Elbrus

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Has anyone here climbed Elbrus? Did you use a guide service or go with your own party? How expensive was it? What route did you take? Was it a worthwhile destination? Any other thoughts?

[Alex_Mineev]

try searching thru www.mountain.ru - this site has few TRs and links to companies operating in this region.

[catbirdseat]

Ask JGowans.

[Harkin_Banks]

there are perfectly good stairmasters in the pnw

[KaskadskyjKozak]

there are perfectly good stairmasters in the pnw

 

to each his own

[DirtyHarry]

Everybody's taste and opinion is unique and should be respected. But mountain slogging is just straight stupid.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Everybody's taste and opinion is unique and should be respected. But mountain slogging is just straight stupid.

 

Is the walkup truly the only reasonable route up? And even if so, it is the highest point in Europe, and a unique experience to visit the Kavkaz. I have a personal interest in the area.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I climbed it in July of 2002 at the end of my Peace Corps service in Russia. It's just a slog, but it was still pretty awesome. There is a route up the other side from the standard route that is slightly harder, but not much. The hard part is getting around to the other side.

I organized the thing myself and led 3 other volunteers. We did it really cheaply, but we all spoke Russian to some degree or another and had trains and stuff figured out.

If you want to get up to 18k feet and climb one of the seven summits, it's a great destination. If you want a technical challenge go do Ushba or nearly anything else in the area other than Elbrus. Let me know if you've go more questions.

- OMB

[glassgowkiss]

And even if so, it is the highest point in Europe

technically it is not the highest point in europe. this topic was discussed in exess on www.wspinanie.pl. according to Jerzy Wala (who is somewhat an authority on euorpe and asian mtn ranges)Elbrus is outside of geographical borders of europe, so it can't be the highest point.

[crazy_t]

I've been there 14 times over the last 5 years, summer and winter (mostly guiding). It's a lot like a huge Mt. Baker, but in an interesting part of Russia, directly on the border with Georgia. The Caucasus are beautiful. I've always enjoyed my time there, and have a lot of good friends in the area. If you're a skier/ boarder, it makes for a good ski descent. Moscow and St. Petersburg are great if you haven't been there. Email me your # and I'd be glad to talk to you about it.

Edited January 27, 2005 by crazy_t

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I climbed it in July of 2002... I organized the thing myself and led 3 other volunteers. We did it really cheaply, but we all spoke Russian to some degree or another and had trains and stuff figured out...

Let me know if you've go more questions.

- OMB

 

Assuming I flew in to Peterburg, about how expensive would it be to get to Elbrus, do the climb and return to Peterburg? And how long would the climb take (Peterburg to Peterburg). I speak Russian with near-native fluency, so taking advantage of means to travel, booking reservations, etc would not be a problem...

 

Other options I am considering are coming in from Tbilisi or Yerevan.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I've been there 14 times over the last 5 years, summer and winter (mostly guiding). It's a lot like a huge Mt. Baker, but in an interesting part of Russia, directly on the border with Georgia. The Caucasus are beautiful. I've always enjoyed my time there, and have a lot of good friends in the area. If you're a skier/ boarder, it makes for a good ski descent. Moscow and St. Petersburg are great if you haven't been there. Email me your # and I'd be glad to talk to you about it.

 

spasibo bol'shoe.

[crazy_t]

Ne za shto.

[crazy_t]

Pic from the saddle, and one from skiing on Elbrus April 2002.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

zamechatel'no!

[crazy_t]

looking towards main Caucasus ridge

[griz]

sweet pic,dude. what's the name of that purdy peak in the first pic on the left w/ the gunsight notch?

Edited January 27, 2005 by griz

[crazy_t]

Vid vsegda otlichno! Horoshije mestnije, shaslik vkusni. Ya vsegda rad, tuda vernutsja.

[crazy_t]

Ushba, a beauty. It lies in Georgia. Easiest route is on L ridge of L summit. The Ushba traverse is pretty burly. Unfortunately I only know this second hand!

[crazy_t]

Donguz-Arun (L peak) and Nakra-Tau ® sliding after a 5' storm. The ridgline is the Georgia border. Shot taken from a chairlift at the Cheget ski area, 10 mins from the base of Elbrus.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Vid vsegda otlichno! Horoshije mestnije, shaslik vkusni. Ya vsegda rad, tuda vernutsja.

 

ya tozhe ochen' lyublyu kavkazskiye blyuda - vklyuchaya shashlik. gruzinskoye vino tozhe mne nravitsya (konkretno kindzmarauli, khvanchkara). lyudi tam priyatnyye, druzheskiye

[crazy_t]

a somewhat better view of Ushba, in winter. Approach for aforementioned route is via icefall on left.

[crazy_t]

You'd definitely enjoy yourself there then. There's some rock climbing in the area, bouldering, and amazing alpine climbing in the Caucasus, although access for foreigners into some of the mountains directly next to or in Georgia has been more restricted lately. But shashlik and beer, with a view like that, is hard to beat !

[crazy_t]

shashlik i pivo

[griz]

wow. that's a helluva mtn and some fine mtn porn... thanks for putting up the pics. I was just image googling it for some other views too.