Elbrus

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Ever since the school age, each of us remembers the majestic double-headed Elbrus if not by textbooks of geography, then by textbooks of literature. After all, the great Lermontov, having got to the Caucasus reluctantly, was really fascinated by them, loved with his whole heart and sang it not only in poetry, but also in colors. His paintings depicting Elbrus, Beshtau, gorges and mountain ranges of the Caucasus perfectly convey the beauty and special, severe, ancient and breathtaking poetry of these places.

Elbrus occupies a special place in the system of the Great Caucasus. This is the highest mountain range of the Lateral Range of the Caucasus Mountains. Geologists have determined that Elbrus is the cone of an extinct volcano. Its western peak reaches an altitude of 5,642 m, and the eastern one - 5,621 m, they are separated by a deep saddle, which is also a five-thousand-meter high, its height is 5325 m.

Since Elbrus is very tall, it is always covered with a firn and ice cap, from which 54 glaciers descend in different directions, the largest of which are Big Azau, Irik and Terskol.

Ascension to Elbrus

Naturally, even in those times when the mountains were the point of application of sports interests only for climbers, and not for alpine skiers and snowboarders, attempts were made to conquer Elbrus. The eastern peak in 1829 was the first to reach Kabardin K. Khashirov, the conductor of the Russian scientific expedition, and the western in 1874 - English athletes led by F. Grove and Kabardin guide A. Sottaev, participant, by the way, the first ascent of the Russian expedition.

In the years of Soviet power, the ascent to the Elbrus region became very popular, they turned into mass "alpiniads", in the largest of which in 1967 there were no fewer than 2,400 climbers.

At the altitude of 4600-4700 m there are the rocks of Pastukhov, the Russian military topographer, which first conquered both the Eastern and Western - the tops of Elbrus. Above these rocks there is an ice field in winter. From an altitude of 5000 m, the "slanting shelf" begins, as climbers call it, a fairly hollow running plane rising upward. Traditionally, the route of climbing to any of Elbrus' peaks passes through its saddle. From there to both peaks remains about 300 m.

From the northern side of the mountain massif the infrastructure is still poorly developed, there are only a few huts for climbers, which are used by tourists and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a rule, on the north side, ascend to the Eastern peak, the route passes through the Lenz rocks (from 4600 to 5200 m).

In the years of Soviet power, the ascent in the Elbrus region became very popular, they turned into mass "alpiniads", in the largest of which were attended by 2,400 climbers in 1967

Mountain skiing

In our country, the Elbrus region has always been and remains one of the most popular centers of mountain skiing and tourism . The most visited slope of the Elbrus region is Mount Cheget, which is beautifully equipped as a cable chair and rope-pendulum lifts . Trails here of varying degrees of complexity, anyone who wishes from beginners to newcomers will find a route on Cheget at their capabilities . Cheget has a tourist attraction choice that is attractive to tourists . There is a cafe and restaurants on the slope, stock rental points work . From the top of the mountain there is a wonderful view of the two-headed Elbrus .

Ascent to Elbrus

Tourbases

As far as Elbrus proper, then, for all its severity and external inaccessibility , not suggesting, there is also a certain tourist infrastructure . It is concentrated mainly on the southern slopes of the mountain massif where the pendulum chairlift is located, whose height is 3750 m . Here you will be met by the shelter "Barrels", in which are located more than ten six-seated insulated cabins and a kitchen . This place serves as a launching pad for modern athletes climbing Elbrus . There is a new, more modern, shelter "Liprus", opened in 2013 . It can accommodate 48 people and is located and altitude 3912 m . The most high-altitude hotel Prielbrusya - "Shelter of eleven", its main building was burned in the 90s of the 20 century, but now on the basis of the boiler house of the old hotel a new building was built . In addition, the shelter is located a few 12-car trailers and a kitchen . In the evenings the diesel generator works with the supply of electricity to the trailers .

Those who are in the Elbrus region in the summer, we recommend visiting the Narzan Valley, a place not far from Cheget, where the mineral water Narzan, which we are accustomed to seeing in a bottle x and cylinders in large numbers in the form of springs beats straight out of the ground.

Elbrus saddle, as a starting point for all climbers, no matter which of the peaks they seek to reach, long ago needed their own shelter, because the higher the climbers climb, the more difficult it is for them to get every centimeter of the way . Therefore shelter at the height 5300 m is really needed . Since 2007 the construction works are being carried out . The shelter will be a hemisphere with a diameter of 6, 7 m, installed on the foundation . By 2009, the dome constructions were made, construction work began . However, in planned time 2010 - the shelter could not be opened, now work continues .

How to get there: by plane to Kislovodsk, Nalchik or Cherkessk, then by bus, taxi or rented car.

Majestic Elbrus

Snow-covered slopes of Elbrus

Blossoming slopes of Elbrus

Elbrus in the clouds

Elbrus at sunset