03 - Elbrus climb 2010 Country / region: Elbrus Tourism type: Elbrus climb Array size: 6 - 15 PAX; the price for a smaller group is informed on request Duration: Days 9, Nights 8 Price: 0.00 Euro

Elbrus Caucasus Dominator.

Undoubtedly, the best known and most alluring mountain in Russia is Elbrus (5621m/5642m), a dormant volcano, one of the "Seven Summits". The fact that it is the highest point in Europe suffices for many to go and climb it. Yet, this obvious attraction is not the main one, for Elbrus belongs to a handful of mountains with a very special and irresistible kind of beauty which lies in their shape and setting.. It stands 11 km north from the Main Range and exceeds its neighbours in height by 1200-2000m. The views from both the summits are breathtaking: to north it is a rolling carpet of pastures veiled by the blue haze of distance and on all the other sides the sea of snowy peaks. It is said that through the clear air of autumn you can see both the Black and Caspian seas.

MT. ELBRUS dominates the Central Caucasus and has two which were originally separate volcano vents: the western peak (Zapadnaya) is the higher peak; the eastern peak (Vostochnaya) at 5,621m, has a crater 250m in diameter. The mountain is covered by a huge sheet of ice which covers some 145 sq kms and is reputed to be up to 400m thick. Often ferocious weather surrounds the mountain and there is permanent snow and ice cover year round. From the col that divides the two peaks the snow slopes descend to tongues of ice and crevasses lying in the many valleys that radiate from the mountain.

THE CLIMB OF MT. ELBRUS by the normal route is a long climb over a medium incline that requires good acclimatization but has no objective technical difficulties. The apparent simplicity of this route is deceptive though because it can be dangerous. Apart from the altitude, the highly variable weather and frequent violent storms combined with low temperature means that this ascent is a real high altitude adventure!

The average time to summit is from eight to ten hours for the ascent and about four hours for the descent. Crampons and ski poles are necessary for this climb and ice axes are useful for training purposes and extra safety. In autumn, winter and spring the incline above the Pastukhov rocks is covered with ice and can be dangerous. The summit plateau is itself is large and featureless and surrounded by steep drops. April, May and June are the best months for a ski descent, mainly from the col since there is a steepish traverse from there to the summit plateau.

Itinerary

Day 1   Flight to Mineralny Vody.  Meeting at the airport by a representative of  Alpindustria.  Bus drive to the Terskol village, 3,5 - 4 hr. Accommodation in a  nice private hotel. 

 Day 2 Acclimatization day.  Start from the Cheget Glade (2100m), ascent by chair-lift to the upper station (3050m), then on foot to the  shoulder of Cheget peak (3452m).

Day 3. Acclimatization day. Transfer to the lower station of the Elbrus Cable- lift, by cable-way and chair lift outing by cable-way to the Gara-Bashi (3800), than ski-tour to Diesel Hut (4050m).Checking equipment. Overnight in the hotel.

Day 4. Azau station – Bochki Refuge.After breakfast - to the lower station of the Elbrus Cable- by bus (Azau Glade). By cable-way and chair lift/ratrak (for luggage) to the Diesel Refuge. Overnight at the “Barrels”

Day 5.  Acclimatization climb to the Pastukhov Rocks (4680m). 5-6 hr. Overnight in the Bochki. Preparation to the summit climb.

Day 6.  Summit Day. An early start (2-3 a.m.). Ascent on the West Summit of Elbrus. 10-12 hr (possible use of a ratrak). Descent to “Barrels”

Day 7.  A Reserve day. making up for bad weather on the planned day of ascent. Hut/Hotel.f you come back to the hotel on this day, you have to pay the hotel extra price.

Day 8. Valley– Hotel. Descent by the cable-way to Azau and bus transfer to the Hotel.Descent or free day in hotel. Or even a climb is possible.

Day 9. Hotel – Mineralny Vody. Bus drive to the Mineralny Vody Airport. Flight to Moscow.

The description of the route of an ascention on Mt. Elbrus Western 2a category of complexity.

1. Barrels (3780m) – Shelter(4050m) – 1,5 hours. Movement on snowy-ice fields. In area of a plateau before rise on the Shelter 11 can be cracks. Closely!
2. Shelter (4050m) – Pastukhov’s rocks – 2-3 hours. Rising goes between two rocky ridges (4300ì), further snowy-ice rise (15-20 °, 50m) with an output on a plateau under Pastukhov’s rocks. Rising to "Pastukhov’s rocks" goes on the closed glacier (20^o). Crevasses here are not open. On a plateau the approach under the bottom stones of the Pastukhov’s rocks (5 °, in summertime the rockfall is possible). Further rise on the top part of the Pastukhov’s rocks by a snowy-ice slope with a steepness—15^o-20^o.
3. Pastukhov’s rocks (4600m) - "Traverse"(5000m) – 1-1,5 hours. Snowy-ice rise 500-600m with the steepness 15^o-20^o. Rising up, passing ice excesses (but it is impossible to go far to the left, to avoid dumps in southern glacial circus) and turning to the left, we come to the traverse turn (5000m).
4. "Traverse" (5000ì) – « motorcycle couloirs» (5340ì) – 2-2,5 hours. Flat enough traverse with smooth ascent. Steepness of a slope on inclined traverse is 15^o, sometimes - up to 25^o.
5. « Motorcycle couloirs » (5340ì) –to a saddle (5350ì) – 30–40 minutes. Passing the bottom of the Eastern top (400-500m). On this site you can smell the sulphurous gas which is going from the fumaroles on a southern slope. With an up-to-face wind it is a serious handicap for the climbers. By traverse rising up to a saddle, you should move cautiously by the pass. There can be crevasses. On the left, under slopes of the western top there is the beginning of the snowy mulde, where the roof of a ruibed hut can be seen.
6. The saddle (5350m) – out on the plateau’s top (5550m) – 1-1,5 hours. In 50 m from a hut turn to the right and on abrupt enough snow slope (30-35^o) it is risen up to a rocky ridge. Before a ridge there can be an ice spot. In this place usage of fixed ropes is advisable.
7. Plateau’s top (5550m) – Mt. Elbrus Western (5642m). From here, rising up and to the left to the plateau’s top. By a 400m flat site we rise on a low dome of the top (40 minutes-1 hour).
8. Mt. Elbrus Western is represented by a small, snowy-ice rise with steepness 15^o and a stone pedestal above.

9. Descent.

The classic route. It starts where the road ends, at the low  Azau car cable-way station (2356m). The first run brings you to a height of 2920m, the second one to 3470m. The whole process with queueing and waiting takes about an hour. From the upper station (`MIR`) a chair-lift takes over and hoists you to a height of 3750m (`the Garabashi huts`).

On the ascent day you leave the huts early ( 2-3 am) and follow the line of posts going across a vast snow field to the north. Hundreds of tracks and traces in the snow lead in the same direction. It takes an hour to reach the remnants of the Refuge of 11 on a low black ridge. Then you walk up between two parallel rock ridges on both sides. On starry nights the dome of East Summit is clearly seen on the north.

 From the Pastukhov Rocks (4680m) the steepness increases to 25-30* and does not diminish until the `oblique shelf`, a snow path leading to the saddle between West and East summits, is reached. From the Rocks to the saddle the way is marked with wooden stakes, spaced at about 100 m. East Summit is skirted along its foot and from the saddle you climb straight up (again 25-30*, rocks and snow) to the top. The slope leading to West Summit is 35-40* at its upper section and demands some climbing skills. The total time for the climb (with descent) ranges from 10 to 12-13 hours.

The Western Peak

  Hotel "Ozon-Landhouse"

Ozon Landhaus is located near the Elbrus township on the left bank of the Baksan river. The complex comprises a main three-storeyed building, as well as the two chalet-type cottages. The hotel facilities include a restaurant, late night bar, swimming pool and sauna. With its traditional alpine interior, country-style pine furniture, soft coverlets and goblin pillows, the Ozon Landhaus hotel creates a unique atmosphere capturing the warmth and comfort of a home in the country.

Number of floors — 3. Number of places — 35.
Rooms are equipped with furniture from natural pine-tree, an international and inter-city telephone, satellite TV, mini-bar, hair-drier. In hall computers with Internet.
Rooms: standard single and double rooms, blocks, double luxury. 

 
Hotel "Ozon-Grand"

Similarly, Grand Ozon hotel is situated in a pinewood area near the Elbrus township on the left bank of the Baksan river. The hotel facilities include a restaurant, late night bar, aquatic centre with a swimming pool, sauna and a gym. The hotel`s interior and rooms are equipped with Italian upholstered furniture and you can relax in an environment akin to the ambience of Florence.

Ozone Grand  http://www.hotelozon.ru/en/	Restaurent

Number of floors — 4.
Number of places — 30.
Infrastructure - rooms are equipped with Italian furniture, safe, satellite TV, international and inter-city telephone, mini-bar, hair-drier.
Rooms - 4 rooms class JSUI-half/luxury, 4 rooms Studio, 2 rooms class deluxe, and special offer, - 2 rooms in attic class Optima (2 bedrooms connected with one general sitting room).

 
Hotels "Chiran" (Cheget and Azau).

Cheget: number of floors - 3; number of places - 20;
Infrastructure: in rooms TV, shower, toilet.
In dining room: fire place, karaoke. There are ski storage and parking.
Room types: blocks 2+1, double luxury.

Chiramn Azau	Chiran Cheget	Chiran Cheget. Room Lux