Mt.ELBRUS ASCENT (5642 m),

10 days climb program on the Caucasus

Season from July to September

From time immemorial the majestic Elbrus attracts many people. Locals named it Mangitau - the mount of thousand mount heights.Being an extinct volcano, it is built up from granits,gneisses and volcano rockes - tuffs and diabases. Western Head is 5642 m height and Eastern Head is 5595 m (about 17.000 ft and 16.860 ft respectively). Mainly the slopes of Elbrus till 4000 m are gentle and become steeper above, up to 35 degrees in average that provides a great opportunity for climbing in Russia.

The temperature change during a day is pretty high in valleys - 19-20 centegrees. The relative humidity is about 67-70 percents. Usually wheather below 3000 m is calm and very windy up the hills (sometime the wind reaches 15 m/s at the "Prijut Of 11" place).

Nature has lavishly endowed the area with beauty: marvellous snowcaped summits, turbulent rivers and waterfalls, bright carpets of alpine and subalpine grass, coniferous forests full of resinous pine-tree fragrance, salubrious chalybeate mineral springs.

For the first time Mt. Elbrus was conqured by a Caucasian in 1829. The first Europeans reached the summit were English - Duglas Freshfield and his friends. It has happened in 1868. Since that time it became a very attractive destination for mountaineering in Russia as well as hiking in Russia.

ITINERARY

Day 1. Arrival to Mineralnyie Vody airport. Coach transfer to Baksan Valley ( 2 hours). Check in hotel "Povorot". The hotel is located at the elevation of 2000 m close to the Cheget meadow. Wellcome dinner with the mt.Elbrus guides.
Day 2. Easy walk up to the top of mt.Cheget (3800 m). Return to hotel.
Day 3. Minibus lift up to Azau Glacier. Cable lift up to the "Mir" station and walk to the "Barrels" huts at 3800 m. Acclimatization excersises on the snow. Return back to hotel.

Day 4. Again minibus lift to the bottom of the "Mir" and then lift by a funiculor up to the top of the "Mir" station ( 3700 m). Hike up to Priut Of 11th mountain shelter place (4200 m) - 2.5 hours. Overnight in the "Barrels" hut at 3800 m.
Day 5. Climb to the Pastukhov's Rocks ( 4.800 m). Return to the "Barrels". Overnight.
Day 6. Climb mt.Elbrus ( 5.642 m). Return to the "Barrels". Overnight.
There is a special snowcat track, which can bring ascenders upto Pastukhov Rocks. That allows to save time for the climb, but can be dangerous for acclimatization process.
Day 7. Reserve day for the second attempt.
Day 8. Descent down to the "Mir" station. Return to hotel.
Day 9. Rest and leasure. Farewell dinner.
Day 10. Coach transfer to Mineralnyie Vody. Departure.

SERVICES INCLUDE:

- hotel accommodation in the valley, based on two persons in room, 4 persons in the "Barrels".
- dinners and breakfasts in the Valley and all meals in the Barrels,
- professional English speaking guides on the ascent,
- OVIR registration in the valley,
- airport transfers and all transportation in the valley,
- all the cable way lifts according to the itinerary,
- local mountain rescue team support during the ascent,
- mt.Elbrus national park fee,
- Russian visa support.

EXTRA SERVICES:

- accommodation in Moscow/St.Petersburg,
- airtickets Moscow/St.Petersburg - Mineralnyie Vody,
- single suppliment,
- mountaineering gear for ascent.

The details on specific dates as well as the other information is available at our Events Calendar and upon request.

Read more about the Caucasus and Elbrusia.