Businessman Ali Razvi, one of the mountaineering duo from Hyderabad that embarked on a summit-scaling spree, succeeded in climbing Europe’s highest peek, Mount Elbrus in Russia braving the grueling conditions around 3.30 am (IST) on June 9.
Razvi successfully scaled the mountain, the peak of which rests approximately 5, 642 metres above the sea level, along with 11 other climbers from Spain, Canada, the United States and Belgium. The feat was achieved after a vexing midnight trek that lasted for 12 hours covering close to 1,850 metres from the high camp of Mount Elbrus.
Speaking to Deccan Herald after returning from Mount Elbrus in Russia on Tuesday, Razvi said that the ascent, which started on June 9 at a temperature of minus 20 degree Celsius and it presented a lot of ‘technical' difficulties.
“Unfortunately my companion Ranjan Sood had to abandon the trek after he got injured. During the ascent from the high camp, which is about 3,850 metres above the sea level, to the summit of Mount Elbrus, we had to contend with high altitude, fog, wind and sub-zero cold. It was truly a test of stamina,” Razvi said.
“ I think I managed to get acclimatized to the local environment before the summit day,” said Razvi who is planning to climb Kilimanjaro in December this year and Mount Everest during April of 2013. He pointed out that the 1,850 metres climb from the high camp to the summit will help in preparing him for an attempt to scale Mount Everest.
The climbers, Ali Razvi and Ranjan Sood, started from Hyderabad on May 31 and flew to Moscow from Delhi. The duo reached a place known as Mineralnye Vody in Russia, about 250 kilo metres from Mount Elbrus. From there, they joined an international team of climbers for achieving the feat.