South America - Page 26

 Ludmila Korobeshko, the 7 Summits Club Director and group guide:

January 8. Hello from Bolivia from "Que pasa" team! Today there was an incredibly busy day. On the morning we left La Paz and headed towards Lake Titicaca. First of all we visited the museum Ra 2, which is hold by a family, participated in the construction of boats for the expedition of Thor Heyerdahl. By lunchtime, we arrived on the main island of the lakes – Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun), which at one time was the religious center of the Inca Empire. We visited the ruins of the Inca castles, ate great Andean lunch of vegetables grown on the fertile banks of Titicaca.

In the evening we went to a heavenly place - Hotel La Estancia. Along the way we met local lamas and alpacas. At the end, we admired sunset on the highest point of the Sun Island.

Sergey Larin, a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Chile:

Today we had an unplanned descent down to Copiapo. A member of the expedition suffers of strong conjunctivitis. We had to go down to the hospital. There are no threats to life and loss of vision ability. But the doctors forbade to continue climbing. The rest of members are waiting for me at an altitude of 4500 in the refuge Murray.

 Andrey Berezin, guide of the 7 Summits Club:

News from the New Year group of the 7 Summits Club on Aconcagua. Yesterday we climbed Nido de Condores, during our acclimatization rotation, with an overnight stay. Today in the morning, for more acclimatization, we went up to the Plaza Cholera. Now we enjoy the warmth and comfort in the Base Camp on the Plaza de Mulas. The weather turned bad, it's snowing.

Guide of the 7 Summits Club Alexander Dorojukov:

Hello everyone from Aconcagua National Park! Today we registered permits and started to the Confluence camp. The weather makes us happy. The group’s first meeting with the mountain also pleased ...

Alex Abramov from Argentina:

Today in the Russian camp on Aconcagua it was a rest day. And it was a day of the strongest wind. The wind reached a speed of 105 km per hour. And by the end of the day, snow began to fall. And we played cards all day. Tomorrow the forecast is better and we will try to do an acclimatization rotation on Nido De Condores ...

Today, guides of the 7 Summits Club  Boris Egorov and Vladimir Kotlyar met with their not numerous, but fervent and fighting new team. These are Aleksey Sivkov and Evgeny Lesnitsky, who have already traveled with the 7 Summit Club several times! And another guide, Alexander Dorojukov, met the following group. Everyone was met, luggage arrived in order. The guides checked the equipment, then there was traditionally drank some wine and Argentinean steaks. Tomorrow we get permits and move on up the mountains.

Today on Aconcagua  there was a day of acclimatization, rotation to Canada camp 5000m. The whole team, 10 people, climbed at a good pace: some in 3 hours, some in 4 hours. Tomorrow is a day of rest and the forecast promises a hurricane. Therefore, our two Sherpas went to 5600 and 6000 and strengthened the fastening of our tents. Tomorrow we decided to make a Sherpa Party. Fortunately, seven Sherpas are working in Aconcagua in different teams. And we are also waiting for arrival of Nims (Nirmal Purja) with his team.

Sergey Larin, the 7 Summits Club guide from Chile:

Hello, 7 Summits. The expedition to the highest volcano in the world, Ojos del Salado, has begun. Three members plan to climb to the top. One is just to walk along the Atakama. Ojos del Salado in translation from Spanish - "Salty eyes." As I understand, salt lakes surrounding the volcano act as eyes. Today we have to get to the first lake Laguna Rossa - to the "pink eye".

Andrey Berezin a guide of the 7 Summits Club from Argentina:

Our second Aconcagua (New Year's) group successfully reached the base camp of the Plaza de Mulas. There we were cordially greeted by Alex Abramov.

Today we practiced moving in crampons on ice. For this, a beautiful glacier with calgaspores was chosen. Guides of the group Alex Abramov and Andrey Berezin.

Alex Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club and leader of the group:

Happy New Year! We stormed Aconcagua for four days. And on New Year's Eve, the team climbed to the summit. All 15 people: 11 members and 4 guides.

   On December 31, 2019 from 13:30 to 14:00 Argentine time, all 11 members and 4 guides of the first team of the 7 Summits Club of the season climbed to the top of Aconcagua. Leader: Alexander Abramov, President of the Club of 7 Summits.

The Russian camp on Aconcagua offers a unique service, see the website of the 7 Summits Club ...

Video and photos of the day of assault on the peak...

Alexander Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club and the leader of the group:

Aconcagua!!! Today, December 31, 2019 from 13:30 to 14:00 Argentine time, all 11  members and 4 guides of the first team of the 7 Summits Club ascended to the top of реу highest peak of America. Happy New Year, everyone!

Andrei Berezin’s group arrived in Mendoza yesterday. They got permits for climbing Aconcagua and started  today to Penitentes.

Alex Abramov from Argentina:  Tonight there was a beautiful sunset over Aconcagua. And  plus Argentinean Asado - meat on fire. Life is really perfect!

Tomorrow at 11 o’clock in the morning we go on a climb. In order to stand on  the top of Aconcagua in 2 days.

Alex Abramov from Argentina: 

 Today there was a day of rest at Aconcagua Base Camp on the Plaza de Mulas. The team members washed, collected equipment, “cleaning feathers”. By chance today, the owner of the company, Kari Kobler, came into the camp. We work side by side on Everest base camp around for 20 years.

 I also met Hiro (Hiroyuki Kuraoka). He is the best Japanese guide. We worked a lot alongside him on all Seven summits. Hiro is on the right in the photo…

 And also, yesterday Czech skyrunner Martin Zhor set a new world record. He ran to the summit of Aconcagua from the Plaza de Mulas (4200 m) to the top in 3 hours 38 minutes 17 seconds. Moreover, he says that he kept a heart rate of 140 beats per minute. And only at the top of the pulse rose to 160. Probably, from the happiness that he became the owner of a world record.

Alex Abramov from Argentina: 

Yesterday, the group of the 7 Summits Club spent a night at Nido De Condores, at 5600m for acclimatization. Guides and sherpas brought all things in advance. They set up a large tent - a kitchen-dining room, other tents, brought public sleeping bags and rugs. Members brought only crampons and clothes. The night was fun. In the morning, the group went down, but four of the five guides went up to the Cholera camp at an altitude of 6000m. And they also set up there a kitchen-dining tents, 7 tents for members and guides, sleeping bags, rugs and food were also raised. Everything is ready for the ascent от Aconcagua, which according to the plan should take place on the night of December 30-31.

The 7 Summits Club team climbed into the Nido de Condores camp on the slopes of Aconcagua. Here, at an altitude of 5500 meters, the group will spend one night with the aim of acclimatization and will go down to the base camp.

Alex Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club:

 The village library is working! Today the team has a day of rest. We sorted out our things. Today Volodya Kotlyar and two Sherpas left for Nido de Condores. Tomorrow we get out with things there, on Nido. There we spend a night and go down. Today I met famous guides, my old friends. This is Hiro from Japan, who was 9 times on Everest. And Lito is an Argentinean guide who has been on Aconcagua 67 times.

Alex Abramov, President of the 7 Summits Club:

Today we went as a team to the Camp Canada 4,900 m. Everyone liked it. Although we are all tired, of course. But today is Christmas! And tomorrow is a day of rest! Hurrah! Everyone feels great!

 We live very well. There is a separate club tent in our Russian camp of the 7 Summits Club. We, all members and guides, sleep by one person in a tent. We have great food. Free, unlimited Wi-fi, shower and charging ... with electricity.

 And what’s very important: we all have large double tents. Like on Everest. And in each tent there are gas heaters.

 Also, for every dinner we give out one bottle of Argentinean red wine for 4 people. Therefore, after dinner, we sit in the warmth. We play guitar and cards.

 We pulled upstairs into the upper camps of Nido De Condores and Cholera, large dining tents. 10 sleeping tents, 40 sleeping bags, 40 rugs, food and gas. We have 5 guides for the first group of 11 members: three Russians and two Nepalese Sherpas.

 We are waiting for the second group on December 28, with which four guides will also work.

 Yes, upon arrival in Mendoza we will settle our members at the five-star Diplomatic Hotel.