ABOUT MOUNT ELBRUS

MOUNT ELBRUS QUICK FACT BOX
Elevation	18,510 feet, 5,642 meters
Location	Caucasus Mountains, Russia, Europe
Range	Caucasus
Prominence	4,741 m (15,554 ft) Ranked 10th
Coordinates	43°21'18'N 42°26'21'E
Type	Stratovolcano (dormant)
Last Eruption	50 CE 50 years
First Ascent	(west summit) 1874, by Florence Crauford Grove, Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, Peter Knubel and guide Ahiya Sottaiev (lower summit) 1829, by Chelar Hachirov
Convenient Center(s)	Mineral'nye Vody, Russia
Nearest Major Airport	Moscow

Roof of Europe... One of Seven Summits... Mt. Elbrus!

Mount Elbrus is a mountain located in the western Caucasus mountain range, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia, in the northern Iranian plateau. A stratovolcano that has lain dormant for about 2,000 years, it is the highest mountain in the Caucasus. Mt. Elbrus (west summit) stands at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft) and is the highest mountain in Europe; it is also the highest point of Russia. The east summit is slightly lower: 5,621 meters (18,442 ft).

LOCATION

Elbrus stands 20 km (12 miles) north of the main range of the Greater Caucasus and 65 km (40 miles) south-southwest of the Russian town of Kislovodsk. Its permanent icecap feeds 22 glaciers, which in turn give rise to the Baksan, Kuban, and Malka Rivers. Elbrus sits on a moving tectonic area, and has been linked to a fault. Apparently, Elbrus has a "deep" supply of magma that resides underneath it.

Mt. Elbrus is the highest point of Europe. The Caucasus Main Range is considered to be a border between Europe to the North and Asia to the South in most (but not all) guidebooks and encyclopedias. Two main Mt. Elbrus summits are about 11 km (6.8 miles) to the North from the Main Range, inside European territory. The Main Range is a state border between Russia and Georgia. Both countries are parts of the former USSR country but are now independent states.

There is no need of a Georgian visa to climb Elbrus because ALL the Elbrus area and the mountain itself is within Russian territory. In addition, to reach Georgia by car from the Elbrus area is not simple, because one must pass through one of three border guard posts. Two of them (in Abkhazia and South Ossetia) are in unstable areas where the Georgian government has no control. The third one is near Vladikavkaz city. The Abkhazian post is closed and the other two post are only for Russians and Georgians.

Western summit 5642.7 m and Eastern summit 5621 m with the Saddle elevation 5416 m.
Glaciations area (more then 50 glaciers) is about 144 square km (56 square miles). Snow-line (in August) - 3400 m (11483 ft)

ERUPTIVE HISTORY

The volcano is currently considered inactive, as no eruptions have ever been recorded. Still Elbrus was active in the Holocene. According to the Global Volcanism Program the last eruption took place between 0 and 100 AD. Evidence of recent volcanism includes several lava flows on the mountain, which look fresh, and roughly 260 square kilometres (100 sq mi) of volcanic debris. The longest flow extends 24 kilometres (15 mi) down the northeast summit, indicative of a large eruption. There are still more various signs of activity still present on the volcano, including solfataric activity and hot springs. The western summit has a well preserved volcanic crater about 250 m in diameter.

GENERAL INFORMATION

From 1959 through 1976, a cable car system was built in stages that can take visitors as high as 3,800 meters (12,500 ft). There is a wide variety of routes up the mountain, but the normal route, which is free of crevasses, continues more or less straight up the slope from the end of the cable car system. During the summer, it is not uncommon for 100 people to be attempting the summit via this route each day. Winter ascents are rare, and are usually undertaken only by very experienced climbers. Elbrus is notorious for its brutal winter weather, and summit attempts are few and far between. The climb is not technically difficult, but it is physically arduous because of the elevations and the frequent strong winds. The average annual death toll on Elbrus is 15-30, primarily due to many unorganized and poorly equipped attempts to summit the mountain.

Mount Elbrus should not be confused with the Alborz (also called Elburz) mountains in Iran, which also derive their name from the legendary mountain Hara Berezaiti in Persian mythology.

CLIMBING ROUTES

Mount Elbrus Normal Route
The Normal Route is the easiest, safest and fastest on account of the cable car and chairlift system which operates from about 9am till 3pm. Setting out for the summit at about 2am from the Diesel Hut should allow just enough time to get back down to the chairlift if movement is efficient. Note in bad weather the chairlift section may be closed, the ride is 15 minutes long and can be very cold, particularly if you have come up from the hot valley wearing a T shirt and shorts!

The majority of groups take the cable car system from Azau roadhead to Mir Station from where either a 1 hour walk or a chairlift takes them to Garabashi - "The Barrels". Above it may be possible to hire a snow cat to go to the Diesel Hut (site of the burnt Priut Hut) or higher to Pastukhova Rocks. Walking this distance takes 90 minutes to the hut and almost 2 hours more to the rocks. The walk to the "Saddle" takes another 3 to 4 hours and from there to the summit, a further 5 to 6 hours should be allowed for.

There are no major difficulties on the route, however after strong winds, icy sections may be exposed and a fall could result in a slide. Particular care should be taken on the traversing ascent from the Saddle. The Saddle hut is a ruin that offers no shelter. There are few crevasses of any size or danger if you stick to the route but wander only 50m from the route and you could be in dangerous terrain.

Mt. Elbrus Kiukurtliu Route
A longer ascent route starts from below the cable-way Mir station and heads west over glacier slopes towards the Khotiutau pass. Some distance before reaching this south spur of the Kiukurtliu Cupola is climbed to a broad glaciated saddle behind pt.4912 (top of the SW spur). Now a rising traverse north is made to attain the easy northwest spur by which the summit is gained. This expedition involves 3 nights' camping in bivouacs and parties will also require a rope, ice-axe and crampons.

Other Routes of Elbrus Mountain
Climbing Elbrus from other directions is a tougher proposition because of a lack of permanent high level facilities. Fresh field has always maintained a route from the east up the Iryk valley, Irykchat glacier and over the Irykchat pass (3667m) on to snowfields below long rock ribs of the east spur. This is the shortest and has become the most used approach. A hut built long ago on the north side of the lrykchat pass is now wrecked, and in any event the vertical interval calls for at least 2 camp-bivouacs.

Cable and chair lifts in the area

There are two separate lines.

Elbrus line elevations (mt. Elbrus slopes, bottom station in Azau village):
Two cable lifts parts and one chair lift part going one by one.
Bottom station in Azau - 2300 m
"Krugozor" lift station - 2900 m
"Mir" lift station - 3700 m
"Garabashi" top chair lift station ("Barrels" huts) - 3800 m

Cheget line elevations (mt. Cheget slopes, botom station in Cheget:
Two parts of chairlifts going one by one.
Bottom station is at Cheget site (hotel 'Cheget') - 2100 m
Middle station, cafe 'Ai' - 2700 m
Upper station, meteorological station. - 3100 m

SEASON AND WEATHER

The normal climbing season for Elbrus is from mid-May and mid-September. The easiest time (and the most crowded time) to climb the mountain is said to be mid-July through mid-August, followed by early July and late August. September is OK too, but the weather is usually colder and the routes can become icy. In May and June, the snow is usually softer than it is in July or August, and the weather is usually colder.

Elbrus has been climbed year round including in winter, expect extremely cold weather. Skiing is popular too, mostly in April and May, and to a lesser extent, in the winter months.

The mountain is most crowded in July and August so there are many advantages to going outside of this season. See the Environmental Issues section below.

Environmental Issues
Bluntly put, the standard route is dirty (around the huts) and crowded, and appears to be getting worse. The toilets are overflowing and the crevasses in the vicinity of the huts are used as garbage dumps. Do your best to minimize impact. Pack out all garbage. Even if gross, use the toilets.

The standard route is very crowded due to it's popularity. July and August have the best weather, but are also the busiest months. If you are prepared, other seasons have fewer crowds as do other alternative routes.

The Caucasus have a lot more to offer than just Elbrus, so if it is remoteness and solitude you seek, this isn’t the mountain for you. If you don’t mind other climbers, Elbrus is a great mountain, but do all you can to minimize the environmental impacts.

Objective Dangers
The biggest danger on Elbrus is the weather. Sudden storms and extremely cold weather are very common. Although the standard route is free from crevasses, this is not the case if you wander off route. During storms, several climbers have become disorientated, wandered off route and were never seen again. There are many frostbite and hypothermia injuries and deaths on the mountain every year.

Elbrus is high enough that altitude sickness is fairly common. See the below acclimatization section.

Though the standard route is not technically difficult, climbers have been injured or killed from uncontrolled glissades. These deaths and injuries have been mostly from inexperienced climbers, and those climbers that are experienced with an ice axe and crampons will not find the standard route to be a difficult climb in good weather, though the standard route can become icy late in the season.

Acclimatization
Mount Elbrus is a moderately high mountain, so acclimatization is very important, especially since most people will be arriving from Moscow at a very low elevation. Altitude sickness is very common on Elbrus. Preferably, at least a week should be spent at altitudes of 2500-4500 meters (8200-14,800 feet) to acclimatize before making the final ascent. Most people spend a few nights at Terskol at 2350 meters (7700 feet) altitude before taking the lift or climbing to the Barrels Huts at 3900 meters (12,800 feet). Many people also make the climb up CHEGET PEAK at about 3601 meters (11,815 feet), which is very helpful for acclimatization, not to mention the excellent views of Elbrus and the climb to come that are had from the summit of Cheget. Several nights should be spent at the Barrels or Diesel Huts [at 4157 meters (13,638 feet)] before summit day. It is recommend you use one day to climb up to at least the Pashtuhova Rocks at about 4670 meters (15,321 feet), and also that you take a rest day at the huts or at camp before summit day.