(30.06.2004)
Associated Press just reported that 5 porters drowned while taking an Italian group to climb K2. They were caught in a swift-moving stream while carrying luggage for the Italian team. Police haven't been able to find the bodies.

http://www.mounteverest.net/

(29.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
Hi, everybody!
We have got two significant events today. The first one is Arcady Seregin's (in the photo) birthday. With all our heart we congratulate him and wish to live in clover and to visit mountains. I'm going to finish the message and to run back to continue our celebration. And the second event - we, at last, started to work on the route!!!
Yesterday we managed to make route reco and to choose the route. It is the first day of normal weather today, and we at once began fixing the rope after a lot of infinite conversations how and where to climb. Finally we chose the west face for our ascent (in the photo). In our opinion, there is no logical route from bottom site up to the summit via the northern face. Any possible variant means a huge bolt work especially in the bottom third of the wall. Plus, in its average part the wall is less abrupt, that basically calls opportunity of B.A.S.E. jump into question. We plan to lay a new line between Spanish and Czech routes on the west face. Upper two thirds sites looks logically enough, the bottom third (that is typical for all the mountain) has extremely poor surface not readable from below.
Today we could made 3,5 pitches via the bottom belt of not so abrupt, but ice-covered rocks. We hauled up the gear and got organized to lead further. The wall seems to be not such terrible any more if to stand near by. But its sizes and extremely poor relief are simply amazing! We are in excellent mood and healthy.
Well, I have to finish and our celebration is waiting for me...
Valery.

(28.06.2004)
New Champions of Europe - Julian Puigblanque Ramon and Bettina Schopf.
Recent juniors arranged the real crush in Finals: the guys PUIGBLANQUE, CHABOT, CRESPI, AUCLAIR, MRAZEK, and the girls - SCHOPF, GROSS, LAVARDA, EITER...

Yesterday evening wrung the world champion Thomas Mrazek's heart: climbing like "Terminator" he was the sole climber who managed to finish the final line, but he was disqualified for touching out of boundary-lines with his foot and he took a leap down right on the seventh place. Chabot seems to have a fatal bad luck in championships, this time the title of the champion flew away to Ramon.

Berttina Schopf

The first girls-finalists fell one by one unexpected low, probably, because of extreme heat: the sun pleased everybody, but not climbers. Gerda Raffertseder, Jenny Lavarda, Martine Delphine, Maja Vidmar, Alexandra Eyer, who will be the following? Natalija Gross accurately and elegantly, as if she were a ballerina, climbed the bottom part of the line, but left too much force and after overcoming the roof she could touch only the first holds after the bend...

For that moment her result was the best, but there was an impression, that she did not reach her limit. Katharina Saurvein easily climbed the overhanging arch, but fell hardly above than Lavarda. There were two girls remained: Bettina Schopf and the semifinal leader, a unique who managed to send the semifinal line, Angela Eiter. Bettina showed her excellent form, easily, convincingly and correctly climbing the line. Having had a rest a little before the roof then easily clipping quickdraws she finished on the same holds, as Gross. Angela Eiter, the favourite of the championship, started the line the lastest. And at once as they say "the things did not move on". Having reached the roof the young Austrian started to mistake and fell hardly low then Gross and Schopf.

But judges regarded her to touch out of bounds and she appeared on the sixth position instead the third. In the result due the better Semifinal result Bettina Schopf became the new European Champion. "I really don't know how I managed to do that! I didn't feel the heat in the roof, all I thought about was to climb as far high as possible."

Final results

http://competition.ragnilecco.com/

(28.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
There is bad weather in mountains, bad weather...
Yesterday all the day long we stayed in the camp, the snow did not stop falling for a minute. Today since the morning we had a trip under the wall aimed to haul the rests of the gear, to try to fix some ropes on ice and to make out local rocks. On distance the bottom part of the wall looks a continuous monolith, without cracks as far as eye can see. But a snow-storm started again and did not allow us to look close the wall, and we had to go back with nothing for our pains.
The abnormal bad weather of the last five days still does not allow us not only to begin fixing the wall, but also to be defined with our route.
The good thing: a generator is repaired, but we don't know how long time it will work: when working it sounds suspiciously. A correspondent and an operator of NTV, Denis and Andrey, stay here and today they finally managed to put on the air via the videophone the real picture and sound directly to Moscow. The guys speak that nobody has managed to do that in such conditions before.
All of us are healthy.

Daniel Dulac

(25.06.2004)
Daniel Dulac is the new Champion of Europe in bouldering!
Last night DeDe gave a lesson of good style and technique. He was the only climber sent all six final problems in one go, having got stuck on the fourth, which he did second go. Nobody else managed topping this bloc.
The Englishman Andrew Earl climbed methodically and instinctively problem after problem and became the second with the result 5 tops in 8 attempts.
A 16-year old teenager from Italy, Gabriele Moroni, could hardly believe in his success on the first "adult ball": on the 5 bloc he ignored a crimp performing fantastic dyno to the top. He shaked all, including the route setters, Godoffe and Laporte, - third place.

Final. Results.
1 Daniel Dulac (FRA)
2 Andrew Earl (GBR)
3 Gabriele Moroni (ITA)
4 Matthias Muller (SUI)
5 Salavat Rakmethov (RUS)
6 Loic Gandioz (FRA)
7 Repcik Marek (SVK)
8 Dmitry Sharafutonov (RUS)
9 Ludovic Laurence (FRA)
10 Serik Kazbekov (UKR)
11 Karsten Borowka (GER)
12 Gareth Parry (GBR)

Championship figures game: both leaders of World Cup - 2004 LEVET Sandrine and FISCHHUBER Kilian are the 13th, but Olga BIBIK and Daniel DULAC, both the second in the rating, have won Europe :)

Image courtesy of http://competition.ragnilecco.com/

(25.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
It seems the weather just decided to check how much serious are our intentions. It has been snowing and sleeting for three days.
In rare breaks of overcast we manage to see our great mountain, and at once we resume our discussions concerning a choice of the route. To tell the truth, we have not managed to make high-grade reco yet owing to bad weather and bad visibility, so the question about the route remains open for the present moment. Last two days we did the first full carry and hauled the gear and food directly under the wall. We could view the Northern face a little. It is not nice-looking: obviously shorter than the western one and on all the extent it is problematic for a jump (its average part has rather small lapse rate). But as soon as the weather allows we will examine it better.
In the nearest couple of days we plan to finish full carry and finally to determine the route. Yesterday our generator refused to work and NTV News couldn't make direct broadcast from the base camp. It was possible to pass only a sound. In two - three days we are going to repeat. And now we try to repair the generator.
All of us are in a good health state.
Valery.

Olga Bibik

Anna Stohr

Corinne Theroux

Results:
1 BIBIK Olga RUS
2 STÎHR Anna AUT
3 THEROUX Corinne FRA
4 ABRAMTCHOUK Ioulia RUS
5 SHALAGINA Olga UKR
6 PISZCZEK Renata POL
7 GRAFTIAUX Chloå BEL
8 VERDIER Emilie FRA
9 LAVARDA Jenny ITA
10 GIAMMARCO Giulia ITA
11 LIPENSKA Helena CZE
12 KUGLER Eliza POL

Images courtesy of http://competition.ragnilecco.com/

24.06. Olga Bibik, Julia Abramchuk, Tatiana Tarasova have reached European Climbing Championship Finals. Levet Sandrine leaves out of the ranks...

Olga Bibik

Abramchuk Julia

Tatiana Tarasova

Olga Shalagina

Olga Bibik reports from Lekko: " I've reached the Finals. Julia Abramchuk and Tatiana Tarasova too. By results of semifinals Olga Shalagina (Ukraine) leads for the present moment. The problems were technical and easy. The first sensation of the Championship: the leader of World Cup Sandrine Levet has not reached the final having sent FIVE (!) problems (Note: in total it was offered six problems to send). Tonight, at 20.30, there will be Finals. Keep your fingers crossed for us!"

(24.06.2004)
Nanga Parbat 1st Summit in Pakistan
The Amical Alpin group made the Nanga Parbat summit on 19-06-2004 in the morning. About eight members of the expedition made the summit along with the leaders.
Jamie (of Project Himalaya) of Broad Peak Expedition has reached Skardu and will leave for Askole today or tomorrow. Jamie is leading the expedition for Field Touring Alpine. Same is with FTA's GB-II Expedition, they also will follow the same schedule.
Agosntino Da Polenza along with the 19 climbers reached Skardu town, this was the last group part of Italians K2 expedition, in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Essar Karim

(23.06.2004)
European Climbing Championship. Lekko. Speed event. The Russians Anna Saulevich and Alexander Peshehonov are the Champions of Europe!
The senior coach of Russian Combained Team A. Piratinsky reports from Lekko:

Speed. Results:
Women

1. Anna Saulevich, Ekaterinburg 2. ValentinaYurina, Ekaterinburg 3. Maia Piratinskaya, Ekaterinburg 4. Edita Ropek, Poland 5. Olga Zakharova, Ukraine 6. Olga Yevstigneyeva, Krasnojarsk

Men

1. Alexander Peshekhonov, Bashkiria 2. Maxim Stenkovoi, Ukraina 3. Alexander Shaulsky, Krasnoyarsk 4. Kamandi, Hungary 5. Tomas Oleksi, Poland 6. Jakov Subbotin, Krasnoyarsk

(22.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
Hi, everybody!
After two day trekking along a very beautiful, narrow valley finally we reached the base camp. Wherever one looks there are huge rocky walls, but no one of them does not have a simple route of ascent. So it seems I won't be able to B.A.S.E.-jump before our ascent. Distance up to the base camp is not such long, but the way presents constantly steeply elevation ascent.
The weather is bad. All the day long with small breaks it is raining and it's rather cold. Locals speak that the real summer has not come yet.
The base camp is settled on a moraine of the glacier, which is going down with the upper valley. Amin Brakk towers direct in front of us (it's in the background of the photo). It is approximately 1,5 - 2 hours of trekking up to the beginning of the route: we have to go down from the moraine and to cross the glacier. Let's see tomorrow as it will appear. All of us are healthy. Valery.

(21.06.2004)
At the weekend in Fiera di Primiero (Italy) climbers had a "dress rehearsal" before the forthcoming European Championship - a stage of the Bouldering World Cup.
Olga Bibik informs:
" LEVET Sandrine won the 1st place, I'm the second, French ABGRALL Emilie and DANION Juliette - the third and the fourth, accordingly; Julia ABRAMCHUK is the fifth. The problems required the climbers to be very strapping and power. I did all my best, and if I had been a little taller everything would have been OK... LEVET Sandrine sent 4 problems, I - two ones, and sending one of them I fell down directly under the finish. ABGRALL Emilie sent one problem, the others sent only three zones, and some climbers remained even without zones. Such cheerful final turned out. I've got all my body hurting".

Men
1. FISCHHUBER Kilian, Austria
2. DULAC Daniel, France
3. MERAL Julien, France
4. KAZBEKOV Serik, Ukraine
5. MULLER Matthias, Switzerland
6. RAKHMETOV Salavat, Russia

(21.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
Our greetings to everybody!
6 hour-way to Kande that we had expected really took the whole 12! The road site of 30 meters was completely washed away by a mud flow suddenly rushed down in the morning. Instead of the road we saw a boiling dirty stream. The thought about any travel further on jeeps in really foreseeable terms could not be discussed. Somehow we could get over the stream and organized a rope ferrying of the luggage and ourselves. Fortunately in Kande we managed to hire a car that met us on the other side and at some go we together with our luggage were delivered to our destination. Kande is a small village that is located in the upper of the same gorge. It was raining a half of the day, but by the evening it was cleared up, and we were astounded at the tremendous view of Masherbrum. We have two days of trekking up to the base camp ahead. There is a huge crowd of the porters wishing to get tomorrow work already clustered before our small house where we have lodged. Since the morning we are going to pack our luggage and move forward.
Valery.

(19.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
Hi, everybody!
After 30 hours of almost continuous driving, along so-called "Karokarum highway", we reached up to Skardu. It is the administrative centre of northern Pakistan territories and the capital of Baltistan. The streets are dusty and dirty as in Islamabad here, but it is perceived somehow differently, as a part of local colour. We are coming to our senses, buying need food and tomorrow in the morning, we move forward to Kande on jeeps.
The good road comes to the end there, and further we will trek up to the base camp. Almost all of us are in Pakistan for the first time. In our opinion, it is similar to our Central Asia. Locals are rather friendly, despite of their often rather gloomy kind.
Valery.

(18.06.2004)
The Italian cosy nook Lekko prepares to be a climbing capital for several days - on July, 21-27 the hot events of European Climbing Championship runs there.

Competition shedule:

Speed
21.06 Monday. Qualification and final.
22.06 Tuesday - reserve day in case of bad weather.

Bouldering
23.06 Wednesday. Qualification and final. Women.
24.06 Thursday. Qualification and final. Men.
25.06 Friday - reserve day.

Difficulty
26.06 Saturday
09.00 Qualification. Men and women.
16.00 Semifinal. Women.
27.06 Sunday
09.00 Semifinal. Men.
16.30 Finals. Men and women.
19.00 The award ceremony and closing European championship

Russian Team List Members:

 

Ovchinnikov Eugeny	Dulub Jury	Sharafutdinov Dmitry	Kaurov Ivan	Rakhmetov Salavat
Jakovleva Olga	Chereshneva Venera	Abramchuk Julia	Bibik Olga	Yurina Valentina
Bashkirtsev Eugeny	Subbotin Jacob	Peshehonov Alexander	Ruyga Tatyana	Saulevich Anna

Difficulty
Men:
1. Ovchinnikov Eugeny (Krasnoyarsk)
2. Dulub Jury (Kaliningrad)
3. Sharafutdinov Dmitry (Ekaterinburg)
4. Kaurov Ivan (Saint Petersburg)

Women:
1. Jakovleva Olga (Tolyatti)
2. Chereshneva Venera (Krasnoyarsk)
3. Abramchuk Julia (Saint Petersburg)
4. Malamid Eugeny (Voronezh)
5. Novikova Natalia (Saint Petersburg)

Bouldering
Men:
1. Rakhmetov Salavat (Ufa)
2. Sharafutdinov Dmitry (Ekaterinburg)
3. Bashkirtsev Eugeny (Irkutsk)
4. Subbotin Jacob (Ekaterinburg)

Women:
1. Bibik Olga (Krasnoyarsk)
2. Abramchuk Julia (Saint Petersburg)
3. Jakovleva Olga (Tolyatti)
4. Tarasova Tatyana (Tolyatti)

Speed
Men:
1. Peshehonov Alexander (Meleuz)
2. Shaulsky Alexander (Krasnoyarsk)
3. Sinitsyn Sergey (Ekaterinburg)
4. Vajtsehovsky Eugeny (Ufa)
5. Subbotin Jacob (Ekaterinburg)

Women:
1. Yurina Valentina (Ekaterinburg)
2. Ruyga Tatyana (Krasnoyarsk)
3. Saulevich Anna (Ekaterinburg)
4. Piratinskaya Maya (Ekaterinburg)
5. Yevstigneyev Olga (Krasnoyarsk)

(18.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
Our greetings to everybody! We are in Islamabad. We managed to solve the question about our luggage marvellously quickly, painless and not so expensive. So we have got all of the luggade and tomorrow morning we leave to Skarda.
All the day long we bought need food, a generator, gas and other important things. All of us are healthy, everything is OK, except for the heat of 37 degrees.
16.06.2004 Valery

(17.06.2004)
On July, 11 - September, 08, 2004 a complex expedition organized by Moscow Federation of Mountaineering and Rock-climbing (MFMRC) and Sports Club of Moscow Aviation Institute (ÌAI) aimed to summit the highest peak of China Pamir and Kun-Lun - Kongur, 7719m, North face, via a new route will take place.
Expedition team consists of 17 high-altitude climbers (MFMRC) and mountain tourists (MAI). The head of the complex expedition is Jury Hohlov, the head of MAI command - Andrey Lebedev.

(16.06.2004)
Expedition to "the wild world". Central Tien Shan mountains (the area of peak Tomur( Pobeda) from the China part
"So, the route is finally determined and we will depart at the end of June..."
Details

(15.06.2004)
Amin Brakk (Great Tower) B.A.S.E.-climbing expedition, Karakorum, Pakistan
On June, 15 "Russian Extreme Project" team departs from airport "Domodedovo" to Islamabad.
The film crew of NTV accompanied the team is going to send documentary about the expedition going on in the real time shot by a videophone. Follow the news of NTV and sites of information sponsors.
Let's wish the REP Team good luck!

(12.06.2004)
The North Face's HEROS. Jannu. Everest
Portfolio

(4.06.2004)
Evgueny Krivosheitsev spent three rainy days in Crimea. However he sent new line "Tri klucha" (Three Cruxs) 8b+, and the first ever 8c at Red Stone "Three Super Cruxs", third go.

(3.06.2004)
News from McKinley Expedition of Russian Adventure Team of Alpindustria from Moscow under the leadership of Ludmila Korobeshko
Ludmila Korobeshko reports: 1 June. We are drinking tea in the camp 3300m. We have carried the load above Windy Corner. Early in the morning we packed the rucksacks. They were very heavy with food and petrol for seven days. During the way we had to pass many steep slopes. Our men were glad to meet the group of young women with skies and sledges. Pasha noticed if in the expedition such cool women had taken a part we would have had no problems with the heavy load. Snow avalanches slid several times from the left slopes but they did not reach the path. We passed Windy Corner without problems but there are a lot of deep fissures there. The passage was not difficult for us because of the good trainings. Thanks to Misha Volkov and company. We are planning to reach the Base Camp at 4200m.

(2.06.2004)
News from McKinley Expedition of Russian Adventure Team of Alpindustria from Moscow under the leadership of Ludmila Korobeshko
Ludmila Korobeshko reports:
30, May
We spent the first night on the route. The last day was full of events. In the morning the ranges registered us, we managed to pack all the things according to standard 68kg for one person. And at 6.00 p.m. the real adventures began. We had a flight to the glacier. The small plane was shaking and tossing and we were watching the splendid views of rivers, swarmps and mountain.
At 10.00 p.m. we went with the aim to reach the camp at 2400m. Artem and Vadim were going in snow-shoes and Pasha, Sergey and I in skies. As the way went down the heavy sledge bumped into legs and kicked out them from the bindings. I tried to push the sledge in front of me at some instant I left them without fastening and the rope slipped out from my hands and the sledge rolled down in the crack. We were lucky that the crack was not deep and full of snow. Two brave men with the same names Anatoliy were managed to pull the sledge up with the help of rope and ice-axe. They only laughed and said that I entertained them. If I were them I would think that the mountain is not the place where women should be. We were going further and watching the beautiful sights. Suddenly I saw the well-known figure. Yes! It was Valera Babanov with his friend Fabrizio. Valera was smiling and said he was very pleased to listen to the native language. They decided to climb down and think what else to ascend. Valera has a time till the 13th of May after that he will fly to Calgary. He has moved to Canada from France. We said Bye with hope to have a meeting on the route.
We reached the camp and installed the tents. I tried to cook a soup on the gas but the gas-cylinder was always frozen we decided to use petrol-ballon but it turned out to be that most of us had no enough experience. I managed to light it because I had tried to do it in the store before the expedition. So we have a soup and tea and tomorrow we are planning to reach the camp "Eleven"

(1.06.2004)

News from McKinley Expedition of Russian Adventure Team of Alpindustria from Moscow under the leadership of Ludmila Korobeshko
Ludmila Korobeshko reports:
28, May
We arrived at Anchorage in the evening on the 28th of May 24 hours later. Two of our guys were stopped by custom in Washington nothing interested was found but we missed our flight and had to spend night in Washington. We met the part of the Ukrainian expedition and knew that there were only few successful ascents because of the bad weather. Of course we hope for good luck. When we arrived it was evening and after accommodation we went to Down-Town this pub is always opens. You can drink bear and listen to Country music there.
If the weather is good tomorrow we will fly to the Glacier in the evening.

(1.06.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
28, May
In the morning Dmitry Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev went out from the camp for the ascent and at 12.00 they reached the altitude 8500m. But storm wind prevented them to summit Everest because such weather does not give a chance to return after the ascent.
So they made the decision with Alexander Abramov to begin descent. Vladimir Gaidamak moved up at 10.00 o.clock in the morning he wants to reach the second camp 7700m today, the camp at 8300 tomorrow and on the 30th of May he will make an attempt to ascend the summit without oxygen. According the forecast the weather will be good in two days.

(1.06.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
30.05 Today, on May, 30, at 9.00 a.m. the expedition yak's caravan started from the Jannu base camp downwards. Under the plan the charter flight from Taplejung to Katmandu is reserved on June, 3. And on June, 3rd and 4th the team will have a press conference and an interview in the Ministry of Tourism. On June, 5 at 8.00 a.m. Sergey Borisov, Gennady Kirievsky, Alexey Bolotov and doctor Bakin will take off to Moscow, the others - on June, 8 at 20.00!

(30.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face

Mt. Everest the North Face is completed!!!

The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Today at 10 a.m. (Nepal time) Pavel Shabalin's group (+ Iliyas Tukhvatullin and Andrey Mariev) have completed the North Face and reached the summit of the Mt. Everest! But the expedition is not finished. Three-man team led by Petr Kuznetsov (+ Gleb Sokolov and Eugeny Vinogradsky) and duo Victor Volodin - Victor Bobok continue to work on the route. Jury Koshelenko is descending.

(29.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Pavel Shabalin, Illias Tukhvatullin and Andrey Mariev left the camp IV at 8300m and climbed up to 8600m, there they settled the camp V right under the 2nd step. They continue ascent in lightened variant, having taken off the fixed ropes and using down parkas instead of sleeping bags. Spending the night on May 28-29 in the camp V, they will have to make one more complex pitch. Three-man team led by Petr Kuznetsov (+ Gleb Sokolov and Eugeny Vinogradsky) made a gear carry in the camp III and returned to the camp II. Three-man team led by Jury Koshelenko (+Viktor Bobok and Victor Volodin) is in the first camp. Weather is normal, the sun is shining, but there is a strong wind at high altitude.

(28.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
I inform you more details.
As you know, yesterday, approximately at 15.30, Ruchkin and Pavlenko summited Jannu. Further, at about 17.00 Dmitry Pavlenko descended to the portaledge at 7400, and, having rest a little, he descended to the camp at 7000. At about 18.00 Ruchkin reached the portaledge. He planned to spend the night in the portaledge. However at about 20.00 he felt ill and he had to descend further, in the camp at 7000 where there were less altitude, better condition and a first-aid set more various. Supporting by Evgeny Kirievsky Alexander Ruchkin descended to 7000 by 24.00 o'clock and in the morning together with Dmitry Pavlenko they finally descended to the base camp. Everything is all right now.
Alexander Odintsov had to descend to the base camp too because of his bad health state. And Alexey Bolotov had to return to the base camp because he had broken the crampon and the further ascent became impossible. Such heart-rending holiday appeared. Kirievsky, Borisov and Totmyanin are at the portaledge at 7400 now. Under the plan tomorrow they should try to make summit push. Weather as always is not clear.
On May, 24 at our visa ended, permit is arrested by the ministry of tourism, and on May, 25 our plane took off Katmandu heading to Moscow.
M.Bakin.

Odintsov called and informed that Alexander Ruchkin and Dmitry Pavlenko descended to the base camp, exhausted.
A three-man team Totmyanin-Kirievsky-Borisov waited at 7400m till the bad weather improved a bit and they are going to make summit bid tomorrow.
On May 31 the team start home-coming.

(28.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On May, 27 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
The weather is very bad, it is snowing. Pavel Shabalin's group (+ Iliyas Tukhvatullin and Andrey Mariev) ascended the camp IV at 8300. A three-man team led by Petr Kuznetsov (+ Gleb Sokolov and Eugeny Vinogradsky) is in the third camp. The forecast varies all the time. If tomorrow weather is normal, the guys will continue ascent.

(28.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
27, May
The weather has suddenly changed today. It is snowing heavily in the ABC and in all other camps. Dima Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev have climbed the camp at 8300m with the main aim to ascend the summit at night today. Unfortunately the bad weather can change the plans of our team but they do not want to descend and will stay another day and night for the good weather.
According the forecast the weather will be good on these days. The humidity will be from 43% till 50% and the wind 6-9m/sec.
Vladimir is going for the ascent tomorrow he is planning to reach at once the second camp then the third and the summit. We have a hope that our sportsmen will meet other ones on the summit.
As far as we know the team under the leadership of Shabalin is at the 8300m now and planning the ascent within the next few days. We have already ordered yaks to descend the ABC on the 31st of May and on the 1st of June we are planning to move down the Base Camp.

(27.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
We passed your congratulation to the guys. They thank kindly all who beleived and supported them during their way up.
The star-heros Sasha Ruchkin and Dima Pavlenko are on their way down now and Totmyanin, Borisov, Kirievsky are ready to start summit bid, but the weather is not good, maybe tommorow...

(26.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
JANNU NORTH FACE IS CONQUERED!!!
26.05. Alexander Odintsov has just telephoned:
Today Alexander Ruchkin and Dmitry Pavlenko have reached the summit!!! Tomorrow's ascent to the peak is planned by the pair of climbers - Borisov-Kirievsky. The ascent of other members of the team is dependent on weather conditions.

(26.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
News from 26.05.04
Today is the second and last day of rest and wait here in base camp. Tomorrow at 4:30 Denis and I will start and go directly to camp 2 at 6000 meters.
The day after we will start to open our new route on the rock bastion and the days after directly to the summit through that line....

Today Gerlinde, Ralf, Hirotaka and Boris did start at 6:30 a.m. to reach camp 3 at 7000 meters on the normal route. Tomorrow they will try the summit push.

The clouds are already in the sky but the visibility at present (9:50 a.m.) is still good. Tomorrow should start the 3-4 days good weather and we hope that the forecast will be without mistake....
Ciao

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(26.05.2004)

News from McKinley Expedition of Russian Adventure Team of Alpindustria from Moscow under the leadership of Ludmila Korobeshko
Ludmila Korobeshko reports:
The Adventure Team Alpindustria takes off on the 27th of May to Alaska. The main aim is the ascent of the highest top of the North America Mt. McKinley 6193m. The expedition to McKinley is carried out within the framework of the project " 7 summits ".
Members of the expedition:
Golovin Artem (Moscow)
Nurgaliev Pavel (Moscow)
Bruchanov Sergey (Novosibirsk)
Laktionov Anatoliy (Mariupol)
Astashin Anatoliy (Mariupol)
Medvedev Vadim (Mariupol)
The leader of the expedition is Ludmila Korobeshko.
The whole direction will be carried by the permanent leader of the team Alexandor Abramov with the help of satellite phone.
Follow our news!!!

(26.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
25, May
In the morning today two American members of our expedition Davide D.Angelo and Marshal Ulrich summited Everest at about 10.00 a.m. of local time in the windy weather. They descended the ABC by 9 o.clock in the evening.
Dmitry Moskalev and Dilmurad Tillahodjaev are on the North Col now and they are planning to reach the second camp tomorrow. The weather was very bad at the lower camps. There was a heavy fall of snow and Dilmurad spent seven hours to ascend the North Col.
Vladimir Gaidamak have arranged with the Bulgarian climber for the ascent together. They are both planning to summit Everest without oxygen the day after tomorrow.

(25.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
25.05.
It has happened nothing for today because the bad weather became very bad. Everyone is sitting in their "bubbles" and drink everything that they can find: from an aspirin up to coffee. M.Bakin.

(7.00 a.m. by Moscow time) It is very bad weather. It has being snowing all the night long and in the morning and there is a strong wind at the all altitudes. Pavlenko-Ruchkin tried to leave on the route at 6.00 a.m., but they had to return to the portaledge at 7400m. Having overcome a pain and doubts Bolotov ascended to the camp I (5600m), and now he and Totmyanin together are climbing to the camp II (6700m). Odintsov remains at the camp I. Kirievsky and Borisov are at the camp III under the wall (7000m). Because of illness Pershin and Mikhailov are staying in the base camp. We hope that the situation will change within this day. M.Bakin.

In the photo you can see a provisional site of the top point of fixed ropes for the evening of May 24.

24.05.
Today a two-man team Pavlenko-Ruchkin continued working on the wall. It's formed the impression that the ridge is like a line of horizon: the closer we approach to it the farther it appears. Today the guys made approximately a pitch of 60 meters. If to look at the photo the top point of fixed ropes is on the left and above the big snow basin under the top and does not reach the summit ridge a little. But to a certain extent it is our assumption as because of overcast the wall is not visible, and the climbers do not see the ridge because of hanging cornices. The weather is unstable today, but it is better, than yesterday. It is not snowing. Let's see that tomorrow's day will bring. M.Bakin.

(25.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On May, 24 the weather began to improve. We have a favorable forecast within the next few days.

25.05.04
Today Pavel Shabalin's group (Shabalin, Tukhvatullin, Mariev) left ABC, ascended the camp I and stay there to spend the night. Nikolay Zhilin accompanies them up to Ñ2 or Ñ3, helping to carry gear.
The day after tomorrow, on May, 26 the group " Siberia " (Kuznetsov, Sokolov and Vinogradsky) is going to leave upwards.
Vladimir Arhipov will have a rest in the base camp. In a day more, on May, 27, the group Koshelenko - Bobok - Volodin will leave upward.
As you can understand, all of these means that the team launches decisive trips to the wall. There won't be another opportunity. Fixed ropes ends at 8400 m. The assault camp is at 8300m. Shabalin's Group should make 3-4 pitches more upper 8400m, and then they will go to the summit in free stile. If for any reasons they do not manage to do that, the following group will have to execute this task. There is a lot of snow. Shabalin ascended up to 7200m, digging out all the fixed ropes under the snow, and it is very hard work, as you know...
The bad thing that too many people were lost on the slopes of Everest this year.

(25.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
News from 25.05.04
Trusting in the weather forecast and in our instinct we decided to return in base camp today and here we are now. We will remain only 48 hours.

We will recover our energy and Denis will resolve his problem with "diarrhoea" Gerlinde, Ralf, Hirotaka and Boris remained at C2 and today they will work in fixing rope in the last part of the ice fall.

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(25.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexandor Abramov reported from the ABC at 6400m that another two members of the expedition of Russian Adventure Team had ascended the summit of Everest this day. Davide D Angelo and Marshal Ulrich summited Everest today in the morning on the 25th of May. We are looking foreward to get all detailed information from his evening call today!!!

(25.05.2004)
Ukrainian climber Vladislav Terzyul was missing on his descent from Makalu summit.
Somebody could see Vladislav and Jay Sieger together on the Makalu summit before. As our friends from Explorersweb informed us, the members of the Kazakhstan combined team found a dead body, presumably Jay's body, at 8300m...

(24.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
23.05.
We have a tension increasing with every passing hour as in a detective. Everything around is already ringing. I do not know at all with what to compare how guys are fighting.
The information on 23.05. Today a two-man team Pavlenko-Ruchkin continued to work on the wall and they have made an 80-m pitch. The Wall began to be less abrupt in places, but the continuous snowfall brings this advantage to naught, as snow fills up cracks. The direction of movement deviated a vertical to the left, aside the summit ridge.

S.Borisov and G.Kirievsky ascended from the camp I (5600) up to the camp II (6700). The route part above camp 5600 became very hard to climb after strong snowfalls. On Gennady Kirievsky's words they had to dig a trench in places as they had snow up to the waist.

A.Odintsov and N.Totmyanin ascended to the camp I. Weather holds bad.
M.Bakin.

In the photo: the altitude and the direction of ascending for the evening of May, 23.

22.05.
In the morning Mike Mikhailov suddenly felt ill and had to descend to the base camp. Now he is still there and feels not bad.
In spite of the bad weather the two-man team Ruchkin-Pavlenko continued climbing the wall: the relief represents vertical walls crossed by ledges. Rocks are strongly destroyed, in addition the altitude is almost 7600m, and it has been snowing all the day long without interruption. For today the guys managed to climb about 30 meters.

The climbers comment their impressions about climbed part of the wall (above the camp at 7000m): M.Mikhailov: "There is no meter where you can relax: either vertical or hanging wall". S.Borisov: " All of 500 meters of fixed ropes are in the air..."

Today S. Borisov and G.Kirievsky's ascended the camp I at 5600m. After some rest and treatments Sergey feels well.
M.Bakin.

(24.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On May, 22 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
After May, 19 the weather has been just awful. The group led by Petr Kuznetsov (Kuznetsov, Arhipov, Sokolov, Vinigradsky) descended because they could not work above: visibility was 40 meters, and it started snowing again.
Weather forecasters promise small improvement of weather since tomorrow. If tomorrow the weather is a bit better, Pavel Shabalin's group will leave upward in the morning.

(24.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
News from 24.05.04
Phonecall from camp II:
"Today we stayed here in camp II and the weather is really bad. The last 3 hours it has been snowing. Today also Ralf, Gerlinde, Boris and Hirotaka reached camp II. Ralf and Hirotaka today feel better.
Boris forgot the tent poles in BC and so last night he slept in a tent pitched by bamboo…. Fortunately we did have one more tent here in camp II, so we have 3 tents…!
Tomorrow Ralf, Gerlinde, Boris and Hirotaka want to reach camp III, while Denis and I go to the rocky pillar. Today we will receive weather forecast from Innsbruck and hope in good news, because only last night I counted more than 30 avalanches….
Bye till tomorrow
Simone and Co"

News from 23.05.04
Simone via satphone :
"Hello. We did start only today from BC, because the weather was so bad. Denis and I did start at 3 a.m. from BC at 4200 meters and reached after 10 hours fighting camp II at 6000 meters. We had snow till our knees and so we have to make all the track. Finally we risked to not find the camp, because there was so many fog.. Ralf, Gerlinde, Hirotaka and Boris did stop at camp I, because Ralf has been hid by one stone on his leg and Hirotaka has problems with his stomach. So they will decide tomorrow morning if to continue or not.
Also Denis has some problem with his stomach, but not so bad. Tomorrow morning Denis and I will decide if continue to 7000 meters, where begins the rocky part or if stay one more day in camp II for rest after this hard work in the snow.
Bye till tomorrow Simone"

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(24.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
24, May
Today at 11.15 a.m. (Tibetan time) the leader of the Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Of Alpindustria from Moscow has ascended the summit of Everest today!!! He called today from the summit and reported that he was standing on the summit.
The weather is good and he feels well.
Another two members of the expedition Rozhkov and Ryzhenko have not stepped up to him yet. As Abramov informed there were a lot of members from different expeditions from the South and North on the summit today (24, May).
In this season it is the first Russin who has conquered the summit of Everest today. We are looking forward to get all detailed information from his evening call today!!!

21, May
Our group of Abramov, Ryzhenko, Rozhkov is on the North Col at the altitude 7000m. We are planning to ascend at 7700-7800m we have a tent there. In one day it will be the third camp at 8300m and on the 24th of May we are going to storm the summit. I hope you will know about our further adventures. We have prepared food and we are all feel good. Nobody has aversion to food and drink because if the acclimatization is not enough there will organism response. We are going to go out from the camp as early as possible for the ascent to the camp 7700m. The weather is bad. It is snowing all the time.

22, May
17.00 I am in the camp 7700m. Ryzhenko and Rozhkov are stepping up to the camp. We are ascending. The weather is bad it is snowing. The ropes are fixed badly at 8300m.

23, May
Abramov, Ryzhenko and Rozhkov have gone up to the camp at 8300m today. We will have a chance to ascend the summit tomorrow. All the members feel good.

(24.05.2004)
Pemba Dorji Sherpa, 26, ascended Everest in eight hours 10 minutes, breaking the record set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, 36, of 10 hours 46 minutes in May 2003, a tourism ministry official said.

www.mounteverest.net

(22.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
21.05.
Today, on May, 21, the weather, as well as yesterday is very bad to work on the wall. It has been snowing since the morning though the night was cold and clear. The advanced two-man team worked not looking at all bad things. They managed to make a very hard pitch of 30 meters more. But what a challenge site they climbed! The hanging chimney with a chockstone was done. I can say figuratively, that we nave hooked for a roof. That we could discern in dense overcast represented a corner with ledges and vertical walls not monolithic as they seemed earlier from below. And there are not any more hangings there.
Tomorrow a three-man team Borisov Sergey - Kirievsky Gena - Nikolay Totmyanin leaves to the camp at 5600m. In my understanding we have a process that is hanging like a drop on a nose.
And the direction of this drop's falling depends on many (and the main thing casual) circumstances. As it happened with Sergey Borisov and Alexey Bolotov. But the fighters struggle, like Mtsiry (*He is the main character of the outstanding poem of the same name written by Lermontov. Mtsiry have to struggle all alone with a leopard and he shows all his courage, steadfastness and fearlessness. M.RU). The God may give us our due for our heroism. We wait for the every new day as critical and the wall to become a bit less abrupt. Weather is worthless. It has been snowing on the wall already for two days. The wall stands clouded, it is visible nothing, and therefore there will not be any news before the evening communication.
All our greetings to you.
Doctor Misha.

(22.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
News from 21.05.04
Today morning arrived here with a double helicopter flight, Ralf, Gerlinde and Hirotaka. The team is completed and only Ed Viesturs and Veikka cancelled their partecipation because involved in the Everest Film Project and climb.
The second flight of today with Gerlinde and Hirotaka had been made with bad visibility and the pilot remained 1 hour with the helicopter off, here in Base Camp. Than he flew back to Pokhara in a short moment of good weather.
Today we decided the route and teams for climb. Ralf and Gerlinde + Boris and Hirotaka will climb classical French route. I and Denis will try a new central route direct to the summit..... We want to start tomorrow even the rain and clouds of this afternoon can cause one day delay.
Follow us Simone Moro

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(21.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
20.05.
There has been bad weather all the day long. It is raining in the base camp, but it is snowing on the wall. A two-man team Ruchkin-Mikhailov could climbed 30 meters above 7500 for 10 hours. M.Bakin.

19.05.
Hi, friends!
Today Mikhailov's group ascended the latest highest camp: the portaledge hanging at 7400m. If weather permit, tomorrow the guys plan to continue fixing the wall above 7500. But the weather may not allow. In the base camp it was raining all the day long, but on the wall it was snowing. All the others are staying in the base camp for a while.
The health state is in reasonable limits. M.Bakin

(21.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On May, 20 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Today it has been snowing all the day long above, and at 8400m visibility was maximum 40-50 meters. All the wall stays snow-white. Because of the bad weather the guys did not manage not possible to work as we intended, the group led by Petr Kuznetsov (Kuznetsov, Vladimir Arhipov, Gleb Sokolov and Evgeny Vinogradsky) will spend the night at 7800m again. We hope, that tomorrow weather will allow to climb above 8400m. Pavel Shabalin's group (Shabalin - Ilias Tutkhvatullin and Andrey Mariev) returned to the base camp from the hotel after having a rest and at evening radiosession we will decide what to do further.

On May, 19 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Today weather was unstable: it was clouded and snowing slightly. The group led by Petr Kuznetsov (Kuznetsov - Arhipov - Sokolov - Vinogradsky) descended to spend the night in camp III at 7800m. Today they accomplished a great work: they managed to made some pitches and reached the bastion altitude of 8400m. On the previous point - 8270m - they made a site under the tent and hauled there the tent and a part of gear.
Tomorrow Kuznetsov's group leaves upward to continue fixing, and to spend the night already at 8270m. Today is Petr Kuznetsov's birthday.
We wish him many happy returns of the day!

(21.05.2004)
Lafaille-Makalu, may, 19th
Jean Christophe, exhausted, tired has been forced to stop his ascent to the Makalu's summit this night.
After having opened a new extremely difficult route which ends at the top Makalu 2, he joined yesterday on May 17 the collar of Makalu and joined the route of the normal way of Makalu on Nepal slope. He remained the day of yesterday to rest, hydrate himself, be restored under the tent to leave this night at midnight. After two hours of walk, he staggered to end up not holding more upright of exhaustion. Moreover, he has had a lung infected since four days, which prevents him from sleeping, of the very violent coughing fits which prevent him from breathing.
The collar of Makalu located at 7.500 meters of altitude does not make it possible to recover physically. He chose wisdom by pushing back way. He will join today the base camp by the normal way on Nepal slope, to rest and decide if he feels the force to go up to try the top in two, three days. He is really glad to have made a success of the opening of this new way, which leads to a top...
Of course, he would have preferred to reach the top of Makalu, but the efforts provided since five days, in particular between the camp at 7.200 meters of altitude and the top of Makalu 2 were very very testing. I will keep you informed about the next hours of the program of Jean-Christophe. I will also make a recording of sound on the site by explaining you a little the situation.
On my side, I arrived at Lukla this morning only, because yesterday the weather conditions on Lukla did not make it possible the plane to take off. I started in the tread a part of the trekking and am currently in a lodge. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com
Best regards, Katia Lafaille.

www.jclafaille.com

(21.05.2004)
Bad news from Everest
A Korean climber has died descending from the Summit of Everest from the North side.

A Japanese woman has also died descending from the North side of Everest.Other Korean climbers and their Sherpa who had been attempting to save the life of the Korean climber who died, and are now unaccounted for. It is unclear if the Sherpas are accounted for.

n the South side of Everest, a small team of Gustavo Lisi (Argentina) and Nils Antezana (Bolivia) attempted the Summit with 2 Sherpas. Some of the members summited, but Dr. Nils Antezana got into trouble on the way down. The guide returned from the Summit but then needed to be helped down by the Pemb Sherpa from the Irish expedition. The 2 Sherpas returned late from the Summit, but are safe in camp 4. Dr. Nils Antezana is still believed to be up on Everest. His family asks for a plea of help from whoever can. "THERE MUST BE A SEARCH PARTY SENT OUT FOR HIM!!!!"

http://www.everestnews2004.com

(21.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
20, May
Vladimir Gaidamak reported at 10.00 a.m. today that he began to descend because of the bad weather and during three days he had eaten and drunk practically nothing. He ascended without oxygen probably it is the main reason. He is going to go down to have a rest for one week and try again the ascent.
17.00 p.m. ABC. Vladimir informed that he had descended five hours from the camp three at 8300m to 7800m and he had lost the way because all the ropes were covered with snow and it was snowstorm at the top. Now he began to climb down the North Col. He is very tired and maybe he will not be able to descend the ABC. Mainly all the expeditions are descending but some ones are going up. We wonder when the period of foul weather will be over.
The last information is thatVladimir returned to the ABC at8.00 p.m. (Chinese time). He is safe and sound and going to have a rest in the Base Camp and in some days repeat the attempt of the ascent again.
There is some news information about the death of members of the Korean expedition but I do not want to comment it because the information has not confirmed.

(20.05.2004)
On Sunday 16 May Nives Meroi, Romano Benet and Luca Vuerich reached the summit of Lhotse (8516m), the fourth highest mountain in the world.
The trio did not use supplementary oxygen. It is now the seventh 8000m peak to be climbed by Meroi and Benet. Luca Vuerich has successfully summited four 8000ers, while Meroi is now the most successful living female mountaineer. Now the trio plans to move across the border to Pakistan, where they will team up with the K2 2004 expedition and attempt an ascent of K2's hostile North Face.

http://www.planetmountain.com

(20.05.2004)
Kenton Cool (UK) and Clive Jones (NZ) summited Everest at on Saturday 15th May.
Since then other sites are reporting as many as 113 successful summit ticks in an exceptional weather window over the weekend. This includes the 14th ascent of the mountain by Appu Sherpa from Nepal. Currently, no teams have summited from the North. Kenton and Clive were the first to the top in the 2004 season, along with Sherpas Pema Tshiring Sherpa and Pema Nurbu Sherpa, who opened the route above the Hilary Step. Kenton is currently in Camp 2 and planning to climb to the top again, with another Jagged Globe team member, Nick Brook (UK). Clive Jones is relaxing back in base camp, having descended from Camp 2 yesterday.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/index.html

Alan Hinkes has successfully climbed his 13th 8000m peak, with an ascent of Dhaulagiri. He topped out at around midday on 17 May with Pasang Gelu Sherpa. Alan has only Kanchenjunga left to become the first Brit to climb all 14 8000m peaks.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/index.html

(20.05.2004)
Crimea. Red Stone. Olga Bibik.
Olga Bibik redpointed "Parallelny Mir" (Parallel world), 8b+, 4th go.

(20.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
News from 20.05.04
It's raining since 24 hours till 5000 meters. We are quite worry that all this rain here, it represent quite snow in the upper part of the mountain and it could increase the danger of our climb..... but we know that nature follow its roules....
Today we received the phone call from Ralf,Gerlinde and Hiroata that were in airport ready to fly here by helicopter but the bad weather stopped the project of the team. Tomorrow they will try again and we wil keep in touch for the weather reports here.
Ciao Simone friends

News from 19.05.04
It had been a great pleasure to arrive again in base camp. Annapurna is dangerous and complicate mountain and any climber feel worry during this climb.
Yesterday we stopped our ascent of 7000 meters because we finished the fix rope around 6300. We descent to 6000 meters and spent a second night there. Now we will take rest for 3 days and than we will make the summit push caring 200 meters of fix rope. The weather today is bad and we hope to have a nice window of good weather next week... we need...
Ciao Simone & C.

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(20.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
19, May
The forecast is good for this week and there is no wind so the weather gives us a chance. Abramov, Marshal and Davide moved up to the ABC today and tomorrow Abramov, Rozhkov and Ruzhenko will ascend the North Col 7000m the next day it will be the second camp then third and etc.
Vladimir reported form the third camp that the weather was fine and he was going to ascend the summit at night. I only asked him not to ascend the summit in the bad weather.

(19.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
18.05.
Hello, friends! Briefly I am going to state the events of the last days and our prospects as they are seen now. At once all of us did not inform you on ethical reasons, i.e. before returning Bolotov's group in the base camp.
Under the plan, on 14 of May in the morning Pershin and Totmyanin had to haul a portaledge from 7200m up to 7400m and descend passing forward Bolotov's group that was ascending from the camp at 7000m. But since the morning Michael Pershin badly felt himself (he has got a haemorrhage of eye's retina) and had to descend. Totmyanin hauled the portaledge on 200 meters alone and descended to the camp at 5600m. Bolotov, Borisov and Kirievsky climbed at 7400, settled a camp and stayed there to spend the night.
Next day, descending to the base camp Totmyanin was injured by a falling stone. His face and leg hurt, but after having had a rest and some treatment he feels better and saved capacity for work.

On 15 of May two-man team Bolotov - Borisov worked on the wall. They made a very complex pitch. 16.05, the group was approaching to the top point of fixed ropes and a stone dropped right on Sergey Borisov's head. "Cassidy" was lost, but it rescued the head. Borisov got off with a scratch of skin. Obviously he was not able to work further and descended into the portaledge where Evgeny Kirievsky rendered him first aid and bandaged the wounded head. As Sergey felt not bad he decided to descend further alone.
Bolotov and Kirievsky continued work on the wall. But approximately two hours later Alexey climbing the most complicated cornice fell and got his rib broken.

Thus the situation on 16th of May looked as follows: Wounded Alexey Bolotov and escaped Gena Kirievsky were in the portaledge at 7400m, in the camp at 7000m - Sergey Borisov with wounded head and in the lowermost camp at 5600m the group of Mike Mikhailov, Alexander Ruchkin, Dmitry Pavlenko stayed having ascending to it after they had a rest. I will not describe all subsequent details.

On 17 of May Borisov descended into the base camp. And now he is all right. Today, i.e. on 18 of May Bolotov and Kirievsky returned to the base camp. Now everything turned out safely, but unfortunately Alexey have to end the ascent. Because of these drama events we lost 4 working days. For the present time we reached 7500m.

The group led by Mikhailov is in the camp at 7000m under the wall now and tomorrow they will get the portaledge at 7400m and begin to work on the wall the day after tomorrow, i.e. 20.05.
Weather is unstable.
M.Bakin.

(19.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
Via Satphone 18.05:
"Hello. Today we got up at 5 a.m. and we did start at 7 a.m. We reached 6250 meters, but we finished our fixing ropes and ice screws on the last serac. We needed other 200 meters, not so important for going up, but for the descending.
We will spend one more night here, so also Boris can acclimatise. Then we go to base camp and take 3 days rest.
Denis and I have to give up our project to open a new route, because nobody else from our expedition reached the base camp and we can not leave Boris alone on the French route..
Bye till tomorrow with new pictures
Simone

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(19.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
18, May
Vladimir went up to the ABC yesterday he wants to ascend without oxygen. The storm of the summit has been proceeding for two days. The Austrians were the first who ascended 8700m and then the Italians repeated this success. The main problem is that over the third camp the ropes are old and it is very dangerous for ascent. So it will be better to wait when the ropes will be fixed.
Our sherps have installed all the camps so we can climb up. Besides the weather forecast for week is fantastic the wind in the first top 6m/sec. We worry about humidity of 100% in this forecast because it is the probability of snow. In the morning Rozhkov and Ryzhenko went up to the ABC today. They will have the rest day tomorrow and the day after tomorrow they will ascend the North Col.
Vladimir Gaidamak reported at 10.00 a.m. today he was on the North Col and wanted to climb up the second camp at 7700m. At 15.00 p.m. he informed us that he ascended hardly the second camp because of the strong wind on the ridge and the tent had been fixed well and all needed things were there. If the weather is good he will climb the last storm camp or ascend the summit from the second camp.

(19.05.2004)

News from expedition on Cho-Oyu "Kharkov-350"
Sergey Bershov:
Hi, friends! Unfortunately we did not have opportunity to inform about our success operatively. Satellite phone, unfortunately, did not provide steady communication. So, 15.05.04, at 18.45 on Nepalese time S.Bershov and I.Svergun summited Cho Oyu, 8210m under the bad weather conditions and a gale-force wind. We hauled the flag and the arms of Kharkov and sponsors of the expedition on the top. The ascent turned out rather complex because of bad weather conditions and a condition of the route.
Today, 18.05.04 we are engaged in evacuation of the base camp. All of us are safe and sound without traumas and getting frost bitten. We expect arrival of yaks to get to the highway in couple of days and follow to Nepal, and further head for home.
This ascent on Cho Oyu is devoted by Kharkov climbers to the anniversary of Native City. Kharkov club of climbers expresses huge gratitude to everyone who took part in the organization and carrying out of the expedition. Yours faithfully, Bershov, Svergun.

(18.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
Odintsov called and informed the latest news:
Bolotov's three-man team climbed up to the last summit cornice, but they did not overcome it completely because of traumas of climbers (Alexey Bolotov, Sergey Borisov, Michael Pershin were injured). I hope that they have already descended into the base camp, called home and informed their relatives about their health states. The doctor renders the guys first aid.
Three-man team led by Ruchkin (Ruchkin-Mikhailov-Pavlenko) went to change leading group and to climb the cornice and three last pitches left after it.
According to Ivan Samoilenko this year a monsoon is coming early. It is not as usual. But before arrival of the monsoon the team should have some days of good weather more during which the leading three-man team will be able to make the last pitches, summit and descend before bad weather begins.
The expedition should be completed till June, 1.

Sergey Borisov's impressions. Letter from 05.05
Hi, everybody! Yesterday on May, 6 we returned from the last 4-th trip into the wall. And I have understood that everything we had done before was a prelude. And just now a real WORK began!!! In the third trip our group restored fixed ropes up to 7000m and reactivated the portaledge: we spent two nights in it.
The bad weather did not allow us to go further. The bad weather began on 22-nd of April and it still holds: nobody could see Jannu in all its glory. It takes three days or 50-52 pitches (5600, 6700 and 7000) to reach to the camp at 7000. All the pitches are really abrupt.
On May, 1 we came at 7000 to replace Totmyanin's group. They finally finished to dig the platform and set the tent. Because of heavy snowing and a strong wind they did not work that day and descended. After the afternoon the wind dropped a little and we could change the tent on the portaledge. The previous one "did not breathe". During our last trip we gasped for breath and the gas did not burn in the previous tent, when it was totally closed. And, when it was slightly open we were swept up by snow. Moreover there was strong "condensate" in it.
On May, 2-nd Bolotov and I went to work. The first, that we could see, was our broken portaledge. A storm pulled out one ice screw and the portaledge was twirled. The skeleton of the portaledge was bent and broken. The tent and the tension ropes were torn too. Then we informed about that the guys and began climb. They spoke that the fixed ropes were no lumps of sugar, but the reality surpassed all expectations. We climbed only five pitches on slanting and abrupt ropes for 4,5 hours. To tell the truth, all this was at the altitude higher than 7000 m and the wall was practically vertical. A wind only added our "pleasures". Its impulses knocked down us sideways and turned back to the wall. This day Alexey climbed about 8-10 meters for 3 hours. All of this did not add enthusiasm to us. But it was of 8-10 meters of hanging site. And having climbed it Alexey approached under the following hanging.
The wall seems less abrupt further. Descent on a slanting fixed ropes is not a pleasure. And traverse on abrupt ice in blunted crampons was somewhat! During our expedition we had remained only a half from our front points. We could stand on them like a cow on ice. But everything comes to the end. We were in the tent: suffocated by cough to death of it. Gennady gave us to drink a lot. Then we contacted to the base. Tomorrow Gennady and Alexey will work upwards, I w ill be engaged in fixing. It is a small plus to me, I will leave the tent not at 8, but at 10 a.m., when the sun reaches the tent. We were short of ropes and some gear. It depressed all of us. I asked Alexey to take a rope and gear at descending.
The new fixed rope is not all cakes and ale. In one place you do not touch the wall about four meters, but there is no traverses and slanting lines there.
The guys descended, brought the rope and already in darkness crept in the tent. We felt cold but we were in the tent. We had a bad mood: even wanted to descend tomorrow. We climbed only a bit, but toiled a lot descending. There was a cold and a strong wind. We were exhausted. Having taken a sip we began to decide what to do further? We could talk only between impulses of a wind. The head hooted from noise. With the base we could speak on our command when a wind did not strongly blow.
On 4-th of May the guys went ahead. I slept further. It meant that I had a rest. But spending all the day long in the tent at 7000 does not add health and it is considered as a rest conditionally. Alexey climbed all hangings and, the route seems to become easier further. Having finished a pitch we began to make next one and returned to the tent in darkness. Tomorrow Alexey and I will work; Gennady will descend.
Soon Mikhailov and Ruchkin will change us. Now they spend the night at 6700. For the first time there was no wind at night. But we could not sleep. All of us were tormented with cough. In the morning we went upwards. The fixed pitch impresses. It hangs freely not touching the wall about 30 meters. And it is at the altitude 7200-7300m.
We began to climb upwards: friends, stoppers, sometimes pitons, etriers, free climbing on 1-1,5 m sites twice. But we moved very slowly. I reached a grotto where there could be a ledge, but I could find only abrupt ice. Having organised next pitch we decided that it was enough for today. From three ice screws we could twirl only one just having hammered it by halves. In tent we met our change. They gave us to drink and fed. We treated them to spirit and went to sleep. Alexey was without a sleeping bag but in a down jump-suit and in two down parkas. But he got a cold all the same.
Having sent the guys for work in the morning at 10 a.m. we began to descend: via 1,5 -km vertical wall, 50 pitches, and at 17.00 we were in the base camp.
Here it is - our happiness!
S.Borisov.

(18.05.2004)
Our children. European World Junior Cup. Imst. Austria.
Two weeks prior to "adult" starts Imst accepted young climbers. The Results are more than encouraging: the champion of Europe among juniors Ivan Kaourov from Saint Petersburg - 2nd place, the champion of Russia among women Evguenia Malamid (Voronezh) - 1st place. Ekaterina Andreeva (Saint Petersburg) and Alexandra Malysheva (Saint Petersburg) - the second and third places accordingly. Alexander Stepanov from Ufa- the seventh place. Ivan Kaourov and Evguenia Malamid also become the leaders of youthful European rating.

Difficulty. Results.

(18.05.2004)
Adam Ondra, 11 years-of-age, has onsighted Ippolitto, 8a+, at Sloup,Mor.kras, Czech Republic.
Adam is still too young to compete in the Junior World.
He'll have to wait three years until he is old enough!

www.8a.nu

(17.05.2004)

Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
Call from 17.05.04
"We are in camp II at 5900 m. We settled our tend 100 more down than usually, because here is more safe. Today it was incredible hot. We are all ok and tomorrow we will climb to camp III. We are happy to here from the success from our friends: Nives, Romano and Luca (Lhotse), Inaki Ochoa, Joby Ogwyn and Alex (Makalu) and Ed Viesturs (Everest).
Bye till tomorrow
Simone & Co.

16.05.2004 We start!!
Today I, Denis and Boris will start for 4 days on the mountain. Our objective is to reach 7000/7100 meters and set camp 3. Than we will come back to base camp for a 2 days rest and then the summit attempt.
We will see if is possible to find a new line for a new route or if the danger advise us to follow the french or duch route.
Follow us
Simone

15.05
Today we arrived to Annapurna Base Camp flying by helicopter from Kathmandu.
The altitude of BC is 4150 mt and the summit is...4000 meters upper.. The mountain is beautiful and it loog big an dengerous.Fortunatly there is not so much snow.... The helicopter we used had been paied from Franco Acerbis, one of my sponsor, and he also came here with us this morning. Now he went back to Kathmandu and he will go to Everest region to get acclimatisation than he will return here and will stay till the end of expedition. Yesterday one hotel in Pokhara had been bombing from Maoist and we was only 300 meters far.....
Tomorrow I, Denis and Boris we will climb up as much as we can to establish our camps.....
The second adventure is begining Simone Moro

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(17.05.2004)

Ukrainian Climbing Championship. Kiev. Results.Difficulty. Speed.

Difficulty.

Speed.

(17.05.2004)

News from expedition on Cho-Oyu "Kharkov-350"
16.05.2004 Igor Svergun called up to Kharkov by satellite phone from the camp at 6400 and informed the following: on the eve, 15.05.2004, at seven o'clock on Nepalese time, the two-man team Sergey Bershov and Igor Svergun summited Cho Oyu.
The ascent happened in bad weather conditions, at a strong squall. The climbers brought a flag of the city of Kharkov and erected it on the top as the expedition is devoted to 350th anniversary of Kharkov.
Sergey Bershov and Igor Svergun are safe and sound, feel normally, give best regards to everyone who follows their ascent and thank everyone who helped in the organization of their expedition.
Special gratitude to Vladimir Shumilkin, the mayor of Kharkov: the expedition is under his patronage, and "Millet" company for the given equipment.

(17.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
17.05 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Pavel Shabalin's group (Shabalin - Ilias Tuthvatullin- Andrey Mariev) descended to the base camp to have a rest. The group led by Peter Kuznetsov (Kuznetsov- Gleb Sokolov- Vladimir Arhipov - Eugeny Vinogradsky) went out to change working group.
Yesterday we had a nuisance: at 16 o'clock on local time somebody threw off an empty oxygen cylinder from the side of the classical route. It was the miracle that it flew near by the guys and nobody was hurt. Today at 6.00 a.m. a history repeated - one more cylinder flew absolutely near by the guys working on the wall. I do not know, who made that, but it is obvious, what it was the people having their summit trip. We'd like to address to all climbers: please, do not throw off empty oxygen cylinders. People work on the wall!

15.05 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
The group led by Pavel Shabalin (Shabalin, Ilias Tutkhvatullin, Andrey Mariev) continues to work on the route and today they have reached 8270m. Having worked all the day because the weather allowed they descended in the tent only at nine o'clock in the evening and they will continue work on the wall tomorrow.
Four-man group led by Peter Kuznetsov (Kuznetsov, Gleb Sokolov, Vladimir Arhipov and Evgeny Vinogradsky) will leave from 6200m tomorrow and ascend to change working Pavel Shabalin's group.

(17.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

16.05 Íèêîëàé Òîòìÿíèí:
ß ñ Ïåðøèíûì â î÷åðåäíîé ðàç îòðàáîòàë íàâåðõó. Çà òðè äíÿ ïîâåñèëè äâå ñ ëèøíèì âåðåâêè, ïðè÷åì îäèí èç äíåé "óáèëè" íà êàðíèç. Ìèøà ðàáîòàë ïåðâûì. Ãäå-íèáóäü íà óðîâíå ìîðÿ îí îäîëåë áû ýòó êðóòèçíó çà ïàðó ÷àñîâ.
 ïîñëåäíèé äåíü ðàáîòû ÿ çàòàùèë ïëàòôîðìó íà 7400.
Ñåé÷àñ åêàòåðèíáóðæöû ðàáîòàþò îò íåå âûøå, à ìû ñèäèì â áàçîâîì ëàãåðå, ñïóñòèëèñü â÷åðà. Ñíåã íà ïëàòî òàê ðàñêèñ, ÷òî ïðîâàëèâàåøüñÿ ïî ïîÿñ äàæå â ñíåãîñòóïàõ! Íàâåðõó çèìà, à íèæå 6000 ì óæå âåñíà.
Íà çäîðîâüå íå æàëóþñü. Íà ñïóñêå ñ 5100 ì íà ïîñëåäíåé âåðåâêå íåìíîæêî ïîöàðàïàë ìîðäó ëèöà è ðàçáèë ëþáèìûå î÷êè ïðèëåòåâøèì êàìíåì, çàòî ñåãîäíÿ óòðîì ïåðâûé ðàç çà âñå âðåìÿ ïîáðèëñÿ. Âèäíî ãîðà íå õî÷åò ïóñêàòü áîðîäàòîãî.
Ñêîðîñòü ïåðåäâèæåíèÿ ñòàáèëèçèðîâàëàñü íà 1 âåðåâêå â äåíü. Íå ãóñòî, íî íå ãðóñòíî. Íà "êðûøå", à ó ëþáîé âûñîêîé ãîðû åñòü êðûøà, ñêîðîñòü äîëæíà óâåëè÷èòüñÿ!
Íàäåþñü, ÷òî â áëèæàéøèå 7 äíåé ìû âçãðîìîçäèìñÿ. Íå áóäåì çàãàäûâàòü. Äîìîé óæå õî÷åòñÿ, íî íàäî çàêîí÷èòü ýïîïåþ. Ñèë è ñðåäñòâ çàòðà÷åíî íåìàëî. Êîìàíäà ìîùíàÿ, â äðóãîé ðàç òàêóþ íå ñîáðàòü. Ìû ðàíüøå äóìàëè, ÷òî çàíèìàåìñÿ àëüïèíèçìîì. Ýòî îêàçàëîñü äåòñêèì ëåïåòîì ïî ñðàâíåíèþ ñ Æàííó.
P.S. Ñåãîäíÿ äíåì ïåðåäîâàÿ òðîéêà áûëà âûíóæäåíà ïðåêðàòèòü ðàáîòó íà ìàðøðóòå è ñïóñòèòüñÿ â ïàëàòêó íà 7000 ì èç-çà ïîðûâîâ óðàãàííîãî âåòðà. Íà ôîòêå íèòêà ìàðøðóòà, êîòîðûé óæå ïðîâåøåí ïåðèëàìè.

15.05 Íèêîëàé Òîòìÿíèí èç áàçîâîãî ëàãåðÿ: Ïðåîäîëåíèå íåâîçìîæíîãî
Â÷åðà, 14 ìàÿ, âïåðâûå â èñòîðèè àëüïèíèçìà, ïîäâåñíàÿ ïëàòôîðìà çàíåñåíà è óñòàíîâëåíà íà ñòåíå íà âûñîòå 7400 ì.
Ïåðåäîâàÿ ãðóïïà êàæäûé äåíü âûõîäèò â " îòêðûòûé êîñìîñ" è îòâîåâûâàåò ìåòð çà ìåòðîì ó âåðòèêàëüíîé ñòåíû. Ïñèõîëîãè÷åñêèé øîê îò ïåðâîãî çíàêîìñòâà ñî ñòåíîé ïðîøåë. Âåðåâêà â äåíü - óæå íå ðåäêîñòü. Òðè-÷åòûðå ìåòðà ñâîáîäíûì ëàçàíèåì - âûñøèé ïèëîòàæ. Âïåðåäè ñìîòðÿòñÿ 2-3 î÷åíü ñëîæíûå âåðåâêè - 80-ãðàäóñíûå ïëèòû ñ 1-2-ìåòðîâûìè êàðíèçàìè è íàïîñëåäîê - ãëóáîêî âðåçàííûé â øåñòèìåòðîâûé êàðíèç âåðòèêàëüíûé 20-ìåòðîâûé êàìèí ñ ðàçðóøåííûìè, îòêðûâàþùèìè,íàðóæó ñòåíêàìè.
Êàæäûé ÷àñ ðàáîòû íà ãîðå - ïðåîäîëåíèå íåâîçìîæíîãî. Âûøå íå âèäíî, çíà÷èò òàì äîëæíî áûòü "ïîëîæå". Ïñèõîëîãè÷åñêîå íàïðÿæåíèå ðàñòåò. Ìû íå ìîæåì òðåáîâàòü äðóã îò äðóãà "ïðèáàâèòü", òàê êàê íå çíàåì äàæå ñâîèõ ïðåäåëíûõ âîçìîæíîñòåé, ýòî âî-ïåðâûõ. Âî-âòîðûõ, ìû äîëæíû áûòü îñòîðîæíûìè, ñåé÷àñ ìû íå èìååì ïðàâà íà îøèáêó.
ß ïðîøó âñåõ áîãîâ è ñâÿòûõ, ÷òîáû îãðàäèëè íàñ îò íåïðàâèëüíûõ äåéñòâèé.
Ñåãîäíÿ âïåðåäè ðàáîòàåò òðîéêà Áîëîòîâ-Áîðèñîâ-Êèðèåâñêèé.
Îíè ïðîøëè åùå îäíó âåðåâêó. Ïîãîäà ïîêà çà íàñ.

(17.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
17, May
All the team descended to have a rest in Shigar and Shizong. We did not go in for sport but enjoyed at the altitude 4000m breathing in the fresh air and eating Tibetan skinny sheep. These wonderful days flied by very quickly. And now we are in the Base Camp again. Through hearsay two teams ascended the summit yesterday from the south one from Greece and another from Chile. From the north we do not know who ascended because of the contradictory information. Maybe tomorrow we will get to know something. Concerning the weather forecast the snow will be tomorrow. Everest is covered with clouds and wind is blowing in the BC at night the lightning is seen. In the third camp at 8300m there are climbers from some expeditions. We are planning to climb the summit from 22nd till 25th of May. We are going to ascend without taking risks. According the weather forecast the snow will be so the weather will not be fine within the next five days.

(15.05.2004)

News from expedition on Cho-Oyu "Kharkov-350"
On May, 13 S.Bershov and I.Svergun went to make their summit trip.
On May, 14 they plan to be in the camp at 6400m, and on May, 15 to go from the camp at 7100m. In the base camp under Cho-Oyu it is practically deserted, the majority of the expeditions bailed their ascents.
You can count the successful ascents on this mountain in this season on your fingers. The climbers from Kharkov have had a full rest.
They feel normally acclimatized and consider that their chances of success are great.

(15.05.2004)
On May, 8 at 2.00 p.m. on Chinese time 3 participants of Belarus expedition Michael Melnikov, Victor Lutov and Anatoly Lutov summited Cho Oyu.
The head of the expedition Vladimir Telpuk ascended up to 7800m.
On May, 15 all the participants come back home.

(15.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face

14.05 The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
The three-man group led by Pavel Shabalin (Pasha Shabalin, Ilias Tukhvatullin, Andrey Mariev), works on the wall. Yesterday they managed to made five pitches and today they made four difficult rocky pitches more and went at 8120 meters. Shabalin's group will continue working on the route for two - three days more, and then the group led by Petr Kuznetsov will change them.
The group led by Ermachek descended to the hotel to have a rest. If Shabalin's group manage to fix the rope up to 8400m and set the tent there and if the weather is good the group led by Petr Kuznetsov will make the summit attempt. Shabalin's group (Shabalin,Tukhvatullin, Mariev) works without oxygen.
Bukinich will not leave to work on the wall: it is too hard for him, he is too young for such altitude and the doctor do not let him to do that.
Weather is normal, we've got the good forecast for some days, but further they promise amplification of a wind.

13.05 Everest North Face. We've reached 8000 meters!
The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports: the team has broken a barrier of 8000 meters! The group led by Pavel Shabalin in working now, and four-man group of Peter Kuznetson is ascending from the smart hotel (where they had a rest) to change the working group. Groups of Jury Koshelenko and Jury Ermachek are staying at the hotel having a rest now. 8000 is done, and further the most interesting begins!

Eugeny Vinogradsky says:
Tomorrow we leave upward. Mountain is very serious, the wall is challenge and very serious. The final crucial point is coming now. Shabalin group will work 2-3 days more, and then our turn will come.

(15.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

14.05
Hi, friends.
The group Mikhailov-Ruchkin-Pavlenko continues to restore forces in the base camp, due to ours kindhearted doctor Michael Bakin. He treats everyone and in every way possible. As all of us, having swallowed cold, cough like steam locomotives, our throats-noses are exposed to smoking of hookahs, rinsing and greasing of throats and everyone is going to be completely recovered. Those who are especially cripple the doctor makes massage, and humpbacked become harmonous, and lame start to go, and the life is adjusted.
Work on a wall takes its normal course, the group Pershin - Totmyanin made some pitches and having reached the black strip crossing all the wall, they ascended on 15 meters higher it. We came nearer even closer to cherished purpose.
Today Bolotov's group ascending already the third day for work on the wall, left the high-altitude camp at 7000m on the portaledge which Nick Totmyanin hauled on a new place, at about 7400m. Now it is closer and more convenient to work on a wall above 7400m. Moving took placesafely, the guys in full complement: Bolotov - Borisov-Kirievsky, reached 7400m, set the portaledge, hauled all needed things for their life there, i.e. all biwy with life-support for 4 days for the further fixing a complex site of the wall. Totmyanin and Pershin descended in the camp at 5600m.
Tomorrow Bolotov's group will fixed above 7400m, and the group led by Totmyanin descend to have a rest to the base camp.
That's all our news about what happened on May, 14.
You will hear from us soon.
Our greetings to everybody who waits for us and believes in us.
Ruchkin

13.05
"We are praying to all gods..." - Odintsov called from Jannu base camp. Now at 7500 Totmyanin and Pershin work, tomorrow Bolotov's group will change them. The guys need ten days of good weather to successfully summit. But Ivan Samoilenko's forecast (he sends the guys information about the weather in Himalayas) is still not very comforting.

(15.05.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
Here again after 10 days silence.
During this time we went back to Lukla and than to Kathmandu. We meet Miss Hawley the famous journalist 80 years old, who was very excited and interested in our climb. She tol us that she is tire to make standard report abaut so many expedition on normal route of 8000 or classic 6000 meters. We did these kind of climb but we also became tired abaut that style and since 2 yers we started our difficult but exciting way and style of climbs....
Today we are in pokhara and tomorrow we will fly by russian helicopter MI17 to Base camp of Annapurna north side. The cptain of the helicopter Alexander became imediately friendly with us and tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. we will start...
Two days ago arrived from Italy my friend and Sponsor Franco Acerbis (www.acerbis.com) who gave us the possibility to have the helicopter togo up and back at the end of expedition. Big Luck....!!!! He will goto Khumbu valley tohave acclimatisation and than he will come back to base camp to follow the last days of our climb. So be ready!
The adventure is starting again....
Ciao Simone & C.

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(14.05.2004)
Elie Chevieux is alive!
He had a call his mother this morning.

http://www.kairn.com/news.html?ident=21260

(14.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Hi friends, our greetings to you!
At last there comes spring in our high-mountainous corner, and it is not clear, is it good or bad for us. We could find arrival of spring descending from the wall when it started to thaw the ice screws and ropes on the pitches. It becomes warmer and warmer with each rope we descend. At 6000m already on a rock frozen falls become to water, and the ropes are just trapped into the ice in some centimeters. We have to brake ice and free out from the captivity of ice and only then to descend.
Everything looks that the mountain simply does not want to let off uninvited visitors who have broken its centuries-old rest. Tired very much Mike Mikhailov and I descended on ice covered ropes. Mike was the leader. He swore like a sailor getting the ropes from ice captivity. I did the same trying to push the rope through grigri.
Five days that we spent on the steep wall at the altitude higher 7000m have not passed completely. We were unsteady on our legs for weariness, and were like drunk cows on ice because of erased points of crampons.
The life on the portaledge hanging at 7200m allowed to begin work earlier, not wasting time on climbing on the fixed ropes. All site of the wall from 7000 m and above represents a granite steep wall alternating with cornices: such cornices represent a problem and below, on a sea level, but at 7000 all the more. The climbing complexity level on Jannu higher 7000m is about 6B/À3. If, certainly, all the wall move closer to sea, and to put on rocky shoes you will manage to climb a pair of meters, but then you will find that on completely smooth wall there are cracks in which even the most thin pitons do not go into not to mention fingers. Just having climbed this site where there is though something to hold, you rest against a cornice, and you have to try belayer's patience climbing on the smallest chocks. If you get in wide cracks you find inevitably in them frozen or jammed stones in which you use camalots or friends that hold you only on the verge of falling. Constant hanging forces to strain all muscles after that you entirely exhausted fall in the portaledge and you can not even move.
Expectation, that the wall becomes less abrupt soon, is deceptive, and our guys (Pershin-Totmyanin) who came to change us confirm that. Three days they have been working on the wall, and cornices and hangings don't come to end. It is The improbable wall and probably unique. There are no analogues to it on complexity and steepness at such altitude. And nevertheless she is climbed.
We have got very little remained to climb.
May God give us the good weather.
Ruchkin

(13.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
8, May
ABC 6400m. I left the Base Camp at about 12 o.clock. At 10 a.m. Mosakalev reported from ABC that five members and three sherps were ascending the North Col. Probably Vladomir Gaidamak will climb up at 7800m from 6400m for one day. In seven hours I reached the ABC overpassing 18 or 20km of glacier. There was nobody in the ABC except the cook but at 20 p.m. Moskalev reported that Moskalev, Karapetyan, Marshal, Davide and three sherps were spending night on the North Col. Vladimir ascended at 7800m and tried to install the tent there but because of the strong wind he was not able to do this so he returned back. At 21 o.clock we had a dinner we him in the ABC. The four are planning to ascend 7800m, I have a plan to spend night on the North Col and Vladimir is planning to repair a tent-kitchen in the ABC. Tomorrow Rozhkov, Ryzhenko and Tillahodjaev have to leave the BC and reach ABC.
9, May
We congratulate all the climbers with the holiday! While you were enjoying in Crimea improving the tenacity of the fingers and rubbing holes of the mountain shoes the climbers of the Adventure Team were having .good. time at 7000m and 7800m burning lips and noses and frostbiting fingers. The fair and windless weather has come. All the members of our team spent night at 7000m and ascended 7800m. Vladimir is going to ascend the summit without oxygen another are not so enthusiastic the sherps have only promised to bring the oxygen-cylinders at 8300m on the 14th and 15th of May. It is too hard to live there without oxygen. What a disaster our three oxygen-cylinders were disappeared! Three members went to BC today. Abramov, Rozhkov, Ryzhenko and Tillahodjaev are in the ABC. Concerning the weather forecast the weather will be good from the 13th till 17th of May. I am not sure what to do try to ascend on the 15th and 17th or have a rest. What is the better?
10, May
ABC 6400m. All night the strong wind has been blowing. The leader is deep in thought to descend the BC or go down at 4000m or ascend the North Col on the 13th of May, on the 14th at 7700m, at the 15th at 8300m and storm the summit on the 16th of May. Now we will have the connection with BC and Dima will inform us about the weather on the 16th of May and then I will be able to make the decision. I am waiting the time when I can call home my beloved wife returned from Crimea and on the 29th of May she and the team of ten men will set off for Alaska to conquer McKinley. We separated on the 8th of April and will be able to see each other only at the end of June. So you can how the real heroes live. All the persons in our expedition are missing their homes, children and relatives. It is like added strength test.
11, May
We are all in the Base Camp today. Only Murat is in the ABC he is waiting for the weather to have night on the North Col and ascend at 7500m for acclimatization. It is very warm in the Base Camp. The surrounding rivers and streams are melting. Strong wind is blowing at the top so we decided to descend at Shigar 4000m for three or four days. We arranged with the liaison officer about jeep for tomorrow. The famous climber Sergey Ephimov from Yekaterinburg visited us today. I was very pleased to see him. We watched film .Mind Games. on computer today. The perfect film for ascent the summit!
12, May
The wind is blowing strongly on the top. In the morning Moskalev, Luda Koshelenko, Marshal Ulrich and Davide went to Shigar in jeep to have a rest. The liaison officer helped other persons of our team to drive to Shizong. It is very warm there the food is tasty and a lot of air. Tibetans are plowing the wide fields. In whole it is paradise!

(13.05.2004)
Sergey Bogomolov, Annapurna -2004
Good afternoon!
Weather conditions and climbing complexity of southern face of Annapurna do not allow the international team to realise the plans. Today, on May, 11 all of the guys descended to the base camp. Having set camp III at 6800 m three-man team Bogomolov- Hamor-Gablik waited for the results of work of three-man team Pustelnik-Zaluski-Markac in the camp II at 6000 m. But Aljosza Markac for the lack of forces descended to the base camp. It turns out, that, having gathered speed from the base camp and "having flied up" at 5000-6000m, people suddenly unexpectedly begin to understand that they have no forces. And the two-man team has worked only 100 meters from planned 700. That's amazing. Time frameworks draw in. Now we have to save up forces, all patient to be restored and make up our mind for the benefit of the result.
Sergey Bogomolov.
On May, 12, 2004.

(13.05.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face

Portfolio. 13.05.2004

(13.05.2004)

Crimea. Results. Julia Abramchuk
Routes: Caravan 7b, King - Êong 7b +, Vremya "Ch" (Rush hours) 8à (the last summer I already sent it), Flatter 8à, Tsunami 8à, Keniksberg 7ñ +, Chertopolokh (Thistle) 8b.

(12.05.2004)

News from expedition on Cho-Oyu "Kharkov-350"
In early May Sergey Bershov and Igor Svergun came to the base camp (5750 m). On May, 3 the two-man team began work on the route. On May, 5 Svergun called to Kharkov by satellite phone. Communication was not clear, but Igor could tell, that in that moment they were in the camp II at 7100 m. The Camp I was settled 6450 m the day before. They are in excellent state of health and mood. The weather conditions on the route are good.

(12.05.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
12.05.04
The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov reports:
Pavel Shabalin wishes his daughter Masha happy birthday and all the expedition joins his congratulations.
There is 3-rd tent settled at 7800. Today Jury Koshelenko and Victor Bobok spent the night there. Most likely Alexey Bukinich will leave the expedition. He is still young and cannot work at such altitude.
The three-man team (Shabalin, Tukhvatullin, Mariev) left 7200 upward with a load. Today the high-altitude sherpas spend the night at 7200. They will help to haul loads at 7800 for 2 days. In 2 days if the weather allows (and we have the forecast good in the meanwhile) Shabalin's three-man team will start fixing the difficult bottom part of the bastion from 8000m. Everything depends on Shabalin's group working.
Then Kuznetsov's group " Siberia " will replace them: tomorrow they will finish their rest and come back from the chic hotel.
We continue our ascent. We still have a small stock of time.
State of health is normal.

On May, 9.
Eugeny Vinogradarsky reports:
Group " Siberia " (Peter Kuznetsov, Eugeny Vinogradsky, Gleb Sokolov, Vladimir Arhipov) safely descended to the base camp to have a rest and that day went in the settlement of Chomolungma for high-grade rest in " a green zone ". Under the plan the group will stay there for 4 days.
Working on the route " Siberia " group settled the new camp at 7600m and fixed the ropes up to 7900m directly up to a rocky bastion, which remains the last serious crux on a way to the summit. Now two other groups are above. The team is full of optimism!

(12.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

01.05.
The remarkable expressive snow-woman decorating the base camp under influence of atmospheric processes lost female charm and turned to something similar to phallic symbol, which however already was lop-sided... Well, I do not know what will happen and what it would mean, when it completely becomes to be destroyed. Deposits are not present while, there is variable overcast, but there are dense dark clouds are coming from below. The wind is very strong even in the base camp, and at high altitude the storm does not allow to work on the wall. Therefore the group led by Totmyanin descended to the base camp, and Bolotov's group stays at 7000 waiting for improvement of weather. Such sad and unproductive the Holiday of workers turned out.
M.Bakin

04.05.
The ascent goes on slowly, but we move forward. It's the third day of Bolotov's group working on the wall. Bolotov - Kirievsky are ahead now and for this today they fixed approximately 30 meters of rope. You can see the line of the route and the top point of fixed ropes on the photo. Totmyanin gave his own description to the mountain: "If on the top of Khan Tengri set Petit Dru we will approximately have that we have got now". Tomorrow under the plan the two-man team from Bolotov's group (most likely Borisov - Bolotov) will work on the wall. One man (presumably Kirievsky) will descend to the base camp. Odintsov, Mikhailov, Ruchkin will ascend 7000 m and Pavlenko - from the camp at 5600 to the camp at 6700. M.Bakin.

05.05.
We are continuing our slow but progressive movement. The two-man team Borisov - Bolotov fixed approximately 20 meters of the route more. Climbing is still very difficult. Moreover strong wind and cold complicate the ascent. I do not know if the good (in our understanding) weather happens here. When the sky is clear, strong (and at the altitude height very strong) wind blows. From the words of Kirievsky: if let the rope freely off, it will "emerge" on a wind, having formed a sinusoid with amplitude of about seven meters. Except for that it is not necessary to forget, that it is the northern face and the chimney, on which the route passes is in a shadow all the time. And the altitude is more than 7300 meters now. But the ascent goes on. M.Bakin.

(11.05.2004)
Another bad information
World Climbing Champion Elie Chevieux died yesterday in Afghanistan lapidate by talibans.

http://www.kairn.com/

(11.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

08.05.
Yesterday we hauled the portaledge up to the top point of fixed ropes (it saves approximately 6 hours) and today advanced two-man team Ruchkin-Mikhailov has set up some kind of a record - they made the hardest pitch on the most complicated rocks. Tomorrow they plan to continue the ascent. There is a difficult site ahead with a system of cornices approximately in 15 meters. Weather is fine today, but I do not know, how it will be tomorrow. All of us are more or less healthy. M.Bakin.

09.05.
Today, having overcome cornices two-man team Ruchkin-Mikhailov made a pitch right vertically upwards. Weather is not bad: it is fine above with a clean sky, below it is cloudy, moderate windy, but without deposits. We congratulate all of you on the holiday. M.Bakin.

10.05.
Good afternoon, friends! Today two-man team Ruchkin-Mikhailov has made one more pitch for a day. They descend to have a rest, and tomorrow two-man team Pershin-Totmyanin will begin to work on the wall. Totally the team has fixed 8,5 vertical ropes from 7000 m. Weather seems suspiciously good today, it is even frighten. The Russians always concern to good with suspicion, expecting after that any global meanness. Let see, what will be tomorrow. In the base camp mountain goats approach on 8-10 meters. We can see whole herds with small kids. I thought so close they can be seen only in a zoo. M.Bakin.

(11.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
6 May
One part of our team went up to the ABC today. The strong wind has been blowing from the south all the day and in evening it dropped. According to the weather forecast on the 7th and the 8th of May the wind will subside and the plan of our team is to reach the second camp at 7800m. After that wind will increase again till the 16th of May. Abramov, Rozhkov and Ryzhenko have to ascend the ABC tomorrow. The plan is the same besides we must control the work of sherps they will carry the oxygen cylinders at the second and third camp. The plan of conquest the summit is from the 22nd of May till the 1st of June. I hope we will be successful!!!

(9.05.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
7.05.04
The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov informs:
Yesterday the group led by Petr Kuznetsov managed to settle the tent, and it is our second camp at 7550m. Having spent the night already in this camp since the morning we continued working on the wall. There were 4 pitches made before and today we managed to fix five ropes more. In a result the expedition have reached 7800 meters. We have got 4-5 pitches left up to the beginning of the rocky bastion. Tomorrow the guys plan to engage in fixing these ropes, and then will descend to have a rest. Today Ermachek's group (Ermachek-Volodin-Zhilin) left the camp I to change Kuznetsov's group that is going to descend to 6200m. Bastion's altitude is 7900m. The main task of Ermachek's group is to set there next camp. Then the groups led by Koshelenko and Shabalin by turns will begin fixing the bastion. So, for today - the altitude is 7800m.

On "NTV + Sports" telechannel in " Peak interest " programme every Tuesday and Friday there is the direct broadcast about expedition going.

Huge greetings, good weather and success Odintsov's team on Jannu.

(9.05.2004)
Expedition of Ekaterinburg climbers to Peak Sablya (Sabre)
07.05.2004.
Attention!!! We ended up by good news coming! Therefore after not long judgement we are going to tell you everything happened. The new route on Sablya peak via the left bastion of North-East face, presumably 6À graded has been sent.
Having taken off early morning yesterday, 06.05.2004, the team without portaledges but only with two tents left on the wall and after spending the night on snow-covered ledge, today at 17.00 they summited in full complement.
They managed to reach the summit in spite of it was blowing a gale, snowing with a rain, and all the gear and clothes were covered with ice crust. After afternoon weather finally deteriorated: it was still snowing and raining, cloudy, visibility worsened. The bad weather holds and now. The entirely route consist s of full seventeen pitches. According to Eugeny Novoseltsev, one and a half of pitches could be classified as VI À3 - À4 (according UIAA classification): the belay points nearly do not hold falling. As the result Sergey Kofanov had two technical falls (3 and 14 meters).
By the words of Eugeny, the new route appeared more complex, than Semiletkin's route on Svobodnaya (Free) Korea, graded as 6 (literally: "for a long time considers as duty"six"). The ascent was going on under adverse weather conditions (except for pair weather "windows").
All of us are safe and sound and getting now warm and dried in Aranetsky shelter after skiing trip from the mountain. Celebratory beakers have been already rose. The assault camp was taken off today. Tomorrow we wait for the helicopter and we hope to be in Pechora if a wind blows away the heaven dirty trick.

P.S. All our amicable company give our warm wishes and congratulations to the captain of the team and the ideological inspirer of the expedition Sergey Kofanov because of his happy birthday on May, 6. He met the next year of his life on the wall of Sablya. And today we wish happy birthday Lena Kanelyuk.

Generally speaking, we have a lot of occasions to be pleased. All the night long we will drink tea and sing songs.

Our greetings to natives and friends. Wait for us, we will come back soon.

(6.05.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna
Last call from Simone was very short, because his batterie is finished:
" We are down, everything ok. hear us tomorrow for details and pictures."
thank you for follow us...

6.05
New route on "KHALI HIMAL or BARUNTSE NORD" 7066 m
It had been very difficult, very... but at the end using all our capacities and resistance we reached our objective. The north face of Khali Himal or Baruntse north is really big, vertical, dangerous, impressive. It was virgin and unclimbed and only the ices of the trekkers and climber had been dreamed a climb on that wall after looking the mountain. We knew that we have to use all our capacities and strengths to have success on that face. And it happened...

We struggled four days and nights again wind, could, mix climb, ice and rock. We had bivvy 4 days in three people in a tend of two... We never found place to set it good and only our legs hanging in devoid. Ice crew, rock pitons, ice axes, friends and nuts had been used to climb the complicate wall, but the real struggle had been against the wind and cold. We get 35 m/sec (120 Km/h) wind during all the ascent and also on the summit!!!

We had been very happy to reach the summit through this new and first route and we spend 12 hours to come down from the mountain rappelling on a single ice crew for 20 times...

The name of the route is "Ciao Patrick" because we dedicated the climb to Patrick Berhault recently dead. It was our friend and mythus.

The specification of our new route you can see below. Now we will have a rest and then we will fly to Annapurna I 8091 m for a new challenge.
Thank you to follow us
Simone

"Ciao Patrick"
Khali Himal or Baruntse North 7066 m,
May, 4, 2004,
Moro Simone G.A, Tassi Bruno "Camos" G.A, Urubko Denis
Height of the wall 2550m, including the last 1350 m climbed in alpine style.
Camps: 3
Category of complexity: mixed climbing M6 often on the destroyed breed, rocks 5 +/6, ice 70 ° and 90 ° with interspersed granite sites.
Exposition: North - West
Biwy on the wall: 4
Descent: 12 hours for twenty times.

Mt. Baruntse
Camos	Denis on the wall	Denis is climbing
Very long route	Simone on the summit	Denis on the summit
Simone on the summit	Simone is rappelling	Killer traverse
Mt. Makalu

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(6.05.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
4 May
All the people descended to the BC. In May as usual the stormy winds blow as it was last year. From the 1st May till the 10th there are holidays in China in addition today is the Day of Youth. So there are a lot of tourists in the Base Camp. Two Italians Giorgio and Gianni went home today. There are only few jeeps. The weather is bad. The expeditions are going down. We want to descend at 4200m and have a rest if it will be enough jeeps. We are in good spirits for fighting it will be a work for whole month further.
5 May
The weather is very bad. The wind is blowing strongly. There are no jeeps. We are all staying in the Base Camp. Dima Moskalev is going to ascend the ABC today. Vladimir Gaidamak, Artur Karapetyan, David D’Angelo and Marshal Ulrich will climb up tomorrow. The task is one to install the second camp at 7800m. According to the weather forecast the wind will subside on the 7th and 9th of May and then again from the 9th till the 16th of May it will be stormy wind. We will see. Italians have already arrived in Katmandu and tomorrow they will fly out towards their fatherland.

(5.05.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

02.05.
The two-man team Bolotov - Borisov continued climbing the wall. They have made only one pitch for a day: our ascent goes slowly. And the reasons are obvious: high altitude (more than 7 000m) and a vertical wall with hanging sites.
Today there is good weather: sunny day, clean sky, but there is a strong wind and it is rather cold. The hanging on the sun socks washed in the morning, were frozen. Tomorrow M.Mikhailov and A.Odintsov's group leaves the base camp at 5600.
Our greetings to everybody and the best regards.
M.Bakin.

5.05
Hello friends!
That last site that we have to climb reminds very much the American diretissima on Petit Dru or a combination of cruxes of Semiletkin, Popenko and Bezzubkin's routes on Svobodnaya (Free) Korea. We have to climb fixed ropes for three days up to 7000 m to continue the work on the wall. We have two entrance-gate camps at 5600 m and 6700 m, i.e. we spend the night in them and go further. The camp at 7000 m has the special status: we live in it. He should be maximum comfortable to have a rest and restore forces for working on extremely difficult surface.
Our group spent all the day to cut out in ice a 2õ2 meters platform under a tent for Efimov's group. I have been on "7-thousand" mountains for 35 times, but for the first time biwy organization at 7000m took so much time and forces. A half of the tent is cut in the slope and closed from above by 3õ4m awning and dust avalanches fly above, not causing harm. We have to climb via combined relief: 70-90-degrees rocks with ice spanked block and rocky cornices. For aid climbing we use universal rocky pitons of 2-5 mm, bent channels of 3 different sizes, stoppers, friends and camalots. Also we have unscrewed bolts for monolithic sites and sky hooks. Ice sites of the wall represent firm ice spanked blocks of thickness from meter up to several centimeters. We successfully use ice screws, ice tools and ice fifi on them. If to count the weight of clothes, footwear and crampons the leader has about 15 kg hanging on him.
Free climbing in "Millet" footwear, warm multilayered clothes and in gloves from Polartec is rather problematic. The rocks are dry, but cold. Temperature is negative 15-20. While the leader covered in sweat goes ahead, the belayer struggles with cold. There are 5 pitches from camp at 7000 m prior to the beginning of fixed ropes and we have to spend 4 hours to get there since the morning.
The immediate task of the advanced group is to fix even two more ropes and to hang up one more portaledge closer to the beginning of fixed ropes. Today Bolotov's group is ahead. Mikhailov's group and Àlexander Odintsov ascended at 5600 m. The advanced two-man team climbed 5 m of the cornice for this day and straightened the fixed ropes: it makes easier to ascend, haul gear and will save the time of ascent at least on one or one and a half of hour.
A bad consequence of our work at high altitude is constant cough. The doctor prescribes different treatment in the base camp, including inhalations with herbs. We have an electric inhaler, which effectively helps to struggle with respiratory illnesses. One more problem at such altitude is dehydration of organism. Morning and evening consumption of liquid is obviously not enough.
The advanced two-man team takes a thermos on the wall, but they can drink only on the top point of pitch, further the leader climbs upper and works as a navvy up to the end of the working day without drink. The basic drink is tea. " Princess Nuri " in bags is well made in "boiled water" at 7000 m. Other drinks are instant coffee, cocoa, juices and milk in different combinations. In the base camp we would like to drink a beer and fruit compotes. The wall furiously resists. But the team has a fighting spirit.
Our greetings to everybody!
N. Totmyanin from the base camp.

P.S. Yesterday rather sad event happened. At a portaledge we had prepared to haul and hung at 7000 meters, was pulled out one of 4 points of fastening, and a strong wind broken the poles of a skeleton. The spare complete set of poles will be lifted by Mikhailov's group in 2 days. All this does not accelerate the ascent.

(5.05.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On May, 2.
N.Zhilin called:
Everybody descended to have a rest. Storm winds are heavy blowing above. Tents hold the wind in the meanwhile. According to the forecast windy weather will last couple of days in area of Everest...

On May, 4.
Eugeny Vinogradarsky reports:
Weather seems to improve. In the morning we left for working upward for 4 days therefore I will not contact with you. For the last days winds have torn 3 tents and our wardroom. But our purpose is to put one more camp. By different estimations we have reached the altitude of about 7600-7800 meters, and we really need the assault camp at 8500m!

The head of the expedition Victor Kozlov informs 5.05:
On May, 1-2-3 nobody worked on the wall, because of a very strong wind, which did not allow to work. Today the weather is more - less adjusted, now on the wall the group led by Peter Kuznetsov (group " Siberia": Eugeny Vinogradsky, Gleb Sokolov, Vladimir Arhipov) works. Yesterday they ascended at 7200m, released from snow fixed ropes, corrected setting of the tent and spent the night.
Today they climbed upper, reached the end of fixed ropes, i.e. 7750m. The previous group (Pavel Shabalin's group) had preliminary lifted a tent there. The group led by Kuznetsov made a platform under the tent hardly lower 7550m, now they are descending at 7200 and will spend the night there, and tomorrow will ascend upper again: two climbers will engage in making the platform, and the second two climbers will work on the wall above. Weather seems to get going right. That's all the news for this moment.

Nikolay Chyorny:
Shabalin's group descended, the others are working on the wall or approaching to it. Tomorrow I together with Sherpa will leave and we will try to employ them. Such unstable weather creates uncertainty. All the rest things while are normal; all of us are more or less healthy, without traumas (I knock on a tree).

(5.05.2004)
Sergey Bogomolov, Annapurna -2004
Hi, everybody!
Opposition of hostile to our organisms weather conditions and forces of human spirit proceeds. On April, 29 I, Peter Hamor, Martin Gablik and Piotr Pustelnik were fixing rope on the ice-snow ridge when we were covered with snowstorm. This everywhere penetrating suspension takes breath away and does not allow to hide anywhere. And these 9-mm ropes on which we hang on, become closer than your natives do. Who has been in such situation will understand me. Only gallop downwards! - the only thing that can bring rescue. We are covered constantly with dust avalanches after which we have to shake out about a half of backpack of snow. 700 meters downwards flew instantly.
One more enemy - constant snowfalls. We feel exhausted by it. The situation is those that the snow does not freeze through enough for a night and we have to break trail hard, constantly falling knee-deep. Because of avalanches all the fixed ropes become covered with snow, and we have to dig out them and pull out, wasting time, or to lose.
One more misfortune: a half of the team was ill in different ways. Piotr and Vlado Strba have a strange cough. And if Piotr, the courageous person, tries to fight fire with fire and "to strangle" tonsillitis by hard work, Vlado descended from 6000m with suspicion on a pneumonia. Aljosza Markac has an old trauma of his backbone and constant diarrhoea. Martin has his own problems. I would not cast a shadow over the guys, but it turns out, that all time Piotr and I work ahead. Darek Zaluski and Pawel Jozefowicz do not like the weather. According to chosen tactics, it is hard for us.
Having stayed for 6 days at 6000m and fixed the ropes up to 6700m, we understood, that we had no more forces to continue, and descended to the base camp. It appeared to be good for us! On the night of May, 1st, 50-sm carpet of snow covered the base camp. We hope for the good weather and our good health.

Faithfully yours, Sergey Bogomolov,
Annapurma, base camp
May, 1, 2004

(5.05.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

DENIS URUBKO, BRUNO TASSI AND SIMONE MORO have summited BARUNTSE (the north summit Khali Himal 7041 m) via the new route May,4 at 13-00

1.05
Hello (first call via satphone)
Denis and I arrived just now in camp 1 at 6200 meter. We prepared the tent which Denis and Boris took down for avoid to be destroyed by the wind and the snow. Today all the fixropes were covered from half-meter snow, only the fixropes in the rocky part were free. Now Denis and I will try to continue a little more on the difficult rocky part and reach the snow part.
(second call) Hello, here we are again. Now we tree stay in tend, preparing food. Denis and I climbed 20 meters more and I think there are 20 meters more of very difficult climb for arriving on snow, but now there is storm. Tomorrow, if the weather want, we will continue.
Follow us Simone & Co

2.05
Hi friends
This night we slept very badly, because the 2 men tend is really too small for tree people. This morning Denis and Camos started to resolve the last difficult part. After very delicate rocky and mixed climbing now they are in snow at 6300 meters and Denis is crossing from left to right side. The wind is not so strong than yesterday, but it persist to blow. Tomorrow we want to start definitely to summit, but we are worried about the wind. Also we can't stay to long here in tend, because our gas is near to finish…
Ciao till tomorrow Simone Co.

3.05
Hello
Here we are again. Today it was a incredible hard day. We get up at 2 o’clock in the night and started with tend and everything at 3 o’clock, and only now, at 7 o’clock p.m. we arrived at the ridge. We climbed all the day, we never stopped, not for drinking, not for eating…. The face was very steap and we the climbing was very difficult and mostly in rocky and icy part. All the day there was strong wind and so it was very cold also if there was shining the sun. Some friends called us from the other base camps, because they were afraid about us. But everything is ok now. Tomorrow we want to go to the north summit, the Khali Himal (black summit) and than we will decide if continue to Baruntse main summit or if go back. It depend from the weather and how long we take to Khali Himal.
Follow us also tomorrow Ciao Simone, Denis and Camos (via satellite phone)

4.05
SMS at 1:45 Italian time: “We are starting now. There is sun and the wind is acceptable.”

Call at 7 a.m. Italian time: “I’ on the summit. I reached just now the north summit of Baruntse, the Khalima at 7041 m. Denis is coming soon and also Camos will reach the summit. The wind is very strong. The ridge to the main summit seems not difficult, but the wind is so strong, we risk to be blow away…. Today is the birthday from Camos. I’m very satisfied We hear us again, when I’m back in the tend. Ciao”
Simone

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(5.05.2004)
Expedition of Ekaterinburg climbers to Peak Sablya (Sabre)
On April, 30 the rest of expedition members and cargo were transferred on snowmobiles to the hut under Aranetsky pass. We did not manage to get directly to Hoffmann's glacier because of active thawing of snow. Thawed snow doesn't hold the snowmobile with big loadings. The team joined and we made first full carry under Khod Konem (Knight's move) pass through which the assault group should pass on Hoffmann's glacier.

On May, 1.
We continued making full carry: the part of assault group left under the wall via Knight's move pass to Hoffmann's glacier (Primerov, Korobkov, Bobrov, Novoseltsev). They are going to start fixing the route tomorrow as the most of gear are dragged up to the wall's foot. Kofanov and Laryushkin will join them the day after tomorrow. Weather spoiled, a powerful cyclone came and brought snow and rain. Clouds tightened mountains and there is no visibility in area of passes from time to time. It has been raining yesterday, all the night long and today. Temperature reaches up to positive ten, snow is sinking right before our eyes. Everything in the air obviously feels subpolar spring coming. In the Knight's move pass area there is avalanche danger. And avalanches are constantly collapsing in the corrie of Northen- East face. The day after tomorrow we plans to finish gear carry and the six of us (the team in its full complement) will start working on the wall. We plan to take-off on May, 3. All of us have a good health, a good mood and a good sense of humour despite of the spoiled weather.
For tomorrow we are going to have a day of rest for those that has not left under the wall. Follow us.

On May, 3.
Today Kofanov and Laryushkin finally made their trip to the foot of the wall, where the guys (Novoseltsev, Prinmerov, Korobkov) already started fixing the rope on the route. In total they have made four pitches for yesterday and today. There is a lot of snow: it was snowing today, but the wall of Sablya (Sabre) peak almost clean, the main amount of snow is on a mountain summit part. But small avalanches go constantly. In general, avalanches collapse in the mountain circus with a disgusting regularity in different directions (with periodicity about ten minutes). It roars continuously. Because of them we had to replace the assault camp to a safer place, which all the same is surrounded from different directions with avalanche cones (the camp is settled actually under the beginning of the route on the glacier). Our assistants made next full carry today (almost final), and between the wall and Aranetsky shelter set continuous communication line. We are going to remove the assault camp probably the day after tomorrow, and it would be one more full carry. Now there comes a small cold snap, with a frost at night. In the afternoon it is warm: the first half of the day was solar and hot, we could take air and solar baths.
Anybody has problems with health. There were small colds, but the doctor treated them. The mood remains vigorous. The generator slightly started to knock, it is quite possible, that "disassemblies" with it will proceed, therefore, if there are not any e-mails from us, you should not be frightened - everything is normally, but the generator refuses to give energy. That's all news. We are going to inform you about everything interesting at us.

(5.05.2004)
Ukrainian Himalaya expedition Ama Dablam 2004
Having stayed for 5 days in tents we made summit push on 1-st of May, but after 10 hours ascending we had to stop in the beginning of the couloir filled with snow and ice.
Next day, having not climbed the last 500m up to the summit we had to bail and turn back because of very bad condition of the route and extremely high avalanche danger.
At the present time the group is already in the base camp and packs things for departure home (the terms draw in) . But the weather as to spite is magnificent...

(30.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004

Expedition Photos

 

On the road from Nepal to Tibet	Subject of Alexander Abramov's pride - the16 meters long tent from made by "Megatest". It serves as billboard.	Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria at the Base Camp (5100m)
Team's workdays in the Base Camp

"You began to understand, that you have gone to the expedition with Russians when the manager of the hotel in Katmandu asked the expedition head not to dry a fish on a balcony - other guests are dissatisfied. " (Davide D'Angelo says)

Photos by David D'Angelo, http://www.explorersweb.com/ex018/

(30.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

29.04
Hello Friends. Today the weather conditions are better than the other days. Today afternoon it had been snow very few and the weather report said that for Friday and Saturday there will be jetstream in high altitude and from Sunday the sky should start to be clean.... For that reasons, tomorrow or after tomorow we will start for our summit attempt. We have big motivations and energies... Cross the fingers for us
Simone

30.04
Today we start for the summit attempt. Today evening we will be at ABC, tomorrow at 6100 mt at our tend in middle of the north face and than in 2 days of difficult climb in alpine style we will try to reach the main summit of Baruntse. We will be three persons, me, Denis Urubko and Bruno Tassi (Camors). The weather forecast said that strong wind will come in the next days but we don't want to wait more and loose time. Annapurna is waiting me,Denis and Boris..... Today we received the bad news abaut the dead of Patrick Berhault (FRA). We was friends of Patrick and I and Bruno climed also with him in Italy in Cornalba. I also introduced him during his slide show in Lecco and we spent nice time together. We are very sad for his lost. We will climb and dedicate to him our route (if we will reach the summit). I hope he will protect us during our attempt....
I will send you reports by SMS to my wife and she will write to you how is going.....
Ciao
Simone

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(30.04.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
Nikolay Cherny informs:
"We have fixed ropes up to 7500 m. Koshelenko's group descended, Shabalin's group starts to continue working. Everything is OK for a while. Today we have a great creative victory - at last our sherpas reached up to the first tent at 6200m: they could not do that before. They lifted up 27 heavy ropes. The weather holds changeable, but practically the guys have not lost any day".

(30.04.2004)

Expedition of Ekaterinburg climbers to Peak Sablya (Sabre)
We are in Priuralsk now. The first part of the team (Kofanov, Primerov, Bobrov, Belkov and Korobkov) is already transferred under the foot of Sablya (Sabre) by snowmobiles. The weather still allows to move on "Burans" (in the mornings it freezes and there is ice crust for the time being). This night we plan to get other part of group and the rest of the cargo to Sablya. There is a lot of deep snow. Temperature holds positive the most part of the day.
There are only two snowmobiles: it is not enough to transfer all our big company with comfort, therefore the cargo will go on sledges, and the participants - on skis behind the sledges. There are about 70 kilometres from Priuralsk up to Sablya foot, and the trip seems to be interesting. In the afternoon visibility improved, the sky cleared up opening brilliant views on Sablinsky range. You can see that in added photos. We are in an excellent mood and normal health.
P.S. We carried out competitions on snowboard jumping from abrupt banks of the Pechyora river (Especial Thanks to E.Novoseltsev for the constructed springboards). Now we are preparing to the full carry.

(29.04.2004)
Patrick Berhault and Philippe Magnin. Marathon: 82 "4-thousand" mountains in the Alps for 82 days is started!

According the information we've got, Patrick Berhault, 47 years old climber, has died after cornice falling on Taschhorn, (4491m). It is a mountain in Switzerland, in a spur extending to the north from the main ridge, in area of the resort small town of Zermatt.
On Wednesday, on April, 28, Patrick and Phillip left the camp Mischabeljosh (3.851m). This day they planed to summit 4 tops: Taeschhorn (4.491 m), Dom (4.545 m), Lenzspitze (4.294 m) and Nadelhorn (4.327 m). His dead body was found on Thursday, April, 29 2004, at the altitude of 3800m. On the preliminary information at 11.20 a.m. at 4400m a cornice collapsed and Patrick fell down over 600m. Unfortunately, he was not roped up with his partner Philippe Magnin as the cornice was seem not difficult to them.
It was their 66th "four-thousand" mountain, from 82 in the Alps, which they were going to summit for 82 days.
www.glenatpresse.com

(29.04.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On April, 29. E.Vinogradsky called. (5200 m, 16.00 local time):
Right now we communicated with Ilias Tukhvatullin. We can not see them from the base camp. But according to his information Shabalin's group made 4 pitches more on the rocky site higher than a snow field. But, probably, it appears simple rocks - they ascended very fast. In total there are 15 pitches from the camp at 7200m.
They are going to climb upper and make somewhere a platform. Ermachek, Zhilin and Volodin have a rest in the base camp. Koshelenko and Bobok have just descended now, and Bukinich has stayed at the base camp for two days too: he doesn't work, because he is still badly prepared, but already gets used to the wall...
Nikolay Cherny coordinates all actions from the camp at 6200m. He has lived there for a week.
Weather is adjusted, it is freezing, and the wind changed direction. I should note it is very great deal that our high-altitude sherpas started to drag cargoes up to 7200m. They are good fellows, ambitious guys.
If they work like now farther, they will help us very much! We would like to congratulate you with the coming 1st of May and hope that you will meet it to the full!

(29.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

Here we are again. It start again to snow and this time more than the other days. This morning we decided to prepare our equipment because tomorrow we would like to make our summit attempt but the weather "heard" our plans and it start to snow....
As you see from the photo I just made (at 4:00 p.m.) we are again in a bad situation and we have only to choice to wait,wait,wait. The weather forecast said that till 1st May the conditions will not change and so we are ready to continue our boring wait. I think tomorrow and after we will remain here because the avalanche danger is higher in this days on the wall. We will inform you tomorrow what we will do....
Ciao
Simone C.

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(29.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

28.04.
Good afternoon! Two-man group Pavlenko -Mikhailov continued fixing the rope. Having made 2,5 pitches for two days (it is higher than the top point of the last autumn fixed ropes) the guys descended into the camp at 6700m.

Today Totmyanin's group ascended at 7000m. The whole day long they were preparing a place for a tent as the portaledge is going to be lifted from 7000 to the Wall upper.

The base camp was visited by the group from Ekaterinburg: Dmitry Frolenko, Andrey Krylov and Jury Lutsak. Under the plan Bolotov's group starts working on the Wall tomorrow, and Mikhailov's group descends into the base camp. Weather holds unstable, but it allows us to continue our ascent.
M.Bakin.

(28.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

27.04.
M.Mikhailov's group, which has been staying in the camp at 7000m, started work on the Wall. Two-man Ruchkin-Mihailov started work directly the Wall and ascended the altitude above 7200m - it is upper than the end of the rope had fixed before. Tomorrow they plan to continue fixing. The group led by Totmyanin ascended to the camp at 6700m. Tomorrow they is going to reach 7000m. Odintsov came from base camp in the camp at 5600. Weather today is quite good for Jannu. It is snowing periodically, a wind is not so strong. That 's all for today all. Our greetings to all of you.
M.Bakin

(28.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

Hello Friends. I'm here again for the daily appointment with you.
Today is the eight day of bad weather. It continue to be cloudy and sometimes it start to snow. Now we are tired to continue to get rest and hope in some change. But we have no choice. We have to wait the blue sky and the sun, because all the mountain are covered of fresh snow and Baruntse too... The section we have to climb before to touch the summit, are 3 big plate of ice covered from dangerous snow. We don't want to increase the danger of our climb and die for it. The heroes are only in TV and in the book and our icy face and life has to remain in the realty and not in a epic tragic story... So we have to be patient and wait for the good weather. I and Denis today came back to base camp after 2 days spent in Chukhung at 4700 meter. Camos and Boris will come tomorrow here after the last day in a warm and clean lodge.
Ciao
Simone Moro

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(28.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
26, April
Base Camp 5100m. It is snowing heavily in the Base Camp like in fairy tales of Gogol. It is night and silence. There are lonely lights on the other side of the field. Today Dima Moskalev and Marshal Ulrich descended from the North Col 7000m. In the morning they had breakfast and in the afternoon they climbed down the Base Camp. At 14.40 I started to climb down too. It is always when a man is descending one idea occurs "Why have I been sitting so long at 6500m" At such altitude all the brain seems to be killed and there are no wishes at all and even the thought about woman is rather sluggish. During my way to the BC it was snowing heavily and I had to descend four hours loosing and finding the path again and again. I could hardly find our camp in the boundless field of the BC. It has been snowing all day in the BC. We heard that it was downpouring all the time in Katmandu. Early monsoon is it possible? I do not believe!!! It was the same in 2000 year but when the full moon appeared in the sky all the climbers were able to ascend the summit. In this year the full moon will be at the turn of May. I hope to God that we will be successful.
27, April
Base Camp 5100m. The morning is crystal-clear everything around us is covered with snow. Everest is snow-white. There is no wind at all as if we are in Antarctica now. Luda Koshelenko has made the massage room from the canteen. She told that she had used to massage boxers and weight-lifters for twelve hours and the skinny bodies of climbers it was not difficult to massage. The barrel of salted cucumbers came in handy. The guys have been ascending the summit by plan. It is a pleasure to communicate with the elite of Russian climbers. Two Italians decided to wait with their departure and make an attempt again. According our plan all the team will ascend the ABC the day after tomorrow.

(28.04.2004)
Ukrainian Himalaya expedition Ama Dablam 2004
We received fresh news from Ukrainian team ascending Ama Dablam:
Everything is OK at the team led by Gorbach. The guys have been still sitting in the tents because of a constant snowfall. Having made first full carry in the Camp I they got into such snowstorm descending that they could hardly found the tents. The Americans at last descended after their sitting out on the mountain and trying to withstand the bad weather for 6 days. They did not manage to climb upper the Camp II. In general, the guys are going to wait for the good weather or just its improvement for a little.

(27.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Doctor Bakin informs:
Hi, all friends! Within three days, on April 22,23,24 there was very bad weather: heavy snowing, a strong wind all day long. Bolotov's three-men group stayed at 7000 for these three days. Yesterday, having made unsuccessful (because of snowfall) attempt to climb upper, at about 12.00 the guys began descending and at about 17.00 they came to the base camp. It was uneasy, taking into account strong snowfall and avalanches. Judging by their eyes Bolotov, Borisov and Kirievsky did not at once understand, where they had appeared, then though they gradually got warm but only today in the morning they finally came round.
On April 25, in the morning there is no snowing. It is high overcast and atmospheric pressure has a little increase. The hope for improvement of weather has appeared. Having waited till the bad weather was over Mikhailov's three-men group went to the camp at 6700 today in the morning and, there is a hope, that tomorrow they will get in the camp at 7000m. All our further plans and actions entirely depend on the weather.

26.04. Mikhailov's group (M.Mikhailov, A.Ruchkin, D.Pavlenko) went today to the advanced camp at 7000ì. If circumstances allow, they will begin work on the wall. N.Totmyanin and M.Pershin left the base camp this morning and now they are staying in the camp at 5600m. Bolotov's group (A.Bolotov, S.Borisov, G.Kirievsky), descended from the camp at 7000 and have a rest now. Tomorrow in the morning the head of the expedition A.Odintsov plans to get to the camp at 5600m. The weather has a little improved and reminds like the weather in the last autumn. With one difference: in the autumn after 1.00-2.00 p.m. it started raining, bur now it begins snowing. At all altitudes. But the first half of day leaves us freedom for manoeuvre. The other is only known to God.
Today having taken strength the climbers led by their head constructed a snow-woman in the base camp. Odintsov refused the canons of a snow sculpture familiar from the childhood (with nose-carrots). Inspired like Mikelandgelo, he modelled rather expressive... figure. Even there was a fear, if she would visit the tents at night (*Mountain.ru: Have you ever read "Venera Ill'skaya", P. Merime's short story?) With the masterpiece in the background we were photographed with flags of sponsors. Mountain goats walk near to the camp. You can come on 7-10 meters close to them. This is National Park there and there are no hunters, they aren't afraid. Our greetings to all friends!
M.Bakin.

(27.04.2004)

Expedition of Ekaterinburg climbers to Peak Sablya (Sabre)
On April, 27. At 6.00 a.m. Hastily mustering overslept participants all over the night Ekaterinburg, friends and sponsors methodically formed the group of those who was going to departure on the platform of the station. In the train the expedition's cargo was carried by ten together in some bids and it filled up two compartments and a half of the tambour - we'd like to separate thank the conductor of the 10th carriage of the train "Khabarovsk - Moscow" for the favorable attitude to the Ural mountaineering!
The team consisted of climbers together with the doctor, rescuers and assistants, total whether 13, whether 14 person, finally left Ekaterinburg. Sergey Plotnikov, Moscow, is going to join them with the satellite phone given by firm "BASK".
We will learn later how successfully they reach their terminus changing in Kirov, Pechora, Kozhva, and how many boxes, handbags, snowboards they will get lost en route. Therefrom there are two ways to reach up to Sablinsky range: by helicopter for a pair of hours or on snow-tractors for 1-2 days. The helicopter back is reserved for May, 8-10.

Photos from the previous expedition

(27.04.2004)

Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
25.04. Victor Volodin called from the Wall of Everest (6200ì):
"...audibility was not so clear, but we managed to understand something: Ermachek's group worked above for three days and fixed the rope approximately up to 7500-7600 meters. We had only a little pitch left to beginning flattening under the rocky bastion above, but we were run out of bolts. The character of a surface - the tile plates covered with a snow and ice. We basically use anchor hooks at belay station. The bad weather: a strong wind, snow and bad visibility of, a maximum, 50 -100 meters complicates our ascent.
Earlier Kuznetsov's group made three pitches above 7300m and settled a tent. Our group is descending to the base camp: now we are at 6200, then will descend to 5600m and then - to 5000m, and have a rest there. Koshelenko's group will change us, but not with its full complement: Bukinich feels not well and remains at the base camp, Zhilin feels unwell too. The sherpas work only up to 7000 meters and do not go further.
The heaviest thing is to ascend for changing working group: we have to jug about 30 pitches. Every day we move ahead and ahead. We work in any weather. Our greetings to everybody. Victor Volodin.

On April, 27. Victor Volodin calls:
It has been bad weather for some days. Jury Koshelenko's group is on the route now. Having made five pitches they reached approximately 7700m. We are in a good mood. Yura Ermachek and I are resting in the tent now and engaged in reading Playboy :-).

(27.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
24, April
ABC 6400m. It is snowing all the time. Today is the Happy Birthday of Lenin and Communist Subbotnik. But the Subbotnik became Nepalese. On Saturdays sherps do not work. Today the team was divided. Rozhkov Ilya, Ryzhenko Arkadiy, Profurmo Giorgio, Carbone Gianni descended to the base camp 5100m. Another heroes Abramov Alexander, Moskalev Dmitry, Karapetyan Artur, Gaidamak Vladimir and Marshal Ulrich are staying in ABC for ascending and installing camp at the North Col tomorrow. I do not believe that it will be possible it is 70sm of snow on the North Col. Everest is standing as white as a bride.
25, April
ABC 6400m. Dima Moskalev and Marshal Ulrich went to the North Col accompanied by three sherps. Another persons except Alexander Abramov descended to the BC. I am keeping house here. I have gave sherps the load for the camp 7000m, met the caravan with the load from the BC, equipped the office, solved a problem with generator we conquered each other it is working and I am touching it, installed antenna. Now the connection with the BC is perfect 24 hours because we had brought two accumulators and charge them every day. I am criticizing severely our cook he is cooking the food on the ground again. At that moment when I was nearly ready to have a rest and take a view of my house as it happens usually in classical detective story Gianni reported me that they made the decision to go to Katmandu. The state is critical and the prospects are gloomy. I tried to persuade them but without success. I collected all their things 85kg for two yaks. I have to descend the BC tomorrow and decide the question how to send our Italians to their Fatherland. From evening connection I got to know that Dima is heating water on the North Col 7000m!!!

(26.04.2004)
Three "Russian" Rock-climbing World Cup stages are cancelled.
Flash News: In the beginning of this year a calendar contains record amount of Rock-climbing World Cup stages: nine in difficulty and nine in bouldering. The pleasure of climbers has not last for a long: one after the other the refusals followed. The latest and the most sad news for us: the planned World Cup stages in Ekaterinburg (bouldering and speed) are cancelled too. Our day will not come :-(

(26.04.2004)

From April, 25 till May, 10 a team of young Ekaterinburg climbers is going to summit Peak Sablya (Sabre), 1497 meters, via a new route on center of the 600-meter and 70 degrees wall.
Nowadays this mountain territory is a part of Jugyd-Va National Park with the city of Pechera as administrative center. The mountain Sablya is a pearl of Subpolar Ural with its atypical for Ural alpine relief. In this area there is the biggest glacier of the Ural mountains - Hoffmann's glacier. In post-war years Subpolar Ural was well enough investigated by tourists, basically skiers. Plenty of passes are gone here, on the most outstanding tops the elementary routes of ascents are laid. At the same time, the area practically was not visited by climbers. You can count on fingers the technically complex ascents made there. In this meaning the area remains a blank space. The area is remote and deserted and the declared ascent will pass in the conditions of full autonomy - the nearest settlement is in 70 kilometers through the taiga.
There are only two routes of the highest category of complexity laid on the top by combined team of Saint Petersburg and combined team of Perm before this attempt. The new declared route is the most complex of any possible. Though the wall is similar to usual walls in big mountains, such as Himalayas, Karakoram, it is located not so far and you don't have to acclimatize for many days as in the Himalayas, but at the same time it is the object of "the international class".
The team consists of skilled climbers:
Sergey Kofanov, Ekaterinburg
Alexander Korobkov, Nizhni Tagil
Daniil Primerov, Ekaterinburg
Eugeny Novoseltsev, Ekaterinburg
Igor Bobrov, Ekaterinburg
Andrey Laryushkin, Ekaterinburg

Sergey Kofanov reports: Our Expedition starts on Tuesday in the morning from Ekaterinburg. We are going to get the foot of the mountain by snow-tractors, and our evacuation is planned by helicopter. According the reports of weather forecasters there is negative 20 there now, but we hope that it will be little bit warmer in May.

(26.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
23, April
Camp ABC 6400m. In the morning everything is white, all the surroundings are covered with snow. Today is very important day to install the tents, prepare all the equipment, link up the portable radio transmitters and electricity. In general we have to build the city on the empty place. Sherps are ready to drop and move hardly. Fine fellows they were able to build the toilet and now are making the flat place for our big tent. I have decided that tomorrow the sherps will have day off but all our team will ascend to the North Col for acclimatization. All the members of the team feel good except our generator it has no wish to turn on. We had a dinner with candlelight near fireplace (gas heater). Today was one unpleasant moment. Seven sherps came to say that the results of yesterday meeting concerning fixed ropes were canceled and now the prices were new at about 100$ for one person. I would give them the money with pleasure but I am not sure that tomorrow another sherps will come and ask for 200$. The mathematics is simple but politics is complicated. I am going to sleep.. Bye

(26.04.2004)
Shisha Pangma-Saint Petersburg Expedition
Our greetings to everybody!
Yesterday we came in ABC settled approximately at 5600m. Rogachevsky will send the details hardly later. I found a free time to put photos in order, selected something and sent to you. There are basically views of the mountain and participants of the expedition there. Let natives and familiars know that we are safe and sound, though have a headache.
Oleg Zagainov

 

Alexey Paskhin	Jury Emelin	Alexey Klimin
Evgeniy Maiorov	Alexander Pashkevich	Doctor
Sergey Rogachevsky	Oleg Zagainov	BC
Our mountain. First look.	Base Camp Opening	Shisha Pangma at sunrise

(26.04.2004)
Ukrainian Himalaya expedition Ama Dablam 2004
The latest news about Ukrainian Expedition to Ama Dablam 2004:
21.04.2004 they summited Kalapatar (5550m)
22.04.2004 descended to Ferichi (4280m)
23.04.2004 got to Ama Dablam base camp (4700m).
It has been snowing for two days. The route is occupied by Americans now. The Ukrainians are next in turn. (While the guys are training in tents...)

(26.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

25.04.04
Hello friends. Boris and Denis came back this morning in base camp while the weather was again bad... As you can see from photo attach, Boris and Denis fixed other 100 meters rope on the difficult part.Now should remain 60 meters before the icy section of the upper part of the face (should be more easy...). Now all the team will rest 3 days and than I, Camos and Denis will start for the summit attempt. Boris is not included in the permit because he apply too late and for that reason he will follow us by binocular and partecipate in the second part of our expedition on Annapurna from north.
Ciao
Simone

24.04.04
Since 3 days is snowing and 3 since days Denis and Boris are working on the face. Yesterday they fixed 100 meters of rope in rocky and mix climbing. Today they remained in the tend at 6100 m all the day and by radio they communicated us that at 4.p.m. they will start to come down. Now they should be in ABC and tomorrow here in base camp. In the next report I will send you the photo of the 3 days in storm....
. Simone

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(25.04.2004)
Sergey Bogomolov, Annapurna -2004
Sergey Bogomolov reports:
Our greetings to everybody! On April, 10 we settled the base camp. And now the Camp I at 5000m and Camp II at 6000 m are set too. It is warm, but overcast comes early. We wake up early in the morning, and start work on the route at five o'clock. Everything is in normal progress. We are healthy and going to set three camps more.
P.S. Oh, dear! All the night long, 22-23 April, it was a heavy snowfall. Since four o'clock in the morning we cleared away snow from our tents. They were nearly broken. We have to suspend following ascent for two days and stay in the base camp. There is knee-deep snow cover there.

(25.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
E.Vinogradsky called:
The group led by Kuznetsov descended to the camp at 5600m, and tomorrow we will have a rest day at 5200m. Everything is all right. It has been heavy snowing for two days, but the good thing: fresh snow covered slopes and there are objectively less falling stones.

(25.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

On April, 23. It has been snowing heavily all day. The groups remain at the same altitudes. Bolotov's group corrected the portaledge and now their life seems to go right. The plans for tomorrow depend on weather and condition of the route.

Âûøå 6500

Ëàãåðü íà 6700

(23.04.2004)
Patrick Berhault and Philippe Magnin. Marathon: 82 "4-thousand" mountains in the Alps for 82 days is started!

Monday, on April, 19 55/82/
Zermatt (1616m)

Tuesday, on April, 20 55/82.
Zermatt (1616m) - Refuge de Schonbiel (2694m)
At last, weather forecasters promise a lot of sun! The plan: to reach col Durand, then to descend to spend the night at cabane du Mountet, and the next day to try to ascend Ober Gabelhorn, and then to descend to Refuge de Schonbiel. Note: Not to forget: sunglasses and a sunblock lotion!

Wednesday, on April, 21 56/82.
Dent Blanche (4357m).
The sun is out… At 8.45 a.m. Patrick answers my ritual greeting (identical within the last fifty days): "Where you are?" I am surprised! I imagined them on Ober Gabelhorn, but they summited Dent Blanche (4357m)… Ober Gabelhorn is postponed for tomorrow.

Thursday, on April, 22 57/82.
Ober Gabelhorn (4063m)

Photo courtesy of www.club4000.it/
www.glenatpresse.com

(23.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Bad weather
Hello friends!
Today is April, 23. Yesterday Bolotov's group hanged up the portaledge at 7000. The guys had no time to set it correctly up to the bad weather beginning. It was strong snow-falling and a strong wind. The portaledge hangs far from satisfactory. All the night the guys struggled against the avalanches falling from the wall.

They did not manage even to boil some water successfully. We were hoping the weather to get better since the morning, but it is snowing again. You can see the base camp under the snowfall in the photos. Can you imagine how everything looks in 2500 meters above?
It is more reasonable to them to wait in the base camp till the bad weather is over, but it is a big problem to descend now because of avalanche collapses. We have continuous communication with Bolotov's group. And Mikhailov's group is staying in the camp at 5600 to help the guys if it is necessary. They, probably, will begin descent in one and a half of hour. We are going to wait for a good weather.
Wish us good luck.

(23.04.2004)
The aim of new skiing expedition to Tibet this autumn is to ski from the summits of Cho Oyu & Shisha Pangma during the same season.
April 22, 2004
VIKINGS BIG MOUNTAINS SKIING EXPEDITION
On earth, there are fourteen mountains higher than 8000 meter (26240 feet). The aim of the expedition is to ski from two of these summits; Shisha Pangma (8046m) & Cho Oyu (8201m) in Tibet without the use of Sherpa support or supplementary oxygen. It is a tuff challenge. Shisha Pangma was not climbed until 1964 and Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world. During the autumn 2004 a Swedish-Norwegian duo aim to achieve the challenge.
The core of the group is Swedish Tomas Olsson and Norwegian Tormod Granheim, both living in Chamonix, France. In Autumn 2003 the duo rehersead by skiing from the summit of two mountains higher then 7000 meters; Muztagh Ata (7546m) & Kuksay Peak (7186m) in China. A project never before fully realized. The two has previously skied the steeps of Chamonix, as the north face of Aiguille du Midi and Couloir Diables at Mont Blanc du Tacul.
The expedition filmmaker is Peter Frick from Ladda Productions in Stockholm, Sweden. Peter Frick is the man behind the Swedish climbing film “Hårda Tag”. Peter has a great experience in rock and alpine climbing, mainly in Sweden and the Alps. Swedish Jonas Tufvesson is photographer. He is based in Vail, USA, and is an experienced ice climber and has previously been on several expeditions, for example to Ama Dablam in Nepal. Jonas has been published in American magazines as Climbing and Rock & Ice. Jonas is a member of the GreatShots photo agency (www.greatshots.com).
The Main Partner of the expedition is Bergans of Norway (www.bergans.com), a Norwegian outdoor company that gets everything from clothes via backpacks to tents tested in extreme conditions. Senior Partner is Silva Sweden (www.silva.se), making everything from compasses via GPS devices to headlamps. Further Partners are Airtrim, Atomic, Baron, Black Diamond, Cébé, Energizer, Erik Leonsson Grafisk Design, Langley Travels & Ski Tignes, Maxim, Primus, Scarpa – Outside Scandinavia, Scoot, Suunto, Thule Sweden & Vividus Friskvård.
The adventure 2004 is a part of the preperations for an expedition with the aim to ski from the summit of the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, planed to take place 2006.

(23.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

There is only 700 meters of a vertical ahead!
The day before (on April, 21 at 18:00) we hung out a red standard of proletariat, and on April, 22 "in commemoration of Lenin's Birthday (* Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, 1870-1924, Russian revolutionary, the founder of Bolshevism and the major force behind the Revolution of Oct., 1917) the three-men group led by Bolotov settled the camp at 7000m - a portaledge in the basis of the last stronghold of Jannu - the 700 meter plumb wall.
Whether in the award or in punishment (we will find it out soon) the Lord sent a snowstorm to us. The guys struggle with a snow above. And we are trying to banish the bad weather with indignation and flags and trampling down 20 cm snow in the base camp. The snow hurricane accompanied with peals of thunder and continued for 6 hours. At 18:45, thank God, we had a radio communication with Mikhailov's group (their portable radio set all the day was out of order). Finally the snowfall stopped. The guys had a subbotnik (* In former USSA, voluntary unpaid work on days off, originally especially on Saturdays) at 5600 - they amicably and by turns were working on the route with the words "freedom of speech: friendly, in a fit of temper, recollect "ILYICH". And then having crossed they whispered (* When Lenin took over he forbid religion, destroyed all the churches, and murdered all the priests): "God bless all! This day will pass, well, and let it pass..."
The guys sustained the weather onslaught. The technical equipment "Panasonic" too - in a continuous snow-falling videocameras worked as in pavilion of a film studio.
On April, 7 we began to work on the route and in two weeks we reached 7000 m. For the time being everything goes under the plan. We are in a brave mood. The weather reminds that it can be different, but it did not frightened us.

(22.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
20, April
The weather is perfect in the morning. Everest is covered with snow, there is a small cloud on the top and it is not moving. It would be cool to ascend today, but… There are no altitude camps and ropes have fixed only till 7000m. It is very warm in the Base Camp. In the morning lama came to us with two hours of lateness but he is the best, the main teacher in the monastery. Sherps stretched the prayerful flags. Lama read the prayer, beat the drum and rang the bells. At the end of the ceremony he gave all the people flour and we threw it before the wind so I was not lucky to appear before wind. After ceremony we took photos with our flag "Adventure Team of Alpindustria". At 3 o'clock p.m. three high altitude porters and I made the way towards the middle camp 5000m. Our task is to reach the ABC and find the good place for the camp. In one day all our team will be there. In the evening we watched the film "Jurassic Park" in the tent after that at night from the tents man could hear groans and snarl. All the members are healthy and feel good.
21, April
We needed only to burn the gas jet and the life became bright again. It is 15 degrees below zero in the ABC and at night - 25C. Three sherps and I reached the ABC 6400m. The sherps did it for three hours and I for six in principle it changes nothing. We have found the good place for our tent it has the sizes 16X4m. The place is perfect on the edge of the steep. All perfect places have been already occupied with another expeditions. Now at 14 o'clock the cavalcade of nine yaks, ten members of our expedition have made the way from the Base Camp towards the ABC. Luda Koshelenko is staying in the BC she will have to protect our camp from the Tibetans and every day turn on this strange thing for her the generator. At parting this heroic woman asked us to show what should she pull. As a result all the members of the team are in the middle camp and their leader is freezing in the ABC. Only sherps have managed to reach the North Col so our late departure and delays in Katmandu did us good.

(22.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Hi,
Today, 21.04, the group Bolotov-Borisov-Kiriensky has reached 7000 m. They restored all last year's pitches and fixed ropes, which had been destroyed by the nature, up to 7000ì and descended to spend the night to the portaledge fixed at 6700m. The cave, which we dug at 7000 meters last year, is destroyed and it is impossible to restore it.
We found a trunk with gear we had carried and fixed on the wall at our previous expedition and it appeared safe and sound. Tomorrow the group plans to ascend 7000m and organize the Camp III - a portaledge fixed in the beginning of the wall at 7000m. In the evening weather deteriorated: it began snowing, wind and frightening thunderstorm. The guys staying on the portaledge are in a good mood, full of optimism for tomorrow. The group plans work above 7000m within 2-3 days.
Tomorrow, 22.04, the group Mikhailov-Pavlenko-Ruchkin will leave to ascend up to 5600m, 23.04 - to 6700m and 24.04 - to 7000ì and change Bolotov's group.
Our greetings to everybody.
Ruchkin.

(21.04.2004)
Ukrainian Himalaya expedition Ama Dablam 2004
At the group led by Gorbach (Nokia 2004, Ukraine) everything is OK and under the plan. Today they spend the night in GorakShepe (5200).
And tomorrow they plan to arrive to the Everest Base Camp.

(21.04.2004)
Shisha Pangma-Saint Petersburg Expedition
Alexey Pashin reports from the Base Camp: Our huge greetings from the Base Camp, (5000m.) Yesterday, 20.04 at about 13.00 we arrived here on jeeps and right away we were "thrown" on laceration of the ALTITUDE.... All the company, except for six - seven guys, feels like perfectly. At night we observed the fine star sky, there was a romantic mood and we could not sleep. By a dinner of the next day we were feeling better and walked on vicinities, made some photos.
We plan to make our trip to À.Â.Ñ. on 23.04. On the whole Shisha Pangma is exiting, but we feel sand creaking on teeth and we are tormented by a headache.

(21.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Hi, our friends, now all the team are scattered over the mountain. The schedule of work and acclimatization goes in the right way. The plan of work is simple, but labour-consuming, and includes fixing the rope, lifting the cargoes for life-support at such altitude, acclimatization - spending the night as high as it is possible - and, at last, descent for the rest.
Three groups, replacing each other, climb upward. Our group lifted a portaledge from 6100m up to 6700m, and having made three pitches upper descended to the base camp to have a rest.
On 20.04 the two-men group Totmyanin and Odintsov lay the route. Now they are fixing the rope above 6800m. The group Bolotov - Borisov - Kirievsky is going to change them and fix the rope on the wall up to 7000 m. If everything goes in the right way, they will try to check up and fix the rope up to the line where we stopped last year.
The two-men group Pershin - Prilepa makes cargo carry from 5600-6100 and up to 6700 m. According to the condition and state of their health Odintsov, Totmyanin, Pershin and Prilepa will descend into the camp at 5600 or into the base camp. Just now Nikolay Totmyanin has come to the base camp, the others are staying at 5600m.
The weather simply indulges us today. All the day long the sun has been shining and it has not been snowing.
The mountain towers in all glory, without any cloud. The fog usually coming from the valley below has receded today too.
All our greetings to everybody See you soon.
Ruchkin and all the guys.

(20.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
Nikolay Chorny reports:
The "Siberia" group has already made two pitches above 7300m and found a good place to spend the next night on the Wall. The groups work by turns. We gave the sherpas good training and all three of them perfectly work on the wall, lift cargoes and help us a lot.
The weather holds quite good but practically every day it is snowing, very strong winds, blizzards. At 6200m the temperature is negative 15. But as a whole, we are in not too bad conditions.
We continue fixing the rope rain or shine: the group led by Jury Koshelenko worked even in a blizzard. The first impressions from the wall: all pitches are possible to climb, there is no strongly pronounced buttress, and stones are falling constantly and dangerously.
The place found under the tent is out of a danger of stone-falls and rather safe. The guys have already experienced a lot, but the situation is in norm, it's just the working moments.
Every day we are moving forward and forward.

(20.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
19, April
The installation of the Base Camp is a titanic work. From morning till night we are not able to have a look round because of the fuss and even we do not pay attention to the weather in spite that it has been snowing all night. We have installed the Base Camp with perfect canteen, two kitchens, shower, toilet, office with four computers, generator and radio station. With the help of the gas heater it is warm all the time in the canteen. We salted cucumbers and cabbage into two barrels. All the members including sherps are like one team. The cooks cook perfectly. I am pleased with everything though I am very tired and there is no time for photos and video. Tomorrow three high altitude porters and I will ascend the ABC 6500m to look for the good place for the camp. All the team will ascend the ABC tomorrow. As people say it is very cold in the ABC and only today the sherps have fixed ropes to the North Col. In five days we will be there. Everything is going according to the plan. Tomorrow the lama will come to our camp to consecrate it and all the sherps are looking forward to this meeting. Concerning independent experts' estimations our camp is the best in the BC.

(20.04.2004)
On April, 15, 2004 climbing expedition "Kharkov-350", devoted to the 350th anniversary of the city of Kharkov, started. Two-men team of well-known Kharkov climbers Sergey Bershov and Igor Svergun is going to summit Cho-Oyu (8201m), one of the four "8-thousand" mountains left unclimbed by Kharkov climbers.
The Expedition is under patronage of mayor of Kharkov Vladimir Shumilkin. Firm Millet (the official representative in Ukraine - Kharkov "Extreme" equipping center) provides with the equipment.

(19.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
16, April
We got up at 6 o'clock in the morning. It was cold and dark. The moon is turning to the full. We had breakfast with candlelight and began our journey. It took us five hours to get from Old Tingri to the Base Camp. And now we can admire the greatness and of Everest. It is overhanging and it seems to ask: "You are here, for what have you come again?" What can I answer: "I have come to you as old friend". The fortunate was bounded me up with Everest in 1993. We unloaded the lorries near the graveyard not far from the expedition of Russel Brice. Vladimir Gaidamak, five sherps and I have installed the tent "Anaconda" it is 16m longways and 4m in width. Magatest made the tent for us. It is double tent for Antarctica. All the people from nearest expedition came to look at it they have never seen such tent before. Tomorrow another members of our expedition will arrive.

(19.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

Report of 15/4:
Hello friends.
Bad weather and expecially strong wind didn’t stop our work on the north face of Baruntse. Yesterday Denis Urubko was leading the team and he fixed 400 meters rope till 5900 meters (see photo). The difficulties on Ice and mix had been quite high. Today we will have rest and tomorrow I and Camos will start for 2 days climbng and fixing rope on the face till 6300 m. We also want to find place for a high camp. In the same time Denis will go for acclimatisation on Island Peak. Our idea is to try the last 700 meters of face in alpine style (me, Denis and Camos) next week.

Report of 17/4:
Hello friends! Also today the weather is not good. Clouds and fog are in the sky. I and my friend Camos will start after few hours to go to ABC and for the next 2 days we will work on the face. We continue to wach by binocular the portion of face we have to climb and it looks terribly difficult. We will have to rock climb and dry tooling... In any case we want to have success on those difficulties...
Ciao Simone

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(19.04.2004)
Shisha Pangma-Saint Petersburg Expedition
" Our greetings to everyone! We reached Katmandu as well as always. Practically lostless. One and a half of day we spent in bustle: gathering, shopping. How wonderful in Katmandu!
On 17-th of April since the early morning our expedition started.... We are going forward... Nobody will catch us up. It was raining in Dzangmu. Next day at 10 a.m. we arrived in Niilam. It was sunny day. We are going to spend tomorrow's day there and make acclimatization climb up to 4500m. On April 20 we will trip to the base camp. Shisha SPB"

 

À doctor Boris Tereshchenko	Jury Emelin	Alexey Klimin
Eugeny Majorov	Alexander Pashkevich	Alexey Paskhin
Sergey Rogachevsky	Êîìàíäà	Oleg Zagajnov

Abramchuk Julia

(19.04.2004)
UIAA Boulder Worldcup Erlangen (GER) 16/17, April 2004

Men
1. FISCHHUBER Kilian AUT
2. MEYER Jerome FRA
3. LAURENCE Ludovic FRA
4. JULIEN Stephane FRA
5. EARL Andrew GBR
6. MECHERZYN. Andrzej POL
7. JALMAIN Sebastien FRA
8. MERAL Julien FRA
9. CROXALL Mark GBR
...
10. RAKHMETOV Salavat RUS
11. DULAC Daniel FRA
12. JONGENEEL. Wouter NED
...
21. KAZBEKOV Serik UKR

Women
1. LEVET Sandrine FRA
2. ABRAMCHUK Julia RUS
3. LAVARDA Jenny ITA
4. THEROUX Corinne FRA
5. BERRY Samantha AUS
6. HAAGER Nicola GER
7. PERLOVA Natalia UKR
8. LIPENSKA Helena CZE
9. PISZCZEK Renata POL
10. BIBIK Olga RUS
11. DANION Juliette FRA
12. ROGEAUX Fanny FRA

Abramchuk Julia-THEROUX Corinne

ROGEAUX Fanny

ROGEAUX Fanny

(19.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Hi, friends!
We are fine, safe and sound. I regret very much, that nobody sauf me writes and informs about our Jannu expedition going.
Today we descended to the Base Camp. Pavlenko, Mikhailov and Ruhckin spent two nights at 6100m, being engaged in restoration of fixed ropes. Having reached up to 6700m we lifted there a portaledge with all equipment needed for a life. We spent the last night in a struggle against a thunder-storm, lightnings and snowfalling, all the night long we shook off a lot of snow from the portaledge lest it was not broken off.
There is less snow on a wall than last autumn, and instead of a planned at 6500m cave, we lifted the portaledge from 6100m up to 6700m on the rock and made three pitches more. So then all things considered that we reached 6800m.
But I think we will not manage to dig a cave at 7000m too. There was a heavy fall snow last night, al the ropes are covered in snow and we have to dig them. We are in the Base Camp now: the doctor is engaged in treatment of our coughs and sores. Yesterday he descended from 5600m for acclimatization. Everything takes its normal course.
Descending we met the guys Totmyanin-Pershin-Prigoda ascending up to 6700m to change us and to continue fixing the rope. The group Bolotov - Borisov-Kirievsky ascended at 5600m to continue working from there.
Waiting for the details and photos tomorrow.
Ruchkin.

Photos by Mikhail Mihailov

6100	6500
Now it looks like this way.
Plato 5600	5100

(19.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
Victor Kozlov calls from the base camp:
On April, 18
Shabalin's group made two very complex pitches higher than the Camp I on the first bastion. Kuznetsov's group is at 6200m now.
On April, 17
Yes, we settled the Camp I indeed! The group leader Pavel Shabalin (Andrey Mariev and Ilyas Tukhvatullin are in his group) said on communication at 18-00, that they are managed to make a small platform for a tent and set the Camp I at 7000m.

P.S. Well, to make it clear: they call the camp set at 5600 as ABC-1, thus ABC-2 is at 6200m and Camp I is at 7000m

(16.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
13, April
We have broken away from Katmandu!!! But unfortunately the lorry with our baggage was blocked on the road. So we had to wait for this lorry till 2 o'clock. It was late and we hardly managed to pass the border that was closed at 6 o'clock. Now we are having night in Jangmu. One "wise" porter turned over the container; there were two accumulators, and all the hydrochloric acid appeared on the pants of the porter and other things, which were in the container. With difficulty we washed the container, other things and porter's pants. The turmoil aroused around this all the sherps came running. As the result two accumulators are broken and we will have to find service center in Nialam. But now about pleasant things we found in Jangmu where to buy boards. We have decided to build a toilet at the Base Camp. Nobody has done it before. It will be Russian know-how "Toilet with light and heating seat". The person who has visited the Himalayas even one time will understand me. The toilet is the place where people spend the tenth part of their life. So why we should spoil our life with crooked and falling toilet-tents. It is a pity that we are short of time to take photos and video and send them to Moscow.
14, April
I like Tibet more and more. Since 1999 it is the fourth expedition in Tibet. In every settlement I meet the liaison officers from "Tibet Mountaineering Association" and they are glad to see us again. In the morning we arrived in Nialam 3600m it has very changed since last year in the hotels appeared internet-cafes. We found service center and installed the accumulators. Luda Koshelenko controls the work of the kitchen and she bought aprons and over sleeves for the cooks. All the sherps were rolling with laughter. It is snowing and we are happy to be in the warm hotel in such wet and cold weather. All the members of our team feel good only Ilya Rozhkov has a sore throat. Tomorrow we are going to Shigar 4200m.
15, April
It has been snowing all night and now it is melting with first rays of the sun. The team is full of energy and we have decided to go further. It took us two hours on the earth road to get to the pass 5300m. From this place we watched the splendid view of Shisha Pangma 8047m the Baltic expedition is going there. And now we are in the village Old Tingri it is situated between deserted hills and there are no trees. In the afternoon it was the dust storm. We met the expedition from Minsk they were going to ascend Cho Oyu 8201m. Tomorrow Vladimir Gaidamak, five sherps and I will go to the Base Camp with two lorries loaded with the equipment to install the camp. Another part of our team is in Shigar now there are trees and it is not so windy. I hope we will meet the expedition of Kozlov tomorrow. The weather is fine for the moment. Nobody is ill.

(15.04.2004)
Second stage Russian Difficulty Cup. Voronezh
Winners
Men
1. Bashkirtsev Evgueny, Irkutsk
2. Sharafutdinov Dmitry, Ekaterinburg
2. Kovalevsky Alexandre, Kaliningrad

Women
1. Malamid Evguenia, Voronezh
2. Abramchuk Julia, SPb
3. Jakovleva Olga, Toliatti

(15.04.2004)
Ekaterina, Royal Mt. Trekking (P) Ltd informs:
Today, on April, 15, the expedition Shisha Pangma Saint Petersburg 2004 arrives to Katmandu. The head of the expedition is Alexey Paskhin. The participants: Alexander Pashkevich, Jury Emelin, Oleg Zagajnov, Alexey Klimin, Eugeny Majorov, Sergey Rogachevsky and a doctor Boris Tereshchenko.

The departure to Tibet is planned on April, 17. On April, 13 Belarus expedition Cho Oyu 2004 started. The participants: Michael Melnikov, Vladimir Telpuk, Anatoly Lutov and Victor Lutov.

(15.04.2004)
On April, 15 Ukrainian Himalaya expedition Ama Dablam 2004 took off from Katmandu to Lukla.
The head of the expedition - Vladimir Gorbach.
The guys are planning to trek up to the Everest Base Camp ascending Kala Patar and by April, 24 to arrive to the Ama Dablam Base Camp.
Returning in Katmandu is planned on May, 2-3.

(15.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
On April, 14. Base camp. 21-30 on local time.
E. Vinogradsky calls from the base camp:
The schedule of work:
Today our group led by Kuznetsov and the group led by Ermachek have a rest at the base camp. Shabalin's group is at 6200, the group led by Koshelenko is above. Tomorrow we leave in ÀÂÑ-I at 5600m. So we fix the rope in four groups, replacing each other.
The Route:
Our way lays directly via the center, hardly more to the left of a hanging glacier. One of the problems is to set the camp somewhere at 6900m but there is not any convenient place under the tents basically. Another problem is in a strong wind and dust snow avalanches and also stone falls happen when the sun is very hot in the afternoon.
The belay:
We organize reliable belay using basically ice screws and rare firn pitons. There are practically not any cracks in rocks and we hammer anchor hooks.
The sherpas:
While they drag up to 6200m from the beginning of the glacier those cargoes which have been thrown there by usual porters. Soon we hope to involve sherpas in work above, on the rope, which we are fixing now.
The Health:
Cough torments practically all of us, but it is quite normal. The air is very dry, the breath is forced, but it is no trouble, it is the usual working moments.
Communication with external world:
Notebooks we left in the base camp, but the most of the time we are above. But, apparently, the communication by Internet is impossible. We have only one satellite phone, so I could use it this day.

(14.04.2004)
Lafaille – Makalu: Monday, April 12
Yesterday, Jean-Christophe went walking above Nyalam for some physical activity while acclimating himself. His spirits were good, good feelings! For my part, I did not move from our quarters… I was really not in good spirits... this year, I am not handling the separation from my children Tom and Jeremy well, I miss them and I am not motivated for this trip..., I am here to carry out the photo and video reporting... to work. Today my spirits are about the same as yesterday… meaning not too good…, along with Jean-Christophe we went for a three hour walk today. Not feeling very well inside my head, my acclimation is not going very well… me, who last year “galloped” on the Baltoro glacier in Pakistan to rejoin the Broad Peak base camp at 16,250 feet altitude, today I am struggling to breathe at 12,350 feet. I have a headache and don’t feel well. Luckily for Jean-Christophe, he is feeling otherwise, and is in good form.
Furthermore, the situation in Katmandu is really not good, the conflicts are multiplying and the strikes are continuing with the consequence of more delays, more delays, more delays… the strike should end April 13, but in fact it is continuing until April 16… we spoke with the agency yesterday by telephone, they told us that our staff and equipment were flying by helicopter today to the border with Tibet, along with other baggage for groups that are going to Everest and to Cho-Oyu, and who are here in Nyalam in the same situation as we are.
This solution, it seems, will not be costly…, I hope, since I told the agency that we don’t have any more "money” … we have not stopped stretching what we have for this and that since we arrived and it is beginning to amount to a great deal extra.
I think that tomorrow, April 13, we will go sleep in Tingri at 13,975 feet altitude by crossing the Lalung La pass at 17,875 feet altitude by Jeep before going back down to Tingri. On the 14th, we are supposed to continue our trip all the way to Karta, and on the 15th begin the infamous trekking to the base camp of Makalu. I am thinking about my return… alone… with the current conflicts in Katmandu, the strikes, etc… this trip is really cool! Great…
English Translations by EverestNews.com
To be continued soon…
Katia Lafaille

www.jclafaille.com, www.ynews.info

(14.04.2004)
Expedition of Russian Adventure Team Alpindustria - Everest - 2004
Alexander Abramov reports:
9, April
Many events happened after two days of flight so it is very difficult to collect thoughts. Any person arrives in Katmandu dissolves in time and the days are gliding away. On first day of our arrival we were offered to have accommodation instead of hotel Manang in the hotel Thamel as ancient as Katmandu. But we refused from exotics and preferred to be accommodated in hotel Vaishali with swimming pool. Soon disappointment overtook us because of the strike all the roads towards Tibet are blocked. The drivers refuse to work and a lot of expeditions gathered in one place. We meet them everywhere. We had a meeting with Silus from Latvia; he had ascended Everest last year, and now he is going to ascend Shisha Pangma 8047m. Today we have had a dinner with four climbers from Byelorussia they are planning the expedition to Cho Oyu 8201m. According to the plans of Maionists the strike will be finished on the 12th of April and on the 13th of April all the expedition will go towards the board of Tibet. We received the cargo and the customs officers had a great interest in the box of voblas. They have never seen such fish before so we presented one fish to them. At the time of transportation 5 kg of dry sausages disappeared and one reducer for oxygen cylinder. So the life is going on…
10, April
Today is Saturday the Holy Day for all Nepalins. All the shops are closed. We are busy with exploring what we can buy for our expedition. We visited the guys from Petersburg they have been working here for five years and have not visited Russia for nine months. Tomorrow we will have holiday dinner: vobla with beer. Today Vladimir Gaidamak arrived so all the team gathered together.
Russia
Abramov Alexander (the leader), Moscow
Moskalev Dmitry, Moscow
Zadokhin Vladimir, Moscow
Rozhkov Ilya, Ekaterinburg
Ryzhenko Arkadiy, Ekaterinburg
Karapetyan Artur, Perm
Gaidamak Vladimir, Omsk
Uzbekistan
Tillahodjaev Dilmurad, Tashkent
Georgia
Gujabidze Bidzina, Tbilisi
Italy
Profumo Giorgio
Carbone Gianni
USA
D'Angelo Davide, USA / Italy
Ulrich Marshall
We have included in our expedition Luda Koshelenko. She will be responsible for cooking and health of the team. We have bought the food today and tasted it to understand what will be better to take in mountains. It looked like a shoal of polecats in the grocery warehouse. Tomorrow will be the main day of buying all necessary things: food, gas, reducers, petrol and a lot of other things.
11, April
We congratulate all of you with Easter!!! In the morning we were kissing and twisting Easter eggs. We were taking photos and shooting by cameras. After that we set out in search of good reducer Honda. The task turned out to be very difficult. The traders try to overprice, do not give the discounts besides tell that it is made in Japan then they swear that it is from India and at the end admit that it is Chinese production. Today we have been discussing with sherps the conditions of the work and what it will be if they refuse to work or do their work very badly, it seems that such talks do not care them but the talks concerning the bonuses arouse their interests. As the result it was agreed that the bonus would be the same as last year. We signed the contract and went for shopping. We have bought 30 liters of "light" drinks and 120 liters of juice. With all these things we were busy all this Holy Holiday in Katmandu when even work is considered to be a sin. Tomorrow is the last day before our departure from Katmandu and we should prepare a lot.
12, April
All the streets in Katmandu are overcrowded with half-drunk young people. There are a lot of motorcyclists and girls in mini-skirts. And in this complete chaos we are running with wide-open eyes and making the last preparations. Tomorrow is the day of the departure and all the expeditions will go towards the border of Tibet. We have received the last news about the new strike on the 13th of April but it cannot stop us. If we are not able to force our way through the blocked regions we will use the helicopter. The parson came in Katmandu and wished us the good weather and good luck. I think all these messages from Katmandu annoy you. But now the real travel is beginning and as soon as we reach the base camp we will send all the videos to Moscow.

(14.04.2004)
Simone Moro, Denis Urubko. Doublet: Baruntse North Face&Annapurna

Simone Moro:
Hello! This is the first report from Baruntse base camp. We started from Italy the 28th March and after two days in kathmandu we began the trekking to approach the mountain. We decided to go to Everest Base Camp and climb Khala Patar 5600 m to have a better acclimatisation and than to come here in front of Baruntse Face and establish our base camp at 5100 meter. Yesterday and the day before we already established our ABC at 5250 meter few meters near "our" unclimbed face. Tomorrow we will climb the north ridge of Baruntse and spend two night there to get best acclimatisation and observ as near as we can the terrible north face.... After this acclimatisation step we will take rest and than start in alpine style to open our route and climb this untouch huge face of 2000 meter high.

Report of 14/4 from Baruntse north face:
Hello!! We are back to base camp after first day spent on the face. We fixed 350 meters of rope in the first complicate part and we reached 5650 m. We belived it was easy snow slope but we had to climb on mix part and traverse big crevasses. We are not yet acclimatised and for that reason we will continue to fix rope on the face and come back in the evening. We planned to fix 800-1000 meters of rope and than continue in alpine style. The weather is cloudy expecially in the second part of the day.

Follow us. Simone Moro

http://www.simonemoro.com/

(14.04.2004)
On April, 12 Ukrainian Himalaya Expedition Ama Dablam 2004 started from Kiev.
The team: V. Gorbach; I.Katrich; G.Linetsky; A.Serov; A.Komachenko. On April, 13 the guys arrived to Katmandu, on 14-th - there is a briefing, 15-th - gangway .

V.Gorbach reports by phone from Nepal.

(14.04.2004)
MAKALU. THE WEST RIDGE
Yesterday, on April, 12, Vladislav Terzyul took off from Odessa to Katmandu by flight of airline "Tavria" (through Dubai). At a meeting in climbing club "Odessa" the President of Federation of mountaineering and rock-climbing of Ukraine Valentin Simonenko wished Vladislav to successfully join the structure of a strong international team of high altitude climbers led by known trainer Ervand Ilyinskiy and, certainly, health and success at the ascent on his fourteenth "8- thousand" mountain - Makalu (8481m). Vladislav informed, that the schedule of full carry of the expedition is extremely compressed and already tomorrow, on April, 14, the full carry of the gear to the base camp at 4800 meters should take place. All participants have got active acclimatization (somebody in Tien-Shan, somebody summiting Elbrus) and adhere to a principle of sports style of ascents on high altitude mountains, i.e. without supplying oxygen. All previous ascents on high altitude mountains Vladislav Terzyul has made without using of oxygen.

The information about V.Terzyul's ascents on "8- thousand" mountains:
1993 Kanchenjunga
1994 Ê2
1995 Broud-peak
1996 Annapurna and GasherbrumII
1997 Nanga-Parbat
1999 Everest
2000 Shisha Pangma and Cho-Îyu
2001 Manaslu
2002 Lhotse and Dhaulagiri
2003 Hidden Peak

Mstislav Gorbenko

(13.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
The expedition leader Victor Kozlov informs from the base camp:
Four groups led by Shabalin, Koshelenko, Kuznetsov and Ermachek have already fixed the rope. Starting from the bergschrund there are 18 ropes fixed. We climbed up to 6900m and lifted upward the tent. There is the opportunity that the group led by Koshelenko will climb to set the first high-altitude camp, because now it is far to descend.
Yesterday under Nikolay Zhilin's initiative in ÀÂÑ-1 we organized baths, all the guys remained pleased, and today we arranged the baths in the base camp for Shabalin's groups. So now we are short of birch twigs and called back and asked to provide the expedition with them.
Pavel Shabalin informs: ÀÂÑ-2 is settled on the plateau, at 6200m. It takes about 40 minutes to get from ÀÂÑ-1 up to the bergschrund. The first pitch "stand on end", and it seems for this reason we will have the problems with high-altitude porters soon. The Group of Koshelenko has left upwards: the guys will try to settle tents there. We are planning to lead a curriculum of high-altitude porters and to fix the rope through the bergschrund to help the porters to carry further the cargoes.
We have to work on the Wall quickly and to move running, stones fly like shrapnel: for this reason we have to take a break after 16.00. It is cold enough: at 6200m the temperature is about negative 13-15Ñ, but at 6900m it is already negative 19Ñ. There is a wind 6-8m/sec today. The weather pleases to us. But approximately once in four days a strong wind blows, we have even to hold the tent.
From Ermachek group we have the message, that they have rested against hard rocks, and they are searching the right place for spending the night. The impressions from the Wall: there are slate steps on the contrary, smooth, slippery and it is impossible, unreliab and unpleasant to organize the right belay. We leave to continue fixing on an hour earlier, in seven, instead of in eight, trying not to get under rockfalls.
The main thing: our health is all right.

(12.04.2004)
VX adventure race in Latvia

Rules

(12.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

The latest news from Janny, the base camp (4600m).
The advanced three-men team has climbed up to 6300m. The weather spoils. The Wall is almost without snow. It seems probably, the guys won't be able to dig the snow caves at 6500 and at 7000 meters. Odintsov knocks a wood and speaks, that all takes its normal course. Everything is all right.

Our greetings to everybody,
Things are going well thus far, keep your fingers crossed!
We are having acclimatization consecutively ascending upper and upper.
7.04 We began fixing the rope, the group Bolotov - Borisov - Kirievsky restored the fixed rope up to 5100m, settled the intermediate camp and stayed to spend the night there for acclimatization. Next day they descended to the base camp for the rest. The other members of our team did the full carry of the gear up to 5100m.
8.04 Our three-men team (Mikhailov-Pavlenko-Ruchkin) climbed 5100m and spent the night there.
9.04 We climbed up to 5600 and lifted some gear for the following work on the route.
10.04 We climbed a plateau, marked it with landmarks with tags for orientation in fog.
There are some our trails from the last year expedition in places. The winter seems low-snowed or strong winds have blown all the snow: this year it is much less snow and the bergschrund became lower on about 40 meters. The scrap of the rope hung above the present bergschrund. As all the snow was blown away and frozen during the winter and the clear ice was opened: rigid winter ice in which hardly to set ice screws. The ropes particularly remained, but nobody dares to risk and to climb on them. We have to use tools for climbing and use a jumar belaying on last year's ropes. They, certainly, are torn, and we change them on the new ones. Our group ascended up to 5800 m, making 5 pitches and descended to 5600m to spend the second night at this altitude.
11.04 We descended to the base camp to have a rest. Odintsov - Prilepa acclimatized at 5100m and climbed lifting the gear up to 5600 for the further acclimatization.
The group Bolotov - Borisov-Kirievsky ascended 5600m, and the same day Pershin and Totmyanin went from 5600m and fixed 5 pitches more on the ice up to the altitude of 6000 meters.
This is all the news for the present about our work on the route.
Ruhckin.

Portfolio

(8.04.2004)
Italian K2 50th Anniversary: Everest, here we come! April, 07 2004
Today at 12,40, 30 members of K2 2004 expedition team will leave to face the first part of K2 2004 expedition challenge: the ascent of Mount Everest from the Tibetan side, the same chosen by the first British expeditions. K2 2004, the largest mountaineeing and scientific expedition ever organised to world's highest mountains is meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli great achievement: the first successful summiting of Mount K2 carried out on 31 July 1954. Mountaineers, researchers and technicians will all be starting from the International Airport of Malpensa and after around 16 hours, via Doha, they will be arriving at Kathmandu. From here, the team will reach Lhasa, at 3600 m, to head for the Base camp (5170 m) which will be probably reached on April 16.
The vocation of this expedition is mainly scientific and research activities will be led on physiology, geodesy, environmental sciences and eco-compatibility sectors.

Read the interview to Tarcisio Bello, member of the expedition at http://www.ynews.info/en/item.php?id=1051
Official site: www.montagna.org

(8.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
Victor Kozlov, the head of the expedition reports from the Base Camp:
"The porters have left downwards. Those guys who are not fixing the rope, drag a cargo up to 6200m. Koshelenko's group has descended to have a rest. The weather holds without changes - since the morning the sun is shining, and it is snowing in the evening. But the equipment given by RedFox, helps to overcome all difficulties and any cold. Other expeditions began to appear at the base camp".

(7.04.2004)
Lafaille-Makalu: Monday, april, 05.
In a few hours, we fly away to Nepal with Jean-Christophe this Monday April 5. Jean-Christophe is ready for his project on Makalu. Today, I can tell you more on this ascension to this giant. We will spend two days at Kathmandu in order to arrange the various formalities with the authorities then we will go by jeep towards Tibet.
We will pass the border to reach the Tibet at 5000 meters, we will pass then a collar at 5200 meters. We shall be careful with this quick ascension in altitude, always delicate when we arrive so high by jeep. Six days (3 days by jeep and 3 of organization with the yaks, etc) After having left Kathmandu we will leave the jeeps to begin the trekking which will enable us to join the base camp, after 7 days of walk, under difficult conditions. This area is still almost unexplored today, we do not have much information, we know that the region is very wild, that there is nobody, a collar to be crossed, Langma, at 5350 meters to reach the point where we will decide to install the base camp at an altitude of approximately 5300 meters.
Snow may pose problems to us to pass the collar with the yaks. The base camp will be installed at the foot of Makalu on a virgin slope, the Northern slope which Jean-Christophe plans to climb without oxygen and alone, it is a beautiful objective with a maximum moral physical engagement because this is the first time that Jean-Christophe will be completely alone on a base camp. Generally, when he opens new ways on these very high mountains, there is always "human life" at the base camp where the “exchange” is possible with climbers. I let to you discover in photograph this slope wild and virgin of the Makalu.
Normally we should reach the base camp of Makalu by April 19 but there are strikes forecasted in Nepal and I, as always, make outward journeys and returns "express train" between France, Nepal and Tibet to carry out an illustrated report and video from this wild area and this virgin slope before coming back, as soon as possible, to France near my children which is always so painful to leave behind me, thus in my timing which I manage to carry out, the strike is a very bad new... Normally I thought to remain 3 days at the base camp in order to try to reach the advanced base camp at 6200 meters to take images and photographs before leaving to Kathmandu and take my plane at the end of April.
Best regards from Nepal, Katia Lafaille

www.jclafaille.com
www.ynews.info

(7.04.2004)
Olga Bibik. Impressions from Birmingham. The first stage of Bouldering World Cup.
"...Competitions were carried out with daring. The organization was excellent. The event attracted large crowds. Good music from Matrix-1 and also TATU's hits very much amuses us so far from the Native land. About 20 huge halls were open for spectators and participants of Outdoor exhibition..."
Details

(6.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
Victor Kozlov, the head of the expedition, reports from the Base Camp:
"We settled the first advanced base camp (ÀÂÑ-1) at 5600m and made the full carry of 5200 kg cargo with the help of 120 yaks. Further the yaks refused to go. We settled ÀÂÑ-2 at 6200m right under the Wall, and set some tents. 110 porters within two days helped to lift a cargo. At 6000m we have a serious problem: porters work at the altitude from 5600 up to 6000 meters, up to the beginning of the glacier, and refuse to go further. We cut down steps for them, Pavel Shabalin stands in running shoes on the glacier, showing the safety of the route, but these people arrange revolution, throw things and leave downwards. Thus, at 6000 meters there are accumulated 2500kg of cargo. Now we try to solve this problem (which many expeditions collide with) including the help of additional money.
Despite of all complexities, we began fixing the bottom part of the route: it's has fixed about 250m of the rope. The group headed by Koshelenko descended today and Shabalin's group will leave tomorrow and the day after tomorrow Kuznetsov's group will work. Everything goes under the plan.
The weather since morning is usually good, it is snowing in the evening. At the base camp, 5200m, participants of military Indian expedition arrived".

(6.04.2004)
Patrick Berhault and Philippe Magnin. Marathon: 82 "4-thousand" mountains in the Alps for 82 days is started!

For 31 day of March the two-men team Patrick Berhault - Philippe Magnin has summited 31 "four-thousand" mountains.
For the first days of April they are planning going from Italy to the well-known Swiss hotel - hut des Glaciers, and ascending then to the hut la cabane de Valsorey, located above de Bourg Saint-Pierre. The weather pleases, and the program is rather sated. " But, - as Patrick notes, - it is not necessary to run day after day, up to the hut the difference of altitude is 3000m".

On April, 2, Friday
As it was planned, on Thursday in the evening Patrick and Phillip spent the night at the hut la cabane de Valsorey: the exhausting ascent up to this hut is known for numerous "caravans" of enthusiasts, being covered in sweat at the stage Chamonix-Zermatt. Then they spent a long evening in company with Rivella (soda, so popular in Switzerland, as well as Cola), woke up early at 2.00 a.m. and left at 3.00 in a direction of Combin. They made their start on the big slope via the classical "Haute-route", leading them to the Plateau du Couloir, where is stationary bivouac settled at 3664 m - a wonderful place to leave skis and ascend the tops of Grand Combin: Combin de Valsorey (4184 m), Combin de Grafeneire (4317 m) and Combin de Tsessette (4141 m). At 10 o'clock this stage was completed. Despite of a strong gusty wind, the weather at the top was quite tolerable. But Mont Blanc stands, shrouded in a cap of clouds, and it means that the bad weather is not far off.
The evening came to the end in a hut cabane Chanrion, next to a place of start their following "big walk": Couronne Imperiale, huge traverse, bending around Zermatt and numbering 30 summits higher than 4000 meters. For the first time this improbable route was done in 1986 by Swisses Erhard Loretan and Andre Georges.

Photo courtesy of http://www.club4000.it/, http://www.dietmar-hahm.de
http://www.glenatpresse.com

(6.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition

Our greetings to all our friends. We are in a fine mood, and all of us are alive and well. Tricks of a cargo- and luggage figures came straight to the fact that one our trunk disappeared. In this connection our stay in Kathmandu was delayed, but we visited sacred places. We moved forward on our familiar road, having cut dawn three-day travel by a vehicle from Kathmandu in Taplejung, to 40 minutes flying by plane.
Taplejung-Mitlung-Topetok-Chiruwa-Languless-Ghunsa - the settlements flashed and met us already as well-familiar. Leeches did not disturb, probably, they are in hibernation and sleep in their dens. But small and harmful midges bit, we have to scratch all the time. In comparison with the last year when humidity was 100-percent, and everything was green, now it looks like in autumn: yellow foliage, the weather is dry and cooler. Topetok and Chiruwa met us with red flags with sickle and hammer on high bamboo flagstaffs. Here is authority of maoists. We, Russians, did not pay money to pass their territory. But they usually rob others.
We reached the Base Camp on 5, April. The camp is settled. The Wall is much cleaner, than in the autumn. There is a little snow on it; also we can see blue ice of its couloir. Tomorrow we wait for the the yak's caravan with our equipment and we prepare to begin fixing ropes on the bottom part of the Wall bypassing the ice fall. Hoping for a soon meeting

Ruchkin and Co.

(5.04.2004)
Panasonic-Jannu North Face expedition
Alexandre Odintsov reports: "The team has arrived in Base Camp. Odintsov is in Gunza. The satellite phone works. "

(2.04.2004)
Russian Mt. Everest Expedition, the North Face
The head of the expedition Viktor Kozlov reports:
" Everything goes right way, the two groups began upwards...
The two groups leaded by Koshelenko and Shabalin are at 5600m now. Tomorrow the first 50 yaks will do the first full carry up to 5600m. Also for tomorrow the other two groups leaded by Ermachek and Kuznetsov are planning to ascend 5600m and stay there to settle a Camp, and Koshelenko's and Shabalin's groups will enter the Wall. The weather lasts tolerable.
Portfolio