South America - Page 23

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of the 7 Summits Club from Chile:

Hello to everyone from almost the driest place on Earth - the Atacama Desert! The 7 Summits Club has started the season of climbing the highest volcano - Ojos del Salado. With a little difficulty due to regular border closures and flight postponements, we finally got together as the first group. We started from the ocean. And now all together, as a group, we are in the Santa Rosa Lagoon – this is our place of "quarantine" for the next few days. We spend the night here. We acclimatize on the nearest peaks. Today we started from the Mount of Seven Brothers. A strong wind literally laid us on the slope 100 meters from the top, but we had enough. We went down, ate our fill, and worked on.

News from Ecuador. Viktor Zelentsov and Alexander Nikitsky arrived in Ecuador! The equator is taken, the peaks are waiting! And, of course, everyone in Ecuador is met by our unforgettable Galina Rossova, a representative of the 7 Summits Club in this wonderful country. And her husband who is the best guide in Ecuador - Edgar Parra.

Roman Venediktov from Ecuador: Yesterday I climbed on  Cotopaxi. Yulia had a mountain sickness at night, so we started together with the guide of the 7 Summits Club. The other climbers all went out at exactly midnight, we at 1-40 am. I asked the guide: can we come first to the top? He said it was up to me. We quickly caught up and bypassed several groups and reached the leaders. There, on the move, the guide began a furious discussion with another guide on the topic of avalanches and guide licenses. They were both yelling at each other like hell. I followed the guide. As a result, we took the lead and reached the top first at 6-20 am with dawn! Now we are considering a plan to capture Chimborazo all three of us…

In February of the outgoing year, three Russian climbers visited Patagonia. They are Vladimir Murzaev, Konstantin Yaamurd and Boris Egorov, who is a guide of 7 Summits Club. They tried to climb the famous Cerro Torre. The summit was not reached due to the poor condition of the summit cap.

But the members of group made an impressive base jump from a point called "Rozov exit". Named after a great friend of the 7 Summits Club, the famous athlete Valery Rozov.

Greetings from Bolivia from the height of 3800 from La Paz from the group "Cochabamba"! We came down from the mountains and relax culturally!

Today we learned that Coca-Cola was invented in Bolivia. And we even saw the ruined house of the chemist. However, in this house in the center of La Paz, he invented not a drink, but a Coca ointment that relieved muscle pain. Then on the basis of this ointment, another chemist from France created a wine. Pemberton (the official father of Coca-Cola) created Coca-Cola based on this Coca-Cola wine. At least this is the version of events we heard today, walking around La Paz.

 We visited the Central square - Plaza Murillo, where revolutionaries and presidents were executed. We also visited the gallery of the most famous Bolivian artist Mamani Mamani, whose grandfather was a leader of the Aymara, which probably influenced the presence of national motifs in his paintings. It is possible that he did not refuse Coca - too bright colors and strange animals in his paintings and sculptures. Of course, we couldn't get past the witch market. We went to visit one of them in her stall, looked at the dried babies and embryos of llamas and other wonders and medicines. Finally, we took a ride with the wind over the city on the local cable car - teleferico. Gorgeous views of the city from the height of flight teleferico!

Lyudmila Korobeshko, Director of the 7 Summits Club, a guide of the group from Bolivia:

Greetings from the Cochabamba group in Bolivia!

We spent several days on the slopes of Huayna Potosi. There are two refuges on the mountain, at 4800m and 5260m. There were no other climbers in the refuges, only a few vacationers.

We've all been trying to know what the state of the route is. But over the past 8 months, few people have climbed to the top... They said there was a big crevasse and a ladder.

On November 30, we launched the climb from a height of 5250. We conjured up a great weather for ourselves. But the state of the route! This is the first time I've seen such bad condition. Even local guides who have worked on the mountain for many years said that they had not seen such a thing. There were lots of solid calgaspors, that greatly hindering movement. Somehow we reached the key point. Usually it was not a very difficult wall of 30-40 meters. Now we had to climb through the bergschrund and then make a steep exit to the slope and another 40 meters up. After this place started calgaspors again, and in addition opened a lot of crevasses.

In short, we reached the height of 5900m. We thought about time and safety, and decided to turn around. Of course, we are all upset. But we're alive, and mountains could wait. We may come back again.

We are currently resting in La Paz.

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

News from Ecuador. On the last night of the Super Cuy team, the group members were awarded for climbing three peaks. The highest of which was Cotopaxi 5900m.

The gala evening was held at the hotel in Papayakta, where we lived for the last days and swam in the hot springs. So we said goodbye to Ecuador.

Lyudmila Korobeshko, Director of the 7 Summits Club, a guide of the group from Bolivia:

 Greetings to all from Bolivia from the assault camp at an altitude of 5250, from the Cochabamba group! We got here today on November 29 at 15.00 in Bolivia. The weather is changeable, it was snowing in the morning, but now it has stopped. Tomorrow, November 30, at one o'clock in the morning, we will attack Huayna Potosi. Wish us luck!

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

 News of the group "Super Cuy" from Ecuador. At 10 PM, we started climbing Mount Chimborazo from camp 5300. The snow continued to fall. We walked for a long time, trampled the path through the complicated terrain of the volcano, climbed on 6000 m. There, local guides who have been here on the mountain 100-200 times, determined that the slope is avalanche-prone. They said it was suicide to go further. Of course, all members were upset. We went down. And finally we decided to eat the local Guinea pig "Cuy", which gave the name of the group.

Then we settled in another wonderful hacienda.

Lyudmila Korobeshko, Director of the 7 Summits Club, a guide of the group from Bolivia:

 Greetings from Lake Titicaca from the Cochabamba group! Today we had a very beautiful and eventful day: we visited the Museum of RA II and its valiant builders - local Indians who built this and other boats for Thor Heyerdahl. Then we crossed to the Island of the Sun and wandered around it in search of titi (wild cats, thanks to which the lake got its name, pleasing to Russian ears). We didn't find titi, but we saw a stunningly beautiful sunset on the highest point of the Island of the Sun. We tasted local dishes and were most impressed by the huge local corn. We even asked the locals for seeds so that we could try to grow something similar in our homeland.

In our cozy hotel, we were the first foreigners since the beginning of the quarantine. While walking around the island, we met a group of girls (local tourists - not considered) and a single American. So we almost managed to feel like a pioneer.

Tomorrow we will move to the Island of the Moon, where young virgins were sacrificed and where in later times the Bolivian Alcatraz was located.

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

 News of the Super Cui Team. We climbed up in a thunderstorm to camp 5350 on the slope of Mount Chimborazo. Here we were waiting for tents in the snow. We were caught in a thunderstorm on the way. Lightning struck the ridge, we threw all our things and lay in the snow for 30 minutes. Then it got better and we continued climbing.

Now we have dinner and at 11 o'clock p.m. we  plan to start a climb the highest peak in the World, if you count from the center of the Earth. It's snowing now. The forecast is bad. Wish us luck!

Snow is falling. The mountain is avalanche-prone. Tomorrow we will decide whether to go further, depending on the weather. The team's mood is cheerful. We feel  fighting…

Lyudmila Korobeshko, Director of the 7 Summits Club, guide of the group from Bolivia:

November 25. Greetings from La Paz from Lyudmila Korobeshko and the group "Hasla la vista, Cochabamba"!

Early this morning, the entire group flew to the highest mountain capital of the world. This is Sucre, which few people know about. We arrived from Cochabamba, where we spent two unforgettable hours on the transfer, and this city left a lasting impression in the hearts of the group members. Despite the long flight and a day of rest according to the program, all members expressed a desire to go for a walk. We took a walk along the legendary Condor path ("Mamani" in the ayamara language) and visited the Moon Valley, which got its name from Neil Armstrong.

 The place is really very unusual and beautiful. We almost felt like astronauts. Probably also because there is almost no one else in tourist places besides us - the country opened only a month ago. Not everyone has found out about it yet.

Now we are taking a break from walking on the Lunar terrain, steaming in the bath. Tomorrow we leave for Lake Titicaca. Maybe we will be cosmonauts and discoverers there this season!

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

News of the Super Cuy team from Ecuador. Today, in difficult conditions, the entire team, 100%,reached the top of Mount Cotopaxi (5856m) - the highest active volcano in the World.

The glacier is partially destroyed, as 4 years ago there was an eruption. Movement on the glacier is very confusing. 100 m from the top, we began to choke on the sharp smell of hydrogen sulfide.

When dawn broke, we saw huge cracks. It is quite possible to get lost in them, especially after a heavy fog has settled. Now the team is resting in the town of Banos. There are gorgeous hot springs here.

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

Today our team "Super Cuy" climbed on Iliniza Norte 5200m. The climb was not simple. The rocks were covered with snow. All the team members reached the top and on the descent we were covered by bad weather. Tomorrow we plan to leave for the refuge under Cotopaxi.

We have a unique program. For 12 days we will climb on 4 volcanos.  Including the highest active volcano in the World  Cotopaxi. And the highest volcano in Ecuador is Chimborazo. It is probably the highest mountain in the World that can be climbed in November.

Lyudmila Korobeshko from Panama:

Greetings from Panama! This is how our programs in Bolivia start now! From visiting one of the neighboring countries! Here is lots of sun, lots of sea (or rather two, two oceans), a lot of fish (that's how the local Indian language translates the word PANAMA), many birds (including the amazing Quetzal), many butterflies and so much more interesting. Of course, the most famous attraction is the Panama canal, which was conceived by the Spanish king in the 16th century, the French began to build in the 19th, and the Americans finished in the 20th. The canal is currently closed to tourists, but it is open to ships (each of which pays a lot of money for passage, sometimes up to half a million dollars), and you can look at it from the bridge of The two Americas, standing with your left foot on one continent and your right on the other, which is what I did first.

Tomorrow I will continue my journey to Bolivia, where I will meet with a group to climb the beautiful peak - Huayna Potosi!

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

The team of the 7 Summits Club "Super Cuy" made its first ascent in Ecuador today. We climbed Mount Rucu Pichincha 4700 m, in bad weather. It was a great test for us. And today Sasha Brichkin had a great birthday, with a cake and a watermelon on the top.

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

A team of 12 people arrived in Ecuador. The goal:  first of all, have a good rest, then climb Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. The meeting of old friends took place at the airport…

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 summits Club from Ecuador:

I spent two days in the Galapagos Islands. An interesting lost world of legendary Islands in the Pacific ocean. Great time before an expedition on the highest volcanoes of Ecuador. Just two days and  I have a million of impressions!

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club from Ecuador:

Our beloved friends Galya Rossova and Edgar Parra met me in Quito. And I'm going straight to the Galapagos for a turtle ride. I'll have one day to do it. On November 18, the program of climbing volcanoes in Ecuador begins. Cotopaxi and Chimborazo are waiting for us!

  We invite you to meet Alexander Abramov personally, who is called the legend of Everest and the legend of the "Seven summits" program. Our President is called this not only in Russia, but also by experts from the United States, China, Great Britain, and Poland.... Not to mention the specific countries where the 7 Summits Club group tours are held. His authority is high in Nepal, in Tibet, in Antarctica, in Alaska, in the Elbrus region, and in the Crimea.... And, of course, in this row is Aconcagua, Argentina! In the upcoming season, Alexander Abramov will again travel to South America to establish work and open the famous "Russian camp" under the highest mountain on the continent. Check-in from December 6. And at the end of the season (arrival from February 7) will return to sum up the work.

Program