The full Russian report complete and unedited, please see the note at the end.

Update 5/18/2005: Alex Abramov by phone from the ABC camp. In the morning.

Now all our team is in АВС. Except, Sasha Yakovenko and Nikolay Cherny that have gone down to displace the Middle Camp. Now we have left only one kitchen tent at height of 5800 m and two tents, in which two sleeping bags left. Igor Pohvalin has gone down to the base camp. It considers, that long time to be at height 6500м is harmful to an organism. He has decided to go down for 2-3 nights in base camp. With him, Ivan Dusharin went down, because his back was ill. All others were in camp ABC. Yesterday leaders of other expedition came in our camp. There were representatives of Norwegian expedition, two Indian expeditions, expedition “Monterosa” and for short time David Hamilton from Jagged Globe. All are worried about promised fix ropes that are not arranged yet. Under an agreement with Russell it should be fixed up to top of the Second step. Leaders of these expeditions have offered us to become the fourth expedition which will go in the forefront and will detach Sherpas for fixed ropes.

We have been trying to find Russell Brice which now is in Middle Camp. Also we have decided, that today a meeting at 4 will be held. We want to invite leaders of all expeditions. All are worried about the weather forecast. Forecasts are very different.

Later, after meeting.

Today morning Vladimir Lande has gone up the North Col and started an ascent. Later two Slovene climbers Marko and Victor also have decided to leave on an ascent. On the North Col also there are Andrey Selivanov and Grigory Skaller. But their plans is simply high-altitude acclimatization. Since morning the weather was not the best. But forecasts promise 4 days of quite good conditions. Tomorrow (May, 19) Dyma Moskalev, Sasha Yakovenko, Harry Kikstra and Lorenzo Gariano, also will go upward. Three other expeditions (Norwegian and two Indian) also plan a start of climb. Nevertheless, there are no fix-ropes up to the Second Step yet. Today the meeting which was initiated by those expeditions which want to leave earlier was held. Except for these expeditions, many participants from other expeditions want to begin climb in the near future. And some of them have already left on North Col.

At meeting we discussed a question of termination of an arranging of a route and some financial questions. In a result it was solved, that 4 expeditions which are going to leave today - tomorrow became responsible for final fixing of ropes. It was solved, that the money collected for this purpose will be given to Sherpas which will fix ropes. In result, tomorrow 4 Sherpas will leave on North Col and next day on 8300 m. They plan to fix ropes up to the top of the Second step. Also it is possible, that tomorrow Nikolay Cherny will climb to the North Col. The weather is quite unstable. " A Window" seems unstable, duration of it will take maximum 4 days. And that is not clear, this is “a window” or simply a small decrease of wind.

Today our Sherpas have done big work. Yesterday they have climbed on the Col, then after have spent a night, today they have climbed up to height of 8300 meters. They have brought in the storm camp 40 cylinders of oxygen, sleeping bags, tents. Today they have gone down, very much tired. Nevertheless, one of them has agreed to go with Vladimir Linde on an ascent. Tomorrow at 10 morning, Lande with his individual high-altitude porter will go to camp 2

Our Sherpas are great ! Thank them, thanks to the Sirdar Mingma !

Korobeshko Ludmila

AlpIndustria Adventure team Project

[When we received this report we were confused as to who the 4 expeditions were and the 4 Sherpas were. We have asked for more detail. Since that time the Vojvodinian expedition "Everest 2005" has reported May 19th ABC (6400 m) 11.00 AM: Yesterday (18.00 PM Local Time) it was meeting in ABC and it was making not agreement about nothing. One hour later it was meeting again but in Russian agency Seven Summit. There were members of expeditions from China, Norway, India's military (two teams) and Vojvodina (Former Yugoslavia). They agreed that four men from China, Norway, and the Indian Army team will fix the ropes from today (May 19th) to Saturday (May 21st). For the full story from them see here. We have not heard back from the Russians yet. ]

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