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.
Like most mountains with a reputation for being “easy,” Elbrus is also deadly. About 15 to 30 climbers die each year due to ill-preparedness or the weather, which can be extremely cold and windy. However, thousands of people regularly reached Elbrus’s summit, including a Soviet team of 400 climbers, in 1956!
Also, Elbrus is unique in being the only one of the Seven that has hosted a vehicle driven to the summit. In 1997, a Russian team drove a Land Rover to the summit using a winch and chains to pull it the last few meters.
The second highest mountain in Europe is Dychtau in Russia, at 17,077’/5205m and is 40 miles southeast of Elbrus. It is considered a very dangerous and technical climb, with the main peak accessible from a steep narrow ridge from the adjacent saddle.
Logistics and Difficulty
I was signed up to climb from the south side with International Mountain Guides (IMG), but similar to most guide companies, they canceled their climb after local officials closed that side due to violence in early 2011. Georgian Separatist snipers were shooting tourists at the Elbrus ski resort. Phil Ershler helped me get on at the last possible minute with AlpsIndustria so that I could continue my 7 Summits program in 2011.
To enter the country, you need a Russian Visa and official invitation letters from an inviting party in-country. Depending on who you get to help, it can take weeks or months. You are not required to have a guide, but I’d recommend one unless you speak fluent Russian. Most Western Guides run trips there when it’s safe, but all local companies like AlpsIndustria or Elbrus Tours run trips regularly.
Most climbers fly to Moscow, then connect to Mineralnye Vody and drive a half-hour to Pyatigorsk. From there, it’s about four to five hours’ drive to Elbrus, which is a bit longer when going to the north side. It’s common to be stopped by police or military to check documents.
Routes and Dangers
While several routes exist on the mountain, one dominates, as is usually true for most of the Seven Summits. The climb itself is relatively tame compared to others, like Denali’s physicality, Carstensz’s technical climbing and Everest’s altitude.
The standard route on Elbrus’ south, the Basksan Valley approach, is technically easy, but it’s all about the weather on Elbrus. A cable car carries climbers to 12,500 feet/3810 meters level, so you can cover more than half of the ascent by sitting in a chair. And if you want to go even higher with assistance, a snowmobile or snowcat will take you to the 15,750 feet/4,800-meter mark by snowmobile.
Climbers stay in ‘huts,’ single-room, rock-walled buildings with tin roofs at 12,700 feet/3870 meters or the Barrel Huts, at 13,600 feet/4145 meters, which are, umm, well, huge barrels. It is a snow slope from there to the summit. It’s common to see over 200 climbers climbing to the summit in a single day in July. I climbed from the north side due to the violence on the South side.
We drove on dirt roads for five hours from Pyatigorsk to a primitive base camp in a cow pasture at 8,200 feet/ 2500 meters. The east and west summits were visible for miles on the drive. Many other teams had already camped there, and it was noisy and crowded. There was a tent toilet in the field and a running stream nearby that people used for bathing.
The High Camp is 12,000 feet/3657 meters on volcanic rock at the edge of the Elbrus’s permanent snowfields. Because flat space was at a premium, the tents are closely spaced, and it can be noisy at night. The toilet is a spot on the rocks covered with human waste and toilet paper. It was filthy when I was there. I hope it has changed. Water is taken from the glacier run-off and boiled.
Climbing
My climb was not ‘easy,’ but it depends on what you have done. I climbed the north side with a team of nine climbers; only one other and I summited. In my experience, many people there are on holiday, and the summit is optional. Since I was on my 7 Summits tour, I needed this one since I was doubtful I would ever return.
The elevation gain is significant, with the base camp at 8,200 feet/2500 meters and the summit at 18,513′, thus a 6000-foot/1830-meter summit day. The climbing involves rope travel, crampons, an ice axe, glaciers and steep snow slopes.
I have not climbed the south side, but from everything I hear, it is straightforward, albeit a bit of a dump. It is trendy for people looking to “check off” Elbrus for their 7 Summit climb or Russians on holiday.
From the High Camp at 12,000 feet/3657 meters, the route follows a direct path to Lenz’s rocks around 14,000 feet/4267 meters. From there, teams go directly up to the lower east summit or veer right towards the higher west summit. Due to large crevasses, we roped up on the lower glacier and just below the west summit.
The snow was firm until the daytime sun in August created a slick mush. It was a 6000-foot/1830-meter gain from High Camp to the summit, which took 7:30 minutes up and 4 hours down, with frequent smoke breaks for our guide. The final climb to the summit starts with a 1,000-foot steep snow slope with switchbacks and then traverses across a high plateau to a small bump on the most westerly end of the West summit. There, a plaque in Russian marks the true summit. The views were outstanding.
Summary
Elbrus is a fun cultural experience, but I’d never go back, nor would I have ever gone in the first place, if it wasn’t for my project to raise money and awareness about Alzheimer’s through climbing the Seven Summits.
If you want to cover all the Seven Summits angles, here is the list of nine climbs:
- Everest, Nepal – 29,035/8850m
- Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902/6960m
- Denali, Alaska – 20,320/6194m
- Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340/5896m
- Elbrus, Russia – 18,513/5642m
- Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067/4897m
- Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), New Guinea – 16,023/4884m
- Mt. Blanc, France/Italy – 15,771’/4807m
- Mt. Kościuszko, Australia – 7,310/2228m
Episodes will drop each week:
- September 15: Introduction
- September 22: Mt. Kościuszko, 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
Safe climbing to all.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Video podcast version of Episode 6: Seven Summits: Elbrus, Russia
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