Everest 2006: 7 Summits Club expedition crossing safe this time

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April 2: News of "7 Summits Club  expedition

All last week Alexander Abramov and his comrades from a service team in Katmandu solved complicated problems on maintenance of the future expedition. In result, in the morning March, 31 five lorries have gone in the direction of Tibet. At 11:30 they have crossed border with China. Nikolay Chernyi, Andrey Selivanov and Maxim Onipchenko have proceeded together with a cargo in base camp with 20 Sherpas. The transfer has passed without undue incident. It seems, this year all is quiet. Not as the last year when climbers went under bombardment.

Alexander Abramov has remained in Katmandu. He will wait for the basic group which will start to gather by the end of new week.

April, 3 we have left Periche, went downwards to meet Alex Abramov. He flew to Lukla a day before. Under the plan we should meet him somewhere in the area of Tiangboche. Near the monastery we have met Valentin Bozhukov (he is now 72 years old!), the famous climber and inventor of his own version of liquid oxygen. Have a little talk. He goes with friends to the Everest base camp to do some paragliding. And then he will join us in the North side of Everest. He still hope to climb the highest point.. Great man.

In midday we have met Alex in Tiangboche. He has told latest news what happens in the world – continuous disorders, as appeared.

A few minutes later, we met here Vern Tejas, the leader of Alpine Ascents expedition, our old friend from Elbrus and Vinson. To the evening we all were in Namch Bazar. The next morning we started early to descent in Lukla. On road we have met a lot of expeditions going to Base Camp of the Everest. We approached to Lukla already in darkness. It was necessary to pass through 5-6 militaries posts: soldiers partition off road a barbed wire after 18.00.

In the Himalayan Lodge, the owner Dava Chiri Sherpa met us hospitably, he said he is as a big friend of Russian climbers. He has shown us a film of one of his friends - Victor Kozlov, about Lhotse expedition 1997. By the way, Alex Abramov was an operator on that film. So we have watched a film with double pleasure.

In the morning 5-th, a military plane has arrived in Lukla. It was a little disturbing, but flight has passed normally. Though the plane flied low and we were afraid of Maoists bombardments. Last night in Katmandu we have tried to buy all souvenirs as knew, that since next morning because of strike anybody will not work.

April, 6. It is indeed. Today streets of Katmandu are silent and deserted. We sit in the Waishali hotel. Likely, there is no huge disorder in the city. For us everything is all right. Under the plan our trekking group takes off at Saturday for Moscow. And members of Everest expedition already began to gather here. The main part of them should arrive in Katmandu at 10th, just after the strike.
 

Dispatches

Background: Expedition name "7 Summits Club"

Expedition Leader - Alexander Abramov

Expedition guides - Alexander Abramov, Russia (main guide and leader,  Everest Summiteer, leader of 5 Himalayan Expeditions)

                   -  Igor Svergun, Ukrain (guide, 2 times Everest summiter,  from the North without oxygen, 5 other 8-thousanders, has 2 Piolet d’Ore)

                   - Mingma Gelu Sherpa, Nepal (sirdar, 5 times Everest Summiteer)

                  - Sergey Kofanov, Russia (assistant guide)

                  - Ludmila Korobeshko, Russia (assistant guide)

                  - Andrey Selivanov, Russia (doctor and ABC manager)

                  - Maxim Onipchenko, Russia (mountain ranger, BC manager)

                  - Sergey Chistyakov, Russia (internet project manager)

                  List of  expedition members:

To the top

 20 Sherpas

6 cooks

6 kitchen boys

Total: 73 (30 clients, 43 staff)

Expedition start date : April 10

Expedition end date : June 10

Alexander Abramov with part of the staff arrives in Katmandu on March 20 to start the preparations for such a big expedition. 200 oxygen bottles are already bought for the expedition. 

Update: Alex is currently in Nepal meeting with Asian Trekking..

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