Trip Reports

Elbrus - 28 Jul to 9 Aug '18

Written by Leader Alun Richardson, August 2018

Climbing the highest mountain in Europe is on everyone’s agenda at some moment in their mountaineering life. I was intrigued to see what Russia was like because it had been 28 years since I was last there and it was the USSR then. The trip started as it was to continue with a beautiful sunrise as we got closer to Moscow. Mineraine Vody was a lovely city with some nice attractions close to the hotel and the food was good. There is a wonderful ride on a chair lift to the top of one of the 5 hills around the town that gives wonderful views over the town.

The drive to base camp was lovely, but weather didn't allow us to see Elbrus and the far hills and mountains. There are good views of Elbrus when the weather is nice. We saw shepherds, horses, ground squirrels and a beautiful hoopoe bird. Our kit went straight to base camp, but we took a 2 hour walk passing a spectacular waterfall and crossing lovely meadows. The river crossing via a 'postmans walk’ was exciting, but the water levels were not too high. BC is a conglomeration of discarded vehicles, large tents on platforms and some solid buildings. There is also a largish dining room and a bar that is locked. There was wifi and a phone signal for us to get forecasts. Lunch was soup, cucumber, sour cream, beef stew and buckwheat all washed down with the spring water very refreshing and just like Badoit in France.

The following morning we woke to good weather and headed off for a lovely acclimatisation walk past ‘Mushroom rocks’ at 3200m and then onto a high point at 3400 m. Another nice lunch of soup, buckwheat and a chicken escalope. We showered, snoozed and sorted our kit for the porters tomorrow.

We met the porters early and after sorting loads we left camp and retraced some of our route from yesterday and arrived North Camp around 12am. North Camp is a collection of huts and domes at 3800m set below the snow slopes of Elbrus and with lovely views back down the valley. The huts have electricity when the sun is shining and there is WiFi.

The next day we headed for the glacier and snow and walked slowly to 4350m. We looked at crevasse rescue and examined carrying an ice axe. The weather was good i the morning but by midday storm clouds were gathering so we scuttled back to the huts.

An early start Woke at 4.45 for 5am breakfast. We got to 4350m in 1 hour 38 mins then onto 4820 m in another 1 hour 22 minutes. Everyone was feeling good and the scenery was both dramatic and made all the more spectacular at times by the gathering clouds.

That night we examined the weather and decide to miss the poor weather day and go for the summit on our spare day. That night we organised a quiz night where everyone had to bring 10 questions. Great fun and interesting.

On the rest day I did a ropework session which attracted an audience of clients and guides resulting in the Russians setting me challenges to solve.

Summit day

Woke at 12.45 am

Breakfast 1 am

Left at 2pm.

Summit at 10 am

Back at camp at 3 pm

We went slow, but steady, never resting for to long. We were overtaken by teams at the start, but eventually we overtook them and lots of other teams including those who had left an hour earlier. The crevasses were becoming bigger each day. The traverse from Lenz rocks to the saddle is long and mentally tough. Crevasses are well hidden, but they are there as Damien found out when he put his foot through a black hole. There was a keen wind, which gave the cold a bite.

We traversed along a rock band to the summit slopes and the fixed cable. We were now mixed up with more people coming up from the south side. We made the summit in good time and had clear views all around. The descent was hard work but uneventful.

To base camp - After sorting the porter loads.We waited until they had gone before descending ourselves.

We celebrated our success in the bar at BC with Russian Vodka drank in a series of toasts.

It had been a tough ascent for everyone as we had to dig into our reserves physically and mentally, but we had made good time and everyone was buzzing.

“Going to the right place at the right time, with the right people is all that matters. what one does is purely incidental” Colin Kirkus

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