8 February, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (11-00 Moscow time):"We're in Sedoa village, between bamboo and bananas. WE have called to Italians - they're in BC, the wind's strong, has blew out the tent in CAmp 1. Guys are thinking about the abortion the expedition".
3 February, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (7-15 Moscow time): "We are in crisis - have been blew off by the wind. Have you ever seen flying Samoilov? That's heart-breaking show. We've got some frostbites. But are alive. Though we had a chance. Tomorrow we'll begin our way to home".
2 February, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (16-10 Moscow time): "Hi! We couldn't survive there. The wind threw us, we managed to go 400 m only in 3 hours. The way back was awful, but all of us are safe and sound. We've just returned to BC. Italians say that the weather was "good", but the next forecast promises some worse days... I have a lot of emotions. the summit was so close - you can touch it... Maybe, it's not my destiny... "
Denis Urubko, SMS (5-30 Moscow time): "We have spent the night. Now we'll drink as much as possible and go up to 7800. Guys are well".
1 February, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (18-56 Moscow time): "We are at 7400 m, We set the half of the tent on the tiny site, sit without sleep, ready for the emergency evacuation. The wind is incredible here. I hope for the morning :) ".
SMS (16-35 Moscow time): "We are at 7400 m, alive".
31 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (15-20 Moscow time): "We reached 6700. Serguey, Gennady and me. All as predicted - the WIND...It's as if we had set our tent on a railroad track, with a new train arriving every minute; passing us by just one meter at the last moment...".
Eugeny Tamm, the head of the First Soviet Himalaya Expedition (Everest South-West Face, first climb, 1982), the son of famous physicist, Nobel award winner Igor Tamm, died January, 26 after the long and serious illness... He was 81. Our deep condolences... Photo by Ruslan Karmanov, 2007
28 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (18-45 Moscow time): "We're in BC. Today here's extreme bad weather. We're planning next push in 2-3 days".
27 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (17-25 Moscow time): "Me and SErguey have reached 7200 m, fixed ropes in some difficult places, and I have already imagined ourselves in the sturm camp... but Serguey felt bad (Probably, there're consequences of quinsy), so we began to descend. I'm in BC, Serguey stayed in camp 6300".
26 January, 2008 Yesterday, January, 25, was a memory day - 70 jubilee of Vladimir Vysotsky. People save the memory of the great poet. There were many magnificent songs about mountains and climbers in its creativity, and we like them. Some songs
26 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (12-00 Moscow time): "Eugeny felt bad in the morning, but the descent attempt was failed due to the hurricane. It became better in midday, so we managed to descend to the icefall. Eugeny is coninuing to BC, I have returned to 6400. We're waiting..."
25 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (14-45 Moscow time):"We reached 6400 despite the very strong wind. The weather stiill to be incredible - storm from the West. We'll hope for tomorrow".
24 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (7-45 Moscow time):"Good morning! The sun rised above Makalu, the wind weakens, Eugeny, Serguey and me will start to the summit bid tomorrow, and Italians too, probably. I has shaved, I shall put on all clean clothes, and is ready for the fight".
23 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (12-20 Moscow time):"Three of us - me, Serguey and Eugeny - have descended to 4800, slept in warm and calmness. Then we returned to 5650. The snowfall began in HImalaya, the wind is weaker. We're waiting the good conditions".
21 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (17-15 Moscow time): "I'm already like crazy due to this awful wind. It seems that the wind becames stronger and stronger from day to day".
20 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (7-00 a.m. Moscow time):"The hurricane will here be until Jan, 23, with wind speed 200 km/h, according to Italian forecast. We have to wait. I've never seen such quick running clouds..."
19 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (13-05 Moscow time):"The wild wind has banished clouds. There is the sun and hurricane on Makalu. We have no chance for the climb now. I hope for the weather improvement - and we'll go up just after it. Gennady is better. He's treating by the starvation".
18 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (16-06 Moscow time):"We had to go against the wild winds with our "4DW" as Astana Motors cars (Astana Motors is the expedition's sponsor). We descended to BC with a lot of trubbles. Now all's OK".
Denis Urubko, SMS (12-05 a.m. Moscow time):"Three of us have spent the night at 6800. And then ascended to 7000 m. The route is in very good condition, there's snow. We returned to BC due to bad weather. Gennady is here, he feels not so well. Greetings to all!"
15 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (8-27 a.m. Moscow time): "Porters and Italians came here yesterday. Today we had puja and open our BC. Probably, we'll go up tomorrow, to 6300".
14 January, 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. Denis Urubko, SMS (8-30 a.m. Moscow time): "We have made the deposit at 6000 m. during the acclimatization push. Makalu La seems very problematic. we're waiting the rest of members in ABC. Yesterday 4 porters came, left loads here and went down. All things here are covered by hoarfrost - it's as we had arrived here straight from K2."
10 January 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. SMS from Denis Urubko ( 11-06 a.m., Almaty time): "Yesterday we arrived o BC (4800) but our phone doesn't work there. Today we are walking at 5400. Greetings to all!"
8 January 2008Makalu (8463 m), Winter climb. SMS from Denis Urubko ( 5-25 p.m.): "Hi! We managed to solve all problems in one day, and then flew to Lukla. Tomorrow our team will fly to Makalu BC. The weather's as usually in winter - cold and clear. Good luck for all!"Serguey Samoilov was 50 Jan, 4.
8 January 2008We would like to inform everyone that, 12.30.2007 act of terrorism have been committed against Mr.Gia Tortladze, Georgian mountaineer, President of International Mountaineering Association. Gia Tortladze is Georgian MP and Leader of opposition party "For United Georgia". 10 pm the bomb has been exploded under Mr.. Tortladze's car. Fortunately nobody have injured. It is our aim to inform International Community about this fact; We think, people's opinion over the world is only chance to stop Governmental Violence and Human Rights Abuse in Georgia.
Press-centre of International Mountaineering Association
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World's news
28 February, 2008Broad peak. The last push is on...
21 January, 2008Broad Peak. Simone is still in Skardu - he wrote today: "ciao!!! I'm still in skardu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! world record!!! 22 days of wait. Today my friend Leo flew to Islamabad and tomorrow in Italy. he get out... finish, end. I will wait.... I wanna win the competition bethween me and army... and i will winnn because now I moved high level connections..."
15 January, 2008Piolet d'Or organisators gathered tonight and decided to suspend the 2008 edition which should have taken place on february 15 in the val d'Aoste (Italy) (www.kairn.com)
11 January 2008Sir Edmund Hillary, the unassuming beekeeper who conquered Mount Everest to win renown as one of the 20th century's greatest adventurers, has died, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Friday. He was 88.(CNN news)
8 January 2008Broad peak. Simone Moro arrived Islamabad December 31 together with Italian partner Leonhard Werth. The two planned to join up with Pakistani climber Shaheen Baig in Skardu and then continue to BC, possibly by chopper. Yesterday Simone and Leo reached Skardu. "We went to the store where I was expecting to find all the equipment carried down from base camp last May. Well… nearly 80 procents had been stolen!" Generators, sleeping bags, tents, climbing gear, heaters - are all gone. The climbers are also considering a helicopter lift to BC as the porters are demanding increasingly more money and their cost is now twice that of a chopper lift. All agreements made prior to the expedition seem to have changed. (www.mounteverest.net)
8 January 2008Nanga Parbat. Italian Simone La Terra was obliged to abort his winter attempt on Nanga Parbat. He reached Nanga Parbat BC already on December 3d and started the ascent on December 10 when he established C1 at 6000 meters in 35 degrees below and high winds. On midnight December 21, a blizzard blew away the team's BC kitchen tent with everything in it across the glacier. "I decided to cancel the expedition at that point," Simone told ExlorersWeb during dinner back in Islamabad. "As a leader, to me the lives of my partner and kitchen staff are more important than the expedition." (www.mounteverest.net)
