On 28th January a group of strongest Russian climbers takes off from Krasnoyarsk to Europe. They are going to make simultaneous ascents by three teams on three greatest Alp mountains: Eiger (3970m), Grandes Jorasses (4208m) and Matterhorn (4478m).

Grandes Jorasses	Eiger	Matterhorn	Coaches
Pugovkin Litvinov Khvostenko Tsygankov	Dmitrienko Arkhipov Malygin Tsyganov	Prokof'ev Rodikov Glazyrin Cherezov	Zakharov N. Balezin V. Kukharev A. - doctor

All these names are famous for their ascents on such great mountains Troll Wall, Aksu, Pobeda, Kodar. A new name: Boris Rodikov. He is a young, perspective climber.

The ascents are declared on the Russian Climbing Championship. One more group, the fourth team will be generated for participation in the Championship outside of the projects "Alps - 2006".

PROJECT: "Alps - 2006". Climbing Expedition

Grandes Gorasses's wall

Eiger North face

Matterhorn

The aim of the project is to make winter ascents on three great northern walls of the Alps: Eiger, Matterhorn, Grandes Jorasses. From all Alpine mountains these three ones have the biggest walls, the most difficult routes and the most dramatic and mysterious climbing history.

The basic and original idea is to climb simultaneously the most difficult and interesting routes in winter by three teams generated from climbers of one region. Four climbers- in every team. Realization of this project will need 1,5 months. Directly the ascents will take 7 -16 days (it will depend on weather conditions).

The planned routes are classified as "ED" - Extremely Difficult. In winter these routes demand high technical skill and excellent fitness, a fine technique of mixed climbing (М6). At the same time these walls vary notably by relief and structure of rocks:

- Grandes Gorasses's wall (Chamonix, France) consist of granite of various quality. The most complex line of the route needs lot of aid-gear to be climbed. Overall is 1200 meters.

- Eiger North face (located near to Grindelwald, Switzerland) is made of limestones. It's most abrupt part is not rich with good cracks, the relief is submitted, basically, by edges and sides demanded high technical skill of free climbing. Altitude difference of the wall from the foot up to the top - 1800 meters.

- Matterhorn is most exposed to weather variation since its summit is absolutely open to all winds from all sides. The basic rock - gneisses. Mixed- and aid-climbing. Overall is 1000 meters. This most beautiful mountain is located near Zermatt, a small Swiss town on the border between Switzerland and Italy.