Caucasus Mountains, RussiaAugust 16 - 23, 2013 South Side Route West Summit

elbrus | 5642m

2008 saw the birth of a dream; to climb the Triple 7 Summits. Since then, Ricky has climbed in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, New Guinea, Alaska and Mexico, in pursuit of his dream

The Elbrus South Side expedition continues that dream.

overviewThe South America 3 Peaks expedition team will travel to the Caucasus Mountains of Russia in August 2013. Over 8 days the team will attempt to climb Elbrus (5642m) via the South Side Route. Although this is a standalone expedition, it is also a training expedition for the South America 3 Peaks Expedition, which itself is the 3rd leg of a long-term project to climb the Triple 7 Summits, the 3 highest peaks on each con-tinent.

As the highest peak in Europe and one of the 7 Summits, Elbrus is a challenging ascent for aspiring climbers who want to test their skills at increasing altitude. Although only basic mountaineering skills are required, high-altitude and unpredictable weather make this a difficult ascent. The expedition starts and ends in Mineralnye Vody.

Our 8-day mountain journey begins with acclimatisation along well-travelled trails in the Baksan Valley and surrounding peaks. Once we have acclimatised and are established at the Barrel Huts, we prepare for an early morning departure on Day 5 to the West Summit (the higher of the twin peaks). The route ascends 1000 metres of moderate snow climbing to the saddle. From here, we turn west and head up 300 meters of steeper terrain, finally reaching the summit plateau. The round trip journey from base to the summit usually takes 10-12 hours.

The Expedition Coordinator has extensive mountaineering, expedition & wilderness experience. He is a qualified First Aider and has undertaken Combat First Aid and Medical Wilderness Intervention training. We will hire a highly-experienced, competent and English-speaking local Russian guide for the dura-tion of the expedition. We may hire an extra guide for summit day to keep climber-to-guide ratios low.

elbrus (5642m)

geology: The Caucasus Mountains formed largely as the result of a tectonic plate collision between the Arabian plate moving northward with respect to the Eurasian plate. The entire region is regularly subjected to strong earthquakes from this ac-tivity. The Lesser Caucasus Mountains on the other hand, is largely of volcanic origin. The Javakheti Volcanic Plateau in Georgia and the surrounding volcanic ranges which extend well into central Armenia are some of the youngest features of the region.

climate: The climate of the Caucasus varies both vertically (according to eleva-tion) and horizontally (by latitude and location). Temperature generally decreases as elevation rises. Average annual temperature in Sukhumi, Abkhazia at sea level is 15 degrees Celsius while on the slopes of Mt. Kazbek at an elevation of 3700 metres, average annual temperature falls to -6.1 degrees Celsius. The northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range are 3 degrees (Celsius) colder than the southern slopes. The highlands of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are marked by sharp temperature contrasts between the summer and winter months due to a more continental climate.

Caucasus: key factslength: 1100kmwidth: 160 kmlocation: North Caucasus: Russian Federation (Chech-nya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Adyghea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay–Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai)South Caucasus: Abkhazia, Armenia, Azer-baijan, Nakhichivan, Georgia, Adjara, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Turkey (partially), Iran (partially) highest point: Elbrus West Summit (5642m)first ascent: The lower of the two summits (East summit) was first ascended on 10 July 1829 (Ju-lian calendar) by Khillar Khachirov, a Karachay guide for an Imperial Russian army scientific expedition led by General Emmanuel, and the higher West Summit in 1874 by an English ex-pedition led by F. Crauford Grove and including Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, and Swiss climber Peter Knubel

cost | itineraryDates: The start date (16th August) refers to your arrival into Mineralnye Vody Airport (code: MRV). Aim to arrive in the morning of the start date. Most flights go via Moscow, enabling you to catch an overnight flight to Moscow and then a morning flight from Moscow to MRV. The end date (23rd August) is the day you should book your return flight from MRV; an afternoon flight is best, be-cause the minibus journey from Elbrus is about four hours.

Trip Extension: Since most flights go via Moscow it is possible to spend some time in the city before or after the trip. Our local agent can organise airport pick-ups, hotel bookings, local tours or bookings for any shows you may like to see. Let us know if you are interested in this option.

Climbing Period: The itinerary allows for a period of acclimatisation in the val-leys and a climbing period on the mountain. If the weather is favourable, you may have up to two summit attempts but the decision will be made by the guides, depending on normal mountaineering decisions and the ability of the group. With good weather and snow conditions, the trip provides ample op-portunity to climb the West Peak.

Day Elevation Info1 2125m Arrive into Mineralnye Vody airport in the morn-ing and be met by local agent staff. Transfer by minibus to Terskol (4 hours). Accommodation in local 3* Hotel bed and breakfast. Dinner in local cafe.2 ST:2125m HP:3450m SL:2125m Ascent of Cheget Mountain (3,450m), lunch en route dinner at hotel3 ST:2125m HP:3800m SL:3800m Acclimatization hike.Overnight stay in the Barrels huts (3800 m) on the slopes of Elbrus with lunch en route 4 ST:3800m HP:4300m SL:3800m Acclimatization hike.Full board. Overnight stay at the huts.5 ST:3,800m HP:5642m SL:3800m Summit day. Leave base camp about 3 am for the climb of Elbrus’ west summit, 5642 m. De-scend to base camp. Full board. Overnight stay at the huts. 6 ST:3800m HP:3800m SL:2125m Reserve day for climbing Elbrus (in case of bad weather) or descent to the Baksan valley (lifts are optional). Overnight either at hotel or huts.- Full board if at huts.- If at hotel - lunch is optional, dinner (a party at local cafe) is included.7 ST:2125m HP:2125m SL:2125m - If we are at huts: De-scend to the Baksan valley.- If we returned on day 6: Breakfast at hotel, a hike or shopping around or any activity on your own.Lunch, dinner are optional. Overnight stay in the hotel8 ST:2125m Breakfast in the hotel and then transfer to Min-eralnye Vody. Flight to Moscow and onward travel, or stopover in Moscow for trip extension.

CostThe cost will depend on whether we join a standard itinerary or whether we choose to run a private expedition. This will be confirmed 2 months before expedition start date (i.e. by 16th June)Standard Itinerary: $1500Private Expedition (1 guide): $1600Private Expedition (2 guides): $1700

Includes- Visa application papers- Municipal registration in Tyrnauz- Coach transfers airport/hotel - Hotel in Cheget (twin/triple room basis) - All hotel and restaurant meals (BLD)- Mount Elbrus National Park fees- All cable cars/chair lifts on mountain- Accommodation in Barrel huts- All meals on mountain - English-speaking guide- Additional guides possible- Group equipment

Excludes- Flights to Mineralnye Vody, - Russian Visa- Travel insurance- Personal expenses - Personal Equipment hire (such as - sleeping bag, boots, crampons etc)- Single room supplement in Cheget- Riding snow-cat - Mountain Service (guide, cook) in case of additional summit attempt- Trip extensions (Moscow etc)

8 days | 16 - 23 August

Altitude Profile - showing start of day, maximum elevation and sleep-ing height for the proposed route

Fitness & Experience NeededExcellent fitness is necessary. It is certainly beneficial to have expe-rience of moving on snow and ice for this trip to Mt Elbrus but local guides provide on-site training in basic alpine skills such as moving on crampons before the summit day. Before starting, everybody must have the necessary skills for safety on the hill. Predominantly these skills are to do with personal movement, understanding of layering and personal climate, handling a slip, being familiar with all the equipment and working in a team. Elbrus is a big mountain that requires a mountaineering approach to ensure safety and suc-cess and enjoyment. A good preparation would be to do a winter hillwalking course in Scotland or an alpine skills course in the Alps, but this is not mandatory to join the trip.

route | experienceThe normal summit route is a long climb over a moderate incline that re-quires good acclimatization but has no technical difficulties. Nevertheless, it can be dangerous. The altitude, variable weather, frequent violent storms and low temperature all have to be factored into expedition planning. The average time is from 8 to 12 hours for the ascent and about 4 hours for the descent. Crampons and ski poles (or walking axes) are necessary for this climb. There are no major crevasses or objective dangers on the main route, but weather is very temperamental and visibility can drop very rap-idly. Sudden storms and extremely cold weather are common. It is easy to become disorientated and wander off route, and there are many stories of frostbite and hypothermia injuries on the mountain every year.

The ascent of the West Peak (Standard Route, South Face) follows the broad slope as far as the small rock islands known as Pastukhov Rocks. Continue straight up for 400 metres towards the East Peak, gradu-ally bear left and traverse until reaching a huge basin below the West Peak. This leads to the saddle or col and is a good place to rest and eat (5-6 hours from Priut-11). Head west and to the left side of the sad-dle, ascending the steeper snow slope on a rising traverse to the rocks of the shoulder of the West Peak and a short distance up to the pla-teau. Cross the broad plateau and easy ground to gain the summit.

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Visas - detailsThe process to gain a Russian Visa is straight forward but does require your input. The fol-lowings is the procedure and timeframes involved:

1) By 15th June you must ensure that you have sent the Expedition Coordinator your pass-port details (> 6 months remaining on your passport expiry after returning home and a blank page for the visa) and your flight details.2) By 31st July we will send you by email a ‘travel voucher’ and ‘invitation letter’3) Using your Travel Voucher and Invitation Letter you fill in an online application form on your local Russian Embassy website. 4) Submit your passport, online application form, travel voucher, invitation letter, visa fee and a photograph to your local Russian embassy. This can be done in person (1-2 days processing time) or by post (7-10 days processing time)5) On entry into Russia you will be given a migration card - do not lose this! It will be required for local registrations at hotels.

The Expedition Coordinator can guide you through the process and help you complete the application. The most important thing is to double check all your details on your applications forms and to leave time so that if a problem occurs there is time left to rectify it. The visa form and some of the application process changed in 2009 and again in June of 2011 so be wary of anything that was written prior to this date. There are also agencies that present themselves in a way that makes them look like an official government office when they are in fact a middle-man that will charge extra for their services. A good general rule would be to follow links from the website of ‘The Embassy of the Russian Federation’ in your home country.

Although you cannot apply for your visa more than 6 weeks before your travel date you should look at the supporting information prior to this date so that you can send off the ap-plication as soon as the 6 week window opens. The personal data supplied for the invitation letters and on the visa application needs to be precisely as it appears on your passport. Please do double-check this as any inconsistencies may lead to rejection of your application by the consulate. Do also check that you have enough validity remaining on your passport – this depends on your nationality but is usually 6 months validity remaining after your de-parture date from Russia to home.

Visas - generalYou will almost certainly require a Russian entry visa. Russian Consulates in countries are responsible for issu-ing visas. We will send you an “invitation” (visa support) page. You have to take that invitation to the Russian Consulate along with passport, photos and other pa-pers personally, by post or through a visa service com-pany. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months AFTER your trip and you must have 2 empty pages for visa sticker there. Russian Consulates will insist that you must have health insurance valid in Russia before you apply for visa. You must pay a fee directly to the Con-sulate. The amount depends on your country. Visa-pro-cessing time depends on Consulates. We recommend you allow at least 2 weeks for visa procedures - contact your local Consulate for specific information. Your Rus-sian visa has a period of stay - from Entry to Exit. You can enter and leave Russia on any date but only within that period. Overstay is a serious violation and you will may have serious problems with police when you finally decide to leave Russia if you visa has expired.

We recommend you apply for a visa covering the period 14 - 25 August. You must be officially registered in any place you stay for more than 3 days. Our local agent will take care of registration in the Elbrus area, but if you enter in Russia more than 3 days before coming into the Elbrus region you must be registered somewhere before, otherwise you will be fined.

Requirements for foreign citizens to enter RussiaPassport valid 6 months beyond intended stayTourist Visa requiredVaccination not required

admin | visa

insuranceWe advise you to take out your insurance as soon as possible to cover potential events that might cause you to cancel your trip. Because Elbrus is in a region which has an FCO warning against all but essential travel you may find that your normal policy is void.

You need to ensure that you have a policy which covers trekking to high altitude, but it does not need to cover technical climbing. You should bring with you a copy of your policy and ensure that you have sent full policy details to the Expedition Coor-dinator by 6th August. It is also worth bringing a photocopy of your passport and to keep it separate to your own documents just in case you lose your passport.

paymentsPayments must be made by either a bank wire transfer or PayPal. These details will be sent to you when you confirm your booking with the Expedition Coordinator. The prices are fixed in US dollars and any international banking or transfer fees should be covered by you. Payments must be made according to following schedule: Deposit (including non-refundable registration fee) at date of registration: $500 Balance to be paid by 30th June (depends on whether we choose to run a private expedition. This will be confirmed 2 months before expedition start date i.e. by 16th June)Standard Itinerary balance: $1000Private Expedition (1 guide) balance: $1100Private Expedition (2 guides) balance: $1200

Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and local operator permits, the fol-lowing refund policy applies: your deposit includes a $300 non-refundable registra-tion fee. A 50% refund will be provided of balance paid up to and including 16th July 2013. No refunds will be provided from 17th July 2013 or later. All refund requests must be made by email to the Expedition Coordinator and received according to timescales above. If your balance is not received by 30th June, you risk forfeiting your place on the expedition.

food & accommodationThe South route of Elbrus is served by mountain refuges so we are able to sleep and eat inside the buildings. The accommodation is basic and you will still need warm sleeping bags! We have an expedition cook who will prepare all our food. Again this will be basic but nourishing and tasty.Barrel HutsThe Barrels huts is a group of 10 huts right near the upper lift station. Each hut has a ‘big’ room with 4 beds, a small room with one bed and a table, a small room for luggage. There is electric heater, light and electric plugs (220V). Toilet is outside and very basic. Shower and tap water are absent. Water for cooking and other purposes comes from a spring (from mid June to mid August) or from snow and ice any other time. A kitchen with full sized gas stove and a big dining room is in a separate shed. Beds have foam mattresses. Sleeping bag is necessary mostly for hygiene. Be prepared to be sharing your hut with strangers. All the huts have outside latrines which are wooden huts with a floor and a long drop. Some latrines are worse than others, and it is not the job of the Rangers to clean them. It is important to take a torch with you at night and take a responsibility to keep the huts clean. HotelThe accommodation in Terskol is basic but comfortable and the rooms we share may have an ensuite bathroom between two rooms of two people. You may have access to a banya (sauna) that the management can fire up if given sufficient notice.FoodAll our food will be fresh and the meals are basic but tasty and well pre-pared and served in the communual areas of the huts. It will generally be wholesome and carbohydrate-rich food. The food will be based on Rus-sian soups, stews and vegetables but the cooks are well used to more western tastes. If you have dietary preferences then let the Expedition Co-ordinator know well in advance. The cooks can easily cater for most pref-erences. We cannot easily buy gluten free products in Russia. A certain amount of sweets and chocolate are all available in the shops in Terskol, as are things like batteries, but you may want to bring your own supply from home.WaterWe do not bring bottled water on the mountain; we boil all water which comes from the rivers and glacial streams. The staff will fill your water bottles every evening. Feel free to bring some water purification tablets for yourself if you would like the extra reassurance (iodine is fine). You could also bring a Steripen which will also kill all germs.

admin | payment

flights: You are responsible for your international flight bookings, and for confirming bookings to the Expedition Coordinator by 16th June. You need to arrive into Mineral-nye Vody (airport code: MRV). Most arrivals into MRV go via Moscow. When you book your airline ticket you are advised that you need to arrive into MRV on the morning of the 16th August, you should then return home or fly to Moscow if staying there for a few days on the afternoon of 23rd August. Many carriers fly into Moscow but limited carriers connect to MRV, therefore it may be necessary to book two flights rather than one through ticket being: 1) from your home to Moscow return and 2) from Moscow to MRV return. Please be aware that there are three airports in Moscow! Most international flights will come into Domodedovo (airport code: DME) or Sheremetyevo (SVO). You should ensure that your internal flights use the same airport as your international arrival / departure. Transfers are possible between the airports but they can take a long time and can be expensive.

vaccinations | travel health: There are no required vaccinations required for entry to Russia however you should consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding existing conditions or health issues.

first aid | injury: The Expedition Coordinator & climbing guide will carry first aid kits but it is important you also have your own small pack which should include: aspirin, Paracetamol, ibuprofen, throat tablets, loperamide, electrolyte rehydration solution, UV lip balm, sunscreen, plasters, blister kit. In the event of serious illness or injury then the Expedition Coordinator and/or local guide will attempt to get you to the nearest hospital. If somebody becomes non-ambulatory then normally porters will help to carry people down. In medical emergencies a helicopter evacuation may be necessary and it is im-portant that your travel insurance includes this facility and that you carry a copy of your policy with you. In the event of an incident your the Expedition Coordinator and local guide will liaise with the helicopter company and organise an airlift, but this is entirely weather dependant. You will need to keep all paperwork relating to your illness for the insurance company. The Expedition Coordinator and local guide will not be carrying enough cash to pay up front for helicopters or major incidents. Mild illnesses can be dealt with locally and, if it is to do with altitude, best dealt with by an stopping and rest-ing. It may be necessary to descend. In this event, your guide will ensure you are always accompanied by a porter who will ensure you get to the nearest safe camp or village down the valley.

health | altitude: Common health complaints at altitude can include headaches, dehydration, a stomach bug and diarrhoea, sun burn and altitude mountain sickness. Keep hydrated at all times, drink only our boiled water or treat it yourself, cover up in the sun and use plenty of cream, and eat every meal for energy. If you do get diarrhoea then adjust your diet to plain food with some vegetables, and don’t eat fruit or dairies or meat. Try hard to keep clean as much as possible by washing hands, and top tip is to bring a nail brush and antibacterial hand gel! At altitude the body is coping with extraordinary pressures and change, but there is much you can do to mitigate the severity. Without a doubt the best advice is to drink liquids, since your body is rehydrating much faster in the high, dry air as you are working hard to climb.

Acclimatisation is a perfectly understandable physiological pro-cess which everybody undergoes at varying speeds (which is why some people will suffer from Altitude Mountain Sickness before others) as the body adapts to existing in an atmosphere with less oxygen. It is essentially hypoxia. Muscles feel tired more quickly, sleeping habits change, you gasp more easily, you lose your appetite and you generally find things hard. Characters can change and people can become moody. You need to allow your body the time to adapt to this new environment. This process is regardless of age or fitness, everybody needs to go slowly as you start walking uphill.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) can happen to anyone. Some people will get the symptoms simply because their metabolism reacts badly to altitude. Diamox is a popular drug to take at alti-tude but it is not a magical cure that guarantees an AMS-free as-cent. It should be taken carefully and in full knowledge of the fact that it is a diuretic and it has side effects including a feeling of pins and needles in the face and hands. If you experience continued and increased headaches then you must go down the mountain. Remember also that HAPE or HACE or advanced symptoms of AMS are best treated with immediate descent, day or night and in any weather, and treatment with other drugs such as Dexameth-asone or Nifedipine. If you or someone in the team is that sick then they must be taken down the mountain and to the hospital.

logistics | health

flight connections in moscowFrom your international flight you will either arrive into Moscow Sheremtyevo [SVO] (Cyrillic : Шереметьево) or Domodedovo (Cyrillic : Домодедово). If you travel with Aeroflot you can book right through to the final destination, Mineralnye Vody [MRV] (cyrillic : Минера́льные Во́ды) on the same ticket and will probably fly through Sheremtyevo. With other airlines you will probably have two seperate tickets and fly through Domodedovo, if this is the case you will need to collect your luggage and check in again for the second flight. Please leave plenty of time for this, at least 4 hours, as the second flight operator will not make any allowance for the first if it is delayed or there is a problem with luggage/immigration. It is not practical to transfer between Sheremtyevo and Domodedovo airports unless you are spending several days in Moscow between flights.

arrivalThe Expedition Coordinator will arrive at 11.15 on Aeroflot flight on 16th August and will meet you at Mineralnye Vody airport, carrying a signboard. If your flight arrives earlier, please wait for this flight to arrive. Please ensure that you retain the migration card that you will have received on the plane and had stamped at the immigration control desk. Without this we may not be able to validate your visa. Please also ensure that you retain your half of the luggage tags that are put on your bags at check-in. This is sometimes stuck to your board-ing pass or passport. Some airports in Russia will not allow you out of the terminal with a bag that you don’t have the corresponding tag for. Please ensure that your belongings, es-pecially your wallet and documents, are kept out of sight and somewhere that is not easily accessible or removable.

personal expenses while in the caucasusIn general about $500 is enough for personal expenses. This will cover any personal extras such as snacks, souvenirs etc plus guide tips

briefing and kit checkingWe will have a team briefing on arrival of the full expedition team at the hotel, including the local guide(s). We will discuss everything about the trip and what you need, equipment rentals and daily timings. If you have any last minute queries about clothing or equipment please raise this and we will check the suitability of your own gear and advise whether to hire additional equipment.

baggageDo mark your bags clearly with your own name and address. If you have problems with your luggage (lost or undelivered) and you stay only one night in Moscow, sign for its delivery to MinVody airport not to your hotel. If you sign for MinVodydelivery the local agent driver can pick the luggage up in 1-2 days from MinVody. If it is delivered to a Moscow hotel after you leave we can do nothing and the luggage will stay there until you return to that hotel.

minvody airport - elbrus area - returnYou should arrive on the morning of 16th August at Miner-alnye Vody (MRV) airport. Short name is MinVody. On 23rd August you will be dropped back to that airport. The trans-portation from MinVody airport to our hotel in Elbrus area on 16th August is included into the expedition cost, but with some limitations1. Local agent transport will be available after 11:30 only.2. If your flight is scheduled to arrive later than 20:00 you have to order a private transportation to Elbrus area. Travel time is about 4 hours by car.3. There is no certainty when local agent regular buses leaves airport. Everything depends on the number of other clients on flights. Max waiting time at airport will be 4 hours4. If you do not wish to wait you can ask for a private trans-port in advance or on the spot. There is no refund for not used regular transportation. Note that transportation takes 4 hours one way and is not cheap. You can ask local agent rep to help with finding taxi or sharing a taxi-minibus.

Return transport to MinVody airport on 23rd August is in-cluded in expedition cost, but with some limitations1. The bus leaves hotel at about 7:00-7:30, arriving 11:00 - 11:30. If you have an earlier flight you must order private transportation.2. If you have a late flight you can either go with early bus or order private transport.3. No refund is available for group transportation ordered but not taken.

arrival | transport

equipmentMOUNTAINEERING BOOTS: double bootsTREKKING BOOTS/TREKKING SHOES for acclimation hikes and wearing in townsGAITERSSKI | TREKKING POLES: Adjustable polesBASE LAYER TOP: (1 or 2 sets) Synthetic or Merino options. LIGHT FLEECE TOP: 100 weight, Powerstretch fleece or similar FLEECE OR PRIMALOFT JACKETSHELL JACKET: Large enough to go over two base layers. DOWN JACKET (WITH HOOD): 600-800 fill powerT-SHIRT or SUN SHIRT BASE LAYER BOTTOMS: Merino wool or synthetic bottoms SOFT SHELL PANTS: e.g. SchoellerSHELL PANTSREGULAR UNDERWEAR: 2-4 changesSOCKS: 2 - 3 sets of wool or synthetic LIGHT GLOVES: (1 – 2 pair) soft shell glovesINSULATED GLOVES: Warm, insulated gloves are crucial. SUMMIT MITTENS: Warm as possibleWARM HAT: One medium weight, warm hat BALACLAVA / NECKWARMERBUFF + SUN HAT: HAND WARMERS: (optional)GLACIER GLASSES: with side protection and 100% UVA and UVB

SKI GOGGLES: required for adverse weatherEXPEDITION PACK or LARGE ZIPPERED DUFFEL: 70 - 100LDAY SACK: for treks and summitSLEEPING BAG: 3-seasonSTUFF SACKS / DRY BAGS for storing personal gearSLEEPING PADS: not required, but can be brought if you wantICE AXE (with leash): 70-80 cm lengthCRAMPONS: 10 or 12-point mountaineering crampons HARNESS: with adjustable leg loops. CARABINERSCLIMBING HELMETHEAD TORCHWATER BOTTLESFIRST AID KITPERSONAL ITEMS

additional kit infoBoots - this climb requires plastic mountaineering boots but a high quality hybrid boot will be adequate. Mitts - a good pair of waterproof, lined mitts will protect against cold hands, and a good idea to wear a pair of liner gloves inside.Warm hat - should have ear flaps if possible and be fleece lined or woollen.Socks - take heavy socks for the summit days and trekking socks for the walks.Bag - it is more convenient to have a duffle bag which will be taken up by cable car.Day sack - this should be around 40 litres for day hikes and summit day.Water bottles - take two and a thermos for summit day if you have one, and note that the bladders tend to freeze up easily.Trekking poles are very useful although more experienced people may prefer to use one pole and a walking axe.Sleeping bag - the huts are quite warm, so a 3 season bag is adequate.

rental: In Terskol you can rent plastic mountain boots easily and there are plenty of gear shops for buying last minute items. Following items can be rented from our local agent:Ski poles - 600 Rubles | Crampons - 700 Rubles (‘Grivel G10)Harness - (free) | Ice axe - 700 Rubles per (ice axe may not be necessary - our guide will advise before the climb) | Plastic boots - 1500 Rubles

In addition to raising funds for MacMillan, a secondary community objective is to inspire people to follow their own dreams. Both team members have faced and overcome adversity in their personal and professional lives. Both understand the need to create opportunities for self-improvement and the value in setting challenging short- and long-term goals.

believe in yourself | ignore your doubters | make it happen

community

Ricky’s twin uncles Patrick McGowan (left) and Michael McGowan (right) both tragically died of cancer at a relatively young age. Michael passed away in 1998 at the age of 58. Patrick passed away in 2008 at the age of 69. Both of these fine men were well-loved fathers, grandfathers, brothers and uncles. Their passing was devastating for the family and they are still deeply missed. Patrick’s final weeks and months were eased by the incredible support provided by hard-working, compassionate and dedicated MacMillan nurses. The family will always be grateful for that support.

Now, Ricky plans to repay that support by raising funds for MacMillan by completing the South America 3 Peaks expedition.

One in three of us will get cancer and it’s the toughest thing most of us will ever face. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or a loved one has, you’ll want a team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way.

We provide practical, medical and financial support and push for bet-ter cancer care. The number of people with cancer is growing every day. We want to reach and improve the lives of every one of those people. We are Macmillan Cancer Support.

ricky mundaylocation: Port-au-Prince, Haitid.o.b: 5/1/77profession: chartered accountant & aid workerexperience:1994: 8-week expedition to Kalimantan1996: 3-week expedition to Karakorum in Northern Pakistan, summit of Gondoro Peak (5,500m)1994-97: instruction & supervision of D of E Award candidates2004: completed Marathon des Sables (220km) in Sahara2005: climbed Mont Blanc via the Gouter Ridge (unguided)2006: led 2-man expedition to Khan Tengri (6,995m) -reachedCamp 3 (5,800m)2008: led 3-week Africa 3 Peaks expedition2010: solo Australasia 3 Peaks Glacier expedition to Papua2011: summited Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m)2012: early season expedition to Denali (6,194m) via West Buttress2012: summited Pico de Orizaba (5,636m) in Mexico, 3rd highestpeak in North America, on Xmas Eve

team

carolina morales aragortlocation: Maracay, Venezuelad.o.b: 18/5/70profession: metalsmithexperience: 1992 - 2006: Multiple National Races (Venezuela) of BTT MTB2008 - 2009 - 2010: Reto a la Cumbre De Choroní MTB (30km)2008 - 2009: Multiple National Races (Venezuela) downhill2006 - 2009: Multiple Running Races 10K, 21K , 42K2009: 42K Running Madrid Maraton, Spain2009: Mount Teide, Tenerife, Spain (3,718m) - Spain’s highest mtn2010: 42K Running Madrid Maraton, Spain2010: Anaga Marathon 42K trail , Tenerife Spain2011: GTP Gran Trail Peñalara 110K , 5.000 D + Navacerrada (Ma-drid), Spain2011: CAF 42K running, Caracas Venezuela2011: Ultratrail Race IDACA 80K. La Guaira – Aragua, Venezuela2012: Salomon 4Trails 157.9 K – 9.080 HM2012: Iztaccihuatl (to 4,800m) and Pico de Orizaba (to 5.300 M)

believe in yourself | ignore your doubters | make it happen

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teamdavid kenealylocation: Beirut, Lebanond.o.b: 2/11/76profession: aid workerexperience:1980 – 2013: Hill walking in Ireland 1998: Annapurna Trek, Nepal - to (5,416m)2004: Mt Kaliash trek, Tibet - to Drölma pass (5,500m)2008: Adams Peak (Sri Pada), Sri Lanka (2,243m) 2010: Tsergo Ri, Nepal - Langtang / Helembu trek (4,984m)2011: Mt Lokon, Sulawesi, Indonesia, (1,560m) 2011: Mt Kinabalu, Malaysia, (4,095m) decent by Via Feratta; 2011: Mt Khuiten / Malchin Peak, Mongolia (4,374m); 2011: Mt. Roraima, Venezuela (2,810m)2013: Jagged Globe Winter Summits course, Scotland

other information:Experienced emergency relief aid worker, having worked in Sri Lanka, Kenya, Pakistan, Chile, Bangladesh, Haiti and Lebanon since July 2007. Currently on mission in Beruit (since April 2013) supporting the Syria Crisis with the German Red CrossPADI certified Rescue DiverIANTD certified Cave DiverMember of IFRC Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT)

believe in yourself | ignore your doubters | make it happen

believe in yourself | ignore your doubters | make it happen

This expedition, and the Triple 7 Summits proj-ect, represent a unique opportunity for you to un-dertake a once-in-a-lifetime mountain experience. The South America 3 Peaks expedition project has clear scientific and community benefits. Not only will you have the opportunity to join the expedition team members on this important training trip, you will also be an integral part of the project team and will have the option to fundraise for MacMillan .

For more information on the expedition or the Triple 7 Summits project please visit: web: www.rickymunday.comemail: ricky@rickymunday.comtel: +509 3701 1575 (Haiti), or +44 7554 639 113 (UK).

opportunity Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly

Langston Hughes