(27.06.2003)
Tomaz Humar. Nanga Parbat.
Initial problems of the expedition are soon to be solved
Ljubljana, June 26, 2003 - Nazir Sabir Expeditions from Islamabad, which is responsible for logistic support of Humar's expedition, notified us about the reasons for problems with permits and cargo that the expedition has been experiencing recently.
Details

(26.06.2003)
"Karakorum-2003" Ukrainian Expedition.
Vladimir Pestrikov, Dnepropetrovsk:
"We are in Ravalpindi, Pakistan now. The objective of our national expedition "Ukraine - Karakorum 2003" is the Ascent of two Karakorum peaks - Trango Tower and Hidden Peak (Gasherbrum-I). The leader : Simonenko V.K., president of Ukrainian Climbing Federadion The senior coach: Gorbenko M.M. The coach: Zagirnyak M.V. Doctors: Lebedenko V.S. and Taran G.
The ascent of two peaks will be done by two independent teams, only the time and approach coincide partially.
Trango team consists completely of "Odessa" mountaineering club members: Vladimir Mogila - the leader Alexei Zhilin Alexander Lavrinenko Vitaly Yarichevskiy. They are planning to put a new line on NW Face. They have a laptop and a satellite phone with them, so they will send the information about their progress.
Hidden Peak team is a Ukrainian National Team from all parts of the country: Vladislav Tersyul (Odessa, 12 8-thousenders) Vladimir Pestrikov (Dnepropetrovsk) Sergei Kovalev (Donezk) Sergei Pugachev (Donezk) Nikolai Goryunov (Kiev) Mikhail Evcheev (Odessa). They are planning a new route on SW Face (starts at Kukuczka route and then along the logic line, left unclimbed by the Poles in the end of 80-s).
Tomorrow morning (26.06) we are all leaving for Skardu, then Askole and further to our destination points."

(26.06.2003)
Lecco. Bouldering. Our girls! Olga Bibik - first place, Yulya Abramchouk is second!
It's difficult to believe, but it's very hot in some places now. The semifinals started at noon, and the girls were nearly losing their consciousness. Everything happened the other way around: those who were crying at the previous competitions, showed good results yesterday in the semifinals. All our girls, except for Natalya Perlova, got to the final. Olda Bibik scarcely managed 4 routes, Levet has done all 6 as usual.
Semifinal results:
Sandrine Levet (FRA),
Lisa Rands (USA),
Giulia Gianmarco (ITA),
Ioulia Abramtchouk (RUS),
Corinne Theroux (FRA),
Melanie Son (FRA),
Isabelle Bihr (FRA),
Isabella Ritsch (AUT),
Myriam Motteau (FRA),
Olga Bibik (RUS),
Olga Yakovleva (RUS),
Vera Kotasova (CZE).
A surprise in the Final: invincible Sandrine (who made a crazy bet to win everything this season) broke down on the first route, which wasn't too difficult for the others . Olga made four problems from six and won the Cup. Yulya Abramchouk topped only two, but she got very close to the top on many others.

Reported by Jack Ovchinnikov

Women's Final results:
1 Bibik Olga (RUS)
2 Abramtchouk Ioulia (RUS)
3 Motteau Myriam (FRA)
4 Theroux Corinne (FRA)
5 Rands Lisa (USA)
6 Bihr Isabelle (FRA)
7 Giammarco Giulia (ITA)
8 Son Melanie (FRA)
9 Levet Sandrine (FRA)
10 Yakovleva Olga (RUS)
11 Kotasova Vera (CZE)
12 Ritsch Isabella (AUT)

http://www.ragnilecco.com/english/2003/index.html

(26.06.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
"Hello, Yesterday, June 23, Jean-Christophe Lafaille reached the summit of Nanga Parbat (8125m) without supplemental oxygen by a new line named after his son Tom: "Tom et Martina"

Last time we talked with Jean-Christophe on Saturday June 21, he was in Camp 3 (7000m). On Thursday, June 19, in the afternoon Jean-Christophe left Base Camp for camp 1 (4900m) to spend a night there and to be closer to the realization of his long-conceived project…
On the spot it turned out that an Italian climber Simone Moro had been having plans for the same line… He suggested they should join their forces with Jean-Christophe. There was not much choice left but to agree and abandon the idea of "solo-integral" ascent. On June 20, at night they left Camp 1. The new line which they named after their children comprises rock, snow and ice pitches between 4800m and 7000m. Having reached the point 200 meters below Camp 3 they pitched up an intermediate camp on the slope, it was very warm and the risk of snow slide was too high.
On the night from 20 to 21 it started snowing heavily, on June 21 the weather was also bad, it snowed again, though the forecast was good!
They climbed to Camp 3 in spite of avalanche danger, low visibility, deep snow, etc…
Tired and exhausted by bad weather, Lafaille and Moro decided to postpone their push to camp 4 (7400m) till the next day, June 22. I passed weather forecast again to Jean-Christophe assuring him that the next several days were going to be clear and calm. On June 22 at 23:00 I received an email with new weather forecast from Jan… strange… usually Jan sends me weather emails in the morning about 10-11 a.m. I am reading his email and gradually understand that the weather is shit, snowfalls on June 22-23, with clearing out only on June 24. I failed to reach Jean-Christophe on the phone - he had left his phone in BC and used Simone's phone for reports to BC… in camp 3 there were 3 of them, they were together with another climber (Ed Viesturs) who had chosen Kinshofer route to the summit.
I was expecting a call from Jean-Christophe on June 22, but he didn't call… I was trying to reassure myself with the thoughts that the batteries his phone were running down and it was impossible to make a call. June 23 - no news, I am getting psychic, the weather is not getting better. It's not like Jean-Christophe, he always calls me... Just like you I started searching internet for the news - nothing. At last yesterday's night before going to bed I entered internet again - and here are the news! Simone writes that yesterday he descended to Base Camp and Jean-Christophe together with Ed Viesturs continued fighting through the last 150 meters to the summit… it is snowing heavily, deep snow, the weather is terrible, zero visibility… Not very optimistic news before going to bed…
This morning at 5:00 a.m. my silent mobile phone rang, Simone sent me a message that yesterday Jean-Christophe reached the summit of Nanga Parbat!!! Yesterday he spent a night at Camp 3 (7000m), today June 24 he is descending to Base camp. But I still have no news from him! BRAVO BRAVO ET BRAVO !!!!
A couple of weeks earlier Jean-Christophe was in very tough conditions on Dhaulagiri, now the weather continued playing its tricks on Nanga Parbat. He must be very tired… one more 8-thousender ahead… Broad Peak! I am joining him on this climb, Friday June 27 I am leaving for Pakistan. I'll try to send you the details of the ascent during the day.
Best regards, Katia Lafaille "

www.jclafaille.com

(26.06.2003)
TOMAZ HUMAR REACHED THE BASE OF NANGA PARBAT
Ljubljana, June 25, 2003 – A little over a week after Tomaz Humar’s expedition left Slovenia from LjubljanaAirport, they finally reached the base of the Himalayan mountain Nanga Parbat. It took them three days to reach the mountain because of minor complications with the permits and the cargo. Most of the problems they encountered on their journey had to do with poor roads, which had been thoroughly damaged by earthquakes in the beginning of the year. Despite these problems they reached their destination. Except for some minor indigestion problems, all of the expedition members are feeling well.
Details

(24.06.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
"June 22, 2003. Hello, No news for the time being. Jean-Christophe was going to call me today, but I think his telephone batteries are out of order. Yesterday, June 21, when I was at the Music Festival, he was in Camp 3, because the weather is changing. They forecasted a clear day, but it was snowing all night and part of the day. Yesterday's forecast promised a nice day, but in the evening Jan (meteorologist) noted some changes in the charts, snow during the day. .. He emailed this information to me, but I failed to reach Jean-Christophe yesterday. Today he was planning to climb to Camp 4 (7400m). I hope to hear from him tomorrow, on Monday, and find out whether Jan's forecast came true. Jean planned to go for the summit on Monday. Simone Moro and Jean-Christophe called a new line on Nanga Parbat face "Tom & Martina". When talking to our son Tom Jean-Christophe always says: "I love you and I am thinking of you". Martina is the name of Simone's daughter. Nice couple! I hope to send a more detailed report tonight… Best regards, Katia Lafaille. "

www.jclafaille.com

(23.06.2003)
New world record was established yesterday in BASE jumping: 26 people jumped from one object (Ostanskinskaya TV tower in Moscow) simultaneously!
Previous record - 24 people jumped - hasn't been accepted as such for the reason that the start was not simultaneous.

(23.06.2003)
TOMAZ HUMAR. Nanga Parbat
Expedition members had their first distant glimpse of Nanga Parbat today
At 11 a.m. local time, as they were leaving Besham, they were looking at another fifteen hours of driving, followed by a footpath to the base of the mountain. All the expedition members are feeling good and are therefore expected to reach the mountain by Monday evening. They won t be in contact until Base Camp is set up.

http://www.humar.com/

(19.06.2003)
Karakorum – 2003. Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and K2
June 18. Congratulations!!! Today, June 18, the second group of Lavrov, Raspopov, Litvinov, Bogomolov at 13:00 reached the summit of Nanga Parbat. Molgachev is in camp 4 now. He will make his summit attempt tomorrow together with the foreign members of the expedition. Everyone is in good health and looking forward to fulfilling other stages of the project. The team thanks sponsors and the administration of ZSKA RK and Major-General Pavel Maksimovich Novicov personally. The team congratulates everybody who helped in organization of the expedition with successful outcome of the first stage.
June 17. The first group reached the summit of Nanga Parbat at 10:45 Alma-Aty time. The first group of Kazakstan National team reached the summit of Nanga Parbat today at 10:45 Alma-Aty time. The second group is going for the summit tomorrow.
Ervand Ilyinsky, Nanga Parbat Base Camp.

(19.06.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
Hello, Jean-Christof has finally got better. (In her previous reports Katya wrote that Jean-Christof was not feeling very well, something like food poisoning).
He left Base Camp (4000m) on July 16 and started for Camp 3 (7000m) to make sure he was again in good shape. He climbed 3000 vertical meters not only for the sake of physical exercises - he had to carry some equipment he had left in Camp 2 (where Jean-Christof felt sick and from where he had to descend to Base Camp) to Camp 3 for the final part of the expedition - summit push.
Yesterday on the phone he sounded happy and recovered.
The weather forecast is pretty bad for the time being, though actually the weather is bearable. But heavy snowfalls are expected on June 18 and 19.
Tonight Jean-Christof is planning to climb to Camp 1 (4900m), spend a night there, and the next day June 19 he will make one more summit attempt! If the weather permits Jean-Christof will reach the summit on June 21 or 22. In case Jan's forecast comes true, Lafaille will return to Base Camp. According to this forecast 2-3 days of bad weather are expected. The first days of the next week promise to be clear with low winds. All the best, Katya.

www.jclafaille.com

(17.06.2003)
TOMAZ HUMAR IS PREPARING FOR HIS FORTHCOMING ASCENT
Ljubljana, June 16, 2003 – Tomaz Humar is setting on his way to Pakistan today, accompanied by his ten-member team. He will try to conquer Nanga Parbat in the north-western part of the Himalayas. The ascent along a new route in the Rupal face is supposed to start on July 10, 2003. This extremely exacting venture should be completed in a fortnight and he is expected to return to his homeland on July 25, 2003. This morning, minutes before his departure, Tomaz Humar answered journalists' questions at a press conference held at Brnik Airport in Ljubljana.
Details

(6.06.2003)
TOMAZ HUMAR IS PREPARING FOR HIS FORTHCOMING ASCENT
Ljubljana, June 6, 2003 – Before his onset on the 5 km high Rupal face of Nanga Parbat, Tomaz Humar is in the middle of intense physical training, and his team are making all the necessary preparations for the expedition. He first stood at the roots of this mountain on August 25, 2002. The visit was a reconnoitring one and almost made him doubt he would ever decide for such a bold venture. Nevertheless, he is on his way to Pakistan in ten days time with the intent to climb it. This is also the reason why Humar says it is about 'love at second sight' this time.
Details

(6.06.2003)
CLIMBING WORLD CUP COMPETITION CIRCUIT, EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

Speed - 2 (4/06/2003)

Results Men

Results Women

			1/4	1/2	FINAL
1	YURINA Valentina	RUS	1:10,45	1:05,67	1:00,24
2	SUTKINA Svetlana	RUS	1:08,45	1:04,68	1:00,28
3	ROYIGA Tatiana	RUS	1:08,12	1:06,90	1:12,87
4	OSHTCHEPKOVA Olga	RUS	1:11,16	FALL	FALL
5	SAULEVICH Olesya	RUS	1:10,16
6	SAOULEVITCH Anna	RUS	1:10,77
7	ROPEK Edyta	POL	1:11,56
9	PODGORBOUNSKIKH Zosia	RUS	1:23,54
9 - 14	...	...	...

(3.06.2003)
TOMAZ HUMAR AND HIS NEW HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION
Ljubljana, June 3, 2003 – After a four-year-long break and a serious injury to both of his legs, which made doctors certain he will never walk again, Slovene alpine climber Tomaz Humar is once again on his way to the Himalayas. This time his goal is to climb a 5 km Rupal face of the over 8.000 m high Nanga Parbat. Press conference prior to his departure will be held on Monday, May 16, 2003 at 8.30 a.m., probably at Ljubljana Airport.
Press release

(3.06.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"2 June. Mr. Ang-Tzering the President of the Climbing Federation of Nepal presented our climbers memorable medals at the ceremonial welcome. It rained in Kathmandu that means the season of monsoon has begun. All the expeditions are leaving and we are doing the same. The Adventure Team of Alpindustria arrives at Sheremetyevo 2, at 8.40 in the morning; the flight is 536K Delhi - Moscow. Look forward to the meeting! It is the last message, Bye"

(2.06.2003)
CLIMBING WORLD CUP COMPETITION CIRCUIT, EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

Lisa Rands (USA) - bouldering

The problems were more technical. It's very different to anything I've ever climbed. I do not understand the boulders, I do not understand how to do them, so I try many times and I get very tired so when I get in one what probably I can do I was tired.
Others climbed well…

If I want to do these comps so I must train very hard on plastic. For me I love to climb outside so maybe I'll do my moderation for the comps, I'll see. I found I'm very strong outside and when I come here and I'm very weak here.

Malcom Smith is injured but we both said the same: when you climb outside and when you climb on the competition, the style is very very different. Like these I don't know what to do, I've no idea. The problem with the jumping is very special plastic climbing.

But I'll see I'll try to train on plastic for the next World Cup.
I think for me my outside climbing has suffered from tries to climb to competition. And also I've get very injured when I climb on plastic, I get more injures than outside.

Speed

Results Men

Results Women

		SUM
1	Saoulevich Anna	28.67
2	Podgorbunskih Zosia	FALL
3	Oshtchepkova Olga	27.32
4	Repko Olena	27.72
5 - 15	...	...

(31.05.2003)
CLIMBING WORLD CUP COMPETITION CIRCUIT, EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

Bouldering

Results Final Men

Levet Sandrine

Results Final Women

			TOP	BONUS
1	Levet Sandrine	FRA	6 8	6 8
2	Bibik Olga	RUS	4 8	6 10
3	Rogeaux Fanny	FRA	3 5	6 9
4	Yakovleva Olga	RUS	3 8	5 7
5	Titova Natalia	RUS	2 3	6 9
6	Theroux Corine	FRA	2 3	5 7
7	Perlova Natalia	RUS	2 10	5 12
8	Kotasova Vera	CZE	2 12	5 12
9	Motteau Myriam	FRA	1 3	3 4
10	Rands Lisa	USA	1 4	6 13
11	Tchereshneva Venera	RUS	0 0	5 19
12	Abramchuk Julia	RUS	0 0	3 4

(30.05.2003)
CLIMBING WORLD CUP COMPETITION CIRCUIT, EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

Bouldering

Results 1/2 Final Men

		TOP	BONUS
1	Rakhmetov Salavat	6 8	6 6
2	Meyer Gerome	6 15	6 9
3	Golob Gure	4 7	6 10
4	Kazbekov Serik	4 7	5 7
5	Borowka Karsten	4 10	4 4
6	Parry Gareth	4 7	6 10
7	Oleksy Thomas	4 7	5 10
8	Meral Julien	3 4	5 6
9	Julien Stephane	3 4	5 6
10	Cehovin Urh	3 4	5 9
11	Bashkirtsev Evgeny	3 4	4 8
12	Gaidioz Loic	3 6	4 4

Results 1/2 Final Women

		TOP	BONUS
1	Theroux C	6 6	6 6
2	Bibik O	6 7	6 6
3	Levet S	6 8	6 6
4	Rands L	6 11	6 10
5	Yakovleva O	5 6	6 7
6	Chereshneva V	5 8	6 7
7	Perlova N	5 9	6 9
8	Rogeaux F	4 5	6 7
9	Motteau M	4 8	5 5
10	Titova N	4 9	6 7
11	Kotasova V	4 9	6 10
12	Abramchuk U	3 4	6 8

(29.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"28 May. The team of Alpindustria is trying to storm the summit of Everest again. Sergey Larin is making desperate attempt of ascension. He is at 8300m now, Sergey reported about the attempt to reach the summit at night today. There are no climbers except him on the mountain. The wind is blowing dangerously. Sergey is an experienced climber and if the weather does not change he will not jeopardize his life. About 36 yaks have been gone to the ABC already. Elagin and Litinskiy descended to the ABC. We wish Sergey Larin good luck! It is the end of the message, Bye
29 May. Today is 50 years from the first ascension to the summit of Everest. All the team gathered in the kitchen in the morning. Suddenly at 9.40 Sergey Larin reported very sprightly: "I am standing at the summit of Everest and setting the flag of our country". Our exertion was developed into general rejoicing. Our team celebrated the anniversary triumphal. The field day finished for us symbolically. Two months of hard and exhausting work have brought us victory. We are descending to the BC, where we are going to wait for Sergey Larin. After that all expedition is going to Katmandu. In Katmandu 30 best Russian climbers will meet us. This meeting will be wonderful. The team is full of enthusiasm and further plans of new summits. It is the end of the message, Bye" "

(29.05.2003)
CLIMBING WORLD CUP COMPETITION CIRCUIT, EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA

Programme

May, 30-31 Boulder (first stage)
Friday, 30
10h00 1/4 Final Women
16h00 1/4 Final Men
Saturday, 31
11h00 Final Women
14h00 Final Men
16h00 Awards ceremony

June, 1 Speed event (first stage)
Sunday, 1
11h00 1/4 Final Women+Men
15h00 Final Women+Men
18h00 Awards ceremony

June, 4 Speed event (second stage)
Wednesday, 4
13h00 1/4 Final Women+Men
17h00 Final Women+Men
20h00 Awards ceremony

June, 6-7 Difficulty (second stage)
Friday, 6
12h30 1/4 Final Women+Men
Saturday, 7
10h30 1/2 Final Women+Men
17h30 Final Women+Men
20h00 Awards ceremony

June, 8 Speed event (third stage)
Sunday, 8
11h00 1/4 Final Women+Men
15h00 Final Women+Men
18h00 Awards ceremony

(28.05.2003)
Karakorum – 2003. Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and K2
Yesterday the rest climbers from Karakorum-2003 expedition left for Karachi, Pakistan. Meanwhile the triple-header team was on their way on Chilas, which they planned to reach by yesterday evening. The guys plan to climb three 8000ers in one season, their coach, well-known Kazakhstan alpinist Edvard Ilyinsky is sure that they’ll do it.. Simone Moro, which also participates in this project, said that only very bad weather could stop this team.
The list of team members:
The head of the team - Zhunusov Baglan (Kz)
The leader of Kazakhstan team - Maxut Zhumayev (Kz)
Denis Urubko, Alexey Raspopov, Vassily Pivtsov, Sergey Lavrov, Vassily Litvinov, Damir Molgachev, Dmitry Chumakov
The list of international team members involved in this project:
Sergey Bogomolov, Russia, Jean-Christophe Lafaille (Fr), Ed Viesturs (USA), Simone Moro (It), Barbara Zwerger (It), Inaki Ochoa (Sp), Oscar Gogorza de Carlos (Sp), Nicoloini Franco (It), Mirco Mezanotte (It), Nasuh Mahruki (Turkey)

(28.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"27 May. The banner of Alpindustria was set on the summit of Everest. Elagin and Gudjabidze ascended to the summit. This success pertains to all the members of our expedition. Everest has proved us one more time how it is difficult and severe. Such bad weather has not been for many years. Gudjabidze descended to the ABC. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(27.05.2003)
Portfolio. Moscow Climbing Championship, Spring-2003, Crimea, Simeiz

Photo: Andrey Kazakov, Moscou

(27.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"26 May. North, squally wind ruins all our hopes to subdue Everest. We are waiting for the news from the camp at 8300m. The tents are jumping in the ABC and we are afraid the tents can be blown away. At 12 o'clock was the connection with Sergeev. He reported the wind at 7700m was very cold and strong. It was impossible to climb up so he made the decision to descend. Sergey Larin was ascending from the North Col to the camp at 7500m. Sergeev met Larin and gave him portable radio transmitter because Larin had lost his. At 18.00 Larin was at 7700m and decided to spend the night there in the tent of Saint Petersburg expedition. The expedition of Saint Petersburg had left Everest already. At 22.00 the leader of Italian expedition visited Larin and informed he had seen the Russian climbers at 8300 and they were waiting for the good weather. We have been informed that Lakpa Gelu Sherpa held the new record yesterday. It had taken him only ten hours and forty minutes on the southward to get from the BC (5300m) to the summit. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(26.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"24 May. Our team (Abramov, Pushkarev, Tzarev and Kaimachnikov) worked rapidly and operated such unbelievable work content that many other climbers were surprised. 21 May. Our two sherps have become ill. The weather is rather bad. We have installed the camp at 7900m. We ascended from 7500m to 7900m with oxygen cylinders, found the area for our camp and installed the camp. It is 17.00; because of the shortage of water we have sore throat and the oxygen dry it. According to the forecast the weather today at night and tomorrow will be fine. We made the decision to go further and install the camp at 8300m. It needs usually one day.
We have four hours and a half before the darkness. We started at 17.15 and began to use three liters oxygen in a minute. It was too difficult to go and our team ascended the camp at 8300m in the dark. This mountainside has the rake of 25degree. All suitable area for the tents was occupied. We were gasping for a drink, but there was no shelter to boil ! the water and find protection from the shrill wind. We had to rake the frozen stones with the help of our hands. Suddenly the oxygen cylinder passed us very closely. At about 100 climbers gathered there. We tried to make the stone platform for the tents at about one hour and a half. It was - 30C of frost. It was 1 o'clock at night when we fell into the tent. The sleeping begs were not taken we hoped to spend night burning gas-jets and melting water. But all the members fell asleep in the tent.
We got up at 3 o'clock, melted the water about 200gr per man and were ready at 5 o'clock in the morning to ascend the summit. The lights of climbers were seen throughout the rout. The dawn caught us at the height of 8500m. Our team climbed the crest at 8600m. The rout was traced with ropes and ready to ascension. The first barrier was the wall and 20 climbers on it we had to wait for our turn at about one hour. Suddenly the weather changed, snow began to fall down and the strong wind became stronger. We came up to the second step at 8700m there were 30 climbers ascending very slowly. The summit was not seen because of the snow. I remembered the ascension in 1996 only 11 persons were able to stay there because of the weather worsening. I am responsible for the people it was a pity but I had to turn my team back. We started to climb down and some other expeditions ascended down with us. The probability of death and ascension were equal this day.
All the members of our team got huge experience this day in spite of slight chilblain. We reached the height of 8700m. 24 May. Moskalev, Soipher, Litinski! y, Elagin and Gudjabize are expecting the good weather. Larin and Pashkov are in the ABC.
25 May.1 message. The weather has not become well, the wind is strong and none of expeditions are working there. Sherps are carrying all the things down. Tinkling of bells is heard all over there are a lot of yaks. The connection was at 10 o'clock in the morning. Gudjabidze, Elagin and Litinskiy ascended from 7500m to 7900m and they are ready to climb at 8300m tomorrow. I advised them to climb 8300m today and ascend the summit tomorrow. The Day of Independence of Georgia will be tomorrow and Bidzina dreamed to ascend the summit on this important day for him. The connection was at 12 o'clock. Sergeev and sherp ascended from 7000m to 7900m and they were valid to climb at 7900m but there were three persons already at 7900m. Sergeev is 67 years old and if he ascends the summit Sergeev will become the oldest person in the history of Everest. Sergey Larin gathered his rucksack and went to the North Col and wanted to ascend the summit alone. Only our expedition "Alpindustria" is working on the mountain. Other expeditions refused to ascend the summit and went away.
2 message. Gudjabidze reported that they went to the camp at 8300m in the dark and they were trying to find the tent and oxygen cylinders. I explained them there to find all the necessary things. They are ascending to the summit at night today. God be with you! Abramov and Pushkarev are going to try the ascension to the summit tomorrow. We are planning, 26, May - 7500m, 27,May - 8300m, and if the weather is fine the ascension to the summit will be on the 28th of May. It is possible that will be problems with the messages. We ask you not to worry and hope for the best. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(23.05.2003)
Olga Bibik and Evgeny (Jack) Ovchinnikov have made two weeks trip to Crimea
Their results:
Jack repeated Briz, 8A+ and Fantastic, 8a+
Olga climbed much more:
Massif Nikita
Briz, 8A+ (second go). This means she is the first woman to climb Briz!
Also it was her first route graded 8A+ Strannik, 8A (second go)
Escadron, 8A (3rd go)
Ne poussez pas meme … , 7C+, second go
Levier de la perestroika (droit), 7C+, second go
Massif Uarch-Kaya:
Sokovyzhimatel, 7B onsight
Diamond hand 7C+/8A, onsight
"Camel Trophy" 7B+, onsight

(22.05.2003)
News from Russian expedition "ST. PETERSBURG EVEREST - 2003"
May 22, Andrey Ershov (message from our doctor from BC):
" Radio contact, 15:00 Chinese time Nikolay Totmyanin is standing on the top of Everest without oxygen!!! He will wait for 30 minutes on the summit to welcome his teammates Vladimir (using oxygen) and Andrey (not using oxygen), both from Siberia. From Doctor Dmitry, Everest Base Camp"
May 22, Andrey Ershov: "Yesterday Nikolay Totmyanin, Vladimir Belous and Andrey Dulskiy reached Camp 3 on 8300 m. Today they will try to reach the summit of Everest."

(22.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"22 May. It is 3 o'clock now. We had been ascending all day yesterday and now we are staying at 8300m this camp is the last. What a wonderful view of Everest! We are taking by storm the summit in half an hour. Our team is resting, having tea, fussing before the start. According to the forecast the weather is fine today. We report today in the evening what will happen further. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(21.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"20 May. According to the weather forecast the strong wind blows from the morning. The crowd of people is ascending slowly for five, six steps in a minute it is too difficult to breath in. The passage to 7500m is complicated and long enough. It is cold and strong wind is blowing. We have met our sherps, they could not install the camp at 8300m again. So we have to ask the other expeditions for the tents at 8300m. Sherps from the other expeditions have been carrying oxygen cylinders and tracing ropes all week. The workmanship of our sherps is poor. Three persons from Japan, three sherps and one Englishman have ascended to the summit today. Abramov, Pushkarev, Tzraev and Kaimachnikov are at 7500m now. Moskalev, Soipher, Elagin and Gudjabidze have gone from the ABC to the North Col. They are following us. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(20.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"16 May. Have you ever seen the film "Groundhog Day"? I get up and notice that every day is the same. We have been at the height of 6500m for nine days already. We are looking forward to the good weather. The height is very injurious for health, energy and brain especially. The expeditions postpone the time of ascension. The problem is that above 8300m there are no railing ropes. Sherps are not able to ascend because of the wind. We have known about the deaths of the climbers in CHO-OIU. Misha Latinskiy went to the ABC at 6 o'clock; the full moon helped him to find the way. We are planning to go out tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
17, May. Some members from the expedition of Baltic States came to our camp in the morning. We have been playing cards all day and waiting for the better weather. Igor Tzarev wanted to dry his sleeping bag and it was flown away towards the neighbor camp. Most of the expeditions are planning the ascension on the 22nd of May. Yura Soipher and Dima Moskalev came to the ABC in the evening. It is snowing hardly in the ABC. We were invited to celebrate the birthday in the expedition from Saint Petersburg. There were a lot of friendly speeches and the self-made cake. It was an agreement that we would communicate with them during ascension using portable radio transmitter. The wind has dropped and the snow has begun. Our prospects of climbing are perfect.
18 May. There was strong wind yesterday. The sherps refuse flatly to ascend. We have decided to ascend on the 22nd of May. We are planning, 20, May - 7500m, 21, May - 8300m and 22, May - the summit. The sherps are installing 8300m. The whole expedition was gathered together in the evening. There was the meeting in the ABC and we made the decision that Abramov, Tzarev, Pushkarev and Kaimachnikov would ascend the first. Moskalev, Soipher and Latinskiy would follow, 20, May - the North Col, 21, May - 7500m, 22, May - 7900m, 23, May - 8300m, 24, May - the summit. Larin, Pashkov, Elagin, Sergeev would ascend, 22, May - the North Col, 23, May - 7500m, 24, May - 7900m, 25, May - 8300m, 26, May - the summit. The period of expectation will be finished tomorrow.
19, May. Abramov, Pushkarev, Tzarev and Kaimachnikov went from the ABC at about 12 o'clock. It took them three hours and a half to get to the North Col. The weather is perfect, the wind is not strong but with gusts. At about 100 people have ascended to the North Col. We are planning the ascension to the summit on the 22nd of May. We feel good and have keen appetite. The great passage is planned tomorrow. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(19.05.2003)
Red Bull X-Alps. Selection of participants finished!
19 of the world’s best paraglider pilots, 19 contestants with the endurance to match their determination: as of today, we know who will be gliding and running for a total of 35,000 euros in prize money at Red Bull X-Alps.
There are 19 of them, and they’re between 22 and 47 years old. They come from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, England and the USA. They’re students, oceanographers, machinists, engineers, teachers, electricians, corporate consultants and adventurers. Three of them are paraglider testers, four of them paragliding teachers – but all of them are world-class paraglider pilots. The other thing they have in common is that they’ll all be coming together on 14 July at the Dachstein in Styria, where Red Bull X-Alps takes off, to see who – equipped with a paraglider, running shoes and loads of endurance – will be the fastest to cross the Alps from East to West.
3 of 19: Will Gadd, Carlos Carsolio and Walter Holzmuller
He’s 34, an American, adventurer, professional athlete, author and filmmaker. Will Gadd isn’t just a two-time world record holder in distance paragliding: he’s also a world champion in ice climbing. One of the best climbers and flyers in the world. But only on good days, as Will himself readily admits: “On bad days, I’m not even able to climb out of bed or keep down my lunch on a commercial jet.”
He’s 40, a Mexican, the father of five and an engineer. In 1996, Carlos Carsolio was the fourth – and youngest – mountain climber to have climbed all 14 peaks higher than eight thousand meters. He’s been paragliding off and on since 1987. And Carlos proved last November that he can fly just about as well as he can climb, covering 205 kilometers at the Xceara 2002.
He’s 44, an Austrian, and a test pilot for one of the world’s leading paraglider manufacturers. Walter Holzmuller has been paragliding since 1986, has qualified for every European and World Championship since then, and has won several Paragliding World Cups. Walter proved way back in 1990 that he has the necessary condition for Red Bull X-Alps, when he won the “Dolomitenmann”, the toughest team relay event on earth – in both the individual and the team rankings.
You can find out more about Red Bull X-Alps and its participants at: www.redbullxalps.com!

(19.05.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "Good day, friends! Today is the 14th of May. Yesterday we descended from South Face of Nuptse where we spent five days. It was a push to the summit but we had not reached the top. Descent itself took two days. On the day of final summit bid we were terminated with weather. At that moment we were at 7450 m and only 400 meters were left up to an apex. We descended under permanent snowfall with avalanche accompaniment. We were lucky enough to save ourselves in a bergshrund, where we made a bivy. On the 11th of May we were able to continue our return and at 6900 m we saw two tents of Kammerlander’s team that was preparing for an assault too (now they are waiting a storm through in the base camp). At 8 p.m. of the very day we were at our base camp; absolutely exhausted but happy to be safe. Now our genial cook Pasang is feeding us after multi-days fastening. Today evening we hope to go down to Chukung village (4700 m) and spend a night there to recover completely. Tomorrow we’ll be back to our base camp and in a pair of day we plan to attempt the summit once again. All for today.
Valera, Volodya, Nuptse East base camp, 14th of May, 2003."
Source BASK

(16.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"15, May. The weather is extraordinary this year. Sherps told that such strong wind had been only one day last year. It is strange the sky is absolutely clean and it is impossible to ascend. The west wind is blowing now and soon will be southwest this means monsoon. There were years when nobody was able to ascend the summit. Perhaps the anniversary year is preparing us such gift. The weather becomes warmer. The tent is not frozen inside. The sherps are working; they have carried 20 oxygen cylinders at 7500m and 8300m. We are trying to install the tent today at 8300m. The wind is going to drop for two or three days. Abramov, Pushkarev and Tzarev are not going to BC now; they are staying in the ABC to ascend on the 16th of May. We are planning: 17, May - 7500m, 18, May - 7900m, 19, May - 8300m, 20 or 21, May - the summit. According to the new weather forecast from the 16th to the 21st of May the snowfalls are expected. Follow the news. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(15.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"14 May. Slava Pashkov is depressed: "The hell with your mountains! I have got a lot of impression". Slava has never devoted to mountain climbing before. It is like experiment for him and us. He paid for the guider and porter. During the expedition Slava was able to have night in the camp 2. If Slava ascends to the summit it will cause the sensation in the mountaineering. Without doubt he has a good chance to do it. Tzarev, Pushkarev and three sherps are in the ABC now. They have not been a success to install the camp at 8300m because of the strong wind. Our plans are spoiled all the time. At the height of 7500m Elagin, Gudjabidze and Kaimachnikov installed the tent at about one hour and a half yesterday. They did not sleep and held the tent with the help of their bodies all night. The camp at 7500m was called "The dead town" because there was nobody except them. Nobody has gone to the top today. The peak is ice-coated and the ropes have not been changed for a long time. Probably the expedition from China will be able to trace the ropes. I should lead the first group of climbers to the summit. In spite of the weather all the expeditions are planning the ascension on the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th of May. The tents are torn in the ABC and there is the full moon in the sky. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(14.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"13, May. Already as a month we have gone with yaks to ABC. I suppose you are tired of reading about the adventures of our walking between the BC and the camp at 7000m. Please be tolerant it is a classical expedition to Everest. None of the other expeditions have ascended above 7700m. This fact can constitute justification to us. According to the weather forecast the good weather is expected after the 22nd of May. The strong wind is ruining our plans. We have tickets to Moscow on the 2nd of June. In order to have time to return we should go down with yaks from the ABC to the BC on the 26th of May. It seems to us this will be unreal. Most members of our expedition are ready to postpone the date of the departure. Alecsandr Sergeev was not able to ascend from 7000m to 7500m because of the strong wind and he had to return to the BC. The leaders of all expeditions will gather at 17.00. The expedition of China offers to combine efforts to trace the ropes of railings above 8300m. Some expeditions provide 16 sherps. It is snowing now and the weather has become warmer.
12 May. We are informed about weather forecast every day and they come true. The wind was strong on the North Col 20m/sec. We did not manage to ascend at 7500m. We were able only to climb 100m up and down with frozen noses. Of course we did not climb for naught our expedition was photographed with the banner "Adventure Team of Alpindustria" and with the banners of our sponsors "BASK" and "KANT" against a background of Everest. We fixed the tents and went to the ABC it took us one hour and a half to get to the camp. Our process of acclimatization has finished. We are waiting for better weather. Through hearsay the expedition from China is planning the ascension at the 17th of May. According to the weather forecast the strong wind will be from 12 to 19 May, but many other expeditions are going to climb too. It has been an agreement to take an attempt of the ascension at the 17th or 18th May. Elagin, Gudjabidse, Sergeev, Kaimachnikov have gone to the Col to have night there. T! he strong wind is blowing in ABC and we are afraid that our tents will be blown away. It is the end of the message, Bye"

Vladimir Babanov and Hans Kammerlander, 2003, Nuptse

(13.05.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
At last we had Valery Babanov's call! We haven't had any news from him since May, 4. We started to be worried.

The Latest Dispatch:
- Early morning on May, 5 Valera and Volodia headed for Nuptse East for the summit push.
- On May, 10 they were at 7450m. Only 400m of climbing remained.
- Late evening on May, 11 they returned to base camp
- The line is rather difficult (rock and ice)
- They had to climb under the bad weather condition (strong wind and snowfall) upper 7000m
- The temperature was below -35 degrees
- They weren't moving well because of lack of good acclimatization
- Camerlander and his team installed two tents at 6900m and now they have a rest
- Upper the height of 6900m the line for both team will be the same.

Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga intend to make their next attempt on May, 15 after having 3 days-rest.

It seems that nowadays Nuptse East (7804m) is the highest unclimbed peak.
Who of them will be the first?
Source BASK

(13.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"9 May. At the height of 6000m the temperature is at about -15C, -16C, the wind is blowing. We have some problems in the BC of organization the yaks with the equipment to the top camps. I am staying in contact with sherps, they have not found out the tents. We have now four tents, five sleeping bags and it is impossible to understand how many burners and pans we have. Larin, Pashkov and Abromov are going to the top tomorrow.
10 May. Have you ever assessed damages after fire, flood or tsunami and gathered rest things important for life. We have been busy with this for two days. Our expedition has been trying to install the camp at 7900m from the 26th of April. None of the expeditions install the camp above 7500m. According to the weather forecast the wind is strong today at the top and it is not dropping till Wednesday. We hope everything will be OK. Now nine members of our expedition are in the ABC and three on the North Col.
11 May. Moskalev, Latinskiy, Soipher went to the camp at 7500 to have night there, but strong wind did not let them to reach the camp 2. Abramov, Larin, Pashkov gone to the top, it took them three hours and a half to get to the North Col. People from Chine were making film about the expeditions ascending to the summit of Everest. When we came to the North Col sherps informed us about our sleeping bag in the crack. The crack was at about 15m deep. We took the rope, Larin insured and I abseiled down. I hardly pulled out the sleeping bag. The second sleeping bag was found not far from the first, the third was given us by the Estonian expedition. Soon the fourth sleeping bag was found by sherp. So things are sorting themselves.
It is the end of the message, Bye"

(12.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"8 May. What a crazy day today! From the morning five members of our expedition had been gathering loudly from 7.00 to 10.00. In the morning I was not in the mood to get up it was too cold. Larin, Pashkov, Moskalev, Soipher, Latinskiy were in the ABC for three days. Of course it is reasonable to spend one day in ABC but because of the bad weather we should be in a hurry. I had to go to the top and see consequences after the storm. The members of our expedition went out from the camp at 10.00 and I went out at 12.30. When I was at the height of 6000m the snowstorm began. The wind was chilling to the marrow. I put on down jacket "BASK" and went on. My hands and feet were frozen. When I was coming up to the camp I found out that my nose was injured by frostbite. I had been in such position in 2000 when Larin and I had been descending from Everest. I went to the by a miracle. In the camp I was given tea, aspirin, clear soup and vodka. I stopped trembling only by 23.00. And now results of the storm: in the ABC the half of the tents was torn, on the North Col two tents were torn to shreds. It is the end of the message, Bye
7 May. Dima informed us that it was the problem with jeeps. We became worried that another expeditions would ascend to the summit but we would not. The liaison officer came with his helper on jeep and got us to the BC. It was pleasure that Russian expedition was respected there. It is merit of long-standing friendship, though the fact is amazing the population on this land is 1.5 milliard and our perception of the world is different from peoples' perception, which live there.
When we arrived at the BC we saw many colored piles. There were blasted tents in the BC. Fortunately in our camp only two tents were torn. The wind is not strong. We had to shake all our things because of a lot of dust. There are twelve people in our camp that case happens rarely. Igor Pushkarev has birthday he is 40 today. Yura Koshelenko has visited our camp to celebrate the occasion; he is from expedition, which is going to the North Wall. We are in battle mood. We are short of time. Moskalev, Soipher, Larin, Elagin, Pashkov and Abramov are going to the top tomorrow. It is the end of the message, Bye"

(8.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"6,May. We connected with Dima Moskalev at 10 o'clock in the morning. He reported that all night they were strengthening the kitchen tent and the storm did not stop. It was an agreement to communicate with Dima at 4 o'clock once more. There is no doubt that in the village it is warmer and more air for breathing. None of the expeditions is going to the top. So it is quite reasonable to stay in the village and gather strength. It takes at about half an hour to get to the BC from the village. We are not so exhausted by the weather and stone walls protect us from the wind.
Dima Moskalev informed us that wind was strong and gusty; two of our tents had been damaged badly. Fortunately our camp is situated under moraine it protects us from the wind. According to the weather forecast the wind will abate tomorrow. We decided if the weather became good they would send car for from the BC. We have a notebook computer with us and have already watched some films.
It is the end of the message, Bye"

(7.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"5,May. In the morning the jeep from the BC came and took Slava Pashkov, Sergey Larin and Dima Moskalev, they are our scouts. In the afternoon dust was rushing level with clouds and strong wind was blowing. It was at the height of 4100m. According to the information the kitchen tent had been torn and many tents in other camps had been crashed too. The sherps who had been in the ABC informed us that all the tents in the top camps had been blown. We do not want to believe in these facts; we have tents at 7500m and all tents at 7000m there are twelve sleeping bags and many other necessary equipment. We will not be able to ascend to the summit without the equipment. Thank God, we did not pulled the oxygen cylinders. It is said that on the South Col at 8000m all the tents were blown down. Of course the storms in this place are evident. In 1997 early in May my tent was blown down with all equipment, oxygen cylinders, camera-recorder and est. Now one problem of our returning to the!
BC should be solved. According to the weather forecast tomorrow will be the last day of the foul weather. We will be waiting news about the weather from Dima Moscalev. His message will help us to make a decision.
It is the end of the message, Bye"

(6.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:

"3,May. Wind was tearing the tents. We went to the officer to ask the jeeps. By that time the kitchen tent was crashed down. And now we are in the village. What a marvelous place! The weather is perfect, grass is growing already and the inhabitants are plowing their gardens. We wanted to buy a couple of sheep but the villagers did not want to sell because of the spring all the sheep were skinny. We were offered the dead sheep for 7$ but we refused to buy it. At last we were lucky and bought the sheep (it was like dog size) for 25$. It was one question: who would cut it. Sasha Pashkov is an inveterate hunter, he was ready enough to do it but there was no knife. One nomad helped us. Finally the fresh meat was ready after three hours of cooking and at 11 o'clock ten sufferers fell upon the food.
It is the end of the message, Bye"

"2,May. Take counsel with your pillow; sleep on it! We were able to discuss and solve all the problems with sherps in the morning. We promised them to add some tips and they signed the agreement. They will go working to ABC tomorrow. There are many talks about new illness. The border China and Nepal has been closed. We do not know exactly how to return home. According to the weather forecast a storm is expected at a height of 7000 and 8000m. We decided to have a rest in a village for three days at a height of 4000m, so we are going to move there tomorrow. I suppose we need to wash, sleep in warm place and eat fresh meat. During the whole month we are eating dried meat of yaks, not washing, not shaving and leading natural way of living.
It is the end of the message, Bye"

"1,May. The situation is difficult. The sherps went down. Our activity is stopped. I communicated with the cook Passanga. He said that the problem was evident sherps wanted to raise their bonuses. I knew from another expeditions that our bonuses were quite normal and some expeditions paid less than we did. I decided not to climb 7900m for acclimatization. We moved down to the BC where our sherps were. Pashkov, Larin, Kaimanchikov, Gudjabidze helped to organize the negotiations with the sherps. At first the sherps were offended and asserted that they were not the yaks and the matter of their strike were not bonuses, after that they blamed the leader. There were the moments when we wanted to dismiss all of them but we had to continue the expedition. Some days were lost because of their strike. Bye."

Foto: Bivy at 6700 m. The tent is at the point where an edge turns to the right (at the end of snow cover)

(2.05.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
Dull weather in Nepal. Meteorologists forecast storm from Afghanistan on the first of May. Snowfall is over but wind is increasing up to 50 m/s at 8000 m.
Last two days (April 29, 30) Valery has been calling us often. For about half an hour I was dictating them weather forecast for next several days. They are interested in expected temperature, wind and humidity at different altitudes. On receiving the information Valera and Volodya start analyzing it and make their plans. They need to choose the best time for final bid and they are left no margin for error. Assault of Nuptse East has been delayed since the 26th of May. They need four or five days of normal weather. At least it seems so - none has tested this mountain above 7500 m yet...

April, 30:
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "We decided to wait. Snowfall. Meteorologists promise low humidity till the 7th of May. Hope us to be in time."
Kammerlander found it more ethical to choose another route. He with his team will try Marko Prezeli`s last year route. It`s to the left of Valery`s line. Their route is easier. Yesterday they started processing a route (up to 5500-5600 meters what makes a 300-400 meters progress). Today Kammerlander is waiting snowfall through. We don`t communicate much as we live in a 300-meters distance. Their team is strong - each of five climbers may work first on the route. They`ll work in turns." Valery is sending his kindest regards to all friends!

April, 29:
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "We had to postpone the start again. It`s snowing. According to your metcast we are to take off next night. We`ll try to. Shan`t be back till the 5th of May. Tell our guys that we have barbarized here and are eager to meet them, to speak with them - But let them visit Everest base camp firstly as we won`t be back before May, 7. Regards, Valera."
We also got some messages from our support team that is approaching a base camp now. The team is permanently informing our climbers about weather on their route. Here are some of their letters:
"Hi, Volodya! We are in Namche Bazar at 3400 m today. It`s the second day of our trek. Truly speaking, we are shocked with all we`ve seen in Katmandu during these 1.5 days. We`ve visited all we could: local showplaces, historical centre of the town, favorite climbing restaurant "Lapu" and "Annapurna" casino (fortunately, our paymaster didn`t take part in this entertainment). Transport (except of airlines) strike on the 28th of April didn`t prevent us from reaching Lukla and walking to Monjo (2850). Our "expedition" is safe and sound, we are cheerfully trumping up the route. Tomorrow we should visit Tengboche monastery. Send our regards to all who worry about us. Larisa, April 29."

"Regards!
We are in Namche already. Today we had an outing to 3900 m. Weather is abominable. Heavy rain since dinner had transformed into snow in the evening. I think Valery has not started yet. Yesterday it was raining too. Though we like all we see around. I`ve got letters concerning Valery. We met many Russians in a plane as well as in Katmandu. All for today, Sergey. April, 29."
Source BASK

(2.05.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"30,April. I like Sherps and Nepal very much. But very likely I will become racist soon. We were planning the third ascent to the North Col. I gave sherps oxygen cylinders, 18kg (five oxygen cylinders) per man. It was an agreement that they should carry the load of 20kg to the North Col but suddenly sherps began to shake their heads. They did not want to carry 18kg per man only 11kg(three oxygen cylinders). It exasperated not only me but also another members of our expeditions. It was the matter of principle either the sherps would work or go back to Katmandu.
Probably I indulged them paying bonuses every week. Usually bonuses are paid at the end of the expedition.
I would like to report the names of "bad" sherps: Dzankby, Torgeeken and Tshuldim. If you do not want to have problems during your expedition never take these sherps. During the whole month sherps worked only five days at 7000m and asserted that the given work was beyond their strength. As a result they left the expedition and went back to Katmandu.
We connected with the firm Asian Trekking and they promised to provide us with following information next day: either to return money at about 3000$ per sherp or send another. As to the defaulters the firm promised to leave them without salary.
And now without sherps we decided to install the camp 7900m by own strength.
Bye.”

(30.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"April 29. It has been snowing all night through - justifying weather forecasts. This morning at 10 a.m. we were informed over the radio that Sergey Larin and Slava Pashkov had left for Camp 7500 to spend a night there. Three more members of our expedition - Moskalev, Soifer, Litinsky - are going for an acclimatization hike to 7500 today as well.
It started snowing even more heavily. We are sitting in the dining-tent playing preference for oxygen bottles. Our kitchen boy came with hot water. We've been playing for 6 hours and it is still snowing.
Last time we haven't fulfilled our plan: we haven't set Camp 7900m. Now we have a new plan: tomorrow Abramov, Gudzhabidze, and Pushkarev are going together with Sherpas to install Camp 7900m. It will take about three days. The snow is still falling, I am afraid that the pitches between 7000m and 7500m can be avalanche-prone.
Today Vasya Elagin arrived in ABC. He said that the group of Yuriy Koshelenko arrived in BC.
The snow is still falling. It looks like Christmas Eve. I nearly failed to find my tent in the dark. So tomorrow we'll make an attempt.
Bye.”

(30.04.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
April, 28:
Valery Babanov was acquainted with a weekly forecast. He said it`s snowing at them. They still made no decision if they are starting to-night.
Editorial note: metcast says that a front of the cyclone centered in Pakistan is at Everest now. It suggests low winds and snowfall next week. Since Wednesday humidity will be decreasing due to Afghan winds. They forecast increasing of wind speed up to 30-45 m/s with cease of precipitations.
Babanov was mostly interesting with humidity at different altitudes. It seems that precipitations present the main trouble for their progress. In previous expeditions it was wind that hindered climbing. It`s usual to call wind a "storm" when it`s above 17 m/s and to call it a "hurricane" when it`s above 32 m/s.

April, 27:
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "Hi! Today is the 27th and we are here yet. Hope to push-off tomorrow. Volodya, please, tell our friends - they are coming here to visit us - that we may still be on the mountain on 2-3rd of May. It will be pity to miss them, so could they come here on the 4th, or, better, on the 7th of May?"
Editorial note: Support team of four persons started to Himalayas on the 25th of April. They should visit a base camp of the expedition.
It`s Ok with us; there just was no weather so we had to postpone our start. Hope us to leave this night. It should take four or five days. We aim at summit. Regards to all."

April, 26:
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "Greetings to all! Our numbers have grown: Hans Kammerlander`s team accompanied by 50 porters appeared at South Face base today. They arrived at 9am. There were only 5 Europeans, including a cameraman. Three more Germans participate, but they seem to make a TV-group and they are still at Everest base camp. They`ll come here in several days. So it`s a kind of a joint Italian-German expedition leaded by Kammerlander. Four more Nepali takes part in the expedition: a cook, his assistant and two altitude porters. It makes nine new people near our camp so we`ll have no more a tedious time. Though, truly speaking, we never had such. Our push-off is planned for tomorrow. If - if the weather is fine. Final bid should take several days.
Hans Kammerlander is not certain yet which route to choose. Probably, it will be our route. Though adjoining route, to the left of our one (the very route which was tried by American-Canadian-Slovenian expedition last year) is possible too. They have the same goal as we - East Nuptse, a virgin summit of the range. Their team includes four strong athletes, all of whom have 8+ experience. They still have not acclimatized, but I think they`ll do it during first stages of their ascent. They also are going to fix ropes to some altitude. That`s all I got from our conversations. There seems to be an on-line coverage of the expedition, cameramen and TV-specialists are here or approaching us. So info about Hans Kammerlander`s expedition should be in Internet already.
Concerning our plans: if the weather if fine we`ll start this night (as we have to ascend, following our fix ropes, to 6000 m firstly). Next bivy should be at 6700 m and after it we`ll be climbing above. That`s all for today. We`ll keep silence for several next days. Regards to our friends! Bye."
Source BASK

(29.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
April 28. 8:00 a.m. "Radio conversation North Col (7000) - Camp II(7500). Abramov - Gudzhabidze. Abramov: "Good morning. How's the team? What are your plans?" Gudzhabidze: "The weather at 7500 is crap. We can't even peep out of the tent." Abramov: "Next connection is at 9:00 a.m." Meanwhile negotiations with altitude sherpas are going in full swing. They are saying that all sherpas are heading down, the forecast for the three nearest days is bad. It's snowing heavily, the wind is raging. 9:00 a.m. Radio conversation North Col (7000) - Camp II(7500). Abramov - Gudzhabidze. Abramov: "The weather is bad. All sherpas are going down. They refuse point black to go and set Camp III" Gudzhabidze: "Then we are going down too." There is a snowstorm above the Col. Several climbers made an attempt to get to 7500m. We have no further information about them. So, "Alpindustria Adventure Team" is among the first expeditions to have set Camp II at 7500m. That is a good result. Soifer, Moskalev and Litinskiy will spend this night on the Col. By 12:00 they were already in Camp I. Everyone is OK”

(28.04.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
April 25, Hello, Early in the morning Jean-Christophe Lafaille took off to Camp I (5800m) for acclimatization and carrying some gear to the camp. He is in wonderful shape - both physically and psychologically. The ascend to Camp I constituted no technical problems for Jean-Christophe, just crossing the crevasses required some delicacy. The mountain is in great conditions: not too much snow, weather forecasts at the moment are satisfactory. The decrease in temperature is expected on Sunday, then on Wednesday. Depending on the forecast, Saturday 26, Jean-Christophe will climb to 6200m and then descend for a night to Camp I (5800m). Sunday morning he is planning to return to Base Camp. The nearest plans: Monday 28, setting Camp II at 6400/6800m. As for me, I am leaving for Nepal on May 5. Trekking to Marpha village will take several days. There we'll have rendezvous with Jean-Christophe after his ascent of Dhaulagiri. Bye, Katia Lafaille

www.jclafaille.com

(28.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
April 27.
" Happy Easter! Everything is OK up here. The first team of four has already set Camp II at 7500m. We'll have radio connection with them at 6:00 p.m. The second party of four is now in a tent at the North Col (7000m). Tomorrow the team of three: Soifer, Moskalev, Litinskiy - is heading for the Col. Weather forecast is not very promising. So tomorrow we'll have an extra radio connection at 8 :00 a.m. to adjust our plans. At present each participant is struggling for the better place in the tent, sending hello to relatives and friends. Bye. "
April 26.
" Today 4 sportsmen: Kaimachnokov, Gugzhabidze, Tsarev, Pushkarev and three altitude Sherpas took off for the North Col. They will spend a night there, and tomorrow all seven will proceed further and pitch a tent at 7500 with all the necessary supplies: four sleeping bags, food, gas, foam pads. The Sherpas will descend to 7000m. The same day the other party of four: Abramov, Larin, Pashkov and Sergeev – will climb to the North Col. The ultimate task of this push: to set Camp 7900m by April 30, and spend a night there. The first party of four started today at 11 a.m. for the Col. The rest engaged themselves in struggling with our expedition oxygen bottles. We put all 48 bottles on the moraine and supplied each bottle with the sticks of our main sponsors – BASK and KANT – and our media sponsors – “Vertikalniy Mir” and “Mountain.RU”. Here on the mountain all expeditions have the same oxygen bottles – orange, of Russian company “Poisk”. They can be easily stolen, and oxygen is not cheap at all. In the afternoon the weather abruptly changed to worse. Now it’s –15C in ABC with heavy snowfall and piercing wind. The toilet tent was taken away by a gust with all its contents. The guys are already drinking tea on the Col and asking over the radio about weather forecast for tomorrow. We’ll try to find it out for them. Bye.”
April 25.
"I am lying in a cold tent writing my diary. The night was very cold, the gas lamp didn’t warm two-person BASK tent at all. I was having nightmares about expedition matters. I had some problems with Sherpas. It all started on April 19. Leaving ABC for BC I told Sherpas to come down to BC with us. Only one of them obeyed. The rest neglected leader’s (my) words. I came to ABC on April 24, and decided to settle the situation, explain to them who is the leader and threaten to leave them partially without bonuses. The point is that staying alone in ABC altitude Sherpas start working for other expeditions (for money, of course). And when the time comes to work for their own expedition, they fall ill. As a result of our conversation, Sherpas are addressing me now “leader” or “Mr. Alex”. Tomorrow they are going to work on the North Col and higher. You won’t believe it, but Mikhail Litinsky has returned. He had some rest in Old Tingry and felt better. So this morning Moskalev, Soifer and Litinski took off from BC.”

(25.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"April 24. Today we made a heroic climb from BC to ABC. It is about 1300m of vertical gain and 20km overall. As it was expected, our two tents in Middle Camp were searched through, but as there they were empty, all the quick-draws had been stolen. Sergei Kaimachnikov was the first to arrive at ABC, he was followed by Igor Tsarev. Abramov was wise enough to go in the middle. The rest came soon after. A lot of short steep slopes on the way to ABC can drive one crazy. You think that after that hill you'll see a camp - but, oops, there is another stone-strewn field. In ABC we met Vasya Elagin. He climbed to the North Col yesterday and tomorrow is going down to BC. The weather according to forecasts we receive from www.mounteverest.net will stay bad till May 4. Very strong wind is tearing the tents. The empty tents fly into the air. But we are grateful to www.mounteverest.net for the weather forecasts. We plan to climb to 7000m first, then to 7500m and, if we are lucky, to pitch a camp at 7900m and spend a night there. But under such weather conditions we don't stand big chances. Bye to everybody."

(24.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
“April 23. Hurray! Our oxygen – 48 bottles - has been delivered. Today is the last day of rest. It was warm and sunny and Slava Pashkov took a sauna before going again to ABC. By the way, Slava is the secret of our expedition. About a month before expedition a guy called and said he’d like to join our Alpindustria Adventure Team to climb Everest. He was not a climber, but a keen hunter. My first reaction was to reject. For the last three months we had about 20 similar offers. But Sergei Zon-Zam (the head of Alpindustria) vouched for him. We had a meeting with Slava, talked for about 3 hours. Why not try? We agreed, that Slava would pay for himself, for a personal guide (Larin) and for a personal Sherpa. We made a deal. I asked him why didn’t he want to start with easier summits. He said what if he didn’t like mountaineering then and would never want to climb Everest after that. Anda it is Everest that is his dream. Pashkov bought all personal gear. I managed to talk Slava into going to the Caucasus, where they climbed Elbrus in harsh February weather together with Sergei Larin. It was a good test. Slava didn’t lose his enthusiasm and went to Everest with us. He has almost become the soul of the expedition. He is very eagerly listening to the stories of experienced climbers. He never complains. He has already been to 7050m and spent a night there. Are there too many climbers who have spent a night over 7000? If in the beginning Slava’s chances of getting to the summit were 1:20, now they may be 1:2. Let’s follow his progress. Dima Moskalev and Sasha Sergeev haven’t returned from Zhangmu till night. I think, they met there Kozlov’s expedition. So most probably they will arrive tomorrow. And we – 8 of us – will take off to ABC tomorrow at 9 a.m. Vasya Elagin is waiting for us there. Good-bye.”

(23.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
"April, 22. Early in the morning Chinese 4-wheeled car came and took Misha Litinskiy to Nepal. But this night Mikhail will spend near Chinese-Nepal border in Zhangmu. The rest members of our expedition decided to arrange sauna. Under the leadership of our doctor Sergei Larin we built a sauna-tent. But all of a sudden it started snowing, then the sun came out, then snowing again - and it repeated about 40 times. So only three of us -Larin, Kaimachnikov and Gudzhabidze - managed to wash themselves. The rest of us preferred to wait till it gets warmer and stay dirty. You know, up to 2 cm - is not yet dirt, and more than 2cm will peel off. Tibetan people don't wash and comb themselves at all. To crown it all, because of temperature drops the moraine where our tents are is collapsing, the stones fall each time closer to BC. And eagles drop stones time from time. So we'll have to move our sauna tent. This washing at 5100m is one big problem. Our rest time is coming to an end. On April 24 we are planning to head to ABC, then Camp I (7000m), Camp II (7500m), and may be Camp III (7900m), and after that get down. We hope to be through with all this by May 1. This done, the success of our expedition will be almost ensured. The only problem is that our oxygen bottles haven't arrived yet, they promise to bring them tomorrow - April 23. We'll see. We were informed that Viktor Kozlov had arrived in Katmandu and gradually moving in our direction. His expedition is a reconnaissance to the Everest North Face. That's all for now. Good-bye."

(22.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
“April, 21. Looks like it’s better to climb high in the mountains then to sit in BC – there are more problems in BC. As a result of high altitude and pressure, Misha Litinsky has got an eye hemorrhage. He is partially blind now. We decided to send him to Moscow. But there is another problem: Misha lost his passport. Now he is sitting in BC, seeing next to nothing and can’t leave. The whole day we’ve been making calls to Russian Embassy in Nepal, to insurance company, to Asian Trekking, having negotiations with liaison officer (he hasn’t reduced the price for the car – not by a cent). The result is: tomorrow Misha goes together with Dima Moskalev to Zhangmu, there the Chinese promise to help Misha sneak to the neutral territory, and our friends from the Russian Embassy will be waiting for him on the Friendship bridge between China and Nepal. They will issue a certificate for Misha, and with that document he will get to Delhi and then to Moscow. But this will be tomorrow, and today we had a meeting with Estonians, drank Chinese beer with Estonian dry fish. In the morning the weather was raging: terrible storm in BC, it almost blew the tents away. But it calmed down in the evening. Everest became visible, all covered with snow. Asian Trekking promised to fetch oxygen only by April, 23. So will have to rest till then. Good-bye.”

(22.04.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
April 20, 2003. Hello, On April 18, at 12:00 local time Jean-Christophe arrived at Katmandu. It's terribly hot outside… The afternoon was filled with final preparations - buying gas, food, packing and checking of haul bags for the Sherpas. On April 19, he took a flight to Pokhara (200km away from Katmandu). Jean-Christophe is going to spend a night there (900m over sea level). Heat is unbearable, it's even hotter in Pokhara, than it was in Katmandu, the temperature is about +35C. If the weather permits (and it's very changeable in this region), on April 20, at 6:30 a.m. Jean-Christophe will take a flight on a small jet-plane from Pokhara to Jomsson (2800m over sea level). From there goes the trekking route to Dhaulagiri BC. It usually takes about 3 days to get there. Jean-Christophe will have a planned stop at Marpha village (2 hours walk from Jomsson, 2680m), his luggage will arrive a bit later. By April 23, Jean-Christophe plans to reach Dhaulagiri BC. Comparing to the previous expeditions, Jean-Christophe doesn't have much luggage with him this time - just 70 kg of expedition gear and foodstuffs for 25 days. He is in high spirits. Good-bye, Katia Lafaille

Katia Lafaille, www.jclafaille.com

(21.04.2003)
News from Russian expedition "ST. PETERSBURG EVEREST - 2003"
April 18, Andrey Ershov: "All is OK and after rest at BC our team continues the work on the route - our members plan to install Camp 2 on 7800 m. Today Oleg Nasedkin and Marina Ershova have gone to ABC, the other members will go up tomorrow. Tom is very tired after the ascent of the North Col and he will spend more days at BC for rest and recuperation. Our doctor Dmitry is very popular at BC and many locals come to him for treatment. We have received a lot of new expedition photos about the BC life and the ascent of the North Col - see them here: 4, 5, 6 "

(21.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
April, 20. This night witnessed 10cm of fresh snow. Today is Palm Sunday. May be that's why Chinese Central Television visited our BC at 12:00. They were trying to find out whether we knew anything at all about the Everest jubilee. And one of them was trying to prompt us from behind their cameras showing figure 50 to us. We failed to understand their prompts, as figure 50 meant nothing at all to us, so they went to another expedition camp. Today we made an attempt to send Moskalyov, Soifer and Litinsky to Zhangmu for treatment. But the Chinese asked $1050 for this 350km drive to Zhangmu. So we decided to wait till tomorrow. Today there was spread a rumor over BC that two Russians had fallen into crevasse. There was a state of alarm in our camp as Larin and Pashkov were still high on the mountain. But in the evening they both returned safe and sound after spending a night at 7000m. And there really was a climber who had fallen into crevasse 6 meters deep - it was a member from Estonian expedition. But he managed to get down on his own. So everything is OK. It is very windy outside, it isn't snowing, but it's cold. The other members of our team may also fall ill soon. Good-bye.
April, 18. The night was a real nightmare. There came moans and growling from both tents. But that's normal for sleeping over 7000m. I know, that the next one will be even worse. For some people it was the first night at 7000m. Sergeev and Kaimachnikov later said they thought it would be even more terrible. So it was alright. The wind wasn't strong, but it was extremely cold. Though "BASK" sleeping bags and "Salewa" tents rose to the occasion. We didn't feel like eating in the morning, so having quickly packed the things we rushed down the fixed ropes to 6600m. Having reached ABC our first intentions were to rush further down to BC - but that is another 6 hours. So we stayed in ABC. Actually, the fact that we have set Camp 1 at 7000m is a success of or Alpindustria Adventure Team. Besides our team is one of the first to have done it this season. The others were congratulating us on descend. On the way down we met Larin and Pashkov - they were climbing to Camp 1 to spend a night there. We have two mysterious people in our team: Sergeev and Pashkov. As for Alexander Sergeev - you already know his secret - he is almost 67, fit as a fiddle and can possibly become the oldest person to climb Everest. As for Vyacheslav Pashkov, his secret is of completely different kind. May be later I will reveal his secret, and I believe it would come as some sort of revelation. Good luck and good-bye." ”

(19.04.2003)
Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE - Big Project - Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak...
Yesterday, on April, 17 Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE has taken off for Nepal to make an solo attempt on Dhaulagiri (8167ì), the seventh, according on its height, mountain of our planet. Then Jean-Christophe will leave for Pakistan, were he plans to climb two more summits during the same season - Nanga Parbat and Broad peak. Climbs to Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak will be most probably new routes, solo. As usual, all ascents will run without using oxygen.

Katia Lafaille, www.jclafaille.com

(17.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov reports from ABC, Everest North Side:
“April, 16. I am reporting to the howling of the snow-storm behind my tent. It seems like the nature confused this day with the 13th. Today everything goes as it was planned: three altitude sherpas started for the North Col with a tent, three sleeping bags, etc. We are going to bring all the rest ourselves on April, 18. Las night Dima Moskalev was coughing, and at 12 o’clock he and Yura Soifer started down for the BC. The rest of us took an acclimatization walk to the North Col, the route to which is already fixed. Two hours later on the descent the weather changed instantly. The real snowstorm started with strong wind (and it still goes on). Igor Tsarev got into his tent and lighted a gas lamp to warm up. But the tent jumped because of the strong wind gust and the roof was caught on fire. Igor managed to throw the lamp out of the tent before it exploded. It’s OK, but the tent has a whole 1m per 1m, and Igor’s beard got burnt. Igor will move to Moscalev and Soifer’s tent for a while. The sherpas returned from the North Col…”

(16.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov:
"April, 15. Everybody slept well. It was snowing all night through, and the insides of the tents got covered with hoarfrost. Today we had the ABC opening ceremony. We put out the flags of Moscow and banners of our sponsors - "BASK" and "KANT"- and our team flag "Alpindustria Adventure Team". Yesterday Litinskiy's haul bag got lost on our way to ABC. Litinskiy was going to turn to UN for help, but today yakmen came with his bag and told us a horrifying story about the yak falling asleep on the way to ABC. Our team is getting acclimatized gradually. I recall yesterday's scene when we saw a Nepalese sherpa carrying down a sick Chinese in a basket. We hope, he'll be OK. Tomorrow we decided to take a walk to 6600m and leave there some gear for Camp 1. Today is full moon, and it would be great to be on the summit one month from now. Today the night is extraordinary warm and windless. Goodbye”

(15.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov:
"April, 14. The sun appeared in the morning. We started for ABC. Today everybody walked a bit slower, except Sergeev and Gudzhabidze. By the way, Alexander Sergeev is almost 67 years old, and his physical condition gives some ground to say that he can become the oldest person to climb Everest. The way from Middle Camp goes along a prettiest glacier covered with "neve penitentes" 5 meters high. Today all of us walked with the same speed, and by 6 p.m. we had set ABC. Then the snowfall began, it became very cold. The North Col disappeared behind the snow curtain. Tomorrow we are having a rest day and the camp opening ceremony. Right now we are taking care of our camp and heads, which are aching badly, and trying to find out the information about fixed ropes on the North Col. Bye.”

(15.04.2003)
News from Russian expedition "ST. PETERSBURG EVEREST - 2003"
Marina Ershova: "Hello from ABC! All is OK and today seven our members: Anatoly Moshnikov, Nikolay Totmyanin, Vladimir Gaidamak, Andrey Dulskiy, Vladimir Belous, Tom Masterson and Oleg Nasedkin have fixed about 700 m of the ropes, reached the North Col (about 7000 m) and pitched a tent of Camp 1 there . I have climbed up to 6600 and brought them a rope. Then we all have come down to ABC and tomorrow we will go to BC for rest. Our team is the first who have started to work on the route. Maybe, the Chinese team will begin their climbing work tomorrow. Right now climbing conditions are very nice - there is no much snow on the slopes and the weather is excellent. More news I will send from BC."

(14.04.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): ""Hello everybody! Today is April, 14. It's almost one month since we have arrived. Within this month there was not a single time that we descended to some village - our whole life is this Mountain and BC. Yesterday we got down to BC - during our last three-day climbing period the weather was not favorable. Nonetheless, we managed to get almost to 6400m. We've done the most difficult part of the Tower, including A3-A4 pitch of aid climbing. The climbing still goes on rock, but this terrain will finish soon.
During our work high on the route by 11-12 a.m. the clouds usually blocked the sky, the wind rose and it started snowing. You can imagine what it is like to climb technically difficult pitch over 6000m in such weather.
It was snowing last night: in BC the snow layer was 10-15 sm in the morning and it fails to melt during the day. The sky is cloudy now, soon it will start snowing again, but we are not worried - we are having a rest day today. That is all by now. Best regards to everyone. Valera and Volodia, Nuptse Base Camp."
Source BASK

(14.04.2003)
News from Russian expedition "ST. PETERSBURG EVEREST - 2003"
Marina Ershova: "Hello! I am calling from ABC on the altitude about 6400 m. On April 10 we started our way to ABC with yaks, our cook and kitchen boy. The way to ABC is very long, the altitude is high enough and for the first time all this is hard enough. So we did not hurry and spent two nights on our way from BC to ABC. Our doctor Dmitry and the second kitchen boy stayed at BC.
Having come to ABC we have found here several tents of the other expeditions and many Chinese persons. They occupied all good enough places for tents and did not allow us to put our tents on the free places - they keep them for their huge expedition. So, we were forced to go to the beginning of the moraine and to make new tent grounds - this is a very hard thing on the high altitude. But we made new platforms for our tents and pitched our camp.
Today Oleg Nasedkin and me have stayed at ABC but the other six our members have gone to the slopes of the North Col and fixed several ropes - our climbing work has begun! I think we are the first who are working here. Our climbers want to work on the slopes of the North Col a couple of days more and tomorrow I will walk upwards too. Then we will come down to BC for rest. It is amazing but our cook shows miracles of cooking and all our members are very glad. In addition, the weather is excellent. In general, beside us all is OK."

(14.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov:
April, 10.
"The sun came out of the ridge and lightened the tent at 5 minutes to 10. At 10 a.m. the ice on my BASK sleeping bag - actually outer sleeping bag as I was sleeping in two bags - started melting. The night was a real nightmare: I was dreaming about the organization of the expedition time and again. In the morning I had a headache. I was saved by the sunrise and the cook ? he brought coffee with milk. At 11 a.m. all expedition leaders gathered in a hospitable tent of Chinese expedition. It turned out that there were already 13 expeditions in the Base Camp. The main question on the agenda was about fixing ropes on the route. It was decided that Russell Bruce's expedition and Chinese expedition will put all the ropes on the route. The rest expeditions will pay money depending on the number of expedition members. The atmosphere at the meeting was very friendly. I made friends with Estonians. At 12.00 the members of our expedition arrived. They got into an accident: on the way to BC one of the cars crashed into a bus. Fortunately, everyone got out safely. We have set the camp, started the generator. Tomorrow we'll have the official opening ceremony of our camp."
April,11.
"This night was much warmer than the previous one. The morning started with the knocking on the tent: "Tea or coffee". As soon as we finished breakfast, lama came. Our Sherpas built a pile of stones and decorated it with flags. Lama started the ceremony of sanctifying our camp. The members of our expedition were taking pictures. Then the wind rose and we had to run after our altitude tents - we put them up to test them. We have 7 altitude tents. Then all of us said a little prayer to the success of our expedition. We are constantly having guests: a Chinese came this morning - but he spoke neither English nor Russian. Then an Australian came. Our yaks are supposed to arrive tomorrow evening - weýll start carrying loads to ABC. Good-bye."
April, 13.
“Specially for Mountain.Ru from Middle Camp. Yakmen arranged everything smoothly and at 11.00 a.m. the team of yakmen with yaks came like a hurricane into our camp. Our expedition members were not ready for that and rushed to pack their things. At 1 p.m. we left BC. There were 11 of us -Vasya Elagin got ill and stayed in BC. One more member with a cough "Igor Tsarev" decided to go with the rest. Six of our team -Sergeev, Kaimachnikov, Gudzhabidze, Pushkarev, Pashkov and Larin' sped up and reached Middle Camp in 4 hours 15 minutes. The rest covered the same distance in 6 hours without any hurrying. It grew colder in the evening. It's snowing right now in the Middle Camp. The black yaks resting on the ground became almost invisible. We hope tomorrow the weather will improve. Goodbye.”

(14.04.2003)
Moscow Climbing Championship. Results.
Difficulty.
Women
1. Olga bBibik, Krasnoyarsk
2. Natalia Novikova, S-Petersburg
3. Alexandra Balakireva, Moscow
Men
1. Evgeny Ovchinnikov, Krasnoyarsk
2. Salavat Rakhmetov, Ufa
3. Michail Pekarev, Moscow
Speed event
Women
1.Olga Bibik, Krasnoyarsk
2. Julia Abramchuk, S-Petersburg
3.Ekaterina Zaytseva, Moscow
Men
1. Salavat Rakhmetov, Ufa
2. Marat Sadyrov, S-Petersburg
3. Denis Malinin, Moscow

Photo - Andrey Kazakov

(10.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: “April 9, it is still dark. We have a quick breakfast and off we go. We are in for a 5-hours drive. The trucks have to get over another pass. We stopped at Tashidzu village to wait for the second truck. In an hour we pressed on. After passing Rongbuk monastery, we saw Everest in all its beauty, though the clouds are coming, the weather is closing in.
We drove up to the moraine where we stayed in 2000. The place is very nice and quiet, almost no wind, and no neighbors for the time being. The altitude is 5200m. I can feel a light headache already. While waiting for the second truck to bring the tents, I walked around in search of a liaison officer. I met several expeditions: the international expedition of Russell Bruce, American, Estonian expedition (4 members), Chinese (120 members), St.Petersburg expedition. There must be some others as well.
Now the topic of the day is which expedition will put fixed ropes, and who will pay for that. Tomorrow at 11.00 a.m. there will be a leaders’ meeting. So I’ll have to go there.
Our yaks to carry loads to ABC are already ordered for April 12. But may be because of the big number of expeditions we’ll have to shift it to April 14.”

(9.04.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "Hello! Our period of working on the route ended only yesterday: we had been working for three days and reached the elevation of approximately 6250m. I climbed 60 m on the Tower. The climbing was very intense; there were many places of aid climbing. I had to climb in crampons - there were lots of ice patches.
As you remember, it was just before this very Tower 200-metres high, which is considered to be one of the most technically demanding parts of the route - that I ended my attempt last autumn. Between us we decided to call it simply Tower without applying any "monstrous" attributes to it.
The weather was favorable: it didn't snow at all during these three days - a very rear case for the Himalayas. We left our tent on 6000m, right at the foot of the Tower, having planned to spend the whole day climbing it and getting past it to the snow ridge. We only need the good weather.
Today we have a rest day and taking banya (Russian sauna); may be tomorrow we'll start going further. Every day it's getting warmer in BC, which is good.
We've got a word that all expeditions going to climb Everest from the South, have already arrived at BC. The exact number is difficult to give - either 19 or even 30. Impossible to imagine where they all put their tents.
At our place - at Nuptse South Face - everything looks much quieter. No such hustle as at the side of Khumbu ice-fall. For the time being we are the only expedition here. May be all great deeds happen without much ado;).
That is all by now. Best regards to everyone.
Valera and Volodia, Nuptse Base Camp."
Source BASK

(8.04.2003)
News from Russian expedition "ST. PETERSBURG EVEREST - 2003"
Marina Ershova: "Hello! Today at 9:00 we have started from Tingri and about 14:00 we have arrived at the Everest BC. On the way we have done a short stop at the very famous high-altitude Rongbuk Monastery. We have written our names on the paper sheets with prayers and local monks have done a church service for our expedition.
Base Camp is located a little upper on the valley near the glacier, on the altitude about 5200 m. Here are already about ten big and small expeditions. We have met some persons acquainted on our previous Himalayan expeditions. The Chinese expedition leaves a lasting impression - they have about 80 persons and more than 40 persons will work on the mountain. This reminds our Soviet period, when crowds of our climbers and tourists went up to the summits to install there busts of Lenin, Stalin and other leaders of the world proletariate :-)
The weather is excellent. There is no snow at BC, but the river is still frozen because even in daytime the temperature is around minus 5. Mt. Everest is black, there is not too much snow on its upper slopes. A strong enough wind blows and we are in down jackets and pants. Our kitchen personnel - a cook and two kitchen boys - has met us very well: all tents were installed and for dinner we had a splendid steak with roasted potatoes! I do not know how long such things will continue, but soups, meat with potatoes, etc... all this is very typical for Russians and we would not like to change our cuisine.
For the first time on such altitude all members feel well enough. Of course, some of us have a headache but it is normal for the first days.
Tomorrow we will have acclimatization in the area of BC but yaks are already booked for the day after tomorrow. So we plan to go to ABC on April 10 - it may take two or three days.
In general, we are on the place, all is OK and real mountaineering will begin very soon!"

(8.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: “April, 8. Morning in Nyalam. Looks like everybody is OK, though I heard some coughing at night. It is cold in the morning, -5C. We had flat bread, omelet and tea for breakfast. At 11.00 we started our way to Tingri on two Toyotas Landcruisers. The road is very dusty. We passed the pass of 5300m. It gives a splendid view of Xixapangma. In an hour we had an impressive view of Everest black and deprived of snow. Old Tingi seemed very dirty, poor, with nothing to look at, just Tibetans playing billiards in the street. So the team decided to take another hour and a half drive to Shigatse. But I am staying in Old Tingri. The team will spend two nights in Shigatse, and I will go to set BC tomorrow with two trucks. Everything will be ready by the time the guys arrive. It's not long till the real climb will start. We are looking forward to it! Good-bye.”

(7.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: “April,7. In the morning we rushed to buy beer. It is of great importance at BC. People there drink it warm, mingled with hot water – it helps against quinsy. There was no need for us to choose among different kinds of beer yesterday – there turned out to be only one sort of beer in the store. Today we are leaving for Nyalam (3700m) – so today we’ll gain 1000m. Bye.”

(6.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: "April,6 at 8:15 a.m. the bus with our team and the truck with all our equipment left the Katmandu hotel for Chinese boarder. The road moves in zigzags: up and down. The whole Himalayan ridge stands on the horizon in all its grandeur: Xixapangma, Cho Oyu, Everest, Makalu, Lhotse. All the way along the road there sit people, hammering at the stones. This is the cheapest way to get ingredients for the concrete. In the afternoon we reached the frontier check post: here all the people and loads are shifted into Chinese cars and proceed along to Zhangmu (2600m). Two more expeditions crossed the boarder together with us: French expedition (7 people) and International (2 people). This year it is much warmer in Zhangmu than it was in 2000. I hope by the time we reach BC, there will be no snow there. There are lots of "Red Lights" houses in Zhangmu. Those who know say that Amsterdam is not fit to hold a candle to Zhangmu "Red Lights". They say, Sherpas come here after 2 months of expeditions. Zhangmu is situated on such a steep slope, that the roofs of one houses serve as bases for the others. We tried several sorts of beer in order to decide 12 boxes of what kind we are taking with us to BC. The atmosphere is very friendly in our team. Tomorrow were are leaving for Nielamu. Good-bye"

(5.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: “Our running around Katmandu and packing things seems to be an endless process. The corridors in our hotel are crammed with our loads. But finally everything is packed and put on a truck – 4 tongs of food and gear. Today the 12th member of our expedition – Pushkarev – joined us. Nobody knew him before, but he turned out to be a nice guy. Valentine Bozhukov visited us today – he came to talk us into using his invention – liquid oxygen. It is pored into bottles, evaporated thus creating the pressure of 300 atmospheres. But I consider this to be dangerous and don’t trust it. Kaimachnikov and Litinckiy should be in Lhasa by now, enjoying Chinese cuisine. Igor Tsarev is constantly filming everything and assembles the film on computer then and there. Almost everyone bought a whole howl bag of extra gear. Tomorrow, April, 7 at 7 a.m. we are leaving for Tibet. Good-bye to everybody and good luck.”

(4.04.2003)
Valery Babanov and Vladimir Suviga - Nuptse East, 7804m. Expedition news
Valery Babanov (Nuptse East): "Yesterday we descended to BC after three days of working on the route. We reached the altitude of 6150m and approached the place I gave the name "The Gates" last autumn: two big cliffs form a narrow passage. It is not far from here to one of the most difficult pitches of the South spur. The route conditions are pretty tough: the place which I passed walking on verglass last autumn, turned this year into a smooth rock slab, covered with snow. This fact slows down the speed. But still we are making progress slowly.
The weather has been good lately: there were almost no snowfalls April 1 and 2. But yesterday at 3 p.m. the snow started falling heavily and made us leave the route. The feeling of comfort on the route changes immediately. It can be like this: the sun is shining and you are working dressed in a fleece jacket, but all of a sudden it starts snowing and you regret you didn't take a down jacket with you. We have to work under very changeable weather conditions.
Tomorrow we are planning to continue working on the route. We are fit and in high spirits. Thanks for the weather forecast - we hope it will help us in the nearest future. Right now it is sunny in BC with cold wind from the North. Spring is not in a hurry to come to us.
Valera and Volodia, Nuptse Base Camp"
Source BASK

(4.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: "Hello everybody. I am reporting directly from our hotel with a splendid view of night Katmandu. We have bought almost all foodstuffs. But it is problematic to find good lighters and matches. At 12:00 we went to Russian Embassy, where we spent 2 hours in a very pleasant conversation with the Russian ambassador – Valery Nazarov. We were given the symbol of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take it to the summit of Everest. Vasya Elagin has arrived – so were are 11 now. But the entire team will gather only in BC: Volodya Pushkarev arrives tomorrow but two people – Kaimachnikov and Litinskiy – leave tomorrow for Lhasa. Tomorrow is our last day in Katmandu. Visas and permits are ready. Finishing touches and we are off.Best regards."

(3.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition from Moscow
Alexander Abramov: "April,3 - divine city of Kathmandu awakens to the everyday hustle and bustle. We have breakfast and discuss our agenda. There are a lot of things to be done: equipment, foodstuffs, visas. There are many Russians in this city. This morning Katya paid us a visit. At miss Howly's request, she collects the information about all the expeditions on Everest. At midday we conducted negotiations with Asian Trekking (our operator in Nepal and Tibet). They gave us cook Passang and sirdar Sangbu - he has already been to the summit of Everest. I called Russian Embassy and invited Russian ambassador Valery Nazarov to join our team for dinner. He turned out to be very busy, but invited us to visit Russian Embassy tomorrow at 11:30. In the evening we went to "Lhapa" - famous Katmandu restaurant, where they give free meals to those who climbed Everest. Ambassador's deputy Pavel Volosov joined us there and wished our team good luck in our expedition. Our plans have changed a little - we are leaving for Tibet April, 6 - not April, 5 as it was planned originally. That way is even better. There are only 3 expeditions in Everest BC right now, though about 20 expeditions are planning to be there. So, tomorrow we are going to Embassy, and then - do the last preparations for the expedition. Good-bye. "

(3.04.2003)
News from Russian Adventure Team Everest expedition under the leadership of Alexander Abramov.
Alexander Abramov reports from Katmandu: “At 3 a.m. Delhi time our group of 10 arrived at Delhi airport. We still had 16 hours before our connection flight to Katmandu. We all felt very tired and sleepy – the result of crazy months of preparations for the Everest expedition. It was a good thing that back in Moscow we had already planned to visit Tadge-Mahal – one of world’s wonders. It took us 4 hours (200km) to get there – all the way there we all were sleeping, snoring heavily. But we never regretted it – the sight was tremendous: impressive snow-white marble temple inlaid with semiprecious stones. The way back to Delhi passed as if in a dream. In the airport we found Sergei Larine and Bidzina Gudzhabidze – they both stayed at the airport and merely survived those 16 hours. The checking rules at the airport are very strict, they are fighting terrorism: they even confiscated my lighter. And here we are - in Gauri Shankar hotel, Katmandu. It’s 1 a.m. We fell at home here. This place is very familiar to us – our two previous Himalayan expeditions – Cho-Oyu 1999 and Everest 2000 – started here. Tomorrow we’ll be busy doing the final preparations for the expedition. But this will be tomorrow. And now the boy is bringing us some tasty Nepalese food. So I finish my report here. Bond appetite. "

(2.04.2003)
April 1, 10 members of Russian Adventure team with their leader Alexander Abramov left Moscow for Katmandu. Their relatives and friends came to see them off. Warm words of farewell were pronounced by the officials of Moscow Climbing Federation who also came to say good-bye to the departing team. Two more members of the expedition - Elagin Vasiliy and Pushkarev Vladimir - will join the team a couple of days later in Katmandu. The team will spend one day in Delhi, then proceed to Katmandu, where they will have several days to buy and pack everything. April, 5 the team will leave for Tibet to arrive at BC April, 9.

Expedition Sponsors : "BASK" company and "KANT" sports club. Informational sponsors : web-site www.mointain.RU and "Vertikalniy Mir" magazine. Team thanks "Marmot" and "Alpine-Trade" companies for the discounts on climbing gear.