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News Update
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news updates, click here
To view Freddy the Adventure Bear's diary, click here
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Irish Seven Summits Elbrus Expedition 2005
August 6th
The
summit. The Top of Europe a hard, Long, cold day.
Oh
my Lord. As one of the team put it, if we had known how  tough today was going
to be; we may have thought twice about climbing the last 1400 metres of
this mountain. Although we had acclimatised well, the slog, and that's what it
is, proved extremely hard. This writer has ran marathons and can tell you that
they are less demanding both physically and psychologically. Pat had warned us
not to underestimate the extreme nature of the task and to be prepared for a
long, hard day, but few of us realised just how long and hard it would be. We
were to learn why mountaineering is a serious sport and how climbing over 4000
metres is no holiday, demanding a steely resolve and a determination to keep
going when you are so tired you feel you could fall asleep standing up. .
When 3am finally came. We got up quickly and dressed fast using our head torches
for light. Pat advised us not to eat too much, so breakfast was hot chocolate
and a biscuit for most of us. Outside, it was slightly windy and cold, but otherwise
calm. We would go up the mountain and see how the day developed. From the off,
the pace was steady. We plowed upwards in a long line, following each other's
steps to reserve energy. We had to dig in with our crampons to get a good footing
in the snow and work hard on our breathing to fight off the headaches and dizziness
that the altitude can cause. The higher we went, the more tiring it became. It
was dark for two hours or so after we started, but the dawn broke draping the
east summit in beautiful red light. We would have to reach the base of this peak
first, then walk around it to a col from where we would then be able to see the
route up and over to the west one. Even though we had been walking for some time
the top of the col seemed miles away. Other climbers who had a lead on us having
used 'rat track' tractors to transport themselves to the Pastukhov Rocks looked
like ants in the distance. They had driven past us earlier that morning as we
consoled our tired selves by concluding that they were cutting corners while
we were doing it the traditional and true way. When we reached the rocks at 4800
metres some of the group were feeling fatigued from the effort already spent.
Shortly after a brief stop and as a result of both nerves and probably the altitude,
this writer vomited what little breakfast I had eaten. I continued on with Pat
advising me to concentrate more on taking bigger and more frequent breaths. Other
climbers complained of head pains while a growing number began to struggle to
keep pace. As you are forced to make your body work hard, it responds, but you
find yourself needing stops, either a pause in the pace or time spent leaning
forward on walking poles trying to give yourself some respite. At times it was
so tiring and the col still seemed so far away that I wondered if I would have
enough energy to finish the day out. When these moments of self-doubt came I
just focussed on my breathing, stared at the ground and kept going. It was clear
from 8am on that the weather was going to hold. We would just have to deal with
a persistent, but not overly strong crosswind. We were nearing the col and had
about another 30 minutes of slow suffering to go before we would take our final
break. It couldn't come soon enough. I would later learn that a number of others
felt the same. I could feel my nose and lips were being burned by the sun, but
was too tired and inexperienced to make myself put on cream. I felt I didn't
have the energy to bother removing my mittens to even begin this process. It
wasn't cold, but I was glad, I had worn fleece trousers and thermal layers.
Finally the col arrived and the opportunity for a rest. It would have been perfectly
relieving only it came as the giant west summit came into view and we realised
that there was more, lots more to come. When I threw myself down to rest, all
I wondered about is how I would stop myself from falling asleep . We took fifteen
minutes of a break. Ate sweets, drank water and looked wearily at each other.
Pat, Clare and Luda, all more experienced, gave some much needed encouagement.
One more big push was needed and then a breakthrough.Once we started to traverse
the steep final slopes of the west summit some energy returned. With each step
we realised and could see that we were finally getting there. We dug in hard,
knuckled down and pushed on. We passed marker after marker getting more and more
determinded as we went. There were one or two hairy moments where the wind reminded
you that if you fell or slipped you would fall a long way before stopping and
then have to plod all the way back up, if you still could. We crossed dodgy rocks
to get to the top of a crest and knew the summit was less than an hour away.
We pushed on yet again and then it came into view. A flat top in the distance
about the side of a small gym and perched at the back edge of Elbrus. We were
going to do it and at one minute to midday on Saturday, August the 6th, we did.
Exhausted, relieved and delighted we congratulated each other and posed for the
cameras. The Elbrus team of the Irish 7 Summits Challenge stood on the highest
point of Europe, our triclours flapping in the wind and Pat reminding us for
the umpteenth time that if we couldn't see the camera, it couldn't see us.
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Friday August 5th
Our
plan was to leave for the summit at 3am on Saturday morning,
so today was a rest day. However this did not
mean we could spend it in bed. Luda explained that it was
important for our blood to circulate to aid acclimatisation
and so we trekked down to Mir Station for some coffee.
A cliimber entertained us playing a saxophone at the Barrels
and convincing Luda to dance. We attempted to sing along
to Strangers in the Night. On our return to the Priut Hut
we napped, ate, packed day bags and went to bed feeling
both excited and anxious. It was not clear if the weather
would be good enough to allow for a su
mmit bid. We would
wake at 3am, check the situation and go at 4am if we could.
If not, we would have to sit it out on the mountain for
another day at least.
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These news items are extracts from the dairies of Richard
Oakley’s. Climber on Irish 7 summits Elbrus expedition
2005.
Friday July 29th
The Mount Elbrus team of the Irish 7 Summits Challenge
landed in Russia after a brief stopover in Budapest.
The 9-strong team, which includes Clare O'Leary - the first
Irishwoman to climb Everest and Pat Falvey, the expedition
leader- was in high spirits ahead of its bid to climb the
west summit of Europe's highest mountain which stands at
5642 metres.
After a lengthy visa check at Moscow airport we were greeted
by Natasha Bashkirova, a good friend of Pats and our Russian
interpreter.
Some haggling with baggage handlers was necessary with
Pat securing the use of a massive trolley at the knockdown
price of E20 for all of 3 minutes.
A waiting bus then took us through the vast and expansive
Moscow city streets to our overnight accommodation.
The Hotel Russia is situated opposite the Kremlin and affords
fantastic views of the city's impressive architecture.
Check-in here was also lengthy, but staff didn't object
to us lounging around the foyer like beached whales waiting
for the tide to come in while Pat and Natasha sorted things
out.
After finding our rooms we strolled a short distance to
an open air bar in a lively tourist district for some beers,
sausages and kebabs. The chef cooked on a barbecue and
used his bare hands to handle the food, both cooked and
uncooked, hold his cigarette and act as a support as he
jumped over a small wall to borrow chicken from the next
door bar. We were concerned, but hungry enough not to care
and the food tasted good regardless. An early night was
then called for and a tempting invitation to party in the
hotel's own nightclub was reluctantly turned down.
Saturday July 30th
The next morning we checked in early for our flight to
Mineralnye Vody. The airport was busy and we ran into a
number of other climbers. They included a mountain rescue
team from Romania, who were wearing their plastic boots
in a bid to avoid weight penalties for baggage and a Canadian
going to extreme lengths to ensure he wasn't mistaken for
an American. He told us he had a Canadian flag for the
summit of Elbrus and later paraded around in a T-shirt
that said 'I am Canadian' just in case there were any doubts.
Our own baggage came in a healthy amount over the limit,
but one hidden note in a passport later and we were on
our way. In Russia money still bends rules.
The airport terminal at Mineralyne Vody is a barn type
of affair where taxi drivers vie with each other to block
your path. A delay with the bags led team member, Michael
O'Connell, to offer to off-load them himself and the Kerry-born
barrister demanded to know what union rules the staff worked
under. Michael Cunningham, another team climber, entertained
locals telling them we were astronauts and saying 'I'll
take two' when asked for money in Russian. Here we met
two more of our Russian facilitators for Elbrus, Sergey
Romanov and Luda Korobeshko from Luda and Sergey has previously
summated the mountain 16 times each.
Our gear was loaded onto another bus and we sped off as
far as the gate where we were promptly stopped by police
officers. In Russia it is known for tourists to find themselves
on the wallet-draining side of unmercifully applied and
often totally fabricated laws. For a moment, it seemed
we too would receive such a welcome. Our passports were
checked, however, and it turned out we had the correct
stamps much to the guard's obvious disappointment. With
no excuse to hassle us, they had to allow us proceed. Our
Romanian travel companions were less fortunate and we left
them negotiating fees as we moved off into the countryside.
Natasha told us police are disliked in Russia and we didn't
need to be told why.
Our bus driver as with all Russian drivers had a healthy
disrespect for the rules of the road and a deep-running
desire to head butt the horizon at insane speeds. The journey
into the Kabardino-Balkaria region went quickly, but we
were still able to take in the area with its bustling markets
and run-down but colourful villages.
As this part of Russia is close to the Chechnya and Georgian
border, a number of governments, including the British
one, advise against traveling to it. Natasha, however,
assured us that we had nothing to worry about, apart from
the police on the way in and out.
The imposing Caucasus loomed into view as we approached
the Baksen valley and the Ozon Hotel. This is a modern
facility and easily one of the best places for climbers
to stay. Meals are nourishing and it is beautifully situated
in a wood surrounded by towering mountains about 2000 meters
above sea level. It has its own bar complete with a pool
table. The hotel is to serve as our base until Tuesday
giving us a chance to settle in before we moved onto wilder
and more basic environs.
By this stage the group is getting to know each other
and talk with other climbing teams. Tim 'Hammer Man'
O'Connor,
a Kerry construction worker and living legend, was particularly
taken with the female members of a Latvian contingent.
Language barriers, however, conspired to thwart his early
efforts to forge close international relations. Teams
of American ‘Dudes’ were preparing to begin
their Elbrus attempt and were a few days ahead of us
in this
regard.
Sunday July 31st
For us, acclimatising was the priority and this began
on Sunday with an easy saunter to the picturesque Donguzorun
Lake from the village of Cheget. At a height of 2800
meters,
it lies at the feet of a scary-looking 4437 meter peak
of the same name and in the shadow of the 4277 metre
Nakretau - known as the beheaded mountain. According
to local legend
its former cap, which is now missing, was chopped off
by the gods. We then strolled to the nearby Ai Café which
can also be reached by chair-lift. From here we were
able to see the two summits of Elbrus, east and west,
for the
first time and take in how this beautiful mountain seems
to stand apart in the range. We gaped at is vast snow-covered
slopes and cloud covered top.
Monday August 1st
Today, we climbed slightly higher to Kogutay Valley or
Flower meadow and then onto Narzan Place at about 3000
metres. We stepped on ice for the first time and had an
ice-ball fight with the feisty Katie 'I am going to shove
this walking pole where the sun doesn't shine' O'Connor,
an outdoor instructor, the most eager participant Michael
Cunningham was nicknamed 'Bellamy' after displaying a level
of interest in the local fauna that bordered on the unhealthy.
Pat kept the spirits up with numerous jokes which he told
whenever he felt the need for a breather on the ascent.
He ensured all walkers were using their poles correctly
and showed us the best techniques when dealing with steep
terrain. That night we turned down dinner at the hotel
and went to a restaurant in Cheget to sample local cuisine
with Luda, Natasha and Sergey. The food was basic but tasty
with noodle soup for starters. Earlier we had drank some
beers and tried some Shylasnik kebabs grilled on the side
of the road. These tasted like paraffin oil and certain
members of the team would later wish they had refused their
share and that of more wiser counterparts.
Our preparations at this stage are going well and we are
all looking forward to moving onto Elbrus. Clare, who is
attempting to become the first Irish woman to climb the
7 summits, has a bounce in her step ahead of peak number
5. Pat, who is on course to become the first Irish man
to climb the 7 twice, is as strong as ever. Those team
members mentioned above and the others, Gordon 'Flash'
Brown, Michael Storey and Richard Oakley are happy to be
along for the ride.
Tuesday August 2nd
Another day to acclimatise. We spent the morning trekking
up to an observatory at a height of about 3000 metres and
much of the afternoon plodding down from it. Katie O'Connor
kept us focused with a number of riddles. When we struggled
to come up with the answers, she told us how kids were
able to solve them within minutes making us all feel highly
intelligent.
That evening we organised our gear for the next day when
we would move onto Elbrus for the first time. We were to
leave one bag in the hotel and carry everything we would
need for the summit bid in another. At dinner, Tim O'Connor
explained how he was now on first name terms with the toilet.
The shashlyk was blamed. Dr O'Leary diagnosed a condition
called HAFE or High Altitude Flatulence Expulsion. Someone
quipped that it was no longer S.....A....F....E to be in
the same room as the Kerryman.
Wednesday August 3rd
Today we moved onto Elbrus. An early breakfast was followed
by a quick bus ride to Terskol. O'Connor's HAFE had developed
nicely overnight and spontaneous burping was added to its
other effects. In Terskol we caught a cable car up 3000
metres to a log cabin at Krugozor base where we were to
stay for one night to aid the acclimitisation process.
Having off-loaded our bags and boxes of supplies we headed
off to gain more height. This process started with another
cable car to the Mir station and then involved a steady
plod up to The Barrels at about 3800 metres. The Barrels
are what the name suggests. Large tanks where teams of
climbers can stay if they wish. The area is busy with people
coming to and fro. Day visitors pop in now and again using
a single chair lift to get up. They tend not to stay long,
however, when they realise how cold it can be if you are
not wearing the correct gear. From this spot you access
the snow covered slopes of Elbrus and can really start
to take
In this two headed cone. Elbrus is a dormant volcano composed
of both crystalline rocks and magmatic intrusions. Snow
covered slopes are interspersed with rock bands, crevasses
and ice falls.
The first few slopes reach up to the Priut Hut, a cabin
at about 4200 metres that can accommodate climbers and
serves as the starting point for many summit attempts.
It is also the site of the old 'Refuge of 11' which burned
down in 1999. You can see the remains of this former three-storied,
dirigible-shaped hotel. First built in 1932, it was able,
at one point to accommodate 120 people.
We plodded on up to this point where we were due to stay
the following day before descending all the way back to
the cable car on tired limbs for a snooze, hearty meal,
sing-s
ong and an earlyish night. Loud, cracking and thundering
avalanches on the surrounding mountains woke us from deep
sleeps throughout the night.
Thursday August 4th
Today we moved to the Priut Hut. We lugged our bags to
the cable car and up to Mir Station. From here we then
caught the chair-lift to The Barrels bringing our bags
with us and placing the boxes on seats of their own. A
snow tractor then carried our gear and some members of
the team up to the hut while the rest walked the distance
for a second time. After lunch, it was time for more acclimitising.
This involved a long, hard slog up to the Pastukhova rocks
at 4700 metres and a little beyond. The weather was rough
on the way up but the day cleared up nicely as we neared
our highest point. Some of the team felt the effects of
altitude with slight headaches and breathlessness, but
everyone was coping well and moving strongly. From the
rocks you get an amazing view down the mountain, across
the valley and up to neighboring peaks. You can also look
up to the east summit of the mountain which has to be circled
on the ascent to the west one. That night we were told
that Friday would be a rest day and that, weather-permitting,
we would make our first summit attempt on Saturday morning
leaving the hut at 3am and retracing our paths to the rocks
before moving on up the mountain. We ate well that night,
played charades and were in bed by 11. Katie struggling
to mime Ulysses w as a highlight as Tim ignored the one
word clue and guessed films with three in their title.
The rooms in the hut are designed to maximise space with
as many as five sleeping side by side. The outdoor toilets
consist of wooden shacks with holes in the floor. Finally
we were rouging it in style.
More to follow
Four Down, Three to Go for Everest Conqueror…
On Friday,
July 29th, Dr Clare O’Leary and a support
team of eight other Irish climbers, depart for Mt. Elbrus
in Russia, as part of the Seven Summits challenge.
The Team consists of Leader Pat Falvey-Cork, Dr Clare O’Leary-Cork,
Richard Oakley-Dublin, Tim O’Connor-Glenflesk, Michael
Storey-Sligo, Gordon Brown-Dublin, Michael Cunningham-Navan,
Michael O’Connell-Kerry/Dublin, and Katie O’Connor-Bantry.
All climbers are intermediate to experienced and have a good
chance of success. Their itinerary details are available
here.
Mt Elbrus, stands at 18,841 ft (5642m). It is part of the
Caucasus range, which stretches for almost 900 kilometers
from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. Mt Elbrus lies in
the central Caucasus in the highest and most glaciated part
of the range. Adjoining Chechnya, Ossetia and Ingushetia
in Kabardino Barkaria.
During the forthcoming expedition, the team will be exposed
not only to the dangers of the mountain itself, including
high altitude and potentially extreme weather conditions,
but will also be traveling through one of the most volatile
parts of the world. The area is known for violent turbulence
brought about by the ongoing struggle for independence by
several local ethnic groups. The region has made international
headlines for the past number of years; with last year's
brutal school bombing that killed hundreds of schoolchildren
in Belsan in the North Ossetia area of southern Russia, being
the most disturbing of these.
Mt. Elbrus is the fifth mountain of Dr. O’Leary’s
Seven Summits challenge – she has already successfully
climbed Mt. Everest in Asia, Mt. McKinley in Alaska, Kilimanjaro
in Africa and Aconcagua in South America.
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