July 13, 2012
View from the high hut. (Viki Tracey)
Just got off the phone with Mike Hamill and the Elbrus team. Mike’s working with our full group of climbers and Russian guides, Igor Tsaruk and Sasha Sak. It’s a good couple of hours from the hut to the Pastokov Rocks and it makes for a great acclimatization hike the day before the summit climb. It’s also another opportunity to get the spikes on and do a bit of a general ‘shake down’ prior to a summit attempt. It was a bit breezy for their hike with some afternoon snow but things seem to be settling down. They’re expecting to get up early tomorrow and take a shot at this thing. Everyone’s healthy and Mike’s expecting all team members to go for it. Wish them luck. If it doesn’t happen tomorrow, the itinerary does allow for a couple more attempts. Let’s hope the mountain lets them up tomorrow so they can use those contingent days to do the valley and get in a bit more ice climbing.
Stay tuned.
Phil Ershler