Kamchatka Expedition 2nd August 2013

Report received from Leader, Dave:

13th Aug – Dave rang today from Petropavlovsk.  In the last 2 days they climbed Tolbachik volcano, which was erupting whilst they were there and Dave described as stunning. They have had some tough days – one day they walked 27kg including 1800 metres of ascent. Tomorrow they will head out again, this time to trek up Gorely volcano and the day after they plan to trek up Mytnovsky which will end their climbing sessions. Then it’s back to Moscow for a night and then home.

Leader – Dave Pritt

11th Aug – Dave rang today from the flanks of one of the many active volcanoes in Kamchatka’s Kluchievskay region. After being fully loaded onto the helicopter for Klyuchievskaya yesterday, the weather closed in and Russians decided it wasn’t safe to fly. After a change of itinerary the team jumped onto trucks and headed out to a strenuous 7 hr trek up Tolbachik Volcano to the edge rim of the crater. They have had an awesome time trekking up ash and scree slopes, jumping over crevasses, cooling lava lumps and lava flows and have taken lots of photographs. It’s 11.30pm there and the team are settling down for the night under glittering stars plus the whole ribbon of the Milky Way. They are able to see the red glow from inside crater and then down the side of the mountain to the lava flows snaking off in the distance. A welcome reward for a tired, happy and safe team after a couple of days sitting around inactive, waiting for a helicopter.

10th Aug – Dave texted in the early hours of this morning to say they have now got the helicopter for Klyuchevskoy. Bad weather had hampered there plans for several days so all the team were relieved to get the all clear today.

7 Aug – The team are on schedule and just over half of them (no names!) summitted Koryaksky and are now back at the hotel. Tomorrow they should take a helicopter to the Klyuchevskoy/Kamen region and establish camp.

5th Aug – We have flown by helicopter (40minute) to the plateau between the volcanoes Klyuchevskoy and Kamen (Stone) and established our base camp with a tremendous and picturesque outlook. Today, all of the team are now at High Camp on Koryaksky.

5th Aug – We have flown by helicopter (40minute) to the plateau between the volcanoes Klyuchevskoy and Kamen (Stone) and establishd our base camp with a tremendous and picturesque outlook. Today, all of the team are now at High Camp on Koryaksky.

3rd Aug – Well Dave has finally escaped from Ambleside for a few weeks, and the AP staff are looking forward to a bit of calm being restored in the office :o). Dave sent a text to say the team have arrived in Moscow and have visited the Kremlin, Red Square & St Basil’s. They now have a 9 hour domestic flight, (Yes that’s domestic, doesn’t that make the UK seem very very small!) to the opposite side of Russia, to the city of Petropavlosk the capital of Kamchatka. They are 12 hours ahead of the UK.