South America - Page 31

Artem Rostovtsev, a guide of the 7 Summits Club:

Yesterday, a group of "Check and mate" (who called us?), all members stood on the top of Ojos Del Salado. All who went up, all got the summit. Nine persons, all together, in unison, not separately. Even some short period of acclimatization did not affect our movement to the top of the highest volcano in the world. By midnight we dropped all climbed 6900 m and have returned to Copiapo.

 Best regards from Atacama!

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club: the group of "How to catch a raccoon" successfully climbed Mount Aconcagua! All members of the group and the guides reached the summit.

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club, from the summit of Aconcagua: Aloha, Seven Summits! ....  The team "How to catch a raccoon" ... stands on the summit of Aconcagua! Further – emotions…

 Listen to the voice mail:

Hello! Here is Alexander Abramov, the expedition Ojos del Salado. Today, 28 January, our first group of 12 people reached the summit, under the leadership of three guides – Alexander Abramov, Ivan Dusharin and Victor Yershov.  12 people made the ascent on Ojos del Salado. Two – to the edge of the crater, and 10 people to the top of Ojos del Salado. You can congratulate us – it is a very good result. Maybe never as many people do not come to the top, I mean Russian, of course.

Waiting for tomorrow's result, for the second group, in which 12 people too must climb the summit. Weather, it is strange, is good. But let's see what happens on the descent.

 We are almost done, tomorrow we go to sea. In Copiapo. Bye!

Aloha, everyone! This is Vladimir Kotlyar, Valeriy Myasoedov and the "How to catch a raccoon".  Raccoon we haven't caught, but successfully returned to Nido de Condores, 5500. Here we live and spend a night. Now we are preparing dinner, before that, we had a big lunch. Overall, the resort really is. But it is cold at this resort, Argentina. Deceive us. Tomorrow we will go to Colera, and far -  as God wills. Keep your fingers cross for us. Wish us luck!

Listen to the voice mail:

  Hello, Seven Summits! Here Atacama says,  by voice of Artem     Rostovtsev. We have a second day standing at Laguna Verde.  And we made two acclimatization outings. Yesterday we went to the slopes of the mountain Mulas Muertas... Today we had an amazing rise to the top of Mount San Francisco. Weather, pah-pah-pah, is getting better. Wind is calmer.

Yesterday we had a tornado swept through the camp.  It took a camera, broke the tripod and damaged the camera.

And even the wind was trying to destroy our tent-dining room. Lucky there were people inside. We kept it and even quickly repaired a damaged racks.

As for people conditions, all are doing well.

Tomorrow on the program we moved to the camp Atacama, on 5300.  And again, we act together with our first group of Alex Abramov, traveling through the Atacama.  The objectives are the same as ours - Ojos del Salado.

Hi to all, from hot and dry Atacama!

Everyone, good evening! This is Vladimir Kotlyar, Valeriy Myasoedov and the "How to catch a raccoon" group. Raccoon we have not yet caught one, but went up to Nido de Condores. It's height is about five and a half thousand metres above sea level. Here we have a small encampment of three tents, our own, and we live for two people in each tent. Today we will have the first high-altitude overnight stay for acclimatization. Tomorrow we plan the descent back to the base camp. So far, we're doing the classic "climbing saw" acclimatization.

We already ate tight, ate lunch and dinner, very nice. Fed and happy we went to the tents. Outside we have frost and the sunset.  A very beautiful sunset. We say Hello to everyone at Home!

Bye!  Being In touch!

Hello! Alexander Abramov from the expedition Ojos del Salado. Today our team went by car to the Pass of San Francisco. And then we scored a height of about 200 metres over rough terrain, rock almost. After that, we continued the ascent on foot. It was climbing for the purpose of acclimatization therefore part of the group reached to a height of 5800. And some have climbed to the top of San Francisco. Actually, this is the first ascent this year of the 7 Summits Club on sixthousander. San Francisco  has height 6015 or 6016 metres. A strong wind blew, I did not even recall such strong wind.

 But, nevertheless, four members ascended. This is Alexander Abramov, Christina Putintseva, Alexey Balakin and Alexander Popov. On the descent we have one car wouldn't start. Well, as a result, tomorrow we have a day of rest ....

Hello! Vladimir Kotlyar and group "How to catch a raccoon". Finally there is Internet, and we can share photos. We successfully made an acclimatization walking. We are now living in Plaza de Mulas tomorrow we go up and I will not call only via satellite. So today I throw a lot of pictures, sorry!

Artem Rostovtsev, guide of the 7 Summits Club: Group Ojos "numero dos". We spent two nights at Laguna Santa Rosa (3670м). Yesterday we did an acclimatization trip on the mountain Seven brothers. A strong wind could not blow us out, but the top was not allowed. We were satisfied with a first smsll summit, the youngest of the brothers.

Now we move to our next camp at Laguna Verde...

In this group, the crew of the First Russian channel, headed by Valdis Pelsh works ...

Hello! Alexander Abramov from the expedition Ojos del Salado. Today our first group of 18 people arrived in probably the most beautiful place of the Atacama desert, Laguna Verde. For this we had to package the whole camp at Laguna Rosa, to say goodbye to the flamingos. And then two and a half hours we were traveling by car on a very dusty road. Thank God, no one wheel is broke. And here we are at Laguna Verde.

Here our advance team has already put us in large tents Red Fox, four by six, the dining room and the same... for the kitchen.

We brought everything, we have a huge amount of food, water, gas. We currently employ three chefs. Anyway, all is well. Tomorrow we will begin the program in Laguna Verde.

 Everyone feels so good. The height is almost four and a half thousand meters.

Bye!

Hello! Here is Alexander Abramov from the expedition Ojos del Salado. We now have two groups. The first group today went to the camp Lagoon Rosa. We have 18 PAX  in the first group this year, including guides. And we are waiting for the second group, in which  is 12 people and the TV-crew of the First Russian Channel.

 The atmosphere here is great, Laguna Rosa is a very beautiful lake...

Here we have three cooks who are perfectly cooked. All from Moscow: Kristina Putintseva, Lena Abramova, Tanya Jalovchak...

In our expedition we are three guide:  Alexander Abramov, Ivan Dusharin and Victor Yershov. This is the first team. Two days later we are waiting for Sergey Larin with the second team.

Bye! Everything is gorgeous!

Listen to full message in Russian:

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club:

We got the permits and went into the mountains. We start moving from Penitentes to the foot of Aconcagua!

Preparations for the expedition on Ojos del Salado is such hard work that we wish this indefatigable man a big strength and patience!

When you reached the top, you reached happiness... not there is in front not only  descent and rest - ahead of the new summits. We wish to keep for years this state of happiness! To health allow also easy to change countries and continents! And to return to Moscow full of strength and energy!

Alexander Abramov: I once brought myself to such a formula, however, is now in some doubt: "We go to the mountains not to think about the meaning of life." When going to the mountains, I think: "wow, it's been difficult to gather, there are so many things not done" in the plane, even some things I remember... But you wake up in the morning, look out the window, see the mountains and think: how nice that I'm here, and all that was before the ant running – someone didn't call, someone warned someone of money some have ... Well, nothing, will wait. The mountains are just the place where you were supposed to get...

Vladimir Kotlyar, a guide of the 7 Summits Club:  So, the adventure begins! Today our season on Aconcagua began. I and Valery checked our equipment, then we went to the store to purchase food supplies. And our first member Irina Zisman (who arrived straight from Antarctica) actively helped us. In the evening there was no doubt that we need to raise a glass to a successful first day. Tomorrow we will meet the rest of the members of the expedition to the highest point in South America!

Viktor Ershov, guide of  the 7 Summits Club:

Hello Everyone! Ascent of Aconcagua was successful, but not to the top. We reached the height of 6456м by GPS, just above the hut of Independence. There we were at 14.30, then did not go far. Anna felt bad and impending storm, which later happened. So we turned down. Overall, I think for Anne it is a very cool achievement, to climb to the height of Mera Peak. She was pleased, now she wants to train hard and to come back to Aconcagua next year with 7 Summits! The weather was such as it should be for Christmas and New Year - fell more than a meter of snow for a few days, I was tired of trail. The local guides are in shock, for a long time such was not. And cold. But not very windy. In general,  we tired and very pleased with the result.

And now – for wine and steaks!!

Lyudmila Korobeshko: Team "unforgettable alpacas" have overcome two passes 4500+, and turned in a fast lames after a morning Coca-Thee. We spent two nights at 4000, and “saved” about a dozen of hungry local kids on the way. At the end we turned into a wet chinchillas, soaked to the bone on the last descent and plunged then in hot springs. Now we are heading in the direction of Machu Picchu. We hope to be there tomorrow morning, January 11...

A message from Victor Ershov from Aconcagua:

Hello! We spent two not the sweetest nights in the camp Nido de Condores and rose to acclimatize to camp Berlin at almost 6000m. Cold, windy, snowy... If you add mountain sickness with headache and nausea - this is about so we did! But now we have descended to the base camp, Plaza de Mulas, it's hot here and comfortable! A couple of nights, and then - only to the top!

Valeriy Myasoedov, guide of the 7 Summits Club: greetings from La Paz! Yesterday the team Genesis Extreme in tried to climb Huayna Potosi, 6081м. For many participants it was the first experience of mountain climbing, in principle. And the first experience of climbing with elements of technical mountaineering – for everyone.  The will power of  group arouse admiration: for the first time in the mountains and immediately go for 6000! Two members climbed to the top, five others reached the level of 6060 m. Only the last difficult part, the passage on the narrow edge of the ridge just before the top stopped them. In any case, this is a huge personal achievement for each of them... All are under the impression. Bolivia is a magic country!

Lyudmila Korobeshko, guide and Director of the 7 Summits Club: Hello from Ecuador! Today, the Team of Brave Guinea Pigs to 5 am cheerfully climbed to 5700m on Cotopaxi. And then we ran into avalanche-prone slope, which is already about a week no one passed. Several local guides attempted to do the trail, but soon returned, saying that the state of the slope is extremely dangerous. At any moment an avalanche could be.

In General, to the highest point, we missed 200 m.

So, we will have to come back to Ecuador! And not only on Cotopaxi!