Fletch wrote: Not to take anything away from Dick Bass or Gerry, but Reinhold Messner was the first, then there was a cat from Canada who was right behind him.
Hmmmm.... what I read on Wiki is that the cat from Canada (Pat Morrow) was the first to climb the Messner list. Surely wiki cannot be wrong????
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Morrow" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And interestingly, Pat was originally the "second" to climb the original 7 list, but found out later he had summitted the wrong Elbrus peak (the east summit) in whiteout conditions, hence Gerry took over 2nd place. Maybe that also threw Pat behind Messner on the Messner list???? Nah, surely wiki cannot be wrong!
BTW: If you wanna have fun with your Russian guide next month on Elbrus, Fletch, suggest that you include the East summit, then watch him go ballistic! If memory serves, Gerry Roach simply ran off and left his guide and did the east summit as well (which is the 2nd highest peak in Europe).