Mount Elbrus height and location. Where is Mount Elbrus in Russia

The highest mountain in Europe, the highest volcanic peak in Eurasia and just one of the "7 Wonders of Russia" - get to know Elbrus.

The first scientific studies of this peak began in the 19th century, although the exact height and location were determined only in 1913 after the calculations of Academician Vishnevsky. The first expedition, the purpose of which was to reach the top of this volcano, was organized in 1829. It included several eminent scientists at once, for example, the founder of the St. Petersburg geophysical laboratory, Adolf Kupfer, the physicist Emil Lenz, and the famous zoologist Eduard Minetrier.

The expedition was accompanied by a thousandth detachment of Cossacks led by General Georgy Emmanuel. It was he who became the author of a commemorative inscription carved on a rock at an altitude of 2400m. The general himself chose to stay at this height and watched the ascent from the camp.

Continuing the ascent, the expedition spent the night at an altitude of 3000. Only part of the group, continuing the ascent, reached a mark of 4800 m, where a memorial sign and the number 1829 were carved. This mark was subsequently discovered during the Soviet expedition of 1949. Only five people climbed above it, and three reached the saddle - Academician Lents, Cossack Lysenkov and Kabardian Killar. See what Mount Elbrus looks like in the photo - two peaks with an impressive saddle between them. This is where the most stubborn members of the expedition got to.

Further ascent was impossible due to the heavily softened snow. However, the Kabardian, being adapted to mountain conditions, continued to climb and was able to reach the top. It was he who became the first person to climb Elbrus. More precisely, one of the almost equal (the difference is only 21 m) peaks.

The first person to conquer both peaks was the Balkarian guide Ahiya Sottaev. He made his first ascent when he was over forty. After that, he climbed Elbrus eight more times, and the last time he did this at the age of one hundred and twenty-one! Here it is, the famous Caucasian health and longevity. Among other things, Sottaev was twice a guide for English expeditions to Elbrus.

Where is Elbrus

Caucasus is the center a large number peaks, whose height stepped far beyond 3000 meters above sea level. But when they remember Caucasian mountains, Elbrus pops up in memory in the first place. And How interesting object for study, and as the highest point in Europe, and as a place of pilgrimage for climbers from all over the world. Where Elbrus is located, that is, between Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, many peoples live, and many beautiful legends have been created about him. There is no consensus on the answer to the question of where his current name came from. There are several theories about the origin of the name Elbrus:

1. From the Iranian word Aitbares - high mountain.
2. From the Georgian name of the mountain Yalbuz, which in turn comes from the Turkic words "storm" and "ice".
3. Another theory suggests that the name was formed from three words of the Karachay-Balkar language: El - settlement; Drill - twist; Mustache - character. That is, the name can be translated as having the temper to send a snowstorm. Apparently, we are talking here not so much about snowstorms as about volcanic eruptions. There are references to eruptions in folk legends.

Elbrus is a giant dormant volcano

With its 5642 meters, Mount Elbrus is the fifth highest volcano in the world. It, like most similar volcanoes, consists of two parts: the base and the cone, which was formed during the eruptions. The height of the base in the case of Elbrus is 3700 meters. Thus, during the eruptions, the mountain grew by almost 2000 meters. The characteristic outlines of the two-headed peak, which changes color depending on the lighting, are visible from almost any corner. Stavropol Territory. Glaciers, of which there are 23, feed such major rivers like Kuban and Terek.

According to its structure, Elbrus is a typical stratovolcano. It has a distinct conical shape. The cone itself is composed of numerous layers of lava, ash and volcanic tuff, in which the entire history of eruptions is recorded. The base of Elbrus began to form in the Neogene, when the Caucasian ridge was actively formed. According to scientists, the volcanic eruptions resembled the eruptions of Vesuvius, but were much stronger.

Its strength can be judged at least by the fact that today its ashes are found almost 100 kilometers from the volcano itself. It is noteworthy that periods of rapid activity and intensive growth of the cone were replaced by periods of "hibernation", during which the glaciers wore down the cone almost completely. According to volcanologists, there were at least ten such cycles in the entire history of the volcano. The oldest crater, or rather its remains, can be observed in the form of a rocky formation of Hotu-Tau-Azau on the southwestern slope.

The violent activity of Elbrus ended 2500 years ago, although the geographers of the 16th century. the volcano was considered active and on the maps it was depicted as a fire-breathing mountain. The last time the volcano showed its tough temper was in the first decades of our era. Interestingly, the active eruptions of Elbrus and Kazbek became the main reason for the exodus of Neanderthals from Caucasian region 40-45 thousand years ago. Currently, volcanologists are in no hurry to classify the volcano as extinct. It is rather a fading volcano and the probability of activation (albeit very small) still remains. The mountain is also the center of occurrence of minor earthquakes in the region.

Today, the main wealth of these places are numerous sources. The Narzanov Valley at the source of the Malka River is the product of a fading volcano. This place should soon become a resort, which will not yield to Kislovodsk either in terms of the number of springs or the quality of mineral waters.

The weather on the slopes is more than severe, and at times comparable to the Arctic. The average July temperature is only -1.4 C, and even the daytime temperature rarely rises above +8 C. There is a lot of precipitation here, many times more than at the foot of the ridge, but you can only see them in the form of snow. The weather station at around 4250 meters, having worked for three years, did not record a single rain.
Having great importance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus attracted the attention of German troops during the Second World War.

Hitler wanted to rename the mountain after himself. The famous Edelweiss division, trained in mountain warfare, took part in local hostilities. In August 1942, soldiers of the Third Reich first captured two way stations, and on August 21 raised the flag of Nazi Germany over the western peak. The soldiers of the division did not last long - winter and the soldiers of the Red Army did their job. Already in February 1943, the red flags of the Land of the Soviets were already flying over the snow-white peak of the mountain.

Historically, the entire infrastructure was located on the south side of the mountain. It was here that the cable car was built, which raises tourists to a height of 3750 meters. The ascent to Elbrus consists of several intermediate points:

• cable car;
• Shelter "Barrels" at an altitude of 3750 m (this is where the ascent begins);
• Hotels "Shelter of Eleven" (4200m);
• Pastukhov Rocks (4700m)
• Station EG5300, which was built recently. It is located in a saddle between two peaks at an altitude of 5300 meters.

It is the EG5300 station that is the last point of the route on the way to one of the peaks. After it remains about 500 meters of ascent.

The northern slopes are more than modestly equipped. There are only a few huts at an altitude of 3800 meters, which are more often used by rescuers than climbers. northern route usually used when climbing the eastern peak. In this case, the Lenz rocks, which stretch at altitudes from 4600 to 5200 meters, serve as a reliable guide.

Elbrus phenomenon

And finally a few interesting facts about the highest point in Russia, and at the same time the whole of Europe:

• The Balkars themselves still prefer to call the mountain “Mingi-tau”, which is on their mother tongue means "Mountain of Thousands", which emphasizes its exceptional size and height.
• The distance between the peaks in a straight line is 1500 meters. But on foot you have to overcome about 3 km.
• The next highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc, is almost eight hundred meters lower than the Caucasian giant. In other words, even having climbed the saddle between the peaks, you will already be “above all” in Europe.
• Despite the relatively well-equipped and well-trodden routes, climbing Elbrus is unlikely to be an easy walk. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, from 15 to 20 people die on the slopes every year. Getting up during the winter months is considered suicide. The nominal temperature here easily drops to -30C, and the felt temperature, due to strong winds, is even lower.
• Elbrus is not only mentioned in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, but also participates in Greek myths. It was here that Zeus decided to chain Prometheus, for his gift to people - fire.

By the way, the habitat of the Greek gods, Mount Olympus, is just a dwarf compared to Elbrus - only 2917 meters.

Once upon a time, Elbrus was an active volcano, and now it is included in the group of the largest extinct volcanoes on the planet. The height of Elbrus is 5642 meters

The scientific study of Elbrus by Russian researchers began in the 19th century. In 1913, astronomer Academician V.K. Vishnevsky was the first to accurately determine the location and height of Elbrus. In 1829 Elbrus was visited by the first Russian scientific expedition. It included the famous Russian academician Lenz, the botanist Meyer, the architect of Pyatigorsk Bernardazzi and others. The expedition was accompanied by the head of the Caucasian line, General Emmanuel, with a detachment of 1000 Cossacks. The detachment stopped at the northern foot of Elbrus at an altitude of 2400 meters. The general did not go further, preferring to observe the actions of scientists through a telescope. An inscription was carved on the stones in the camp site: "1829 from July 8 to July 11, the camp was under the command of General Cavalier Emmanuel."

Having started the ascent, the expedition, after spending the night at an altitude of 3000 meters, continued to climb. Part of the expedition reached only a height of 4800 meters. Here, the St. George cross and the number 1829 were carved on the stones. This inscription was discovered in 1949 by a group of Soviet climbers of the Nauka society. Only Lenz, two Cossacks and two Kabardian guides continued on their way. Lenz and Cossack Lysenkov managed to reach the saddle, it was impossible to go further, as the snow had softened greatly. Only one Kabardian, Killar, went higher. He managed to reach the summit, as his body was better adapted to mountain conditions and he went out earlier on hard snow. Emmanuel saw Killar through a spyglass near the eastern summit. The scientists welcomed the guide who returned in the evening as the first climber to Elbrus. To commemorate the work of the expedition and reaching the summit, two cast-iron boards were cast with an inscription describing this event, which were later installed in Pyatigorsk near Diana's grotto and are currently stored in the museum. Pictured is the entrance to Diana's Grotto


According to one version, the name Elbrus comes from Iranian Aitibares - "high Mountain", more likely - Iranian "sparkling, brilliant" (like Elburs in Iran). The Georgian name Yalbuz is from the Turkic yal - "storm" and buz - "ice". The Armenian Alberis is probably a phonetic variant of the Georgian name, but the possibility of a connection with the common Indo-European base, to which the toponym "Alps" goes back, is not ruled out. According to another version, Elbrus is translated from the Karachay-Balkarian language as follows: El is a village, people, state; Bur is twist, gate, is one root with the word Buran; Us it means character, behavior, disposition. Having the habit of creating a snowstorm or a volcano that twisted, turned back the villages, the people. Now Elbrus is an extinct volcano, but local residents Karachay-Balkarians in the people's memory have preserved the times when Elbrus was still an active volcano.


Elbrus height- 5642 meters. Few volcanic mountains the globe surpass Elbrus in height. Only the extinct volcano Aconcagua (6960 m) and the active fire-breathing mountain Lyullyaillaco (6723 m), located in South America, exceed Elbrus by a little more than one kilometer. The Greatest Volcano Africa, Kilimanjaro is almost equal to Elbrus, surpassing it only by 253 meters, the same can be said about largest volcano North America Orisaba (5700 m), surpassing Elbrus by 58 meters. Among the mountains of Asia, Elbrus is the highest volcanic peak, following it, Mount Damavend is inferior to Elbrus in height by 38 meters


Elbrus, like many other volcanoes, is divided into two parts: a pedestal of rocks, and an earthen cone formed as a result of eruptions. The pedestal of Elbrus reaches approximately 3700 meters. This means that the "growth" of Elbrus due to its eruptions is approximately 2000 meters.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka has the largest mound cone among all volcanoes. The bulk cone of this volcano reaches 4572 meters and exceeds the Elbrus cone by almost three kilometers.


The outlines of the two-headed blue or pink - depending on the lighting - Elbrus cone are well known to Stavropol residents. Elbrus is visible from all, even the most northern points of the region, where the horizon is not obstructed by other, closer elevations. Interest in Elbrus among Stavropol residents is also explained by the fact that the waters of its glaciers feed the largest rivers of our region - the beautiful Kuban and the stormy Terek


Elbrus - classical volcanic mountain. In its vast cone, poured during numerous eruptions, the history of the volcano seems to be recorded; it is successfully read by Soviet geologists in layers of lava, ash and volcanic tuff


Elbrus arose at the end of the Neogene during the rise of the Caucasus Range. The eruptions of Elbrus probably resembled the eruptions of modern Vesuvius, but were more powerful. From the craters of the volcano at the beginning of the eruption, powerful clouds of vapors and gases, saturated with black ash, rose many kilometers up, covering the entire sky, turning day into night. The earth shook from powerful underground explosions. The air was torn by incessant lightning and fiery streaks from thousands of volcanic bombs flying out of the vent. Streams of ash mud rushed along the slopes of the mountain, sweeping away vegetation and stones in their path. Each eruption ended with the release of red-hot lava, which quickly solidified on the surface. Layers of ash, lava, stones, layering on each other, expanded the slopes of the volcano, increased its height. The volcano possessed colossal power, its ashes are found in the area of ​​Nalchik, on the slopes of Mount Mashuk, 90 kilometers away from Elbrus. Elbrus probably belongs to the ash deposits found in the north of our region near the city of Novoaleksandrovsk. But the epochs of eruptions were replaced by periods of calm, during which rivers and glaciers vigorously destroyed the volcanic cone, which had been piled up until then, almost to the ground. The volcanic rocks were overlain by thick moraines and river deposits. From the moment of the birth of Elbrus to the present, the periods of erosion and revival of the cone have been repeated up to ten times.


The activity of Elbrus continued in the ice age of the Quaternary period, when people already lived in the Caucasus, and stopped about 2500 years ago. During the onset of ice, its slopes were repeatedly covered with a powerful ice shell; during regular eruptions, they were washed away by stormy water flows. Elbrus eruption sites have been repeatedly moved. Both domes, currently crowning Elbrus, are the youngest. In the southwestern part of the mountain, in the form of rocks of Hotu-Tau-Azau, the remains of the most ancient crater have been preserved. Glaciers originate from here, feeding the Baksan River and the tributaries of the Kuban with water. The eastern and western peaks of Elbrus seem to be embedded in the upper part of the ancient crater. The youngest crater, the eastern peak of the mountain, had to finish the work of Elbrus. It is possible that both cones sometimes worked simultaneously


Geographers of the 16th century considered Elbrus an active volcano. In books and on maps, it was depicted as a fire-breathing mountain, the same is described in many folk legends. Rumors sometimes spread among the inhabitants of the mountains and foothills that Elbrus had begun to operate again or that Elbrus was expected to be revived in the near future. These stories are not justified. Elbrus, perhaps, can be called not an extinct, but a fading volcano. It is sometimes the center of small earthquakes propagating within Ciscaucasia. In the bowels of the batholith, which previously fed Elbrus, magma cools down, it supplies mineral springs carbon dioxide, turning them into narzans, which are very numerous at the foot of Elbrus. In some places on the slopes of Elbrus, sulfurous gases come out of the cracks, which gives other scientists reason to argue that:

"The results of many years of research ... clearly indicate the activity of volcanic processes proper on Elbrus in the Holocene, including historical time. Elbrus is a modern volcano that is in a state of relative rest. The absence of eruptions over the past millennium cannot be a sign of the end of volcanic activity. The roof of the magma chamber is located, apparently, at a depth of 6 - 7 kilometers from the surface. Based on geological data, we come to the conclusion that the Elbrus volcano is on the ascending branch of development. "

The two-headed giant Elbrus keeps inexhaustible riches in its bowels. At its foot go healing springs: the famous "Narzanov Valley" near the source of the Malka River - the brainchild of Elbrus. This is a future resort, not inferior to Kislovodsk in terms of the number of springs and the quality of narzans. Internal warmth, various minerals of Elbrus are waiting for their use.


Elbrus has a harsh climate, which makes it related to the Arctic region. The average temperature of the warmest month is -1.4°. There is a lot of precipitation on Elbrus, two or three times more than on the Stavropol plains, but they fall only in the form of snow. At the Elbrus meteorological station at an altitude of 4250 meters, for three years of observations, rain has never been recorded. Elbrus is sometimes compared to a piece of ice 6 kilometers in size, abandoned far to the south from the Arctic regions. Naturally, the warm air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean, meeting this obstacle, rising and cooling, are forced to give up part of their moisture to the slopes on the approaches to this mountain. As a result, Elbrus changes the weather in vast areas of neighboring regions, which is noted by the sign of local residents: "When Elbrus puts on a cloudy hat on a clear day, there will be bad weather." The coldest month on Elbrus is February. The average air temperature in February is 15° lower than in Stavropol. In the warmest month, in July, the average air temperature is approximately equal to the December temperatures in the Stavropol Territory, and the highest daily temperature in this month reaches only eight degrees Celsius. August is the most best month for climbing Elbrus, at this time the snow melts, all the cracks in the ice open, even where they are usually not visible.


The glory of Elbrus as the highest and most beautiful mountain of the Caucasus has been going on since time immemorial. Even before our era, Herodotus wrote about him. The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East have songs and legends about Elbrus. A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, many Caucasian poets dedicated inspired lines to him.

Conquered giant
…In the depths of your gorges
The ax will rattle.
And an iron shovel
Into the stone chest
Mining copper and gold
It will cut a terrible path.
The caravans are already passing by
Through those rocks
Where only mists were rushing
Yes, king eagles.

M.Yu. Lermontov.

Due to its symbolic significance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus became the scene of a fierce confrontation during the Great Patriotic War, which was also attended by units of the German Edelweiss mountain rifle division. During the Battle for the Caucasus on August 21, 1942, after occupying the Krugozor and Shelter of Eleven mountain bases, the Nazi Alpine riflemen managed to install Nazi banners on the western peak of Elbrus. By the middle of the winter of 1942-1943, the fascist troops were driven off the slopes of Elbrus, and on February 13 and 17, 1943, Soviet climbers climbed the western and eastern peaks of Elbrus, respectively, where red flags were hoisted.


The entire infrastructure is mainly concentrated on the southern slopes of Elbrus, where there is a pendulum and chairlift leading to a height of 3750 meters to the Bochki shelter, which consists of twelve six-seater insulated residential trailers and a kitchen. Currently, this is the main starting point for those climbing Elbrus. Below is a map of the cable car

At an altitude of 4200 m, the highest mountain hotel "Shelter of Eleven" is located, which burned down at the end of the 20th century, on the basis of the boiler room of which in given time a new building was rebuilt, also actively used by climbers. Pastukhov rocks are located at an altitude of 4700 m. Above them is an ice field (in winter) and an oblique ledge. Further, the route to the Western peak passes through the saddle. From the saddle, the peaks rise to a height of about 500 m.


More detailed map-scheme of Elbrus and Elbrus (click on the map to enlarge)


In this photo, Elbrus is captured from a bird's eye view


Since 2007, work has been underway to build a rescue shelter (“Station EG 5300”) on the saddle of the mountain (height 5300 m). The shelter will be a hemisphere of a geodesic dome with a diameter of 6.7 m, installed on a gabion foundation. In 2008, a reconnaissance of the area was carried out, a base camp was prepared, and the design of a shelter began. In 2009, the structures of the dome were made, construction work began: gabions were erected by the expedition members, the elements of the dome were transported to the construction site (including using a helicopter). Completion of construction is planned for 2010


On the north side, the infrastructure is poorly developed, and is represented by several huts on one of the moraines (at an altitude of about 3800 m), which are used by tourists and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a rule, this point is used for climbing the Eastern peak, the path to which passes through the Lenz rocks (from 4600 to 5200 m), which serve as a good guide for all climbers

Giant's Snowcap
And in their circle there is a two-headed colossus.
In a crown of shining ice,
Elbrus is huge, majestic
White in the blue sky.

A.S. Pushkin.

In 2008, Elbrus was recognized as one of the seven wonders of Russia, according to the results of the voting "7 Wonders of Russia"

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The two-headed Elbrus is the highest peak in Russia. Stratovolcano with a height of 5642 meters is included in the list of "Seven main heights of the world." According to geologists, Elbrus is the cone of an extinct volcano. Modern appearance with two peaks (the height of the eastern one is 5621 meters, the western one is 5642 meters), Elbrus acquired more than a million years ago. By the way, disputes about the volcanic activity of the mountain still do not subside. Some scientists argue that the volcano is not extinct, but asleep. As an argument, the fact is used that hot masses have been preserved in the bowels of the mountain, heating the thermal springs to a temperature of +60 degrees.

The climate of the surroundings of the Elbrus region is mild, with low humidity, which makes it easy to endure frosty weather. But on Elbrus itself climatic conditions close to arctic with heavy rainfall and strong piercing winds. The air temperature at the top of the mountain can reach -40 degrees. In summer, at an altitude of 4000 meters, the temperature does not rise above -10 degrees.

Climbing Elbrus

The first documented conqueror of Elbrus (its eastern peak) was the Kabardian K. Khashirov, who accompanied the Russian expedition of 1829. The rest of the expedition members were able to climb only 5300 meters. The western peak of Elbrus was conquered by travelers only in 1879. Its first tourists were members of the English expedition, led by climbers F. Grove and accompanied by Kabardian A. Sottaev.

The latter became one of the most famous conquerors of Elbrus. Being a hunter and a lover of mountains, he climbed Elbrus 9 times, and his last ascent was made at the age of 120!

AT Soviet time Elbrus has become one of the most popular places for mountaineering. The so-called "alpiniades" were repeatedly held here. The 1967 alpiniade became the most massive - almost 2,500 mountaineers took part in it.

Modern classical routes of climbing Elbrus are not very difficult, even for beginners in mountaineering they can do it. There are 3 main routes:

• Climbing from the south side of the mountain starts at the foot, but, often, tourists use the cable car lift to the Bochki shelter, which is located at an altitude of 3750 meters. The shelter for tourists is equipped with recreation centers, cafes and bars.
• north rise passes in the footsteps of the first conquerors of the mountain. The climb is also not very difficult for average people. physical training, but, unlike the south side, there is no tourist infrastructure here - the entire ascent is carried out without the help of a cable car and other benefits of civilization.
• Eastern rise more extreme. It passes along a lava flow, naturally, long frozen. The most beautiful panoramas on the route open from the Akcheryakol lava flow.

Most ascents take place in the summer period - from May to October, as this is the most favorable time with the most comfortable weather (by local standards). All routes are built taking into account the time for acclimatization - after the morning ascent, you need to go down for an overnight stay.

Ski resorts in the Elbrus region

The Elbrus region has been one of the most popular places for skiing in Russia for several decades. In total, about 35 kilometers of skiing and snowboarding trails have been laid in the Elbrus region (the mileage increases annually) and 12 kilometers of cable cars have been equipped.

Among the surrounding mountains, Mount Cheget is the most popular, equipped with both cable-chair and cable-pendulum lifts. The tracks of Cheget are suitable for both beginners and professionals. Also on the slopes of the mountain and in its surroundings, there are plenty of entertainment for relaxing after active skiing (apres-ski) - cafes, bars and restaurants, cozy chalet hotels and spa hotels.

For professionals, there is a “high-mountain taxi” that delivers skiers and snowboarders on snowcats to the Pastukhov rocks, at a height of 4800 meters.

The most long track located in the resort "Stary Krugozor" - its length is 2 kilometers, and the height difference reaches 650 meters.

ski season in the Elbrus region lasts from November to April (with a delay in snow cover, the season is extended until early May).

In summer, horse riding and mountain biking are organized along the paths with panoramic views, trekking and paragliding are offered. For an impressive amount, you can order heli-skiing - skiing with "delivery" to the top by helicopter.

Camp sites

Currently, Elbrus is not a wild and harsh area, but a mecca for mountaineering enthusiasts. Therefore, the slopes of the mountains are equipped with numerous recreation centers and mountain shelters. Most of tourism infrastructure concentrated on the southern slope, at an altitude of 3750 meters - in the shelter "Barrels". The mountain shelter is equipped with heated cabins and a kitchen.

At an altitude of 3912 meters there is a mountain hotel "Liprus", with a capacity of 48 people. Its hulls are made in a futuristic style and resemble space stations.

The highest mountain hotel on Elbrus is the Shelter of the Eleven Hotel at an altitude of 4050 meters. The hotel was built in the middle of the 20th century and for a long time bore the title of "the highest mountain hotel in the USSR". The main building burned down 20 years ago, but at present the hotel has been rebuilt on the basis of the preserved boiler house.

The plans of the authorities of the region include the construction of a shelter at an altitude of 5300 meters. Construction work is already underway, but opening dates are constantly pushed forward due to difficult weather conditions.

Attractions

The gorges and glaciers of Elbrus and the Elbrus region are the main attractions of these places. Going to the Elbrus region, it is worth visiting:

• Baksan gorge. It originates in the glaciers of Elbrus and represents picturesque mountains with snow caps, green valleys, caves with traces of ancient people and rusty earth due to the abundance of iron in its composition.
• Djily-Su tract. The place is known primarily for its hot springs. Bathing in natural pools has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, mineral waters treat skin diseases and allergies. In addition to the springs, there are mighty waterfalls in the vicinity. The height of the largest of them is 25 meters.
• Elbrus Defense Museum. The highest mountain museum in the world is located at the Mir station. The local exposition tells about the North Caucasian battles during the Great Patriotic War.
• Chegem Gorge. This is a picturesque area with centuries-old pines, deep canyons and rock waterfalls.

How to get to Mount Elbrus

Elbrus is located on the border of the Kabardino-Balkarian and Karachay-Cherkess republics. The nearest airport is located in the city of Nalchik, 130 km from the foot of the mountain, you can also fly to Mineralnye Vody, located 200 km away. Then go through Pyatigorsk and Nalchik to Terskol with transfers by bus. Travel time will be from 3 to 5 hours, depending on the point of departure. Many expeditions and excursion groups depart from Terskol.

Elbrus on Google Maps panoramas

Video "Mount Elbrus"

They say that Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks of this particular mountain because he gave fire to people. It was here, according to Homer, that Jason went for the Golden Fleece. And there are also legends that it was Elbrus that turned out to be the first piece of Earth that Noah met after the Flood, and his ship literally hit the top and split it.

The Elbrus stratovolcano is located at some distance from the Greater Caucasus Range (20 km to the north) and is the highest point in Russia. Since there is no clearly defined border between Asia and Europe, many believe that it is the highest mountain peak European continent, the height of which is 5642 meters.

Elbrus was formed somewhat differently than the rest of the Caucasus Mountains, of which it is a part: they appeared earlier, about 5 million years ago, and have a folded character. And the volcano was formed later, about 1 million years ago, as a result of complex and lengthy geological processes: first, the western peak appeared, and then, on the eastern side of the side crater, a second cone began to form. Nowadays, the volcano is not active, but it cannot be called extinct either: manifestations of volcanic activity are still observed here.

What Elbrus looks like

The nature here is diverse: mountain meadows, rare plants and animals, coniferous forests, turbulent rivers leave no one indifferent, and some time ago a national park"Prielbrusye", and therefore it is impossible to hunt, cut down forests, or engage in construction here.

At the foot of Elbrus there is a huge number of extremely beautiful gorges, and on the north side there is the famous Dzhyly-Su tract with mineral thermal springs and beautiful waterfalls from 20 to 40 meters high, among which the Sultan waterfall located in the upper reaches of the Malka River stands out.

On the slope of the mountain, at an altitude of about three hundred meters, there is a huge ice lake Jikaugenköz. In its middle part rises resembling medieval castle Kalitsky Peak, whose height exceeds 3.5 km, where there is a platform with cult sanctuaries, which were created from large stones.

The volcano itself looks like this:

• Elbrus has two peaks, each of which is two volcanoes independent of each other, connected by a saddle, the height of which is 5.3 km. The distance between the peaks is about three kilometers;
• The eastern, younger cone is somewhat lower than the western one, and its height is 5621 m. It has a clearly defined crater, 200 meters in diameter and about 80 m deep;
• The height of the western peak of the almost extinct volcano is 5642 meters, the diameter of the crater is 600 meters, the depth is 300 m, and the upper part of the volcano is partially destroyed;
• The slopes of the mountain are mostly gentle, but closer to the top, starting from the mark of 4 thousand km, the angle of inclination increases to 35 degrees;
• On the northern and western sides of Elbrus there is a huge number of sheer cliffs about 700 meters high;
• Starting from a height of 3.5 km, the volcano is covered with stones and glaciers, in total there are about 70 glaciers on Elbrus, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich exceeds 130 km². The water flowing down from the Elbrus glaciers creates three main streams that feed the main rivers of this region - Baksan, Kuban and Malka;
• The surface of the volcano, free from glaciers, is covered with loose rocks;
• Snow cover on the top of Elbrus lies throughout the whole year.

On the northern slope of the mountain, at an altitude of about 3 km, there is the Birjal lava tract with a huge amount of remnants of melted sand, which, under the influence of precipitation, weathering, soil erosion, collapsed and created numerous heaps of bizarre shapes that formed grottoes and caves. They hang over each other, forming bridges, arches, consoles and, diverging in different directions, acquire different bizarre shapes.

Volcano activity

It is believed that over the entire period of existence active volcano showed volcanic activity about four times, and the age of the oldest volcanic rocks of this mountain is about three million years.

The volcano showed the greatest volcanic activity about 225 thousand years ago, then its activity gradually subsided, and the last time it erupted about two thousand years ago (according to scientists, it was about 50 AD). Despite the fact that this eruption was not recorded anywhere, lava flows of this period up to 24 km and 260 km long were found on the mountain. sq. volcanic debris, which indicates that the emissions were quite strong.

Although the volcano does not remind of itself for an extremely long time, volcanologists consider it not extinct, but dormant (active), since it demonstrates active external and internal activity - this is primarily manifested in the release of sulfuric acid and chlorine gases on the eastern slopes, as well as in the presence world famous mineral thermal springs"Hot Narzan", the temperature of which reaches +52 ° C and + 60 ° C (apparently, the magma chamber of the volcano is located at a depth of 6-7 km from the earth's surface).

Many scientists agree that the volcano is unlikely to wake up in the next two or three centuries.

Some scientists believe that Elbrus may well become more active already in this century (though not earlier than in fifty years), arguing their conclusions not only by the manifestation of fumarole activity by the volcano, but also because of the colony of green mosses found on the western peak of the mountain. The soil temperature in this place was +21ºС, while the temperature indicators environment showed minus temperature (-20º C).

Elbrus weather

Not everyone who starts climbing Elbrus will be able to conquer it, especially if he decides to do it in the off-season - in spring or autumn. Closer to the top, even well-trained climbers can be stopped not only by severe cold, but also by terrifying force, knocking down wind, gusts of which reach 100 km / h.

The most stubborn can, despite the bad weather, reach a height of 4 thousand km, but such weather will stop anyone - snow, storm and temperatures of minus thirty degrees, in these conditions it is extremely life-threatening to climb up.

Since warm and humid Mediterranean and Black Sea cyclones meet cold Antarctic cyclones near Elbrus, the climate of Elbrus is extremely changeable: summer heat quickly replaces severe cold, and clouds can cover an entire mountain in a few minutes, hide absolutely all landmarks - and the traveler will have to rely only on his instincts .

Humid air currents coming from the Black Sea cause numerous precipitations on Elbrus, mainly in the form of snow, which can fall at high altitudes both at minus and plus temperatures. Most of the precipitation falls here in summer and winter, which is why the most favorable time for climbing is November, when a constant dense snow cover is established, and winter.

The most dangerous period for climbing the volcano is the spring or autumn months: the weather at this time is bad and unstable, and the temperature on the peaks can drop to -50 degrees Celsius even in May. So, a few years ago, a group of twelve climbers made an attempt to climb the volcano at the end of spring. But due to a sharp deterioration in the weather and loss of visibility, the climbers got lost, and then completely froze to death - only one person could go down.

Elbrus rescue station

To avoid such situations, it was decided to create a rescue shelter on Elbrus - work began in 2007 and was completed five years later. The construction was not easy, because it was necessary to deliver materials and fastening systems to a huge height, which was done using a helicopter. The first opening of the shelter took place in 2010, but a month later a hurricane completely destroyed the building.

Given the need for such a structure, it was decided to restore the shelter, but to make it smaller and more wind-resistant - and by August 2012, the highest rescue shelter on the European continent was erected on the Elbrus saddle (5300 above sea level).