Received a message at lunch time that the team has hiked down and are having Shashlik kebabs at the cable station.  Everyone is stoked.  They would have reached Terskol villiage by now and will be spending time relaxing at the hotel and enjoying the oxygen rich air.  Tomorrow they depart for Moscow.

Wisey keeping cool

Brief message from Sean was that the weather was atrocious today – ‘a complete whiteout’. So a few turned back with Sean escorting them down, while Ugin (Russian guide) and the rest of the crew carried on to the summit.  Franz, Marlette, Fabrice, Mike, Martin, Patrick and Catherine made it to the summit.  The entire group is now safely at the high camp and […]

Today’s climb will involve the use of ice axes and crampons up to Pahtukhov rocks at 4800m where they will set up camp, rest, recover, rehydrate and eat as much as they can in preparation for Sunday morning’s summit bid – departure at approx 3am (although colder, the weather is usually much calmer early in the morning, […]

‘What a day!  We’re in Camp 2 at 4000m.  George has been hilarious after his stomach bug came back strong – this time with dyslexia.  Baksan valley is Buscan valley.  Imodium tablets are amonium tablets.  He’s been keeping us very amused.  Big dump of snow now – we’re tucked in camp and about to go to […]

‘We’re at 3800 meters and it’s snowing like Christmas. Our gift today was the magnificent view of the Caucasus mountain range.  Everyone is tucked in camp on the glacier – eating our dinner of smash and tea.  Viv and Michelle are giggling – they’re having fun and I’m sure they can’t believe what they’re doing. George was a […]

Marlette and Miki have uploaded great pics of the trip on their blog – see Camp 1 http://mikimollysummitelbrus2010.posterous.com/

Message last night: “Brilliant weather today – beaut!  Everyone is psyched and well acclimatised after today.  Back at the hotel and are busy packing late with an early start tomorrow (Thurs).  Everyone will be carrying their own gear including tents and tucker – the packs are full -20kgs’.

Sean sounds in great spirits.  Today’s climb involves ascending by the Elbrus […]

Message received last night from Sean ‘We’re in Terskol and going well.  It’s raining!  Had the best Shasklik beef kebab ever for lunch’.  The mountain rule of eat, eat, eat would have no doubt been enforced by the waitress – don’t cross a Russian waitress by not finishing your food.

Today is an acclimatisation day and the plan […]

 Message from Sean, ‘we are on our way to Mineralyne Vody and all is good’. 

Luckily Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow (one of the three Moscow airports) which is where they departed from – remains largely unaffected by the smog. After the three hour flight from Moscow to MV (Mineral Waters), they will drive six hours up to Terskol, at […]

 Hayibo!  We’ve just arrived in Moscow.  It’s all modern here now and unforgivingly hot. No more of those jets with silver ice lollies on the wing tips…must have melted off.   

No grog allowed on Egypt Air so Vivien and Michelle bought a bottle of wine which Viv must have been chugging during turbulence because […]