“We will try Denali another time and are pursuing it diplomatically,” he adds.

They’re off to Mt Elbrus in Russia on 11 July 2010.

This challenge has been attempted by other adventurers but, as yet, has not been achieved. Marianne, a photographer, will document this challenge, flying in tandem with team leader, Pierre Carter.

The website is www.7summits7flights.co.za and their progress can be followed on their blog or through Facebook and Twitter.

This weather window is a good one with clear skies and low winds. There are literally over a hundred people summiting. This includes Jordan Romero, 13-year old son of adventure racers Paul Romero and Karen Ludgren. They were with Jordan when he summited. He’s the youngest person to summit this mountain. That makes it his 7th summit (he’s going for all 8). Only Mt Vinson in Antarctica left.

Apa Sherpa bettered the existing ‘most Everest summits’ record, which he holds, by adding another to make this his 20th.

More on this Everest season on ExplorersWeb.

I have a particular interest in the changing nature of the Khumbu Icefall (and the ropes and ladders rigged by the Khumbu Ice Doctors) and in today’s dispatch Mike, from Adventure Consultants, says, “The lower icefall had changed a lot in the past two weeks and predictably, there were more melt pools and lots of zig zagging around newly formed glacial pressure ridges. Even Mandy avoided wet feet. Also predictable was the melting out of fixed rope anchors. Just to make things interesting a couple of ladders were semi suspended in space. In a volatile section of the upper icefall a large crash/whoomph caused hearts to skip a few beats. Fortunately, the ice behaved and stayed in place.”

Ascending the stifling hot Upper Western Cym to C2 they passed groups returning from their successful summits. He notes that “The approximately 100 successful summit climbers from yesterday were mostly descending from C4 to C2 today”. That’s a lot of summiters! 

Mike also mentions that there is a “mass movement” of climbers and sherpas – about 150 of them! –  from base camp to C2 in preparation for a summit bid in the next few days, which is when the next window of favourable weather is expected to open.

Last Wednesday, Rob – in Volksrust at that stage - just happened to spot Mnweni Marathon in the race calendar section of the May issue of Runner’s World SA. He made contact with Laura, cycled to the Mnweni valley, ran a super six-hour time (9th place!) and yesterday, the morning after the run, was back in the saddle continuing on his route to ’Maritzburg.

Rob’s website, Tri4Africa, hosts his blog, images and other bits. His ‘tri’ is in support of Re-Cycle, an organisation whose mission “is to collect secondhand bicycles and ship them to Africa. Their partners distribute bikes and teach riders the skills to repair and maintain them. The bikes also help health/AIDS workers reach remote villages and even provide an ambulance service in remote Namibia“. Rob aims to raise £1 per kilometre of his journey in support of Re-Cycle.

Rob is no stranger to South Africa. His dad is South African and Rob has spent time here visiting family.

It’s always a treat to meet adventurous spirits; Rob is definitely an interesting one. Safe travels on your last day or two of cycling and happy running at Comrades, Rob.

The first, brief, summit window opened last week, which allowed for rope fixing and a handful of summits. A more sustainable window is expected to open around 20 May. From what I can tell there are five South Africans on the mountain: Ronnie Muhl, Mandy Ramsden and three others.

Mandy, climbing with the Kiwi outfit Adventure Consultants (they’re posting daily dispatches on their site – nice reading), is most notable as a successful Everest summit will make her the first South African woman to tick off all Seven Summits. Mandy is sending updates through to CapeStorm’s Facebook page. Ronnie’s team is Adventures Global and he has four South Africans with him (the rest seem to be Aussies)

Interestingly, 13 climbers on the mountain (Ronnie’s team – SA, Aussie – and Mandy, in a different team) are wearing a local South African brand; CapeStorm kitted the baker’s dozen in their A.S.R. high altitude down suits. Some climbers are out with illness. Nine (as of 6 May) continue.

To follow summit reports, which will pick up from about 20 May, visit these sites:

• CapeStorm’s Facebook page
• Ronnie’s Adventures Global Facebook page

An image created by Capestorm and posted on their Facebook site, outlining the progress of the 13 climbers.

I’ve been following Pete’s journey since early December 2009 when he left South Africa. The race was delayed and only got underway in early January. Pete’s daily posts on the Liberty Own Your Life website have been captivating. Two-and-a-half months alone on a ‘tin can in a washing machine’ is no vacation. There’s no stopping this roller coaster once it has started.

Pete has a rare constitution. It’s one thing to ride or run across a country or continent. It is quite another to be a speck on the wide open ocean facing up to storms – the likes of which I hope never to experience; and despite satellite phones and internet connections, you really are alone out there. Pete’s accomplishment of rowing solo across the Atlantic (first African; second place solo) is an incomparable feat.

Fresh Air Crew’s Nic Good has posted a short clip on YouTube of Pete’s approach.

* Image by Shelly Barron – from the Row, Pete Row group on FaceBook

In short, “During the past year, South Africa has experienced rather severe rainfall extremes. While much of the country, especially the north-eastern regions, had to deal with floods, the Cape province, and particularly the Eastern Cape, is suffering the worst drought in many years. At the same time, while the local rainfall situation has again reminded us how powerless we are in controlling a natural resource such as water, it has also reminded us what a critical commodity water really is, both locally and internationally.” They list a number of very interesting facts on our water situation.

They summarise their expedition, which you can follow through their blog at www.walkingforwater.blogspot.com, as the following:

On Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010, Wouna and Gerry will embark on a 3-week unsupported endurance walk through the Klein Karoo from Jeffreys Bay on the Cape East Coast to Yzerfontein on the West Coast, via the R62 route, a journey of approximately 800 km. The towns and settlements visited during the walk will include Humansdorp, Kareedouw, Joubertina, Misgund, Haarlem, Avontuur, Uniondale, Buffelsdrif, Herold, Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp, Ladismith, Barrydale, Montagu, Robertson, Worcester, Wellington, Malmesbury, Darling and Yzerfontein.

The aim of the walk is to raise awareness of the critical water situation in South Africa and the world.

They’ve got another week-and-a-half or so on the road.

Ray has made steady progress since he set off from Cape Town at New Year. Along the way he has experienced the hospitality, kindness and friendliness of South Africans; he has been welcomed into homes, tour guided in towns and warmly received.

Ray’s Facebook page and website carry his daily reports, which are entertaining, as well as Twitter posts and photos. With a week to go, there’s little doubt that Ray’s trip up South Africa, on foot, has been an incredible adventure and experience.