S. Moro: "Annapurna is beautiful and it looks big an dangerous. Fortunatly there is not so much snow"

Denis Urubko

Last news from Denis & Simone (translation by www.russianclimb.com):

18 May, 2004
Simone Moro: Hello! Today we got up at 5 a.m. and we started at 7 a.m. We reached 6250 meters, but our fix ropes and icecrews ended on the last serrac. We needed 200 meters of ropes more, not so important for going up, but for the descending. We will spend one more night here, so also Boris can acclimatize. Than we'll go down to base camp and take 3 days rest. Denis and I have to give up our project to open a new route, because nobody else from our expedition reached the base camp (Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Ralf, etc. and we can not leave Boris alone on the French route…. Bye till tomorrow with new pictures.

17 May, 2004
Simone Moro: We are now in camp 1 at 5000 m. It took us 5 hours, because our rucksacks were very heavy, about 30 kg each. Also we had to find a way between the mouren and the glacier. The weather is good and the condition of the mountain also. There is not so many snow, but today stone and ice always fall down …. Tomorrow we will reach 6000 meters and look better at the pillar we want to climb. Bye and follow us also tomorrow
Simone

16 May, 2004
Denis Urubko: Salam-popolam! Yes, in that season Russians doing well, at last! It's wonderful. My greetings and luck wishes to Alexey Bolotov and all the team! (On Jannu - ed. note) I'm placing a bet for their success. We can only be in envy of their drive. We are doing things more simple. Today we are climbing up, to break a trail and prepare the descent route. The weather's normal, so we have chance to make it. We have now to ascend to 7000-7100 and spend the night there. We climb in a three-men team: Simone, Boris Korshunov and me. The Mount is beautiful from this side. It rises 4000 m above us. Pilots have brought us to 4100, where base camp is, and it's a pleasure to live here - grass, bushes. It's picturesque and warm. I think, our speed will be followed by success. An American Boukreev's Fund gave me the grant for this climb. I want to climb Annapurna in memory of Anatoly Boukreev who died there.
That's all, I go to pack my rucksack, and - upwards! Good luck!

Simone Moro: we start!!
Today I, Denis and Boris will start for 4 days on the mountain. Our objective is to reach 700/7100 meters and to set camp 3. Than we will come back to base camp for a 2 days rest and then the summit attempt. We will see if is possible to find a new line for a new route or if the danger advise us to follow the french or duch route.
Follow us. Simone, May, 16, 8-38

15 May, 2004 (evening)
Simone Moro: Today we arrived to Annapurna Base Camp flying by helicopter The altitude of BC is 4150 mt and the summit is...4000 meters upper.. The mountain is beautiful and it looks big an dangerous. Fortunatly there is not so much snow....

The helicopter we used had been payed by Franco Acerbis, one of my sponsor, and he also came here with us this morning. Now he went back to Kathmandu and he will go to Everest region to get acclimatisation, than he will return here and will stay till the end of expedition. Yesterday one hotel in Pokhara had been bombing by Maoists and we was only 300 meters far..... Tomorrow I, Denis and Boris will climb up as much as we can to establish our camps.....

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19.05.2004