Kuznetsova Anastasia

Climbing in Ecuador by Boris Manevich. Today is the second day of acclimatization, climbing the volcano from the Pichincha group. Rucu Pichincha (4698 m) hangs over Quito, it can be called a home volcano.  Stunning panoramas of the city open from its slopes. For greater comfort and time saving, you can climb to a height of 4200 m by the Teleferico cable car. The ascent was made in a sporty style. We left the hotel at 9.00 and already had lunch there at 15.00. There's still a free evening left to do something interesting! Tomorrow we say goodbye to Quito and drive towards the main volcanoes.

 Boris Manevich travels according to the program of the Gornyashka project of the 7 Summits Club - climbing with local guides.

News from Ararat. Elena Titova has conquered her first peak! This peak was Ararat (5165 m), the legendary volcano and the highest summit of Turkey. Elena sends thanks for each guide, they were very attentive! Details on the return! Now Elena is in Van , the largest city in Eastern Anatolia, resting after climbing and continues to get acquainted with local attractions. 

 Elena Titova traveled according to the program of the Gornyashka (Mountain fever) project, climbing with local guides.

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide and manager of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey:

The results of Fyodorov Konyukhov's expedition on Ararat. A team of friends and relatives of Fyodor Konyukhov was assembled in the amount of 20 people. The goal is to climb the legendary biblical peak of Ararat (5165 m) and have a good time. Results: the ascent was completed by all participants, on August 19, 2021 at 9.00 the team stood on the top of Ararat with a full team. We started the assault in three groups to climb later all together, which was done. The time for sincere conversations, memories of past expeditions and discussion of new plans flies by unnoticed. It is very likely that the next goal of the team will be the highest volcano in Asia - Demavend in Iran.

Now we are returning to Van to sum up the results, reward the participants for their perfect ascent and celebrate this event.

See you on mountains! Guides Alexander Abramov, Sergey Avtomonov, Anastasia Kuznetsova.

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide and manager of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey:

News from Ararat, Turkey. The team of Fyodor Konyukhov, led by the guides of the 7 Summits Club, Alexander Abramov and Sergey Avtomonov, climbed to the high-altitude camp at 4200 m. All participants feel well, we are preparing for the assault. According to the forecast, the wind will increase closer to the night. Wish us good luck!

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide and manager of the 7 summits Club from Turkey:

News from the expedition of the 7 Summits Club on Ararat. A group of friends of Fyodor Konyukhov passed high-altitude acclimatization today. We climbed approximately to the height of Little Ararat (3925 m), but did not go up to the assault camp to save our strength for the summit climb. In the evening, there was a chic Kurdish dinner and sincere conversations. Tomorrow we are going up to the assault camp. Guides Alexander Abramov, Sergey Avtomonov, Anastasia Kuznetsova.

Greetings from Ecuador from the group of the 7 Summits Club!  We made it - tThere is the summit  of the Cotopaxi volcano! Although it was very difficult! But it was worth it! And it's not for nothing that Cotopaxi is called the most beautiful volcano in Ecuador! See for yourself!

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide and manager of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey: Greetings from hot Turkey! Our numerous team of friends of Fyodor Konyukhov is finally assembled. Everyone has safely gathered in Van, and even no one has lost their luggage on the way, what we also wish you. The equipment is checked, the crampons are sharpened, the backpacks are collected. A welcome dinner, also known as an info briefing, was held in an atmospheric authentic restaurant. The whole team is impatient and looking forward to the upcoming adventures! Tomorrow we are going to the mountain! How will it open to us this time?!

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide and manager of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey: And again news from Ararat! The season continues! A team of guides Alex Abramov, Sergey Avtomonov and Anastasia Kuznetsova arrived in Turkey to complete preparations for the arrival of the next group. Tomorrow, a large team of Fyodor Konyukhov will arrive, which will have to climb the highest peak of Turkey, the legendary Ararat volcano (5165 m). The weather in Ararat is uncharacteristic this season, strong storms and rains are not uncommon for this summer. The team will be tested for strength. The flight from Istanbul to Van was slightly delayed and landed already during the enchanting sunset over Lake Van. The lake itself is akin to the wonder of the world, the largest soda lake in the world with a unique water composition.

We are waiting for the group tomorrow!

And yes, the Bosphorus and Istanbul from a bird's-eye view (and even higher) are also very good! A city of contrasts, east/west, a mixture of cultures and civilizations. This is a separate topic.

 For the first time we went to land in Van, flying through the city itself. We even saw the hotel where we are now located. They usually come in from the other side. It's also an interesting experience.

News of the Mount Fever project from Ecuador. There is a Peak Ilinitsa Norte! The group of the 7 Summts Club coped with the next task and reached the top of this extinct volcano. Further along the program, two other volcanoes are planned: Cotopaxi and Chimborazo - the highest in Ecuador, the most remote peak from the center of the Earth.

It is not the first time that Alexander Fetisov pleases us with his photo reports.  And now he has sent a complete selection of photos from the expedition to Ararat. According to them, you can really appreciate the charm of traveling with the 7 Summits Club to this wonderful area, the very south of the Caucasus.

It was not easy to choose a few of the best works, they are all of high quality.  See here what we have chosen, and here you can see the gallery in full, all 145 images.

Hello to everyone, not from the slopes, but from the top of Ararat! Today, the Olympionika team stood on the top of the legendary volcano. The mountain let it in and let it out. The weather was perfect, despite several hours of snowstorms before the assault. The participants climbed to the top in different ways and almost crawled, and ran with acceleration for the last meters. Now the team is resting at the base camp. Tomorrow we will return to civilization and get acquainted with the local sights. Guides Boris Egorov and Anastasia Kuznetsova.

Nastya Kuznetsova, guide of the 7 Summits Club, from Turkey:

Greetings from the slopes of Ararat!  Today there was a day of acclimatization. We climbed 4200 m to a high-altitude camp, from where tomorrow, according to the plan, we will go to the assault. The weather was favorable - the sun and a light breeze. Upon returning to the base camp at 3200, which already seems to be a resort, first there was hail (short), then rain with a rainbow and at the end of the storm with lead clouds passed by and disappeared behind Ararat.  After the descent, we prepared for tomorrow, crampons to the shoes, learned how to walk on crampons, passed a master class on tying shoelaces. At dinner, we tasted delicious dishes of Kurdish cuisine: juicy lamb, baked vegetables on coals, ayran, fresh vegetables. Your Boris Egorov and Anastasia Kuznetsova, with warm greetings from Turkey!

Nastya Kuznetsova, guide of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey:

 Today there was the first acquaintance of the team with Ararat, we hope that it is mutually pleasant! Ararat has opened and appeared in all its glory! We reached the starting point at 2200 m and then climbed in 5 hours to the base camp at 3200 m. According to the plan, we will spend 3 nights here - 2 nights before the assault and 1 after the assault. In the base camp this season, there are innovations - electrification of the camp and tents, beds in tents, a shower and the novelty of the season-a samovar (a hookah will not surprise anyone). Greetings to all from Turkey from the slopes of Ararat! Guides Boris Egorov and Anastasia Kuznetsova.

Nastya Kuznetsova, guide of the 7 Summits Club from Turkey:

Greetings to all from Turkey from the city of Van, the pearl of eastern Anatolia! From here, our team will start tomorrow on Ararat, the highest peak in Turkey (5165 m). Today was a busy day. We met the group, found the lost luggage. Then we took a walk through the ancient fortress of the Urartu times, visited the archaeological museum, checked all the equipment, met the sunset on Lake Van, celebrated the meeting and got ready to go ahead to meet adventures! Your Boris Egorov and Anastasia Kuznetsova, 200 km from Ararat!

And yes, we practically took part in a Kurdish wedding!

News from Iran. There is the first ascent on the highest volcano in Asia - Demavand (5670 m) this season! Ivan Novikov climbed on the top of Demavend as a preparation for the expedition to Lenin Peak. He added another volcano for the program "Seven Volcanoes"! Congratulations! We,  Russian climbers, are very welcome guests in Iran!

Ivan is impressed by local cordiality and hospitality!

Greetings from Turkey from the slopes of Ararat! Our second group this season climbed the legendary volcano and the highest peak of Turkey! Congratulations to Andrey Chuzhinov on the summit!

Andrey found Ararat more difficult than Elbrus: "The mountain is all covered with stones, the wind was blowing and freezing. And the sun was shining too much."

The May holidays were traditionally considered not the best time to climb Kilimanjaro. However, the last two years have proved that this is not the case, or is no longer the case. Perhaps something has changed in the weather, but the ascents of the 7 Summits Club team are just wonderful. Everything, including good weather and an equatorial rainstorm, was in abundance. And now is the best time to climb Kilimanjaro coming. Our summer is winter in Tanzania. It is dry period. Tanzania is one of the very few countries that has practically not restricted tourism due to the pandemic. There are no political or epidemiological risks, simple logistics, reliable service. A trip to Kilimanjaro is a great playground for photo artists. A variety of views, colors, moods, the contrast of tourists with the local population, and you can also add legendary animals on safari and the exoticism of Zanzibar. Get inspired by the photos of our May ascent participant Alexey Lavrinenko and join our regular groups!

News from Tanzania. The group of the 7 Summits Club climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m), all members of the team. More details will come later. Now we have to go down to 3800 in the camp Millennium.

Anastasia Kuznetsova, the 7 Summits Club guide, from Tanzania: 

News from Tanzania! Day 4 on Kilimanjaro. The 7 Summits Club  group passed the test and now we go further according to plan B. That is, we pass two transitions in a day, and spend the night in the camp of Barafu at 4600 m. Next, according to the plan, the transition to the camp of Kosovo at 4800 and the assault on the summit. We started today from Barranco Camp, one of the most beautiful in Kilimanjaro. At night at the foot the city of Moshi twinkled and the stars shone, and in the morning opened a view of the entire massive of Kilimanjaro. We were able to walk along the Barranco wall in good weather and as soon as we climbed the wall, it started to drizzle. Then we enjoyed the beauty of the Karangu Valley and in the late afternoon we went up to Barafu, which means "snow camp"in Swahili. Hello and warm hugs from sunny Tanzania!

Anastasia Kuznetsova, guide of the 7 Summits Club, from Tanzania: News from Kilimanjaro. The third day on the route. Today it was one of the key days - the acclimatization ascent on the Lava Tower, 4600 m. In the morning, a rainbow appeared over the camp. As usual, we considered this a good sign. It was about 15 minutes, then the traditional rain began to fall, which accompanied the entire ascent and acclimatization on the Lava Tower. There, during lunch, we realized that we are higher than the second peak of Tanzania, Mount Meru (4550 m), higher than the highest peak in North Africa, Tubkal (4167 m) and comparable to the height of Mont Blanc. The descent also began in the rain, the road turned into a riverbed with many waterfalls and streams. But before entering the Baranko camp, fragments of the blue sky first appeared, and then the entire valley of insane beauty opened up as a reward for passing the stage. In the evening, at the Barranco camp at 3960 meters, we met the sunset, and at night at the foot of the Moshi lights shone and the stars shone. It was majestic! We've been waiting for this for so long!

Acclimatization takes place in the normal mode. In general, everything is fine.

Tomorrow we will have to overcome the 300-meter Barranco wall. We embrace everyone!