that the ice-wall above us fell down. The ice took Konyi and me off our legs. The ice threw me onto an ice-wall, cross an edge, and I stopped hanging at the vertical wall, on the fixed rope. I didn't know what happened to Konyi, he was behind me. I hoped that the avalanche missed him.

Later I was rescued from above, with the help of a rope, and I learnt that Konyi was missing. They searched for him yesterday and today with big teams, but they didn't find him. According to the eyewitnesses, while I was carried away by the avalanche, Konyi was caught by it 15-20 meters behind me, and the ice fell on him directly.

I have few bruises on my right arm, it was already reinstated by a Mexican doctor here on the mountain.

I will go down from the mountain the day after tomorrow.

I would like to emphasize that these are only the first impressions! I will give a more accurate description of what happened later.

Last photo from Everest

Today Annapurna relented and took a large group of climbers have long dreamed of meeting with this summit. First of all, it should be noted the ascent of Koreans Oh Eun Sun, who went in history as the first woman who ascended to all 14 eight-thousanders. Reporting on its landmark ascent was on Korean television.

Except Koreans and her team (5 Sherpas + 2 cameramen), the peaks reached by Romanians Horia Colibasanu, then a team of Peter Pustelnik, King Baranovskaya (Poland) and Peter Hamor (Slovakia). Thus, Peter Pustelnik also completed a program of 14 eight-thousanders. Later, our honored, great climber Sergey Bogomolov and Eugene Vinogradskii reached the top. Both, close friends of the club 7 Summits, traveled with us and worked as guides with our groups. We hope that the descent of the company's to base camp will take place without incident. Then we could raise a glass for them.

One day members of the expedition visited the monastery of Rongbuk. There our Dr. Igor Pokhvalin performed miracles with the help of simple tablets. And the other team members trained on the sacred rock. So we all deserve a miracle. And in the evening the miracle happened… at the base camp. Huge glowing pylon rose up between the tents. It was a miracle worthy deeds of the Gods. If it had happened a hundred years ago, all of Tibetian fell to the feet of Alexander Abramov. But even now, we feel that respect for our leader among Tibetans have risen.

Alex Abramov wants to climb Everest on bike

To the monastery for a miracle

Miracle 1: Our Doctor help to a monk

Miracle 2:  8d + on-sight

 Main Miracle

 Our Wizard - Uncle Kolya

 Woa !

Today, a guide and leader of our expedition to fabulous Ama Dablam Vladimir Khitrikov fly from Kiev to Kathmandu. For two days he will be devoted to the preparation of equipment, products and formalities before the arrivals of main group. April 26 Pavel Laktyushkin should arrive in Kathmandu. He is one of the most active members of the 7 Summits Club. With our Club he has already traveled to the following programs: Kilimanjaro, Ecuador, Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua. And now – to Ama-Dablam. A day later, on April 27 Ilya Kovalev and Dmitry Nikitin arrive to join the team.

Vladimir Khitrikov (55) is one of most experienced sport mountaineers of ex-USSR. He was a member of great expedition Lhotse South Face 1990.

Half an hour later two groups under the guidance of Uncle Kolya and Noel Hanna went on acclimatization to the advanced base camp.

All these things have to move to a height of 6400 m.

 Morning flight to Lukla. After landing, we started up. By lunchtime, we came to the village of Phakding. Everything is good: the weather, and mood. After dinner the group went to acclimatize to the local monastery, 600 years old. We met local monks and beat drums.

Island Peak expedition: 13 members, 2 leaders (Olga Rumiantseva and Sergei Timofeev).

Sergei Timofeev (52) from Yekaterinbourg is a well-known Russian climber, many-times Champion of Russia. He knows Nepal perfectly, has climbed Everest and three separate peaks of Lhotse.

The team arrived yesterday at Everest Base Camp (5200 meters). All of us were dizzy from the gain of over 1000 meters from Shegar. However, we were welcomed with a great lunch, and then got busy finding our gear and unpacking for the move up to ABC in a few weeks.

 For some out there, Everest Base Camp is something very hard to comprehend. 5200 meters is higher than Mont Blanc, and the barometric pressure (oxygen level) is about 60% of that where most of us normally reside. Nights at base camp are warm in the group tents, and people think that with all the luxury provided on such an expedition that this is an easy undertaking. The truth is that we must all head back to our tents and sleep in sub zero temperatures for the next 40 days!

 The one great thing going for us is that we have Alex and his guides looking out for us. We have a good level of comfort. The food is well prepared and the corners are not cut here. There are two doctors with us and we are all being monitored closely. The program is well structured and the first rule here is all about safety.

 So what is base camp like to live in? Well, currently there are 100 people waiting and acclimatising. There is a LOT of gossip going around. The big talk this year is of the boy who wants to climb Everest. Some think it is a publicity stunt, some who know the family think it is pressure from the parents to pick up where they left off, and some really dont give a damn. In any case this is the story on the north side.

 During our time in base camp, we will go for short walks, eat, read books, watch movies and avoid getting ill. There will be much speculation as to what teams have the best acclimatisation schedule, when the weather window will come, and which team is strongest.

 Our base camp is pretty well up the Rongbuk, just below the morraine dam. This keeps us isolated well from both the fierce Everest wind as well as rumors. It also is a shorter walk up to IBC, which is a great benefit...

 In any case all is well and we are all settling in. I am sure that everyone in the team wants to thanks their friends and family for allowing them the opportunity to pursue this great dream. We are all thinking of you.

 Best regards from Everest Base Camp, Tibet, China,

Jamie (on behalf of the 7 Summits Club Team)

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