Podcast Series: 7 Summits Eposide 6–Elbrus, Russia
Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For eight weeks, I’ll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail. Today is Episode 6, Elbrus, Russia. #7summits
Of all the Seven Summits, Elbrus offers a unique cultural experience as it lies in Russia. Thus, it is the highest peak in Europe and is considered an active volcano. Mont Blanc is second and highest in Western Europe. The Ukraine war has discouraged many climbers from going there, but a few still make it, including Americans. However, the US State Department strongly advises Americans against entering Russia for any reason.
Overview
Mount Elbrus is an extinct volcano in the Caucasus Main Range, the European border with Asia in southern Russia between the Black and Caspian seas. It has two main summits: the western summit at 18,513’/5642m and the eastern summit at 18,442’/5621m. A Russian army team was the first to ascend the West Summit in 1829, and an English team at the East Summit in 1874.
The regular climbing season is from May to September. The climb is relatively short by 7 Summit standards, taking less than a week at most. I climbed from the north side using a base camp and a high camp, where we launched the summit bid. This side offers more of a climbing experience and is significantly less crowded.
The 7 Summits idea was hatched and first accomplished by American Dick Bass. He started with six summits in 1983: #Aconcagua, #Kilimanjaro, #Elbrus, #Denali, #Vinson and #Kosciuszko. Then, with guide David Breashears, he became the oldest person, 55 at the time, to summit #Everest in 1985. Canadian Patrick Morrow became the first to summit all seven with Carstensz in addition to Kosciuszko in 1986. Italy mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner summited all the peaks without supplemental oxygen, a first, and completed the task in 1986. #7summits
Episodes will drop each week:
September 15: Introduction
September 22: Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia – 7,310/2228m
September 29: Mt. Blanc, France/Italy – 15,771’/4807m
October 6: Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067/4897m
October 13: Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea – 16,023/4884m
October 20: Elbrus, Russia – 18,513/5642m
October 27: Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340/5896m
November 3: Denali, Alaska – 20,320/6194m
November 10: Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902/6960m
November 17: Everest, Nepal/Tibet – 29,035/8850m
Elbrus 2011 Final Trip Report
Climbing the highest peak in Europe was more of a cultural experience than a mountaineering accomplishment. That said, the climbing on summit day was challenging and rewarding and I found Russia a great place to visit. In my normal manner for all my climbs I have added a few pages to my site to document […]
Elbrus Summit Recap
Well, prescription I am back in Southern Russia at my hotel after a very fast and successful summit of Mt. Elbrus at 18,583 feet. As usual I will do a complete trip report but here are the highlights. We arrived at the Elbrus Base Camp on Sunday, August 7 and took another few days to […]
Summit: Audio Dispatch from Mt. Elbrus
I summited Elbrus on August 19, 2011. It was a great climb. Read the full trip report for all the details. This is the audio dispatch I posted live from the summit; the 6th of my 7 Summits climbs. Click to listen: [audio:http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/audio/Elbrus 2011 Summit.mp3|titles=Elbrus Summit Audio Dispatch|artists=Alan Arnette] These climbs are to raise Alzheimer’s […]
Elbrus Summit Bid Tonight
We leave for the summit of Elbrus tonight after midnight. I will turn the SPOT on when we leave High Camp.The last two days have been spent acclimitizating through climbing to 14,500′ to Lenz Rocks on the East part of Elbrus and a rest day today (Wedne…
Touching the Elbrus Snow
Climbing Russia’s Mt. Elbrus is as much of a cultural experience as it is mountaineering. Today we carried our summit gear from Base Camp at 8200′ to the edge of the glaciers on Elbrus’ North side at 12,000′. Tomorrow we move there and to the High Camp…
Audio Dispatch from Mt. Elbrus
This is the latest audio dispatch live from Russia's Mt. Elbrus; the fifth of Alan's 7 Summits climbs. These climbs are to raise Alzheimer's awareness and $1M for research. Please donate today. Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything
A Russian Smile
The 747 hit the Frankfurt runway with the finesse of a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier in a hurricane. Wow, I thought, if this is Lufthansa I wonder what my intra-Russian flights will be like? And with that I was part way to Mt. Elbrus and my hotel in the Southern Russia town […]
Elbrus Trip Report
Trip report from my August 11, 2011 Elrubs summit.
Elbrus FAQ
FAQ for the highest in Eruope, Mt. Elbrus