Mount Elbrus & Mother Russia’s Vibes

Would you like to climb Elbrus, Europe’s top mountain?

Mount Elbrus (5642m) is the highest summit in Europe. A dormant volcano, Elbrus is in the Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia, near the border with Georgia.

Funny facts

1. In 1956, it was climbed en masse by 400 mountaineers to mark the 400th anniversary of the incorporation of Kabardino-Balkaria, the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic where Elbrus is located.

2. In 1997, a team led by the famous Russian mountaineer Alexander Abramov (photo above: Alex Abramov, right side and romanian mountain guide Costin Miu, left side) took a Land Rover Defender to the summit of the East Peak, breaking into the Guinness Book of Records. The project took 45 days in total. They were able to drive the vehicle as high as the mountain huts at The Barrels (3,800m), but above this they used a pulley system to raise it most of the way. On the way down, a driver lost control of the vehicle and had to dive out. Although he survived the accident, the vehicle crashed into rocks and remains below the summit to this day.

3. In 2016, Russian climbers Artyom Kuimov and Sergey Baranov entered the Guinness Book of World Records by reaching the summit of Elbrus on ATVs.

Day 1

Flight to Mineralnye Vody

Meeting in Mineralnye Vody airport. Transfer to Prielbrusye. Accommodation in hotel on Cheget glade.

Day 2

Acclimatization Day 1

Climbing by armchair cable-way on mountain Cheget (2750m). Hike to the top of mount Cheget (3100m).

Ziua 3

Acclimatization Day 2

Climbing to base camp “Gara Bashy” (3800 m) by cable-ways “Elbrus” and “Gara-Bashi”. Acclimatization hike till base “Priut 11” (4200 m). Returning to Gara-Bashi.

Day 4

Acclimatization Day 3

Climbing for acclimatization to Pastukhov’s rocks (4800 m). Returning to tourist’s hotel “Gara Bashi”.

Day 5

Summit Day

Depending on how we choose to climb, on feet or using the ratrack up to 4700, departure is at 1 o’clock or 3 o’clock in the morning. At about 9 o’clock, we reach the top and then we go down to Gara Bashi, where we spend the night.

Day 6

Spare day in case of bad weather or downhill to Cheget.

Day 7

Spare day in case of bad weather or downhill to Cheget.

Day 8

Transfer to Mineralnye Vody and fly home.

• From a technical point of view, Elbrus is a peak that does not pose any particular problems. Difficulties can occur due to altitude and strong winds.
• Winter trekking knowledge is needed: use of crampons and ice axes, anchoring on a fixed rope.
• Required technical equipment: crampons, ice axe, harness, two self-locking carabiners, two strings of minimum 200cm
• The complete list of necessary equipment, including clothing, footwear, medical kit etc you receive it after enrollment.