Mount Elbrus is the highest point. Elbrus - the highest peak in Europe

View from an airplane.

Elbrus is a double-peaked saddle-shaped volcano cone. The western peak has a height of 5642 m, the eastern one - 5621 m. They are separated by a lintel with a height of 5300 m and are approximately 3 km apart from each other. The total area of ​​Elbrus glaciers is about 150 km 2. The last eruption dates back to 50 AD. e. ± 50 years. The adaptive capabilities of the body end precisely at these heights. The highest mountain settlement in the world (large) is located at an altitude of ~5100m. is the city of LaRinconada in Peru. Above the 5200-5300 m mark, the earth's atmosphere is so rarefied that the amount of oxygen in the air is half the norm - a person cannot stay there for a long time. Digestive, respiratory, etc. systems. are not able to perform their functions at 100, therefore long-term stay in such conditions is associated with certain risks to life and health, which is possible only thanks to the internal reserves of the body and only with appropriate preparation.

View of the southern slope of the mountain. PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE OPEN RESOURCE “YANDEX.PICTURES”

The above information is for general informational purposes only; more detailed information can be read on any Internet resource.

Preface

Viam supervadet vadens
(May the one who walks master the road)

I don’t encourage people who read this story to immediately grab a backpack, crampons and an ice ax and rush headlong onto the nearest train or plane to the cities of the Caucasus. Yes, we went without a guide. But you can’t imagine how much organizational work was done to make everything work out the way it did. This story is not a guide to “How to go to Elbrus without a guide.” This is just a subjective description of our journey. Probably, a professional climber would have written the text in a completely different way. Jokes with such heights can end badly! We were very lucky, but we shouldn’t rely only on fortune. At the time of the trip, both members of the expedition had the status of far from “dummies”. I already had good experience in organizing tourist events, almost eight years of hiking and about four years of mountain tourism under my belt, as well as two years of working as a guide in the southwestern Caucasus. Kostya had been involved in athletics for many years, as a result he had incredible endurance, he already had a sports rank in tourism and good skills in handling climbing equipment. If you do not regularly engage in these sports (mountain tourism, mountaineering) and do not have a high level of general physical fitness (general physical fitness), then you should not go to Elbrus alone. Find a team with relevant experience, master all the necessary skills and spend money on a guide. This could save your life. Get ready to climb! The biggest difficulty of Elbrus is its simplicity. “Thousands have risen there, and I will rise,” a beginner will think. As long-term statistics show, about 90 climbers achieve success. Such figures create a deceptive illusion of accessibility, but this is not an outdoor camping site - this is the highest point in Russia, the main peak of the Caucasus, the “roof” of Europe, a five-thousander. And yet, before you go there, ask yourself the question: do I need it, and if so, why? After all, every year on Elbrus, on average, about ten people die, which is approximately 0.1 of the total number of climbers. Someone will never return from the Mountain, don’t forget about it...

PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE OPEN RESOURCE “YANDEX. IMAGES"

The idea of ​​going to SUCH a mountain arose a long time ago, but somehow it didn’t come together. At first there was a lack of finances, then time and equipment. And year after year, traveling through the southwestern Caucasus, climbing three thousand meters, I never stopped dreaming of such an ascent. Elbrus loomed on the horizon, beckoning with its sparkling white dome.

in the photo: view of Elbrus from the top of South Pseashkho (3251m.)

It was a DREAM - Elbrus! This one word turned my whole mind upside down. And since there was a dream, then soon a GOAL appeared. About a year before the trip, I firmly decided to make the climb in 2014. "Elbrus-2014!" - this became the life slogan of all subsequent months before the trip. But it is impossible to go to such a mountain without an experienced team, without people who have been there before! Six months before the ascent, I had the opportunity to go to Elbrus as part of an experienced team of excellent comrades from my hometown of Sochi, who already had quite a lot of experience in climbing above 5000 m.

Months passed, preparations were underway. Physical, technical, inventory, information. And all these six months I pushed away the bad feeling that something might go wrong and I would be left without a place on the team. Theoretically, I accepted the possibility that the trip as part of this team would not be possible. And therefore, I tried to collect more information about the mountain in advance: I read a lot of articles on the topic of acclimatization, reports on the ascent, and tried to ask as much as possible all my friends who had been there at least once. And, of course, I didn’t forget to prepare myself: regular trips to the mountains for one or two days, jogging 10-12 km, horizontal bar and parallel bars. Summer has come. The peak season of mountain tourism has begun. Now, when Elbrus was again revealed to the eye through a veil of clouds, I knew that it would be soon... And then something happened that I was afraid of, but for which I was ready: a call from the leader of the team in which I was supposed to ride. They go to another mountain - Kazbek 5033 m, which is located on the border with Georgia.

PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE OPEN RESOURCE “YANDEX. IMAGES"

I had neither the time nor the desire to quickly make a passport. My goal remained unchanged - “Elbrus-2014!” Having thanked the manager for agreeing to take me on the team at all, I began organizing my own trip to Elbrus. At first I tried to “get on the tail” of another team, but they didn’t want to take me. The reasoning was harsh and exhaustive - lack of sufficient confidence in my preparedness for such a campaign. Oh, how I understand them now!... There was just over a month left, and there was so much to do! It’s good that I had a large “package of information” about the area. All that remained was to find a travel companion. The criteria, of course, are very strict: a great desire to go, good physical and psychological preparation, availability of all the necessary equipment, and much more. The search circle closed on only one person - Konstantin Pavlenko.

At that time, I had known Kostya for only six months, but in such a short time he managed to establish himself only on the positive side. Calm, balanced, honest, responsive, superbly prepared both physically and psychologically, possesses all the necessary skills for such an ascent and, most importantly, he was fully aware of what he was agreeing to. In general, wherever you look, there are only positive qualities, with the exception, perhaps, of some absent-mindedness characteristic of many romantics, although here I can compete with him. A month before departure... We bought train tickets in advance to determine the exact departure date - July 31, flight Adler - Vladikavkaz. Now all that’s left to do is get ready and hit the road! Two weeks before the trip, we underwent preliminary acclimatization on the Pseashkho massif and, after spending the night at an altitude of 2600 m, climbed Mount Pseashkho South, 3251 m high. The last week before the trip is probably the most stressful. What is revealed is simply a sea of ​​previously unresolved organizational issues. And there is very little time left. So, July 31st. The backpacks are packed. Boarding the train. Now no one and nothing can stop us! After all, we didn’t tell ANYONE that we were going just the two of us. According to legend, we are members of a team of “experienced and qualified instructors from Krasnodar.” Well, what can I say! The biggest adventure of our lives has begun!

Part one

“Only mountains can be better than mountains,
Which I haven’t been to before"
Vladimir Vysotsky

The first day. Check-in On the morning of August 1, our small detachment arrived at the station in the city of Mineralnye Vody. Alone, in an unfamiliar city... But this does not scare us, we know what all this is for. An attempt to find direct transport to the village of Terskol (the closest village to Mount Elbrus) was unsuccessful. Taxi drivers charged us astronomical amounts for the transfer, so we decided to go by public transport, which, of course, is not so convenient, but several times cheaper. And now, we are in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, passing the Baksan Circle traffic intersection. Our path lies through the administrative center of the region - the village of Tyrnyauz. After some time we enter the territory of the local National Park. We decided to base ourselves on the territory of the Bivuak tent camp. The place is simply beautiful - a fir grove. Not a speck, not a bump - what else does a tourist need? The weather is magnificent. During the day it will not be hotter than +20, and with sunset the thermometer will drop only 6 - 8 degrees. Although in the mountains the weather will always find something to surprise a tourist: the hot sun is scorching, and in an hour the temperature will “collapse” and it will rain and snow, which in an hour or two may be replaced by the appearance of a bright luminary. So you need to be on your guard. As soon as we leave the forest zone, the Azau peak and Mount Cheget 3770 m open to our eyes, to which we will go tomorrow. Having received an incredible boost of energy at the waterfall, we decide to go further to the observatory located nearby, at an altitude of 3100 m. Unfortunately, we were not allowed into the observatory itself, but the local guards advised us not to stop there and go to the “Ice Base”, where in Soviet times training took place before climbing Elbrus. Well? No sooner said than done! Let's go to the Ice Base, at 3700! The road is no longer so good, you can’t get through here by car. Hundred by hundred we gain altitude. Now you can admire the legendary Semerka glacier, which lies on Mount Donguz-Orun. And after the next “take-off”, it was revealed to us... yes, it was HE – Elbrus! I, of course, understood that Elbrus is a mountain of considerable size, but not so “considerable”! It's just huge! This is a great spectacle! Relative to our location, the mountain rises another 2 km up. We are enjoying the views and the panorama that opens up to us, when suddenly we notice some “dots” on the Terskol glacier. This is a group of mountain climbers returning from an acclimatization trip, maneuvering between huge cracks in the glacier. The surface of the glacier is like bottle glass: the blue ice is crystal clear, transparent several meters deep, but it is hard as stone. Crossing a glacier is not an easy task. You must have a number of special skills: be able to move in a team, fight on the ice, and much more. While we are waiting for the climbers, we are looking at what is happening on the southern slope of Elbrus - someone is moving up along the Pastukhov rocks, someone is moving down from the “oblique shelf”. The process is fascinating, and we involuntarily begin to speculate about what exactly is happening there. Also from this point you can study the location of various objects relative to each other: lift stations, “Bochki”, “Shelter 11”, rock ridges of “Shelter”, Pastukhov rocks, “oblique shelf”. On the way back we come across a small island of “green life” in the endless stone sea. What a contrast! Let's go down. Day three. Going to an altitude of 3700 m on the first day was not the best idea, but what was done cannot be changed. We received a lot of information from a group of climbers we met at the Ice Base. After yesterday's forced race, we decided to rest a little, not get up “at first light” and sleep two to three hours more than usual. But by 9 am the rising sun turns our tent into a “crematorium”, we had to wake up. Today our program is simpler - a radial exit to Mount Cheget to an altitude of 3400 m. Having “dropped” about a hundred meters through the village, we find ourselves at the “Glade Cheget”, from where the chairlift begins. But we don’t need it, since acclimatization requires physical labor, and a ride on the cable car doesn’t quite reach this concept, so we go on foot. The ascent to the slope of Mount Cheget begins. At the exit from the forest zone there is a turn to Lake Donguz-Orun-Kol, but it is located in a specially protected five-kilometer zone adjacent to the state border with Georgia. The border runs along the top ridge of the Donguz-Orun and Nakra-Tau mountains. A pass is needed only if you want to get to Lake Donguz-Orun-Kol, the Shhelda glacier or the Azau gorge. All this is not necessary for climbing and is a pleasant “bonus” for acclimatization trips. Without special permission, going there is fraught with very unpleasant consequences. With a sigh of disappointment, we continue to climb. In the second hour from noon we reach the desired altitude. At this point everything is covered in clouds. No wonder. The weather in the mountains often worsens in the afternoon. But we were able to see Cheget itself, to which there were still 300 vertical meters of pure mountaineering left. The clouds are thickening too quickly, it could rain at any moment, so we go down “bourgeois style” - on one of the oldest cable cars in Russia. This will be the last night in the village of Terskol. Primary acclimatization has been successfully completed, so tomorrow we will move directly to the slopes of Elbrus. Day four. We leave the wonderful fir grove that sheltered us and go to the kingdom of eternal snow and ice. But before that there was mandatory registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Of course, we do not plan to use the services of rescuers, but anything is possible - safety comes first. We are leaving Terskol. The cable car, which leads to the slope of Elbrus itself, begins from the Azau Glade, which had to be reached by taxi due to the complete lack of local transport. The cashier insisted that we buy round-trip tickets, assuring us that even after a few days the descent tickets would be valid. At the cash register we were given beautiful plastic cards. Well, now the most interesting thing awaits us - we begin to reap the benefits of not having a guide. Of course, the main details of the route were very carefully thought out in advance, but it was impossible to pay attention to every detail. Due to our insufficient awareness of the specific location and exact altitudes of the camps, a rash decision was made to spend the night at an altitude of 3450 m, near the Mir cable car station. It rains all day, with snow at night. There are noisy, dissatisfied vacationers constantly walking around the tent, some outrageously smelly equipment is driving around, and in general... I don’t want to waste time on further description of this day, since nothing else interesting happened. Day five. We wake up to the noise made by yet another incomprehensible large-sized equipment passing by, and begin to prepare for the upcoming road. Breaking up camp in the rain is not a pleasant pleasure, but there’s nothing you can do – you have to. We return to the station: in front of us is the “Mir - Gara-Bashi” cable car. We pay separately for the third stage, already at the top. The cable car seats are single seats, so you have to put your backpack with your things on the next seat. On each support, the chair shakes and bounces terribly - just look, the backpack will fall out and fly into hell. It’s scary to look at - after all, EVERYTHING is in the backpack! By this point, it became clear that before the trip it was necessary to put on a hat and a down jacket, since moving to warm up, especially with a second backpack on my lap, was uncomfortable and dangerous. In addition, the cable car stops periodically so that workers can accept the load that travels in the same chairs. This is how we get to a height of 3700 m. And in the direction of the “Shelter” there are already support piles for the new line of the cable car, which will reach a height of more than four thousand meters! What's next? Will they reach the Pastukhovs, and will they sell pies on the saddle? It has already become noticeably cooler here - you can feel the proximity of the border of the snow zone. The guard at the upper station of the cable car, seeing two boys getting wet in the rain, immediately invites us to his guardhouse. How friendly people are here! But no matter how sad this may be, after drinking hot tea near a warm stove, we have to leave the hospitable host and go in search of a place to set up camp. Our path lies past the Barrels shelter. Having established the camp, we collect radial backpacks “for transport”, completing them with the heaviest, that is, food and gas. We got to this place by cable car, thanks to which, at an altitude of 3500 - 3700, we eat fresh vegetables and fruits, cheese and meat, and other products that we absolutely don’t want to carry further on our hump. We have to walk the rest of the way. It is not possible to carry about 70 kg of cargo at a time for two people, so we do a “drop”: we carry 10 - 12 kg of cargo each to the site of the second camp in order to carry away everything else the second time. Or you can descend to the level of “mattresses on a snowcat,” which is completely unsporting. Previously, the legendary Shelter 11 was located at an altitude of 4050 m. Some reports talk about the 4200 m mark - don’t believe it, it’s not true! Where every meter counts, such a difference is critical. Built back in the Soviet years, on August 16, 1998, the practically ownerless “Shelter” burned down due to violations of fire safety rules. Now the “Shelter” is the name given to the former boiler house building, which can comfortably accommodate several dozen climbers. The owner of this establishment turned out to be as good-natured as the guard at the Gara-Bashi station. Probably all the people here are like that. He gave us hot tea, and while drinking tea, he told us a lot of interesting things about Elbrus. In the hospitable company, time flew quickly; it was already getting dark outside. It's time to go down to camp at 3700. Upon arrival, we hide all electronic devices inside the sleeping bag - they can get damaged in the cold. Day six. Having left ourselves only enough food and gas for a day, we have no other option but to go with all our luggage to the upper camp. We walked from “Barrels” to “Shelter” with large backpacks. It’s good that the weather is cloudy; walking under the scorching rays of the sun would be much more difficult. We mentally thank the weather. With faces expressing the wisdom “He who knows life is in no hurry,” we slowly crawl up to our next stop. Meanwhile, the fog is thickening, so a decision is made - first set up camp, and only then pick up your “drop-off”. The place was simply magnificent! Not far from the Shelter, at an altitude of 4150, there are large and flat areas where you can place at least a company of soldiers. We were very lucky - a few hours earlier the group had left this place, freeing up a perfectly prepared place for a tent. What a wonderful wall! Thanks to it, we don’t feel the wind at all. So far everything is going very well, although in the details there is again a lack of a guide. At the transition “Bochki” - “Shelter” we did not put on either crampons or climbing shoe covers (special insulated covers for shoes), since this section does not present any technical difficulty. But the snow plowed by snowcats melts during the day, since even at this altitude in clear weather above-zero temperatures prevail. Because of this, the entire path turns into a squelching and slurping mess, which not a single membrane on the shoes can cope with. As a result, we get thoroughly wet feet at an altitude of more than 4000 m. There is nowhere and nothing to dry our shoes with... Regardless of the weather, it is impossible to violate the canons of acclimatization. The rule “climb high and sleep low” must be followed. Therefore, we warm ourselves and go upstairs in conditions of almost zero visibility. Snow groomers (snow rolling equipment) regularly travel up to a height of 5080 m, leaving behind trenches about 20 meters wide. Along the sides of these trenches there are red flags every 10-12 meters indicating the direction of movement. It is simply impossible to stray from such a path. Having reached the lower limit of the Pastukhov rocks (4550 m), we understand that this is worth stopping at. At least today. Visibility is no more than 10 m, there is a strong wind, and the time is already approaching sunset. It's time to go back down. Day seven. We decide today, at all costs, to cross the 5000 m mark. No sooner said than done. The last “take-off” completely exhausts our strength - the speed does not exceed 1 km/h. Every step is given with incredible difficulty! I have to “pull myself out” with my hands, leaning on poles, and for the first time in my life Kostya regrets that he didn’t take trekking poles. How useful they would be to him now! Almost five hours later from the moment we left the camp, we reach the end of the “snow groomer boulevard” - at an altitude of 5080 m! This is the beginning of the “oblique shelf” - the traverse of the slope of the Eastern peak towards the saddle. The snowcat does not go further than this place. We are at an altitude of more than five kilometers! What a view! Below us is a cloudy ocean, from which the highest peaks of the Main Caucasian Range “stick out” with snowy peaks. It was worth the effort spent getting up. By studying the rocks located directly above us, we compare recommendations for descending from the saddle with the actual location of objects when it is impossible to find the “oblique shelf” due to poor visibility. To the left and right of us there are massive glaciers and multi-meter cracks gape. And again we see the Semyorka glacier. Now we are one and a half kilometers higher than him! While we are going down, the weather noticeably improves and rewards us with beautiful sunset panoramas. Having descended to the camp, I understand that the first signs of altitude sickness or “miner sickness” are catching up with me. Kostya feels great, but my condition is completely different - my head is cracking like a transformer box, in addition there is a strong nosebleed (after all, the body cannot withstand such pressure changes), which can only be stopped with vasoconstrictors. The consequences of exposure to altitude affect each person exclusively individually. Some have a headache, some have a stomach ache, some have no appetite, and some don’t care at all, although, of course, there is a certain, most common “package of consequences.” And I’m very tired today (after all, we climbed to an altitude of more than five thousand!), and it’s simply impossible to fall asleep - the transformer in my head still doesn’t want to shut up, and on top of that I’ve added increased nervousness. I don’t know whether this was a consequence of the headache or a separate symptom, but I snapped at Kostya, cursing him for no reason whatsoever. When I realized that the “miner” was speaking in me, I had to make a lot of apologies to my comrade. Attempts to turn off this infernal chatter with aspirin and citramone were unsuccessful. Another hour of agony. It was possible to plunge into the world of dreams only after taking a double dose of sleeping pills.

Elbrus is the largest mountain in Russia and Europe! One of the “magnificent seven” of the highest peaks of our planet, from which you can even see the Black Sea and the Turkish coast..

Elbrus is located just north of the Main Caucasus Ridge on the border of the republics Karachay-Cherkessia And Kabardino-Balkaria.

Elbrus(Mount Elbrus) is a two-headed volcano in the north of the Caucasus mountain system.
The height of the Western peak is 5642 m.
The height of the Eastern peak is 5621 m.
The height of the saddle is 5300 m.

The white two-headed volcanic cone of Elbrus is noticeably different from the entire mountain landscape of the Caucasus and can be seen hundreds of kilometers away in good weather. Nearest town - village Terskol (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria) in the Baksan Gorge at the foot of the mountain itself.

Elbrus coordinates on maps:
43°21’11″ N 42°26’13″ E

Peaks of Elbrus.

Due to its status as the highest point in Europe, climbing to the top of Elbrus is popular among climbers all over the world and is considered one of the “steps” to conquering the “seven peaks”.

Despite the ease of the routes, Mount Elbrus annually takes dozens of human lives. To a greater extent, the mortality rate of the mountain is determined by the difficult climate with changeable weather, as well as the poor training of climbers without experience. Visually, the peaks of Elbrus seem easily accessible, which instantly excites the hearts and minds of many people to “conquer the mountain” and even those who have never climbed before... In fact, this simplicity is deceptive and in reality, a person without preparation finds himself in difficult conditions in which he cannot always manages to survive...

Climbing Elbrus.

The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East composed a large number of songs and legends about Elbrus.

One of the legends tells that the mountain used to have one hump. At its top lived the magical bird Simurgh, who bestowed happiness and prosperity on the mountain people who inhabited the valleys of the mountain gorges. This idyll lasted for many centuries, until the desire to seize the bird’s heavenly throne led to its possession by two greedy people. Their fierce struggle was stopped by higher powers: blinding lightning cut the sky, terrible thunder erupted and Elbrus split in two, spewing out streams of fire that incinerated everything in its path. After such a terrible fight, the magical bird Simurgh hid deep underground, upset by the ingratitude and greed of people.

According to research by scientists, Elbrus has not been visible for quite a long time, but despite this, the current level of activity does not give experts a reason to classify it as an extinct volcano; now it has the status of “dormant”. The volcano is indeed quite active in external and internal activities. In its depths there are still hot masses that heat the local “Hot Narzans” - springs saturated with mineral salts and carbon dioxide, the temperature of which reaches +52°C and +60ºC. In the depths of the volcano, life begins for many famous springs in the healing resorts of Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk and the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region.

Flowers on the mountain peaks of the Caucasus mountains.

The climate on Elbrus is characterized by severity, making it similar to the Arctic regions. The average temperature in the warmest month of the year does not rise above -1.4°C. There is quite a lot of precipitation here, but it is mainly represented only in the form of snow.

The most beautiful peaks of the Caucasus are located around the two-headed giant: Nakra-Tau, Ushba, Donguz-Orun .

Panorama.

• Made his first ascent Kilar Khashirov - conductor of the Russian scientific expedition, Kabardian by nationality on July 22, 1829 to the Eastern peak of Elbrus.
• The western peak of Elbrus was conquered by a team of climbers led by Florence Grove in 1874.
• The first to reach both peaks was a Balkar hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev . During the period of his long life, he conquered Elbrus nine times: he made his first ascent at the age of over forty, and the last in 1909, when he was 121 years old.

The study of Elbrus by Russian scientists began actively in the 19th century. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky in 1913 he was the first to determine the height and location of the volcano. In addition to its status as a unique natural attraction, the famous Caucasian peak is also an important scientific base. Even before the war, the first experiments with cosmic rays in the Soviet Union were conducted here, and today it houses the highest geophysical laboratory.

The territory of the Elbrus region is a major center of tourism and skiing. The bulk of the guests are fans of winter sports, including extreme sports, which are very popular in these mountains. In addition to the usual snowboards, sleds and freeride, a new entertainment was organized for thrill seekers, which was an ascent to the top of Elbrus by helicopter and subsequent descent from the mountain on skis. For more conservative skiers, there are cable cars with an average capacity of 2,400 people per hour.

On the slopes of Elbrus.

How to get to Elbrus?

• By plane fly to the nearest airport in Mineralnye Vody. There are many regular flights to Mineralnye Vody from Moscow from airlines: Aeroflot, Sky Express, Kavminvodyavia, S7 Airlines, UTair, Don Avia.

• By train you can get to Pyatigorsk or Nalchik - these are the closest settlements from which it will be faster to get there by minibus or taxi. Already from these places there are beautiful views of the Caucasus Mountains, which you can admire all the way.

It will be most convenient to get from the airport or train station by taxi, it will be cheaper to use the services private cab drivers. The best and cheapest option is to find the phone numbers of private bombers from the village of Terskol on the Internet and arrange a meeting upon arrival and the price in advance. The journey to Elbrus will take about four hours. You need to get to the city of Baksan, then turn into the Baksan Gorge and to the end along the Baksan River, where the road will lead to the very foot of Elbrus.

You can also get there regular buses And minibuses. Only this method is less convenient and will take longer, since there are no direct flights to Terskol. First you will need to get to the city of Baksan and there transfer to a minibus to the village of Terskol. The road in the Baksan Gorge passes through the settlements: Tyrnauz, Upper Baksan, the village of Elbrus and Tegenekli.

• Based on materials from the sites: pro-planet.ru, udivitelno.com

• March 24, 2015

Last week I was in the Elbrus region testing the new Ford Ranger. At the same time, we took a cable car to the Barrels shelter, located at an altitude of 3800 meters above sea level.

Meanwhile, Elbrus itself is considered the highest point in Russia and Europe. It has two peaks (this is an extinct volcano) with a height of 5621 and 5642 meters. To get to the top there are three lines of cable cars; then the ascent is possible either on foot or by snowcat.

2. The cable car starts at Azau station, located at an altitude of 2350 meters above sea level. There was heavy rain at night, resulting in a mudflow. This Niva was captured by the elements, but when we went downstairs it had already been dug up and it left.

3. On the first stage there are two lifts. An old pendulum cable car with two cabins with a capacity of 20 people each. And a new gondola-type cable car with detachable cabins (58 in total) with a capacity of 8 people each. They arrive at the Stary Kruzor station (altitude 3000 meters).

4. The next line of cable cars goes from the Stary Krugozor station (3000 meters) to the Mir station (3500 meters). There is exactly the same traffic pattern with two cable cars: the old one (pendulum type) and the new one (gondola type). The cost of an excursion ride on the gondola cable car is 600 rubles, on the pendulum cable car - 300.

6. If in Mineralnye Vody that day the temperature was +30 °C, then here, at an altitude of more than 3500 meters, it became cold.

7. Tourists go down to the cable car.

8. The peaks of Elbrus are tightly covered with clouds. In the foreground you can see numerous snowcats and snowmobiles, which offer to take you a little higher for 1000 rubles. Further, there is “Shelter 11” (height 4130 meters), where the highest mountain hotel in Russia was built in 1938, which burned down in 1998.

9. Melting glacier.

10. General view of the “Bochki” shelter.

11. Disassembled snowcat.

12. The Barrels shelter consists of 9 six-person residential barrel containers, where tourists undergo acclimatization before climbing to the top of Elbrus. Also, pay attention to how the concrete slabs in front of them moved.

13. Beer shop at an altitude of 3800 meters. That's right, what else to do during the acclimatization period.

14. Because There is no time for acclimatization and climbing Elbrus, and we have to fly to Moscow on the same day - we go down.

15. Finally, a picture of an excellent high-altitude toilet such as a toilet, located at the Mir station (altitude 3500 meters above sea level). And I almost forgot to say - I was extremely surprised by the presence of free Wi-Fi Internet at this altitude. I won’t even write about the amount of garbage, but it’s all clear...

The highest mountain in Europe, the highest volcanic peak in Eurasia and simply one of the “7 Wonders of Russia” - meet 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 calculations by Academician Vishnevsky. The first expedition, the goal of which was to reach the top of this volcano, was organized in 1829. It included several eminent scientists, for example, the founder of the St. Petersburg geophysical laboratory Adolf Kupfer, physicist Emilius Lenz, and the famous zoologist Eduard Minetrier.

The expedition was accompanied by a thousand-strong detachment of Cossacks led by General George Emmanuel. It was he who became the author of the memorial inscription carved on a rock at an altitude of 2400m. The general himself chose to remain 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 the 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 rose above it, and three reached the saddle - academician Lenz, Cossack Lysenkov and Kabardian Killar. Look what Mount Elbrus looks like in the photo - two peaks with an impressive saddle between them. This is where the most persistent members of the expedition arrived.

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, to 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 it at the age of one hundred and twenty-one! Here it is, the famous Caucasian health and longevity. Among other things, Sottaev twice served as a guide for English expeditions to Elbrus.

Where is Elbrus

The Caucasus is the center of a large number of peaks, whose heights reach far beyond 3000 meters above sea level. But when the Caucasus Mountains are remembered, Elbrus comes to mind first. And as an 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 each of them has created many beautiful legends about it. There is also 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 Mount 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 - to tighten; Us – character. That is, the name can be translated as having the disposition to send a snowstorm. Apparently, we are talking here not so much about snowstorms, but about volcanic eruptions. There are references to eruptions in folk legends.

Elbrus is a giant dormant volcano

At 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 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 double-headed peak, which changes its color depending on the lighting, are visible from almost any corner of the Stavropol Territory. Glaciers, of which there are 23, feed such large rivers as the Kuban and Terek.

In its structure, Elbrus is a typical stratovolcano. It has a clearly defined 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 forming. According to scientists, the volcanic eruptions resembled the eruptions of Vesuvius, but were much stronger.

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

The vigorous activity of Elbrus ended 2500 years ago, although geographers of the 16th century. the volcano was considered active and was depicted on maps 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 the Caucasus region 40-45 thousand years ago. Currently, volcanologists are in no hurry to classify the volcano as extinct. It is rather a dying volcano and the probability of activation (albeit very small) still remains. The mountain is also the center of minor earthquakes in the region.

Today, the main wealth of these places is their numerous springs. The Narzan Valley near the source of the Malki River is the product of a dying volcano. This place should soon become a resort, which will not be inferior to Kislovodsk either in the number of springs or in the quality of mineral waters.

The weather on the slopes is more than harsh, and at times comparable to the Arctic. The average July temperature is only -1.4 C, and even daytime temperatures rarely rise above +8 C. There is a lot of precipitation here, many times more than at the foot of the ridge, but it can only be seen in the form of snow. The weather station at 4250 meters, having worked for three years, has not recorded a single rain.
Of great importance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus attracted the attention of German troops during World War II.

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 they raised the Nazi German flag over the western peak. The division's soldiers didn't last long - winter and the Red Army soldiers 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, all infrastructure was located on the south side of the mountain. It was here that the cable car was built, which takes tourists to a height of 3750 meters. The ascent to Elbrus consists of several intermediate points:

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

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

The northern slopes are more than modestly equipped. There are only a few huts here at an altitude of 3,800 meters, which are more often used by rescuers than climbers. The northern route is 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 reference point.

Elbrus phenomenon

And finally, some interesting facts about the highest point in Russia, and at the same time throughout Europe:

• The Balkars themselves even today prefer to call the mountain “Mingi-tau”, which in their native language means “Mountain of Thousands”, which emphasizes its exceptional size and height.
• The distance between the peaks in a straight line is 1500 meters. But you will have to cover about 3 km on foot.
• The next highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc, is almost eight hundred meters lower than the Caucasian giant. In other words, even having climbed to the saddle between the peaks, you will already be “above everyone else” in Europe.
• Despite the relatively well-developed and well-trodden routes, climbing Elbrus is unlikely to be an easy walk. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, every year from 15 to 20 people die on the slopes. Getting up in the winter months is considered suicide. The nominal temperature here easily drops to -30C, and the perceived temperature, thanks to strong winds, is even lower.
• Elbrus is not only mentioned in the works 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 simply a dwarf in comparison with Elbrus - only 2917 meters.

Mount Elbrus fascinates not only climbers, but also ordinary travelers. From year to year, tourists come to the foot of the mountain to see the grandeur and power of the peak. Few people remain indifferent and disappointed. This mountain, shrouded in secrets and legends, incredible ascents of the past and present make it even more attractive and popular.

Geographical characteristics

Elbrus is marked on the map of Russia, between the two republics - Karachay-Cherkess and. The nearest city at the foot of Mount Tyrnauz is the city of Elbrus.

The summit has two highest peaks, the height of the eastern peak is 5621 meters, and the height of the western peak is 5642 meters. The distance between them is 1500 meters. The average steepness of the slopes is 35 degrees. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky was the first to determine the height of Elbrus, and it was 5421 meters.

23 glaciers flow down from the slopes of the mountain. The area of ​​glaciers is 134 square kilometers. The maximum length of glaciers is about 7–9 km. Their total area has decreased by 19% over the past 100–150 years. The glacier that flows into the Kuban valley has shrunk by 33%. Elbrus glaciers feed three large Caucasian and Stavropol rivers:

• Kuban;
• Malku;
• Baksan.

Until now, the exact boundaries between Asia and Europe have not been defined, so the mountain is often classified as the highest mountain peak in Europe and equated to the “Seven Peaks” mountains. The double-peaked stratovolcano was formed on an ancient volcanic base. It is believed that these two peaks are completely independent volcanoes and do not depend on each other. Both peaks have their own distinct shape and a clearly defined crater.

Finding a mountain on a map is not difficult, since today a wide variety of maps and public routes with detailed descriptions are available.

general description

Elbrus - height, which is famous for its ancient history. The age of a mountain is determined by the condition of the upper part. Its top has a vertical fault. The last eruption of Russia's highest peak occurred around the 50s AD. e.

The mystery of the name of the mountain

Where is Elbrus located? Perhaps almost every schoolchild in the country can answer this question. But few people know where the name of the mountain comes from. It is worth noting that the peak has more than one name and has about a dozen in total.

Today it is very difficult to understand which name appeared first. If we talk about the modern name, then according to one version, it comes from the Iranian word “aytibares”. Translated, it sounds like a high or shiny mountain. The peak in the Karachay-Balkar language is called “Mingi-tau”, which translated into Russian means “mountain of thousands”. But there is also another name for the Balkars - “Minge-tau”, which translates as “mountain saddled”. Modern representatives of this community call Elbrus - “the mountain around which the wind swirls” (“Elbrus - Tau”).

Names in other languages ​​are also common:

• “Jin padishah” - “lord of spirits” (Turkic);
• “Orfi - tub” - “mountain of the blessed” (Abkhazian);
• “Yal - buz” - “snow mane” (Georgian).

Local climate

The climate of the mountain region is formed under the influence of seasonal air masses. Climatic conditions are typical for mountainous terrain. The Elbrus region is characterized by a pattern of good and bad weather.

In summer the cycle is a week. In the first days of June the weather is worse than in July. The climate during this period is humid and cool. The temperature at an altitude of 2 thousand meters sometimes reaches +35 degrees, and at higher altitudes – +25 degrees. Autumn begins from the end of August. Winter comes already in October, at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters. At this point the average temperature is -12 degrees. The absolute minimum was recorded at minus 27 degrees. Spring comes only at the beginning of May. During this period, snow melts actively at around 3 thousand meters. Often it comes down in the form of wet avalanches.

The higher the height, the thicker the cover. Thus, 60–80 cm is the average thickness of the top cover. There is more snow on the northern slopes than on the southern ones. At higher altitudes, eternal snowfields and firn fields remain. Due to them, the mass of all Elbrus glaciers increases.

Volcanic activity

Elbrus is considered an extinct volcano. When studying the mountain, geologists examined its layers, which contain the ash of the volcano. It has been proven that this particular ash has been formed since ancient times as a result of eruptions. Having studied the first layer, scientists found that the first eruption of the peak occurred around 45 thousand years ago. e. The subsequent one is the second layer, formed after the eruption of the Mount Kazbek volcano. It was formed about 40 thousand years ago.

Today it has been precisely proven that it was the second eruption that was the most powerful, even by modern standards. People - Neanderthals, living at the foot of the mountain at that time, were forced to leave settled places in search of more favorable living conditions. It has been established that the last time the volcano erupted was 2 thousand years ago BC. e.

The history of climbing Elbrus

Back in 1829, the first conquest of Elbrus was made. The leader of the ascent expedition is Georgy Emmanuel. The members of the scientific expedition were famous physicists, zoologists, botanists, geologists and other scientists. It was they who became the pioneers and conquerors of the highest peak on Earth - eastern part of Elbrus.

In 1868, a re-climbing of the eastern part of the mountain was carried out by an English group of scientists. In the same year, the first conquest of Mount Kazbek was accomplished. The western peak of Elbrus was conquered in 1874 by climbers from England; the expedition guide was A. Sottaev.

During a scientific expedition to map the Caucasus in 1890–1896, an ascent was made to the eastern and western mountains of Elbrus. The expedition was headed by a Russian scientist and military topographer - A.V. Pastukhov. It was he who left behind detailed maps of the area and Mount Elbrus - photo. For his exploration of the Caucasus and Elbrus, part of the cliffs of Elbrus (the southern part) was named in honor of Pastukhov. The height of the Pastukhov rocks is 4800 meters.

In 1891, the shortest ascent time in history was recorded - only 8 hours. The ascent began at the foot of the southern slopes and ended at the eastern summit.

Swiss climbers, for the first time in history, in 1910 accomplished the so-called Elbrus Cross. They climbed two peaks simultaneously, as part of one expedition.

The first woman to conquer Elbrus - A. Japaridze (1925).

Soviet climbers made the first winter ascent in 1934. And in 1939, the first ski descent from Elbrus was carried out by Moscow skier V. Gippenreiter.

From the first part of the twentieth century, climbing Elbrus began to become widespread. So, in 1928, 32 groups of climbers carried out the ascent; in 1935, about 2,016 people visited Elbrus, and in 1960, 1,395 climbers.

In 1963, he climbed on a motorcycle Berberashvili - Soviet athlete. In 1997, already by car, the whole team conquered the summit. And in 2015, the Russian athlete A. Rodichev climbed the mountain with a barbell that weighed 75 kg.

The 2016 climb to Elbrus is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Russian climbers A. Kuimov and S. Baranov climbed with the help of an ATV to a height of 5642 meters.

Nowadays, climbing Elbrus is not difficult. For tourists and travelers the path is made easier by shelters - parking lots and cable cars.

The beauty and grandeur of Elbrus make the mountain the most visited in the modern world. The viewing radius under favorable conditions is large. So, sometimes from the tops of the mountain you can see the Caspian and Black Seas at the same time. No wonder in 2008, the peak was recognized as one of the wonders of the world in Russia.