ALE has reverted to a January trip to Mount Sidley in 2023 following a December trip in 2021. The group formed one of the largest parties that have been on Sidley with ALE. There were eight clients plus two guides (and, of course, the accompanying aircrew). Of the eight clients (all of whom summited), seven were successful in completing the V7S.
As with the December 2021 trip the group landed to the west of the mountain. At 8km away from the base, this was one of the furthest start points used by ALE. The route then followed, approximately, that taken by the December 2021 group.
A high camp was set up at approximately 2,900m to 3,000m. That gives quite a long summit day.
For the first time on these trips, the group was split in two with four of the clients summiting on 17th January 2023 and the remaining four summiting the next day. Eli Potter (one of the guides) accompanied both groups to the summit on the two days. I have, however, only listed him once in the list of Sidley summiters below.
List of Mount Sidley summiters, including Sidley 2023 summiters
The means that there are now 77 ascents of Mount Sidley. Here is the list:
| Date | Name | Group | Nationality | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 11/01/1990 | Bill Atkinson | Panter Group | New Zealand |
| 2. | 12/01/1990 | Bill McIntosh | Panter Group | USA |
| 3. | 12/01/1990 | Kurt Panter | Panter Group | USA |
| 21/01/1994 | Bill McIntosh (second ascent) | Dunbar/ McIntosh | USA | |
| 4. | 21/01/1994 | Nelia Dunbar | Dunbar/ McIntosh | USA |
| 5. | 21/01/1994 | Thom Wilch | Dunbar/ McIntosh | USA |
| 6. | 21/01/1994 | Tony Teeling | Dunbar/ McIntosh | New Zealand |
| 7. | 23/01/2011 | Scott Woolums | ALE #1 | USA |
| 8. | 23/01/2011 | Aleks Abramov | ALE #1 | Russia |
| 9. | 23/01/2011 | Crina “Coco” Popescu | ALE #1 | Romania |
| 10. | 23/01/2011 | Mario Trimeri | ALE #1 | Italy |
| 11. | 01/01/2012 | Mike Roberts | Roberts Group | New Zealand |
| 12. | 01/01/2012 | Jennifer Erxleben | Roberts Group | USA |
| 13. | 01/01/2012 | Andrew Lloyd | Roberts Group | USA |
| 14. | 01/01/2012 | John Paul O’Donnell | Roberts Group | Ireland |
| 15. | 18/01/2013 | David Hamilton | ALE #2 | UK (Scotland) |
| 16. | 18/01/2013 | Vyacheslav Adrov | ALE #2 | Russia |
| 17. | 18/01/2013 | Paul Nicholson | ALE #2 | Canada |
| 18. | 18/01/2013 | Olga Rumyantseva | ALE #2 | Russia |
| 19. | 18/01/2013 | Vitaly Simonovich | ALE #2 | Russia |
| 20. | 28/12/2013 | Dylan Taylor | ALE #3 | USA |
| 21. | 28/12/2013 | Ilya Bykov | ALE #3 | Russia |
| 22. | 28/12/2013 | Sophie Cairns | ALE #3 | UK (England)/Hong Kong |
| 23. | 28/12/2013 | Liana Chabdarova | ALE #3 | Russia |
| 24. | 28/12/2013 | Andre Filkov | ALE #3 | Russia |
| 25. | 17/01/2014 | Francois Michel Bernard | ALE #4 | France |
| 26. | 17/01/2014 | Rob Smith | ALE #4 | UK (Northern Ireland) |
| 27. | 17/01/2014 | John Dodelande | ALE #4 | France |
| 28. | 17/01/2014 | Philipp Lehner | ALE #4 | Austria |
| 29. | 17/01/2014 | Christian de Marliave | ALE #4 | France |
| 30. | 17/01/2014 | Joachim Marte | ALE #4 | Austria |
| 31. | 17/01/2014 | Jean Frederik Paulsen | ALE #4 | Sweden |
| 32. | 17/01/2014 | Alexander Svaetichin | ALE #4 | Sweden |
| 17/01/2014 | Scott Woolums (second ascent) | ALE #4 | USA | |
| 33. | 14/01/2017 | Tre-C Dumas | ALE #5 | USA |
| 34. | 14/01/2017 | Christoph Hoebenreich | ALE #5 | Austria |
| 35. | 14/01/2017 | Dan Bull | ALE #5 | Australia |
| 36. | 14/01/2017 | Jarryd Commerford | ALE #5 | USA/UK (England)/IRE |
| 37. | 14/01/2017 | Michael Guggolz | ALE #5 | Germany |
| 38. | 14/01/2017 | Robbi Malandreniotis | ALE #5 | UK (England)/Greece |
| 39. | 14/01/2017 | James Stone | ALE #5 | UK (England/Australia) |
| 40. | 14/01/2018 | Nate Opp | ALE #6 | USA |
| 41. | 14/01/2018 | Cheryl Bart | ALE #6 | Australia |
| 42. | 14/01/2018 | Nikki Bart | ALE #6 | Australia |
| 43. | 14/01/2018 | Theodore Fairhurst | ALE #6 | Canada |
| 44. | 14/01/2018 | Katie Sarah | ALE #6 | Australia |
| 45. | 15/01/2019 | Fred Alldredge | ALE #7 | USA |
| 46. | 15/01/2019 | Maria Paz (Pachi) Ibarra | ALE #7 | Chile |
| 47. | 15/01/2019 | Vladislav Lachkarev | ALE #7 | Russia |
| 48. | 15/01/2019 | Satyarup Siddhanta | ALE #7 | India |
| 49. | 15/01/2019 | Sándor (Sanya) Tóth | ALE #7 | Hungary |
| 50. | 18/01/2020 | Andrew Chapman | ALE #8 | UK (England) |
| 51. | 18/01/2020 | Josh Hoeschen | ALE #8 | USA |
| 52. | 18/01/2020 | Vaughan de la Harpe | ALE #8 | South Africa |
| 53. | 18/01/2020 | Andrew Hughes | ALE #8 | USA |
| 54. | 18/01/2020 | Arthur Marsden | ALE #8 | South Africa |
| 55. | 18/01/2020 | Oleg Mezentsev | ALE #8 | Russia |
| 56. | 18/01/2020 | Donald O’Connor | ALE #8 | South Africa |
| 57. | 18/01/2020 | David Roskelley | ALE #8 | USA |
| 58. | 18/01/2020 | Roxanne Vogel | ALE #8 | USA |
| 59. | 18/01/2020 | Rob Williams | ALE #8 | South Africa |
| 60. | 22/12/2021 | Scott Webster | ALE #9 | UK (Scotland) |
| 61. | 22/12/2021 | Tom Weston | ALE #9 | UK (England) |
| 62. | 22/12/2021 | Fahd Abu Aisha | ALE #9 | Egypt |
| 63. | 22/12/2021 | James Allen | ALE #9 | Australia |
| 64. | 22/12/2021 | Stephan Jesinghaus | ALE #9 | Germany |
| 65. | 22/12/2021 | Yousef Al Refaie | ALE #9 | Kuwait |
| 66. | 22/12/2021 | Delia Zanoschi | ALE #9 | Romania |
| 67. | 22/12/2021 | Iulia Zanoschi | ALE #9 | Romania |
| 68. | 17/01/2023 | Eli Potter | ALE #10 | USA |
| 69. | 17/01/2023 | Adrian Ahritculesei | ALE #10 | Romania |
| 70. | 17/01/2023 | Marie-Pier Desharnais | ALE #10 | Canada |
| 71. | 17/01/2023 | Caroline Leon | ALE #10 | Australia |
| 72. | 17/01/2023 | Robert Gropel | ALE #10 | Australia |
| 73. | 18/01/2023 | Celine Jaccard | ALE #10 | Switzerland |
| 74. | 18/01/2023 | Thierry Dewambrechies | ALE #10 | France |
| 75. | 18/01/2023 | Nilavishek Mukherjee | ALE #10 | India |
| 76. | 18/01/2023 | Vambola Sipelgas | ALE #10 | Estonia |
| 77. | 18/01/2023 | Jaime Viñals | ALE #10 | Guatemala |
This year’s group had a lot of experience. Rob Gropel has also completed the Seven Summits (both versions). Marie-Pier Desharnais is an Everest summiter and may also be the first person to have climbed both Mount Sidley and K2. Finally, and interestingly, Jaime Viñals has now climbed the Seven Summits (both versions), the V7S and the highest point on each of the largest seven islands in the world.
List of V7S completers
Here is my list of completers. With people completing the Volcanic Seven Summits on the same day, I list them in alphabetical order by surname. So, if it matters, the list does not necessarily reflect the order in which people reached a summit. I have noted them with the same number rather than seeking to give any individual preference over any other.
| Climber, nationality and age at completion | Further information | Date of Final Summit | Final summit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mario Trimeri (Italy) (58) | Mario Trimeri’s website is here. | 24th January 2011 | Mount Sidley |
| Crina “Coco” Popescu (Romania) (16) | Further detail on this page. | 24th January 2011 | Mount Sidley | |
| 3. | Viacheslav Adrov (Russia) (52) | I do not know much about this climber. He has also visited both Poles and climbed 11 of the top 50 mountains of the world by prominence. | 18th January 2013 | Mount Sidley |
| 4. | Aleksandr (Aleks) Abramov (Russia) (47) | Aleksandr Abramov is an accomplished mountaineer and guide and proprietor of 7 Summits Club. | 13th September 2013 | Mount Giluwe |
| 5. | Olga Rumyantseva (Russia) (36) | Olga Rumyantseva is a guide with 7 Summits Club. She was sponsored for the V7S by Kaspersky. There is an article here. | 9th December 2013 | Ojos del Salado |
| 6. | Vitaliy Simonovic (Russia) (42) | Claims to be the first person to do the Seven Summits, the V7S and the two Poles. | 19th December 2013 | Ojos del Salado |
| 7. | François Bernard (France) (49) | Guide on the one and only private ALE trip to Mount Sidley. | 17th January 2014 | Mount Sidley |
| 8. | Sophie Cairns (UK) (32) | Sophie Cairns’ description of her Ojos ascent is here. | 10th June 2014 | Elbrus |
| 9. | Paul Nicholson (Canada) (54) | There is a press report of Paul Nicholson’s feat here. | 5th December 2014 | Ojos del Salado |
| 10. | Liana Chabdarova (Russia) (32) | I do not have much information on this climber. She has climbed six of the Seven Summits (Everest missing). | 12th January 2015 | Ojos del Salado |
| 11. | Andrey Filkov (Russia) (49) | I do not have much information on this climber. He has completed the Bass version of the Seven Summits. | 16th September 2015 | Damavand |
| 12. | James Stone (UK/Australia) (59) | 14th January 2017 | Mount Sidley | |
| 13. | Daniel Bull (Australia) (36) | Daniel Bull has a website here. Formerly in the IT industry, he now focuses on motivational speaking. Previously the youngest person to have completed the Seven Summits and V7S combination until Satyarup SIddhanta took this crown from him. | 27th April 2017 | Ojos del Salado |
| 14. | Katie Sarah (Australia) (49) | Katie Sarah has completed the Bass version of the Seven Summits and skied the Last Degree to the South Pole. She intends to ski the Last Degree to the North Pole but has so far been frustrated by war (see here) and Covid. | 14th January 2018 | Mount Sidley |
| 15. | David Hamilton (UK) (56) | David Hamilton is a respected UK guide with multiple Everest summits normally working for Jagged Globe. He has his own website here. | 10th February 2018 | Ojos del Salado |
| 16. | Theodore (Ted) Fairhurst (Canada) (71) | Oldest completer of both the Seven Summits and the V7S with a website here | 9th December 2018 | Ojos del Salado |
| 17. | Vladislav Lachkaryev (Russia) (42) | I do not know much about this climber other than he has completed both the Seven Summits and the V7S. | 15th January 2019 | Mount Sidley |
| Satyarup Siddhanta (India) (35) | Currently the youngest person to have completed by the Seven Summits (Carstensz and Kossie versions) and the V7S. He has a website here. Satya was unwittingly the subject of a fraudulent Everest summit claim. Like Katie Sarah he is also awaiting the opportunity to undertake the North Pole Last Degree. | 15th January 2019 | Mount Sidley | |
| Sándor (Sanya) Tóth (Hungary) (41) | This article comments on this climber’s claim vis-a-vis Ojos del Salado. I have written to this climber to provide the opportunity to comment but I have not received a response. | 15th January 2019 | Mount Sidley | |
| 20. | Vaughan de la Harpe (South Africa) (63) | Also completed the Explorer’s Grand Slam. | 18th January 2020 | Mount Sidley |
| Arthur Marsden (South Africa) (58) | Also completed the Explorer’s Grand Slam. | 18th January 2020 | Mount Sidley | |
| Oleg Mezentsev (Russia) (39) | 18th January 2020 | Mount Sidley | ||
| David Roskelley (USA) (51) | Dave Roskelley is an accomplished mountaineer, having also completed the Seven Summits. His website is here. | 18th January 2020 | Mount Sidley | |
| 24. | Yousef Al Refaie (Kuwait) (24) | This climber has a website here | 22nd December 2021 | Mount Sidley |
| 25. | Jarryd Commerford (USA/UK/Ireland) (35) | 9th January 2022 | Ojos del Salado | |
| Robbi Malandreniotis (UK) (44) | 9th January 2022 | Ojos del Salado | ||
| 27 | Delia Zanoschi (Romania) (33) | Completed the Bass version of the Seven Summits and the V7S with her twin sister. They have a website here | 29th May 2022 | Damavand |
| Iulia Zanoschi (Romania) (33) | Completed the Bass version of the Seven Summits and the V7S with her twin sister. They have a website here | 29th May 2022 | Damavand | |
| 29 | Fahd Abu Aisha (Egypt, of Palestinian heritage) (32) | A real estate practitioner currently based in London but with interests in the Middle East. | 13th September 2022 | Mount Giluwe |
| 30 | James Allen (Australia/NZ/UK) (49) | A Seven Summiter and adventurer with a website (largely behind a paywall) here | 21st September 2022 | Mount Giluwe |
| 31 | Adrian Ahritculesei (Romania) (38) | Adrian Ahritculesei has an Instagram account here. | 17th January 2023 | Mount Sidley |
| Marie-Pier Desharnais (Canada) (37) | Marie-Pier Desharnais has climbed both Everest and K2. She has a website here. | 17th January 2023 | Mount Sidley | |
| Robert Gropel (Australia) (40) | Robert Gropel has a website here. Another Seven Summiter, he promotes a vegan lifestyle. | 17th January 2023 | Mount Sidley | |
| 34 | Thierry Dewambrechies (France) (44) | Based in Zürich. A Network Development and Training Director in the automotive industry. | 18th January 2023 | Mount Sidley |
| Nilavishek Mukherjee (India) (33) | Based in Cologne. A Business Application Manager & Project Manager at Toyota Kreditbank GmbH. | 18th January 2023 | Mount Sidley | |
| Vambola Sipelgas (Estonia) (69) | 18th January 2023 | Mount Sidley | ||
| Jaime Viñals (Guatemala) (61) | Jaime Viñals has a website here. He has completed the Seven Summits (both versions), the V7S and the high points of each of the seven largest islands in the world. | 18th January 2023 | Mount Sidley |
There are presently 37 people on the list of whom eight are women.
And the Seven Summits?
Aleks Abramov, Vitaliy Simonovic, Dan Bull, Ted Fairhurst, Satyarup Siddhanta, David Roskelley, Rob Gropel and Jaime Viñals have also completed the seven continental summits (both Carstensz and Kosciuszko versions).
Mario Trimeri, François Bernard, David Hamilton, Vladislav Lachkaryev, Vaughan de la Harpe, Arthur Marsden and Oleg Mezentsev have completed the seven continental summits (Carstensz version).
Andrey Filkov, Katie Sarah, and Delia and Iulia Zanoschi have completed the seven continental summits (Kosciuszko version).
I have consistently written before that the V7S challenge is becoming more popular. There is a trend amongst those who have completed the 7S to look for other endeavours to complete. Perhaps this is not surprising for a group of driven individuals. The V7S is a part of this. But there are other challenges.
So François Bernard, Vitaliy Simonovich, Vladislav Lachkaryev, Vaughan de la Harpe and Arthur Marsden have also skied to the North and South Poles.
And, as mentioned above, Jaime Viñals has climbed the Seven Summits, the V7S and the highest point of each of the seven largest islands in the world.
But who has actually climbed the highest volcano in Australia? Should this not be one of the Volcanic Seven Summits?
James! Thank you for this excellent Sidley page!
Your efforts on this – and all the Volcanic Seven information your maintain – are very much appreciated!
Paul Nicholson (V7S completer #9) 😉
Thanks Paul. It’s become a bit of a labour of love. Still, for so long as I can keep finding people who are going on Sidley trips I am able to keep track of those who complete (I think!).
If anyone reading these comments is, or knows of, someone who is attempting to complete the V7S, I am always happy to hear from them. I have a list of around 30 people who are just one or two off completing.