Climbing Elbrus from the south - basic level. Elbrus - a two-peaked volcano cone, currently inactive Names of geographical features

I just recently returned from Elbrus and while my impressions are not forgotten, I decided to present them in a series of posts. Our trip coincided with the Adidas Elbrus world race 2017 competition, which added interest.

We arrived in Terskol late in the evening, it was raining heavily. We settled into a cozy campsite on the outskirts of the city at a very affordable price, only 200 rubles per person per day. The campsite had all the basic amenities: electricity, gas and even a hot shower!

In the morning the weather improved, I crawled out of the tent, turned my head and saw this landscape:

Mount Itkolbashi (3531 m). Quite a pleasant view after the boring flat Petersburg.

Let me immediately make a small clarification: we did not set ourselves the goal of climbing to the top of Elbrus, it was more interesting for us to trek along different routes, explore locations and evaluate our endurance.

The largest number of people who want to climb Elbrus come to Cheget-Terskol-Azau, because there is infrastructure, lifts and hotels. It is the ascent from the south that is the least difficult. Many acclimatization routes start from here from 2000 to 3500 m. Usually, in the first two days people go to the waterfall Girlish braids or at top station lift to Mount Cheget. We decided to start with the waterfall; the track will be at the end of the post.

The ascent begins from abandoned cowsheds approximately in the middle of Terskol. At first the road looks like this:

The climb starts at about 2200 m and goes smoothly. Poles reduce the load on your legs, which is a useful thing in the mountains.

I turned out to be the most cheerful and went far ahead. I stopped to contemplate the expanses.

Weeeeeee we're in the mountains! Below is the Baksan gorge in which the same Cheget-Terskol-Azau are located.

View of Cheget

The man asked to take a couple of pictures with him on his Mark III, I didn’t refuse.

It was Sunday. In July-August there is the largest concentration of people wanting to conquer Elbrus, plus runners came to the Adidas Elbrus world race 2017.

The trees ended and rocks appeared.

View of the Azau clearing, the serpentine goes to the Mir Station.

These two rocks are called the Wolf Gate.

The landscape, like the weather, changes rapidly.

Halt, I’ll experience Zen. A Niva 4x4 drove along the path behind us.

The altitude has risen to 2700 m, a lack of oxygen begins to be felt, and walking becomes more difficult.

Reached the waterfall.

Water flows from a glacier.

On the left is the path to the waterfall.

I didn’t want to stop for a long time at the waterfall, so I encouraged my friends to continue climbing.

Not far from picket 95 we stopped for lunch. Only half of the group agreed to go further. Some people got headaches and the first symptoms of the miner began. This often happens on acclimatization trips.

Along the way we meet many people, including groups with guides. Everyone says hello, this is the custom on mountain trails, all over the world.

Place behind the observatory. The peaks of Elbrus are hidden behind the clouds.

Observatory, height 3150 m

After the observatory I continued walking alone.

View of the side of the Terskol River, the snowfields began to be clearly visible.

I meet another group on the way, this time from Hungary.

Evening begins, you have to cut the path and speed up in order to quickly begin the descent and have time to return before dark.

Picket 105, from the name you can understand that this is a 10.5 km trail from Terskol to the Ice Base. Tourists sometimes spend the night in this high-altitude desert.

The building was used by the builders of Shelter 11, which burned down in 1998.

I have never seen snow at the end of July before.

View of the path to the observatory.

The trail continues to the Ice Base, from there you can walk along the glacier to the new Shelter 11; it is not recommended to walk along the glacier without equipment.

I raised my bar a little in terms of heights last year maximum height was achieved at Pico del Veleta (3396) in Andalusia.

In the distance you can see the Barrel Shelter.

At altitudes above 3000 m there is practically no vegetation.

During the descent, the miner felt a little overwhelmed: my head began to spin, and strange sensations appeared in my stomach.

Looking back, the western peak of Elbrus opened up.

Larger.

Against the backdrop of the miner, euphoria and a surge of strength appeared.

On the way back it was hell, the speed was lower than on the way up. There were practically no people on the way.

It gets dark in the mountains much earlier than in St. Petersburg. By 20:00 it was already dark. At dinner we shared our impressions and went to bed; the clock was only 22.

I plan to post the remaining mountain spam soon and not put it off until winter, as usually happens.

If you have questions about trekking in the Elbrus region, I will be glad to answer in the comments.

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My dreams about Elbrus only stopped on the 6th night. When I officially asked on VKontakte “Uv. Universe, allow me to sleep without dreams today.”

I took an appeal to the MRZD, the stump is clear, avatarakali , as in general I repeat a lot of things after her, but the request worked. What I see in dreams now is not connected with Elbrus, but I still get tired of them. I think this is still a consequence of the stress of the hike. You need to treat your nerves, girl.

Last Saturday I attended a major event held by our company. I was awarded the first prize for winning some competition. I drove to this diploma at breakneck speed, although I could have pampered myself with the sea for three days. I'll be honest,

I didn’t even go into details, I received my certificate of honor and it lies on my table, littered with medicines. I thought she would continue my streak of victories this year. I was sure that 2012 would be a year of triumph. But that was not the case. Without Elbrus, the joy from this diploma and from other sweet little things in life faded. However, I am sure that this depression and blues are just a consequence of mountain stress. I hope everything will pass soon. On the same day, Saturday, I successfully developed a sore throat, but by force of will and with God’s help, of course, I practically stopped the course of the disease. For some reason I don’t have such power to stop my depression. I still need to learn this. Your nerves need to be treated, girl.

Only now I remembered why there were long prefaces. On Saturday I had a meeting. Important.

Feeling that I had a fever and a sore throat, and that I still had to work at this event for several hours, I approached the ambulance standing nearby. The event is large-scale, and rescuers and doctors are always on duty. I come closer and see the cute curls of my traumatologist, who back in February, when I strained a muscle, advised: “Keep your leg at rest for 6 months. Stop running and skiing." I then looked at him like he was an idiot and said: “What 6 months? I have Elbrus in 6 months! A month at most, or better yet 2 weeks, or even better...2 days!” He also looked at me over my glasses, like I was a fool, and advised me not to buzz or move for at least a month.

We got to know each other. Of course, I told him that I had a great time going to Elbrus, but because of the mountain, I didn’t make it and now I hope to go a second time. This kind soul asked me about the symptoms, looked me up and down, and sighed with the same tone: “Well, what will I take from you? Well, she’s a fool,” and recommended Cerucal or metaclopramide for nausea. The second, they say, is even stronger. And finally, he ordered me to take iron-rich supplements a month before the hike. So we parted ways with the world: I with the pills and the name of the medicine, he with my thanks and blessings.

I’ll probably write about our acclimatization trip. It lasted only three days and it probably won’t take long to describe it.

So, this was the sixth day of the entire campaign. In order to get the first blows of the miner and acclimatize a little, we headed to shelter "Picket 105". Its height is about 3300 meters above sea level, although at the picket itself our Belarusian neighbors tried to challenge this figure, and our boys, of course, believed them. This is our Russian trait - to listen to anyone but our own people.

Even on Cheget, one of my friends, those who had not climbed to the top back in 2009, pointed to a thin, thin thread encircling the foot of Elbrus and said: “This is the path we will go to the picket along. There’s the Maiden’s Spit waterfall, and then there’s the Ukrainian observatory, and beyond that hill there’s picket 105.” His “Vooon there” was accompanied by an index finger that blocked all visibility, so you had to take his word for it. Ignoring his explanations, I looked enchanted at the peaks. It really was everything I was striving for. “Tits,” she called them disrespectfully and immediately cut herself off angrily. You can’t treat the peaks like that, they won’t let you in. I also remembered Kruglitsa, but it was already too late.

It took a long time to get ready in the morning. We left the hotel at 9.00, as instructed by the captain. But it took a long time to buy additional products, coat ourselves with creams, and set off in total no earlier than 10 in the morning.

The path skirted several backyards of the village, and then went up. The first 500 meters looked like we were walking along Fisht. Then things got a little more serious. I was ready for these loads. She walked and walked, calmly. A colleague was hobbling behind, and we had to wait for her a little so that she wouldn’t be left completely alone. It turned out that we were trailing at the end and everyone on the team thought that I was walking just as hard as she was.

Even on Fisht, the boys took our backpack from us on one of the steep climbs. Just once. Here, at each of the rest stops, they came down after us, took our backpacks and disappeared ahead around the bend. My furious attempts to keep my backpack with me, because I was following precisely these difficulties and burdens, everyone waved them off, saying: “you’re delaying the team.” I didn’t dare make a sound at this anymore. And it’s not in my habit to nod at another lagging behind: it’s rude.

So they crawled. The climbs became a little harder, but I found a way out: at one of the stops I simply went forward with the guys and the others were delayed with those lagging behind. But I finally carried my backpack myself, and my soul calmed down. It was on these climbs that we all came to appreciate trekking poles. I decided that I would definitely buy myself one of these: compact when assembled, and very strong when extended.

One of the most beautiful sights along the way was waterfall "Maiden's braids".

From a distance it seems small, but when you get closer, you approach it and you are impressed: the water is strong. Some took a swim, others just sat nearby.

A little later we reached the Ukrainian Observatory. I didn’t even get the chance to find out if it was still active: I kept photographing and photographing everything.

From the Observatory to Picket 105 it’s not that long of a walk. By our tourist standards, of course, and not by the calculations of people from civilization. It turned out to be a small house in which the floors were rotten somewhere, but the attic was still intact. The guys assembled tents around the picket, but most of the team hunkered down in the attic.

This is where a few of us caught the miner. One guy fell ill, a couple of people had headaches, someone, including me, felt sick. Dinner helped a little, but at night the captain had a hard time: me and the girl who was lagging behind needed Euphilin and a Ketanov injection - we were choking with terrible force. And only after receiving the coveted injection did they more or less fall asleep.

The next day, almost the entire team, minus one of the sickest guys, went to the abandoned ice base. Its height is approximately 3800. We dressed warmly, tried walking with a safety net, using crampons, and hacking ourselves with an ice ax. In general, it’s only interesting to describe, but in reality it was a bit boring. Although, it was here that I first saw crampons and put them on my boots and picked up an ice ax for the first time.

Already here, precisely at this height, I lost any joy of being.

Then, having returned, we spent another night at the picket, where all those who had previously fallen ill continued to get sick, those who were frozen continued to freeze, and on the 8th day of the hike we slowly went down to “Itkol” to rest, eat normal food and again pack our backpacks for the ascent.

This exit was not decisive: no one’s determination to go to the top had yet subsided, although the captain joked every three hours: “Maybe we’ll go to sea? Well, is it this Elbrus?

We haven’t been sick much yet, we’ve endured little stress, and we haven’t suffered at all yet.

Everything was ahead.
Despite everything, not the throbbing in my head, not the nausea, not the shortness of breath and endless fatigue, everything was still ahead.

June 12 - 20, June 30 - July 8, July 23 - 31, August 9 - 17, August 19 - 27, 2020

From the south it is not technically difficult. The gentle slopes of Elbrus along the ascent route from the south side can be climbed by anyone with normal physical fitness. It is not necessary for participants to have any specific knowledge and skills from mountaineering - during the days of acclimatization, the guides will give you a course on initial basic knowledge - how to use crampons and walk on them, how to use an ice ax, how to walk in ropes - all this will be studied on the snow - ice training.

Statistics:

Over 6 years, 94.36% of our participants climbed to the top, and that’s 732 happy people from 14 to 64 years old!

With us you will not only climb to the top of the highest mountain in Europe, but also gain a lot of useful knowledge:
- learn to walk correctly and safely different types relief
— learn to select high-quality and suitable equipment
— learn how to assemble a backpack and a tent, walk with trekking poles, and cook on stoves
- gain skills in moving in a rope, using ice axes and crampons, tying knots
— learn about the basics of survival in the wild

Now many people are looking on the Internet for information on how to climb Elbrus on their own - if you do not have experience in mountain hiking and staying at an altitude of more than 4500 m, then climbing independently can be extremely dangerous! Altitude sickness, bad weather, ignorance of the route - all this can have critical consequences. Don't risk your life - trust the professionals.
For a safe and successful ascent, proper acclimatization is important - long enough, with well-planned acclimatization trips and overnight stays. Acclimatization of less than 7 days, sharp climbs after the 4000 m mark are unacceptable for the body - this is precisely the reason why in our climbing programs we abandoned snowcat climbs - nowhere in the world is such a technique used at such an altitude!
When choosing a climbing tour to Elbrus, remember that for many unscrupulous organizers the success of your ascent is not important, they only care about the money you paid.

1 day Pyatigorsk - Terskol (3 hours, 160 km)

In the morning, meeting in Pyatigorsk, transfer to Terskol (2150 m). Accommodation at the campsite. Briefing on the group's plans for climbing the mountain from the main guide.

The village of Terskol is located at the foot of Mount Elbrus in the Baksan Gorge in the territory of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, on the banks of the Baksan River. The entire economy of the village is connected with tourism - in winter there is a popular ski resort(there are tracks on Cheget and Elbrus), and freeride is also very popular; in the summer, many people from all over the world come here to climb the most high mountain Europe.

The journey by car is 160 km (about 3 hours).

Day 2 Terskol - Maiden's Braids waterfall - astronomical observatory "Terskol Peak" - 105 picket

In the morning, visit the equipment rental, selection of equipment for the acclimatization trip (if necessary). Beginning of active acclimatization - ascent on foot under backpacks to 3200-3300 m to the area of 105 picket (3350 m), installation tent camp- we choose this route because of the stunning view, suitable altitude for acclimatization overnight stays and a small number of tourists. On the way, if the weather is good, the group will observe a mesmerizing panorama of the Greater Caucasus Range, along which the Russian-Georgian border runs. The climb is long and tiring, but along a good path. And in the evening, there is a chance to see the endless starry sky, which cities never get - it’s not for nothing that observatories are often built in the highlands - the air here is cleaner and more transparent, and it’s closer to the sky.

Interesting places today:

the Maiden's Braids waterfall (Vladimir Vysotsky swam in it in the Soviet film "Vertical") - got its name because of its characteristic shape - the jets of a 30-meter stream flowing down a basalt chute look like women's hair;
Terskol Peak Observatory - a high-mountain observatory (3150 m), where unique research is carried out;
the site of our first camp - 105 picket - an abandoned building, a former mountaineering shelter, a transshipment base during the construction of shelter 11, a once inhabited, but now increasingly deteriorating building, near which you can find interesting artifacts - equipment of the Soviet and German military from the Great Patriotic War, as well as equipment of Soviet climbers, tourists and scientists.

The journey under a backpack is 10 km, altitude gain is 1200 m

Day 3 105 picket - Ice base

Gathering of the camp and ascent to the Ice Base (3700 m), here we set up a camp for an acclimatization overnight stay. Only from a height of 3500 m can you finally see the beautiful Elbrus - both of its peaks! The peak is not visible from Terskol. IN good weather Almost the entire route of climbing Elbrus from the south is clearly visible.

The ice base is a non-functioning scientific center for glaciologists (they study glaciers) - it is now reached by a practically unused road from Terskol, along which materials for the construction of Shelter 11 were transported; Now it is used for an overnight stay by climbers climbing Elbrus from the east. The base consists of several destroyed buildings to varying degrees.

The journey under a backpack is 3 km, elevation gain is 450 m

Day 4 Ice base - Terskol

Based on the level of preparation and condition of the group, the guide will choose the route of descent to the village - you can return along the ascent route, or you can go down the neighboring gorge - this descent is more protracted, but the gorge is very beautiful - a panorama of the Terskol glacier opens from its very beginning, or you can see the Terskolsky waterfall - jets of water fall from a height of about 60 m into a frame of basalt columns - a unique creation of nature.

In the evening the group will rest at the campsite.

Day 5 Terskol - cable station Mir - tent camp at 4000 m

Checking equipment, returning unnecessary equipment to the rental after acclimatization, renting everything necessary for the ascent. The group goes out to the Azau clearing for the cable car ride. The cable car starts at an altitude of 2350 m and reaches an altitude of 3750 m - Gara-Bashi station, then climbs on foot under backpacks to 4000 m near the Emergencies Ministry base, setting up a tent camp. Depending on how you feel and the weather, today you can rise to 4300-4500 m. This is a very important milestone - it is when you rise to this height that it becomes clear how the body of each participant tolerates the height.

Glade Azau - here the road along the Baksan Gorge ends - further only Elbrus, and 2 lines of the cable car begin - old and new. Administratively, this is part of the village, but there are no residential buildings here - only hotels for tourists, rental points for mountaineering and ski equipment, equipment stores and a cable car.

A high-mountain shelter is a hut (on Elbrus, mostly made from containers) in which you can spend the night for acclimatization before climbing to the top. The highest on the slope of Elbrus is Maria at an altitude of 4000 m. The most famous and even legendary is the Shelter of the Eleven - it received its name from the name of a temporary camp for climbers in 1909 - there were 11 people in the group, and already in the summer of 1929, Soviet climbers built a building which was named after the 1909 expedition. Since in Soviet time Since mountaineering was a very popular mass sport, already in 1938 the need arose to build a high-altitude three-story hotel on the site of the hut. At that time there were no cable cars yet, so the road for transporting building materials passed through the already mentioned Garabashi glacier - from Terskol it passed through the Maiden Spit waterfall, the observatory, the 105th picket and the Ice Base. And by 1939, a comfortable hotel was ready (it even had showers), which for a long time was the highest in Europe. It is not surprising that the German military, who occupied most Elbrus region, densely settled in here - Soviet troops were able to recapture it only in February 1943. Then, in the 50s, high-voltage wires were stretched from Terskol to Priyut 11, but they lasted only one year - in 1953, the power line supports were destroyed by snowfalls - until now there have been no more attempts to install such structures at this height. During the heyday of Soviet mountaineering from the 50s, the hotel was in full swing - climbers from all the Soviet republics and even from other countries came here. But in 1998 there was a fire and the hotel building was completely burned down. In 2001, a new building was built (in a slightly different location), but it is far from the building built in 1938-1939.

Day 6 Acclimatization climb to 4700-5000 m

Depending on the weather and well-being - a radial (light) climb to the Pastukhov Rocks 4700 m or to the beginning of the Oblique Regiment (5000 m). This is a very important day - it is the height of 4500-5000 m that is key - usually those who feel good here climb to the top of Elbrus without any problems.

There will also be snow and ice classes - the guide will teach participants how to move on crampons, and the skills of self-restraint on a slope using an ice ax will be strengthened.

Day 7 Rest day (spare)

We rest and prepare for the ascent. In case of an unfavorable forecast, the guide can use this day for climbing.

Day 8 Night ascent to the western peak of Elbrus 5642 m, descent to Terskol

The most important stage is the climb to the top of Elbrus! Rise at 00:00, departure for the ascent attempt at 1:00. Today will be a long night and a long day. If everything goes well, it will begin with an ascent, an assault on the summit, a descent to the village of Terskol and a farewell dinner in a cozy cafe.

On average, the ascent from a height of 4000 m takes groups from 7 to 9 hours, and the descent 2-4 hours. Additional guides join the participants (at the rate of 4 people per 1 guide), everyone puts crampons on their boots, warms up and goes out to storm the summit. The route to climb Elbrus from the south passes through the Pastukhov rocks, the Oblique shelf, the saddle and the pre-summit plateau of the mountain. This route is safe for well-acclimatized beginners, but care and caution should be exercised on the Oblique Shelf - this is the only place where there is a risk of failure.

If one of the participants decides to abandon the climb after going on the assault, he will be escorted to the shelter by one of the additional guides. If such a decision comes before 4900 m, then you can call a snowmobile and go down to the shelter on it. But in our groups this happens extremely rarely - a couple of times a season.

There is a possibility that the ascent will not take place due to weather conditions- in this case, the Ministry of Emergency Situations closes the mountain. But in summer the weather is almost always favorable.

After the ascent, the group descends to the shelter; if necessary, the participants rest a little, but they need to hurry - to catch the cable car, which closes after lunch. But in the evening, everyone will enjoy a legitimate rest in the guest house - a clean bed and a hot shower, as well as a festive dinner in a cafe.

Day 9 Transfer from Terskol to Pyatigorsk

Transfer from Terskol to Pyatigorsk, on the way, at the request of the group, you can stop by thermal springs.

Important: The climbing program is written approximately - acclimatization trips are planned by the guide on the spot based on the quality of the group and the well-being of the participants!

Dmitry Podlesny

Master of Sports in mountaineering, 1st category in rock climbing, instructor-methodologist in mountaineering 3rd category, sports judge in mountaineering 3rd category. Climbing experience 8000+ m

Overall experience in the mountains over 20 years
Experience of combined ascents of 6th category of difficulty
Climbing experience on rocks of difficulty category 7b

Roman Chizhov

1st category in mountaineering, certified rescuer of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, specialization “Rescue in the Mountains” of the Russian Federation, badge “Rescue in the Mountains”, climbing experience 5000+ m

Overall experience in big mountains more than 20 years
Experience of combined ascents of the 5th category of difficulty
Experience of winter ascents in doubles up to 4b difficulty category
Mountain tourism up to 5th category of difficulty
Ski tourism up to category 3 difficulty

Almost all the necessary equipment and some clothes can be rented in Terskol - contact your manager and he will calculate the approximate rental cost for you.

In this program, participants carry their own personal and public equipment. For public equipment, you should leave about 30% of the space in your backpack.

Required equipment

Plastic bags or lightweight hermetic bags for clothes
Plastic bags (T-shirts) 5 pieces in reserve
Telescopic trekking poles (available for rental)
Seat-hoba-butt support (can be bought for 100-200 rubles)
Mountain sunglasses, protection level 4 (available for rental)
City sunglasses - in this case you don’t need to rent glasses for acclimatization
Thermos (available for rental)
Water container (plastic bottle/hydraulic/flask)
Towel (microfiber)
Headlamp and a set of spare batteries for it
Utensils (mug, spoon, bowl, knife)
Tourist mat (available for rental)
Sleeping bag t comfort -5 degrees (available for rental)
Backpack for radial excursions up to 30 l, lightweight (available for rental)
Backpack rain cover (available for rental)
Tourist backpack from 60 liters for women, from 80 liters for men (available for rental)
Mountain tent with a skirt (the tourist club provides space in 4-person tents upon request)
Soft cats (available for rental)
Ice ax (available for rental)
Harness (belay system) + 2 carabiners

Optional

Wristwatch
Power bank (charger-battery)
Compression bag for bulky clothing
Mobile phone with charger
Camera

Cosmetic bag*

Wet wipes
Chapstick
Toothbrush and toothpaste (small package)
Sunscreen cream (spf 50-70)
Small scissors or nail clippers
Small mirror
Small package of shampoo
A small piece of soap
Comb
Toilet paper in waterproof packaging
* the list is advisory in nature

Personal first aid kit

Individual preparations
Nasal drops
Coldrex/Theraflu
Bactericidal patch
Drugs to improve adaptation to altitude (acclimatization) - selected individually for each participant

Cloth

1 T-shirt or long sleeve shirt
2 running T-shirts (synthetic)
Balaclava (available for rental)
Buff (scarf)
Lightweight membrane trekking boots: hard sole, fixed
ankle - for acclimatization (available for rental)
Verkhonki - very warm mittens (available for rental)
Gaiters/flashlights for basic level acclimatization (available for rental)
For girls - a sports bra (uncomfortable in a regular one)
Sneakers/sneakers for walking around the village
Swimsuit/swimming trunks
Underwear (preferably synthetic) in reasonable quantities
Trekking socks 2 pairs
Wool socks for sleeping 1 pair
Winter gloves/mittens (not wool)
Work gloves
Thin gloves
Winter down jacket/ski or snowboard warm jacket
Warm fleece jacket
Thin thermal underwear (summer, for basic level acclimatization)
Warm thermal underwear (winter for climbing)
Fleece pants (for girls)
A cap
Warm pants - insulated ski or snowboard pants are suitable (available for rental)
Sports running pants (made of quick-drying synthetic material, easy to wash)
For climbing: mountaineering boots (available for rental) or insulated membrane trekking boots (hard sole, fixed ankle) (available for rental)
Sun hat (buff, cap, panama hat)
Membrane jacket (waterproof, windproof)/knee-length tourist raincoat
Membrane pants (waterproof, windproof) (if you have a raincoat, you don’t have to take it)

Documentation

Hermetic bag (that is, waterproof) for documents
Russian passport
Compulsory medical insurance policy
Tickets or itinerary receipts
Money for additional expenses
Copy of Russian passport
Insurance for mountaineering (request from the manager or arrange it yourself) - be sure to check the availability of search and rescue operations in the insurance policy!

The final settlement takes place in 30 days before the start of the program.
29,900 rubles
Of them advance payment for booking a place the group contributes 30%

The first 5 participants who paid an advance will climbing equipment Climbing is free! (crampons, ice ax, harness, 2 carabiners)

Climbing Elbrus with the My Way tourist club is:

experienced guides— chief acclimatization guide with experience in climbing mountains over 7000 m, as well as with the qualification of a rescuer from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and a mountain rescue token; during the ascent, additional guides will join the group at the rate of 1 for 4-5 participants; they will guide you safely along the route, taking care of all organizational nuances, with them you don’t have to worry about everyday problems and will find support at any time
interesting program— the acclimatization route is designed so that you visit most beautiful places Elbrus region
competent acclimatization, which we developed based on our many years of experience in climbing in various mountain systems peace
optimal dates and duration— dates are selected based on features local climate— it is from the beginning of May to the beginning of October that you can catch weather windows for climbing and a comfortable temperature, and the duration is calculated based on the characteristics of the human body when adapting to altitude
safety- we don't a large number of climbing in small groups only in the optimal season; all groups are equipped with satellite phones and walkie-talkies, as well as pulse oximeters and blood pressure monitors; the guide gives theoretical lectures on mountaineering and practical ice classes, where you will learn how to use an ice ax and walk in crampons
group registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations— we are personally acquainted with the leadership of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kabardino-Balkaria, which in case of unforeseen circumstances guarantees a prompt response from the rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and our coordinator responsible for safety is always in touch with the guides
quality group equipment— for our climbs we purchase only equipment from the best brands
information support— assistance in finding and purchasing tickets and obtaining insurance — our manager and guides are always in touch with you
assistance in preparing for the climb— we send each participant the necessary preparation materials; We also help you choose and purchase the best equipment for climbing at a discount or pick it up at local rentals
formality - an agreement is concluded with all participants
transparent cost of services— with us you will not encounter hidden fees and unplanned expenses
opportunity to meet participants before the climb— create joint dialogues in vk
the emergence of new friends and like-minded people— after the ascent, our participants continue to communicate and be friends, and also go on trips together
comfort— we plan the climb so that you don’t have to give up the benefits of civilization for a long time — in Terskol we stay in a comfortable campsite, where there is a shower and electricity

Our entire team is working to ensure that you return from your climb safe and sound, in more at its best than went there!

After climbing, you will receive a personal certificate, a medal and a branded T-shirt of the tourist club, which will remind you of your feat!

If you want a guide to work with you individually, we can offer a climbing program designed specifically for you, on any suitable dates.

Included in cost:

consultation and assistance from the organizer in organizational matters upon request (purchasing tickets, booking accommodation, purchasing insurance)
consultation with an instructor on the purchase and rental of equipment; physical and pharmacological preparation
use of group equipment (camp and campfire equipment)
providing the group with gas along the route
public first aid kit and repair kit
services of a guide-group leader
services of additional guides during the ascent
1 ascent attempt (an attempt is considered to be a group leaving the camp at night)
group registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations
overnights at a campsite at 2150 m (3 nights)
place in a tent upon request through the participant’s application form (mountain tents are provided by the organizer)
meals (day 2 lunch, dinner; day 3 breakfast, lunch, dinner; day 4 breakfast, lunch; day 5 dinner; day 6 breakfast, lunch, dinner; day 7 breakfast; day 8 breakfast, snack on the ascent - a total of 14 times* )
certificate of climbing to the top of Elbrus
transfers from Pyatigorsk to Terskol and back
travel to cable car 2 times - once up, once down
contributions to the national park for climbing
one ascent attempt (a night exit from the camp is considered an ascent attempt, if the entire group did not go out due to weather conditions, this is not considered an attempt)

*meal order may be changed if the program changes due to weather

The price does not include:

tickets to travel to the meeting point
insurance for mountaineering (ask the manager or arrange it yourself - be sure to check the availability of search and rescue operations in the insurance policy!)
security deposit for the use of group equipment 1000 rubles* (if there is no loss or damage to group equipment, it is returned in full)
rental of personal equipment, as well as climbing equipment and clothing. The most convenient and cheapest way to rent equipment is at local rentals in Terskol
visiting cafes/canteens/restaurants (meals 1 day; breakfast 2 days; dinner 4 days; breakfast, lunch 5 days; lunch 7 days; dinner 8 days; meals 9 days - 9 times, average bill 200-400 rubles)
additional transfers, overnight stays at camping, shelters, etc. not included in the program at the request of the participants

*transferred along with the balance of payment for the trip, returned after the guide’s report on the condition of the equipment (usually on the last day of the program or the next day)

After concluding an agreement and booking a place in the group, the participant is sent information on physical and pharmacological preparation, as well as contacts of the curator of our alpine club, who can advise on any issues. We can also provide assistance and help with discounts for purchasing equipment and gear needed for climbing.

Age restrictions
You can participate in the climb from 18 years of age
Our oldest participant to reach the summit is 64 years old. The upper age limit is discussed individually with the guide.

Temperature
In the village of Terskol during the day +12+25 degrees, at night +8+12
During acclimatization during the day +8+20, at night -5+8
In the assault camp during the day 0+10, at night -10-0
The best season for climbing Mount Elbrus is the summer months, as well as May holidays and September - early October.

Complexity
The most difficult moments:
With a backpack of about 12-14 kg, you will need to walk 10 km on the second day with an altitude gain of 1200 m; on the night of ascent at -10-5 degrees with a small assault backpack (up to 5 kg), you need to gain a height of 1500 m and then drop it.
How long does it take to climb to the top of Elbrus? The fastest ascent for our groups is 7 hours from the assault camp at an altitude of 4100 m. The average ascent time is 8-9 hours, and the descent is 3-4 hours.

Difficulty is a very subjective concept; according to some of our participants, according to reviews, it was easy, while others found it difficult. If you are in really good physical shape and your altitude tolerance is fine, then you will not experience any extreme stress.

Accommodations
In Terskol, in tents in a comfortable campsite (with hot water and electricity); on acclimatization in tents at 3 and 3700 m; in the assault camp in tents at 4100 m
If you wish, you can stay in a shelter in the assault camp (1000 rubles per night, you need to book in advance).

How much extra money should I take with me?
Approximately 3000 rubles for additional food.
We recommend taking a stash of 6,000 rubles - it can be used if you don’t want to descend from 5,000 meters on your own - you can call a snowmobile there.
10,000 rubles will be enough for you. There is an ATM in Terskol, but there are problems with it (the cash has run out or there is no electricity due to bad weather).
The cost of equipment rental is calculated individually, depending on what you need - send us a request and we will help you calculate. The maximum rental cost is about 20,000 rubles (if you have nothing at all, not even warm clothes, usually most participants have some of their things at home).

Nutrition
On the days the group is in Terskol, meals in the cafe - local kitchen very filling and tasty.
During acclimatization, the duty team cooks on burners. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided.
Sample menu:
Breakfast - portioned oatmeal with dried fruits and condensed milk/jam, chocolate, cheese sandwich, tea
Lunch - freeze-dried soup, chocolate bar, sandwich with processed cheese, sausage/lard
Dinner - cereal/mashed potatoes with stewed meat, canned vegetables, bread, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, sweets for tea.
In the assault camp, food is freeze-dried (you just need to fill it with hot water).

cellular
In the Elbrus region, from the south of Elbrus, there are cellular communications in many places. Problems arise only for Tele2 and Beeline subscribers. We recommend warning relatives that on days when the group is not in Terskol, there will be problems with communication.

Tickets
Tickets must be purchased before the airport Mineral water(25 minutes to Pyatigorsk by taxi) or to the Pyatigorsk railway station. Arrival time is before 12:00 on the first day. You can leave after 19:00 on the last day.

Group meeting place
Pyatigorsk, Hostel Central st. Karl Marx 4

Group meeting time
11:00 on the first day of the program

We recommend staying a couple of days in Pyatigorsk - this is an atmospheric southern town surrounded by mountains - there are thermal and mineral springs, and lots of seasonal fruit. Back in tsarist times, sanatorium-resort institutions began to be built here, which are still thriving - such a fertile climate here! And it’s very interesting to visit the places of Mikhail Lermontov’s youth and the vigorous activity of Ostap Bender. Usually on the last day, participants have a second farewell party in Pyatigorsk (the first in Terskol on the penultimate day).

Tourist route: Terskol village (2150 m) - Maiden's Braids waterfall (2800 m) - back along the same route.
Round trip distance: 10 km. Travel time there: 2-3 hours Travel time back: 1-1.5 hours Ascent altitude: 2800 m

Route map

Shelter "New Horizon"

Tourist route: Terskol village (2150 m) - Maiden Braids waterfall (2800 m) - New Horizons shelter (2900 m) - back along the same route. Round trip distance: 12 km. Travel time there: 3 hours. Travel time back: 1.5 hours. Ascent altitude: 2900 m.
Views: panorama of the Main Caucasus Range, Mount Elbrus, Mount Cheget, glades of Azau and Cheget, Cheget ski lifts and mining ski slopes, valley of the Terskol river. Near comfortable places for tents, clean stream.

Route map

3. Terskol Peak Observatory

Tourist route: Terskol village (2150 m) - Maiden Braids waterfall (2800 m) - New Horizons shelter (2900 m) - Terskol Peak Observatory (3100 m) - back along the same route. Distance there and back: 15 km Travel time there: 3-4 hours Travel time back: 1.5-2 hours Ascent altitude: 3100 m
Views: panorama of the Main Caucasus Range, Mount Elbrus, Mount Cheget, Azau and Cheget glades, Cheget ski lifts and ski slopes, Terskol River valley.

Route map

4. Shelter “Ice Base”

Tourist route: Terskol village (2150 m) - Maiden Braids waterfall (2800 m) - Terskol Peak Observatory (3100 m) - New Horizons shelter (2900 m) - Ice Base shelter (3700 m) - back the same route. Distance there and back: 24 km Travel time there: 4-6 hours Travel time back: 3 hours Ascent altitude: 3700 m

Views: panorama of the Main Caucasus Range, Mount Elbrus, Mount Cheget, Azau and Cheget glades, Cheget ski lifts and ski slopes, Terskol River valley, Garabashi and Terskol glaciers. Description: The buildings of the Ice Base shelter were previously used as a warehouse for construction materials during the construction of Shelter 11. Then the Ice Base shelter began to be used for free overnight stays for climbers. The shelter was wooden houses with 2 rooms in which there were floorings for sleeping and a stove. The shelter is currently not in use. However, the place where the shelter is located is very beautiful, picturesque and popular among tourists. Along the way you will meet: a monument to Soviet soldiers, the 95th and 105th picket.

Route map

5. Mount Cheget

Tourist route: Glade Cheget – top of Mount Cheget – glade Cheget Distance: 3100 by cable car + 2200 on foot Travel time there: 2 - 3 hours Travel time back: 1 - 2 hours Ascent altitude: 3769 m

Route map

6. “Turya Lakes”

Tourist route: Elbrus village (1800 m) – “Turyi Lakes” (2550 m) - back along the same route. Distance there and back: 18 km Travel time there: 3-4 hours Travel time back: 1.5 hours Ascent altitude: 2550 m

Route map

7. To the Great Azau glacier

(Azau Glade – Big Azau Glacier – Azau Glade). Tourist route: Distance there and back: 8 km Travel time there: 1-2 hours Travel time back: 1 hour Ascent altitude: 2800 m

Route map

8. To the upper reaches of the Irik River

Tourist route: Elbrus village (1800 m) – Irik Narzan – Irik river valley (2400 m) – Elbrus village (1800 m). Distance there and back: 14 km Travel time there: 3-4 hours Travel time back: 2 hours Ascent altitude: 2400 m

Route map

Two to three day hikes

9. Lake Syltrankol

Tourist route: Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) – Syltransu river valley - Syltrankel lake (3200 m) – Syltran pass (3400 m) – Mukal river valley (2750 m) - Kyrtyk gorge - Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) Distance to and from return: 28 km Travel time: 2 – 3 days. Lifting height: 3400 m

Description: The hike will introduce you to one of the largest alpine lakes in the Elbrus region. Exit from the village of Verkhniy Baksan climb to a height of 3400m. Overnight on Lake Syltran. The second day we go to the Syltran pass and descend into the Kyrtyk gorge. Overnight near Narzan. The third day is a descent to the village of Verkhniy Baksan.

Route map

10. Along the path of the builders of the “Shelter of Eleven”. (Ice base map)

Route map

11. Glade “Green Hotel”

Tourist route: Terskol village (2150 m) - Maiden Braids waterfall (2800 m) - Terskol Peak Observatory (3100 m) - New Horizons shelter (2900 m) - "105th picket" (3370 m) - Shelter “Ice Base” (3700 m) - back along the same route. Round trip distance: 24 km Travel time: 3 days Ascent altitude: 3700 m

Description: The hike is intended for acclimatization, as well as for training with ice axes and walking in a bundle. Departure from the village of Terskol, ascent to the Observatory, overnight. Day two: departure to the Ice Base. Dressing in full equipment. Start of training at the foot of Mount Elbrus. After training, descent to the bivouac. The third day is a descent to the village of Terskol.

Route map

12. To the rock of Ullukaya

Tourist route: Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) – valley of the Kyrtyk river (2180 m) – Ullukaya rock (2840 m) – Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m). Round trip distance: 23 km Travel time: 2 – 3 days Ascent altitude: 2840 m

Description: The route will introduce you to the picturesque valley of the Kyrtyk River and the Ullukaya caves, where traces of ancient man’s habitation were discovered.

Route map

13. Svan trail to Mestia hut

Tourist route: Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) – Ski lift (1640 m) - Adyrsu river – Dzhailyk mountain camp (2320 m) - Adyrsu glacier (2700 m) – Mestia hut (2750 m) – Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) Round trip distance: 18 km Travel time: 2 – 3 days Ascent altitude: 2750 m

Description: The route will introduce tourists to the upper reaches of the Adyrsu valley - the kingdom of eternal ice and snow. Along the route you will meet: stone river, waterfall, Ullu-tau alpine camp, spring-waterfall, silver spring, Ullu-tau mountain. For those who are unable to have a child, in the upper reaches of the Adyrsu valley there are female and male stones, the “Embryo” stone and a clearing of desires. Many couples come here to ask for a child.

Route map

14. Around the world Kyrtyk – Syltran

Tourist route: Verkhniy Baksan village (1520 m) – Kyrtyk river valley (2180 m) – Ullukaya rock (2840 m) – Mukal river valley (2750 m) – Syltran pass (3400 m) – Syltrankel lake (3200 m) – Verkhniy village Baksan (1520 m) Round-trip distance: 28 km Travel time: 3 – 4 days Ascent altitude: 3400 m

Description: This circular route is interesting to follow in any direction, but it should be noted that the Syltransu valley is shorter and steeper than the Kyrtyk valley. Therefore, passing the pass from Kyrtyk is preferable for groups that have not undergone high-altitude acclimatization.

Route map

15. Around the world Syltran - Irikchat

Tourist route: Upper Baksan village (1520 m) – Syltrankel lake (3200 m) – Syltran pass (3400 m) – Mkyara moraine – Mkyara glacier (3159 m) – Mkyara pass (3850 m) – Irikchat river valley (2690 m) – Irik Narzan – Elbrus village Round-trip distance: 30 km Travel time: 5 – 6 days Ascent altitude: 3850 m

Description: The route is acclimatization. Large differences in elevation, the highest altitude is 3850 m - Mkyara Pass.

Route map

16. Climbing Mount Elbrus. Classic route

Tourist route: Azau glade (2370 m) - Station "Krugozor" (2950 m) - Station "Mir" (3450 m) - Shelter "Bochki" (3900 m) - Shelter "Eleven" (4100 m) - Pastukhov Rocks (4800 m) - Saddle (5325 m) - Top of Mount Elbrus (5642 m) - back along the same route Distance there and back: 23 km (of which 14 km on foot) Travel time: 12-14 hours Climbing height: 5642 m

Description: The classic route to Mount Elbrus is the most popular among beginners who already have some hiking and climbing experience. Before conquering Elbrus, a several-day acclimatization program is carried out. The conditions of the program are negotiated individually and depend on the condition of the participants, weather conditions and other circumstances.

Beyond our consciousness lies the cold, hostile world of reality.
Between them stretches a narrow border strip of our feelings.
Any connection between two worlds requires crossing this narrow strip...
And to achieve a proper understanding of ourselves and the outside world
It is extremely important to conduct in-depth research on this border strip.

Heinrich Hertz's keynote speech Imperial Palace, Berlin, August 1891

Well, readername, it may seem to you that there is a lot of books here, but if you ever decide to repeat the route, be patient, and you will remember this text more than once. Personally, I envy you a little, because when I set out, I hardly knew a tenth of what is described here.

Any journey begins with packing. Clothing to cover the temperature range from +30 °C to -15 °C, special equipment, bivouac supplies, all this had to be carefully selected and tried to fit into a far from rubber backpack. Plus, don’t forget about a bunch of small but important details: ultraviolet radiation at an altitude of 4000+ m has an intensity six times higher than at sea level, so you need normal glasses and cream with an SPF 50+ index, and if you don’t want it after a few days in the cold and wind your lips looked like Angelina Jolie's Christina Ray you need to take a hygiene kit, and of course take a flag, there is always a chance that the goals will still be achieved)
1.

The weight of personal belongings at the start is 18 kg, plus 6 kg food with a pot, plus 3 kg tent which we Lyokhoy dragged one by one. In total, the total weight is 24-27 kg, which, in general, is not considered so much for such a trip, and people who were not so careful in the selection of things easily caught up to 30 kg.

Having arrived in Terskol, we decided to spend one day exploring the surrounding area and going to the city of Cheget, which in fact became the first step towards the beginning of acclimatization. We were led by an experienced local guide.
2.

On the slope of Cheget, at an altitude of 2735 m, there is a cozy cafe with short name"Ouch." Anyone who has watched the film “Breakfast with a View of Elbrus,” in which it appears, knows that “Ai” is translated as moon. There we landed on the moon for a while, ate Khychin, and washed it down with chacha and beer. A little life hack: if you place an order and smile sweetly at the hostess, an additional option opens, listen to Vysotsky or Vizbor from vinyl, of course, we agreed).
3.

However, you can have breakfast not only with a view of Elbrus, but also of the Baksan Gorge:
4.

Elbrus and its spurs are clearly visible from Cheget. Unconditionally dominating his area, he justifies the name common among the local peoples of Mingi-Tau — which translates to “mountain of a thousand mountains.” Usually, all ascents from the south to any of the peaks begin from the “Shelter of Eleven”. You can get to it in two fundamental ways.
5.

The first, from the Azau clearing, through the cable car station (shown in blue). Considered a "southern classic". But to paraphrase a well-known saying, this is a button accordion, not a classic. The advantages include ease, safety, availability of infrastructure, up to a dozen cafes along the road. Particularly lazy people can take the cable car up to a height of 3750 m. The advantages of the second (marked in red) are: greater variety, different attractions, and a circumstance that makes the listed advantages even more prominent - the almost complete absence of people! True, some dangers when passing are hidden in the slopes between the 105th picket and the ice base (under unfavorable conditions you can catch an avalanche), and when crossing the Gara-Bashi glacier (closed cracks can be easily opened, with unpleasant consequences for yourself).

The question of what is the best way to go, in general, was not even raised).

The next day, having registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, we began to climb. Having passed the “Elephant” rock along the road, consisting of columnar sections, we decided to have lunch at the “Maiden’s Braids” waterfall - last place, where you could still see a large number of rednecks.
6.

After lunch we continue our climb.
9.

Soon we will enter the “clearing of madmen”; in order to shed light on the etymology of the toponym, we will give the word to Kudinov’s “Elbrus Chronicle”:

“...the expedition belonged to the Bogomolets Institute of Physiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. It should be remembered that back in 1929-1934, an expedition from Kazan State University, headed by Professor Nikolai Nikolaevich Sirotinin, conducted experiments on Elbrus; they studied altitude sickness, as well as changes in the nervous system under the influence of high-altitude factors. In 1935-1940, research of the same profile was carried out by an expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR under his leadership.
Ukrainian physiologists have achieved positive results in experiments on the treatment of mild schizophrenia and asthma with oxygen starvation. “Sirotinintsy,” as the Ukrainian expedition members were lovingly nicknamed, began assembling prefabricated houses at different heights back in 1952.
They built their main base in the Baksan Gorge not far from the village of Terskol, the second at the “New Krugozor” and the third in the area of the “105th picket” (During the construction of the highway between Terskol and the “Ice Base”, the entire route was divided into hundred-meter sections - pickets. Small mountain glade before the steep takeoff to “Ledovaya”, where the 105th hundred-meter line was located, it is called “105th picket”). Since then, in the summer, “Orphans” appear at the bases along with the experimental “zoological garden!” With their presence, they bring revitalization to the monotonous life of the permanent “residents” of Elbrus.”

From here you can see the Ukrainian observatory Terskol Peak, which is located above the village of Terskol at an altitude of 3127 meters.
10.

“Madhouse”, in the world “95th Picket”. Height approx. 3000 m. We decided to spend the night and pitch our tent right inside. As it turned out, this was the right decision; close acquaintance with sleet and rain raises few people’s spirits.
11.

The next morning the weather was good.
12.

Since before, on the approaches to the house, we had fallen into knee-deep snow, we decided to get up early in order to cross the snowy areas while they were caught in the frost.

The next point is a small base built in the summer of 1960 at the “105th picket” for the flow of tourists going to the “Shelter of Eleven”. Height approx. 3400 m.
13.

In the fall of 1961, the 105th Picket base was connected to a power line running from Terskol to the Ice Base and had heating.

The same “Elbrus Chronicle” by Kudinov gives fun fact associated with this place. On February 26, 1963, Tenzing Norgay, the first ascent of Everest, arrived in the USSR.

“...In the Elbrus region, in a mountaineering camp„Adil-su“, where Tenzing arrived after a solemn meeting with the capital’s climbers, he was given a warm, friendly welcome with purely Caucasian hospitality.
Tenzing visited a number of landmarks in the Baksan Gorge, the cable car and ski slopes on Mount Cheget. After this, our guest and a small climbing group, which was supposed to climb to the top of winter Elbrus, arrived in the village of Terskol. In Terskol highway ended. Ahead were the Elbrus slopes covered with abundant snow, along which we had to climb. Tenzing"besieged“Autograph lovers and photographers. Finally, stuck in deep snow, numerous mourners fell behind. Only at some distance from the climbers, cameramen from the Nalchik television studio stubbornly go up the ready-made tracks, intending to film all stages of the ascent at all costs. Unfortunately, they will soon"run out of steam"“, because deep snow, heavy equipment and lack of necessary training completely exhausted them. The climbers continue their climb, and in the afternoon they reach a branch of the camp site"Shelter of Eleven" -"105th picket“, lost in the snows of Elbrus. They are hospitably greeted by winterers Ikar Paukov and Vitaly Ponomarev.”

On March 7th, in fairly good weather (sun and calm), they, as part of a group of climbers, climbed the “Shelter of the Eleven”. This is 4200 m, more than two times lower than Tenzing’s altitude record. Soon the weather turned bad. He was better suited to bad weather than others. But the Himalayan’s prudence prevailed over his ambitions. After all, each of the climbers is moderately ambitious. Elbrus showed his obstinate character. Tenzing did not climb Elbrus. Oddly enough, Tenzing benefited from this “defeat”. I am sure that if he had reached the top, he would hardly have made such an impression. And so, we still remember this fact. He once again demonstrated to everyone that he — The Great Expert of Mountains and Climber, that he has a head on his shoulders, and most importantly — respect for the Mountain and yourself.

And “105th” is now going through hard times, the first floor is covered with snow.
14.

It's a shame when batteries don't heat well.
15.

However, the loft can accommodate a medium sized group in relative comfort.

On the end wall, with the help of honeycomb nails and rubbish pulled from the surrounding area, a makeshift museum was made. Some smart guys brought in several shells with knocked down fuses, however, a couple of kg of TNT did not disappear from them.
16.

The next day, having said goodbye to the “105th”, we began the ascent to the Ice Base. (Under unfavorable conditions, the slopes may present an avalanche hazard.)
17.

The glaciologists' base (altitude about 3720 m) is located at the junction of the Terskol and Gara-Bashi glaciers and their moraines.
18.

According to the chronicle:

“In the summer of 1950, two more scientific expeditions appeared on Elbrus. One of them belonged to Tbilisi state university. At the Ice Base, the Georgians erected a building of an unusual cylindrical shape, upholstered in duralumin sheets and nicknamed the “tank”, in which they studied cosmic rays. The winterers also lived there. However, the harsh climate and the difficulties of working in the highlands did not please the southerners, who were accustomed to warmth and sun; already in 1952 they moved to Tegenekli, where they continued their research at an altitude of 1600 meters.”

Now the station is filled with desolation, despondency and post-apocalypse.
19.

20.

However, in the middle of the “tank” there is still space for one tent, where you can spend the night in relative comfort even in the most severe bad weather:
21.

We spent the night 10 minutes away, in a small house.
22.

Of everything we tried on the route, it received a strong 5 stars for comfort. Two rooms with sunbeds, each for 5-6 people, whole windows, a small kitchenette in the middle. True, it is worth saying that part of the house hangs over the cliff, propped up by warped boards and placed stones, but even an unexploded shell, brought by someone’s caring hand and placed behind the stove, did not darken our overnight stay.

In general, due to the fact that it was here, in the fall of 1942, that the main events of the Battle of Elbrus unfolded, items from the “echo of war” category are found in large quantities: bullets, cartridges, shells, machine gun belts and cartridge boxes, grenades. A large number of Soviet soldiers died on the Terskol and Gara-Bashi glaciers. When trying to attack the “Shelter of Eleven”, out of 102 people in Lieutenant Grigoryants’ company, only three returned alive. In July 2013, the 34th Motorized Rifle Mountain Brigade of the Russian Defense Ministry carried out an action to search for and rebury the remains of fallen soldiers. Within a month, 42 soldiers were found, and in 2014, another 29. In a 70-meter crack on the glacier, the body of Lieutenant Grigoryants himself was found; he was identified by his officer’s uniform and parts of his remaining tattoos.

The next day our path lay through the aforementioned Gara-Bashi glacier to the “Shelter of the Eleven”.
23.

Due to the fact that the glacier is closed, the cracks do not disappear; on the contrary, they become much more difficult to detect. Rise at 3:00, sluggish breakfast and departure as soon as the first rays touched the peaks of Elbrus. Snow plugs covering glacial crevasses, frozen overnight by frost, are relatively stable. We tie ourselves together, Mikha leads the first, I lead the second. We follow the trail, we pass the first section of the path, focusing on the Eastern peak of Elbrus, then, having climbed the ice dome, we deviate to the left.
24.

Once on the "track", we are safe.
25.

The last 150 m of climb and we are there, the “Shelter of Eleven” parking lot. We are preparing places for tents.
26.

In general, this place is a cult among climbers, so let’s dwell on where the name “Shelter of Eleven” came from, what it was before and what it is now.

Let's give the floor to the participants in the project of Rudolf Rudolfovich Leitzinger, the purpose of which was to lay walking trail from the Azau clearing to the Eastern and Western peaks of Elbrus.

“There are eleven of us left. Two guides, one teacher, four R.R. Leitzinger excursionists and four of us. With a rather steep climb, turning slightly to the left, we rose to the left edge of a large gorge with snowy slopes, at the bottom of which huge cracks gaped. We walked a little along the edge and, having crossed a tiny pass, turned right again to the last group of stones in this area. At 2:30 p.m. we reached the middle of this group, where we decided to camp for the night. We were prompted to do this both by the fact that there were no stones higher up that were so comfortable, as well as by the fact that everyone wanted to rest and gather strength for the upcoming difficulties.
The aneroid showed 4320 m. We chose a place where the stones were somewhat larger and formed an area of several square fathoms, protected from the north and east by natural walls. Having rested a little, we got to work and a short time They cleared a place for the “bed” and built another low wall on the west. On this wild stone island, lost in the middle of a sea of snow, at an altitude several hundred meters higher than the height of the Jungfrau, we had to spend a night, perhaps the most unusual in our lives.
We called this place Shelter of Eleven. This name was subsequently approved by Rudolf Rudolfovich Leitzinger, who, by the way, found this place quite suitable for a second hut. I think that it should be built right here, because there are no rocks higher up on which it could be founded without fear of snow debris.”

(According to F. Dunaevsky. On foot along the Main Ridge. Attempt to climb Elbrus in 1909)

The idea of building a shelter on this site was returned to in 1929. A wooden hut covered with iron was installed on the rocks. In 1932 - a barracks-type building for 40 people. Due to a lack of space, tents were sometimes placed directly on the flat roof of the barracks. “Shoulder to shoulder” there were exactly four “pamirs” placed there.
27.

Subsequently, it was decided to build a more spacious building and provide it with all the necessary amenities characteristic of first-class hotels.

The author of the project and the manager of the construction of a high-altitude three-story hotel, capable of hosting more than 100 people at a time, on the site of this hut was an engineer, builder of the first domestic airships, architect and mountaineer Nikolai Mikhailovich Popov. Construction of the hotel has begun in early spring 1938. Between the “Ice Base” and the old “Shelter of the Eleven” bridges were built across glacial cracks, through which caravans with various construction cargo passed. In the fall of 1939, the hotel received its first visitors. It had a boiler room and a power station, central heating, cold and hot water, and sewerage. As V. Kudinov recalled:

“Some of the foreign climbers, without thinking about the difficulties of construction on Elbrus, demanded such things as a piano, jazz and even... a shoe shiner! And one Frenchman expressed outrage at the lack of an elevator.”

28.

29.

During World War II, on August 17, 1942, the shelter was surrendered to German mountain riflemen without firing a single shot. Subsequently, Soviet troops made repeated attempts to drive the invaders out of the “Shelter of the Eleven,” but the Germans covered the approaches, and military operations took place on the Terskol and Gara-Bashi glaciers.

After the defeat of the German troops at Stalingrad, the situation on the Caucasus Front changed greatly. German troops were forced to leave the Caucasus due to the threat of encirclement. On January 10-11, 1943, German mountain rifle units left the upper reaches of the Baksan Gorge and left the Shelter of the Eleven.

The shelter suffered little damage, the diesel station suffered more damage, and was literally blown off by a direct hit from an aerial bomb.

But for the shelter, the war turned out to be not as terrible as racism. On August 16, 1998, a group of V. Panasyuk and S. Bodrov descended from the top of Elbrus at 2 p.m. and were cooking. Further, eyewitnesses differ in their testimony, the only detail on which everyone agrees: “ONOSAMO!” As a result, after counting 59 years of its history, the shelter burned down like the airship it looked so much like(
30.

Well, during our conversation, the tents are set up, let's see what this place looks like now.
31.

32.

The function of the shelter was taken over by the former boiler house.
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Both in Soviet times and now, it is from the “Shelter of Eleven” that the vast majority of climbers set off, but the first ascent was made from the northern side of Elbrus, and the eastern peak was the first to fall.

If you believe Davidovich’s article “Climbing Elborus” (Historical Bulletin, No. 5. 1887), the first attempt was a complete failure.

“The first attempt to climb Elbrus was made in 1817 by Major General Prince Eristov. The expedition was undertaken with two hundred privates and one light gun and ended in complete failure: the detachment, not having good guides, was caught in an avalanche and everyone died, with the exception of several soldiers and a general.”

But in the summer of 1829, Elbrus faced a much more serious enemy, the head of the Caucasian fortified line, General Georgy Arsenievich Emanuel. Wikipedia provides dry facts, and in order to sufficiently reveal the extraordinary personality of the general, let us turn to Volume V of “The Caucasian War” by V. Pott:

“On April 2, 1775, this Arseny, in the city of Vershitsa, had a son, George. The child discovered from an early age a vocation for the military profession; all his games were military: he gathered his peers, made revolutions with them and led them into imaginary battles. But soon these children's fun found application in harsh reality. In 1788, the Turks suddenly invaded Banat, and the inhabitants of Vershitsa fled without having time to capture one gun in their haste. Young George, who was then only thirteen years old, did not follow the general example and remained in the city, along with his childhood playmates. They decided to defend their native Vershitsa.
And so, as soon as the Turks were noticed from the high city bell tower, the alarm bell sounded in all the churches and a weapon forgotten by the residents crashed from the wall. The Turks, imagining that the city was occupied by a garrison, bypassed it, and thus Vershitsa found itself owing its salvation to the resourcefulness of young Emanuel. This first success decided his fate: he volunteered for Mialevich's Serbian corps and participated with him in the war against the Turks, and then against the French on the Rhine. There, in the battle of Landau, he was brutally wounded with a bayonet in the stomach and lay for fourteen days without movement or food. Death was already hovering over his head, but youth - he was eighteen years old - prevailed, and Emanuel recovered. Having reported to the detachment, he was again wounded by a grenade fragment in his right hand and then, while defending the Weissenburg lines, by grapeshot in his leg.
In March 1797, he arrived in Moscow, three years later, in the twenty-fifth year of his life, he was already a colonel and chief of the Kyiv Dragoon Regiment. In the campaign of 1806, in the battle of Pułtusk, he was wounded by a bullet in the leg, and then at Heilsberg by a bullet in the arm.
During the Patriotic War, Emanuel showed special distinction in the battle at the Shevardinsky redoubt, where the Kiev regiment he led recaptured a French battery. In this battle near Emanuel, two horses were killed and he himself was wounded by a bullet in the chest.”

Needless to say, the cavalry general had a lot of determination, but he acted not as a mountain climber, but as an organizer. The expedition consisted of academicians - Kupfer, Lenz and Meyer; they were escorted by an infantry detachment of 600 people, 350 Cossacks and two guns. The academicians, accompanied by several Cossacks and Kabardians, began their ascent and reached the line in the evening eternal snow. After spending the night under a canopy of rock, they set off on their further journey before dawn on July 22, 1829 and reached a height of four and a half kilometers, but then deep snow and thin, hard-to-breathe air forced them to return. But the guide Hilar (his ethnicity is still under debate) from the Baksan village, went forward and by noon reached the top of the mountain - a peak, according to the local population, inaccessible to mortals, since it is guarded by the terrible giant Cyclopes.

To great confusion, there was no old man with a long white beard chained to a rock on Elbrus. Genie Padishah, surrounded by countless hordes of his subordinate spirits, also made no attempt to resist. People who came from the midnight countries, where eternal winter reigns, giants in spirit, conquered his transcendental kingdom and removed the chains from the prisoner. All folk myths about the inaccessibility of this mountain were justified by its majestic and at the same time formidable appearance. Elbrus is a huge snow desert, thrown out of the bowels of the earth by one of those world upheavals that created continents and oceans. This is an entire country, transported to the sky, a dull, uninhabited, harsh country. There is life at the poles, but there is none on Elbrus.

The first people to climb the western peak of Elbrus, in 1874, were the Balkar guide Ahiya Sottaev, the British - Grove, Gardiner, Walker and the Swiss Knubel.

All these people waved to us from the depths of time, and said encouragingly: “Come on! You will succeed, you are cut from the same cloth!”

We made an acclimatization hike and reached almost the Pastukhov rocks.
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The next day we rested, walked and prepared for the assault.
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Wake up at 00:00, leave at 1 am. Below is a sea of clouds bathed in moonlight.
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The weather is beautiful: frost is about minus 10 ° C, there is no wind, the sky is clear.

We started the climb, having put on crampons in the camp; we walked well on the frozen snow. Every 40-45 minutes we make short stops. By 4 am the frost is getting stronger, and the 600-700 m gained also contributes, the temperature is about minus 17 °C. My toes begin to freeze, I speed up my step and hit the slope with my toes harder. Half an hour later, the first rays of the Sun light up the peaks of Donguz-Orun, Nakra, Tsalgmyl, Shtavleri. In the west, in the sky, you can see an unusual phenomenon - the shadow of Elbrus!
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At a covered snowcat (approx. 5000 m) we make a short stop.
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A little more and you will reach the “oblique shelf”. I don’t know how long it took me to complete it, but because of the monotony, it seemed like an eternity to me. Signs of altitude sickness begin to appear, breathing quickens, a headache begins, and the pace slows down significantly. Finally we reach the saddle (5300 m), a halt and a lot of people. We contact the people behind us by radio, they are far away, we decide to wait. As soon as I take off my backpack and sit down next to it, the image of my sleeping bag instantly appears before my eyes. How warm and soft it is, and how comfortable it is, it’s the best sleeping bag in the world. The dreams dissipate, Mikhail’s voice jerks him out of his half-sleep several times, falling asleep at such a height is dangerous, complete disorientation can occur. An hour passes, no one is visible, but over the radio they assure that everything is fine and they continue to move. We decide to climb further.
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The photograph gives a distorted idea of the steepness of the slope, which is 60 degrees. Railings are installed in the most dangerous areas. We decided to climb along the left path.
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After finishing the climb, you need to walk another 400 meters to the pre-summit plateau. After stopping and taking a few deep breaths, you manage to take huge steps, 20 centimeters, but you manage to take very few of them, a little more, you get “liliputians” of half a foot, and after walking you notice that the length of the step is approximately equal to the length of the front teeth of the cats. You look back with sadness at the 10 meters you have traveled and stop to catch your breath.

View from the base of the summit cone towards the saddle, with the eastern summit crater in the background.
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Vertex!
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You can say a lot of pretentious words about #the highest point of Europe, #the world of your feet, #above the clouds, but, having driven away the surging thoughts about my sleeping bag again, I just rejoice and enjoy the moment.
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We take a few photos, sigh and take a farewell look at the indescribable landscape, and begin our descent.

Only now are you starting to notice how hot the sun is. At the saddle, I take off all excess clothing, but at the same time I try not to leave any exposed areas of skin, they burn in no time!
The next stop is at the “clearing” at the lower end of the “oblique shelf”. The altitude is 5100 m, the “miner” has completely let go, you feel great, clarity of thoughts returns to your head, and finally you begin to fully understand all the events of the previous 12 hours.
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Early dinner, and a long-awaited meeting with your sleeping bag. In the list of the most pressing events for the entire hike, it takes a confident second place, after the climb to the top.
In the morning we get up, get ready and go downstairs.
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From 3500 m we decide to go down by cable car; nearby there is a modern one, built by the French, with big amount intermediate supports and smoothly moving cabins, but we are for hardcore, so we choose the old Soviet one, the cables of which go down sharply and are lost from sight somewhere in the distance.
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You can't just see something like this wonderful place, and don’t go there to take pictures!
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The pleasure is valued at 250 wooden, during which, enjoying a free flight with rapid movement, you will be transported from cold winter (Mir station 3500 m), to hot summer (Azau station 2350 m), with a stop and transfer in the spring (st. “Old horizon” 3000 m).
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There was a festive evening below, there were many toasts for us, for the mountains, for Elbrus, for those who are now on the trail. I made wishes and made new plans for the future, but I will write about their implementation some other time)

In conclusion, I would like to say a huge thank you to Mikha for the wonderful company, incredibly valuable advice on technique, tactics and strategy of mountaineering, as well as maintaining the positive mood of the team throughout the entire ascent)