I wasn't able to find a lot on the northern route prior to leaving so I hope the report will provide useful information. We didn't know if we would even get to the mountain, so getting the summit was a bonus!
Congratualtions on the summit, and congratulations on an overall successful trip. I did Elbrus South Route two summers ago and could identify with some of your "kinks" as I read about them. One of our kinks was the breakdown of the ski area gondola system! But we, too, were fortunate and were able to circumvent total frustration and complete the climb in supposedly the worst weather our guide had ever encountered. :) You had a nice mix of succinct commentary and pictures in your report.
A great ascent carried out under somewhat adverse conditions. I didn't know Elbrus could be such a mud-bath. Interesting to go up the less frequented side as well. Enjoyed reading your account - thanks.
When I described the north route as being harder than the south, I was not referring to any technical challenges up high. On summit day I considered the hardest stretch of climbing to be above the saddle where the routes have joined up.
It’s when you add up the whole package, the north is harder.
I haven’t done the south, so I’m depending on other’s reports.
On the southern route you drive a paved road to a ski town at the base of the mountain where you stay in a hotel. There is a ski lift for you and your stuff up to the Barrows Huts. At these huts there is a separate hut for cooking and eating. The huts are roughly the same elevation as high camp on the north side. Summit day can be shortened considerably with a snow cat ride.
There is no guarantee on the ski lift, the snow cat or weather. Both the north and south have significant crevasse risk for those who get off route. Either side could turn into an ordeal.
It’s just that with the north route, you know you will be starting and returning to a lower elevation without mechanical support. And you will be starting from a remote valley far from the nearest town. That’s more of a logistical and physical challenge for you and the company you book with.
Elbrus is not my first high mountain or glacier climb, so there was never any time I felt uncomfortable high on the mountain. Between base camp and the Aerodrome there were spots I didn’t like. How much I feel exposure has everything to do with how stable I feel. My pack up to high camp weighed over 1/3 of my body weight. There was mud and wet rocks. That’s not a good combination where footing is critical.
Q1: is it possible to do the climb without a guide, i.e by hiring a driver and porter only? I find the cost of EUR 900 a little high.
Q2: is the southern route really still closed? I can find this info only on the elbrustours webpage. Maybe they forgot to update their page, or want the climbers to go via north route. Wo can I call to confirm?
There is no requirement to be guided. I suggest checking with Elbrus Tours or Pilgrim Tours about less supported packages. Also part of the mix is the Russian Visa requirements.
Pilgrim Tours have been mentioned in several trip reports here and elsewhere on the web. Their website has an information page (Local area news) with updates on the situation. They have also cancelled their south side tours.
This Elbrus Facebook page has info:
http://www.facebook.com/ElbrusRace
I’m pretty sure this isn’t being made up to sell north side tours. The whole situation has been a negative impact on the guiding companies and others who depend on tourism for their income.
Great post! Very nice to have all this information. I also have two questions;
(i) Do you know the family name of your guide Serge? We (my wife and i) are also planning to climb Elbrus and the guide we have booked is also named Serge (i understand this is a common Russian name).
(ii) Did you experience any sense of anti-tourist / anti-westerner behaviour? Or in other words; Did you feel safe?
Sorry, I don’t know Sergy’s family name. Just that he lives in Kislovodsk.
We didn’t feel any anti western behavior. We were only in Kislovodsk for a short time before and after the mountain. So we didn’t have a lot of independent interaction with the local people.
In Russia most people we dealt with directly were friendly. However if someone was on the other side of a counter, and they were old enough to have been an adult under the Soviet Union, they didn’t seem as used to smiling as the younger people.
Sarah Simon - Jul 7, 2011 7:44 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice work and congratsI enjoyed this trip report - and congrats on your ascent! -Sarah
MountainHikerCO - Jul 7, 2011 8:35 pm - Hasn't voted
ThanksI wasn't able to find a lot on the northern route prior to leaving so I hope the report will provide useful information. We didn't know if we would even get to the mountain, so getting the summit was a bonus!
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Well doneThanks
Moogie737 - Jul 10, 2011 6:57 pm - Voted 10/10
Just right!Congratualtions on the summit, and congratulations on an overall successful trip. I did Elbrus South Route two summers ago and could identify with some of your "kinks" as I read about them. One of our kinks was the breakdown of the ski area gondola system! But we, too, were fortunate and were able to circumvent total frustration and complete the climb in supposedly the worst weather our guide had ever encountered. :) You had a nice mix of succinct commentary and pictures in your report.
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:42 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Just right!Thanks. One of the challenges of foreign travel is dealing with the surprises.
Senad Rizvanovic - Jul 10, 2011 11:11 pm - Voted 10/10
!Congrats, well done!
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:44 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: !Thanks
markhallam - Jul 10, 2011 11:40 pm - Voted 10/10
Congratulations!A great ascent carried out under somewhat adverse conditions. I didn't know Elbrus could be such a mud-bath. Interesting to go up the less frequented side as well. Enjoyed reading your account - thanks.
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Congratulations!I knew mud could be a reality for the road. I wasn’t anticipating it being as much of an issue for the hike above base camp.
MountainHikerCO - Jul 11, 2011 3:38 pm - Hasn't voted
North verses SouthWhen I described the north route as being harder than the south, I was not referring to any technical challenges up high. On summit day I considered the hardest stretch of climbing to be above the saddle where the routes have joined up.
It’s when you add up the whole package, the north is harder.
I haven’t done the south, so I’m depending on other’s reports.
On the southern route you drive a paved road to a ski town at the base of the mountain where you stay in a hotel. There is a ski lift for you and your stuff up to the Barrows Huts. At these huts there is a separate hut for cooking and eating. The huts are roughly the same elevation as high camp on the north side. Summit day can be shortened considerably with a snow cat ride.
There is no guarantee on the ski lift, the snow cat or weather. Both the north and south have significant crevasse risk for those who get off route. Either side could turn into an ordeal.
It’s just that with the north route, you know you will be starting and returning to a lower elevation without mechanical support. And you will be starting from a remote valley far from the nearest town. That’s more of a logistical and physical challenge for you and the company you book with.
Elbrus is not my first high mountain or glacier climb, so there was never any time I felt uncomfortable high on the mountain. Between base camp and the Aerodrome there were spots I didn’t like. How much I feel exposure has everything to do with how stable I feel. My pack up to high camp weighed over 1/3 of my body weight. There was mud and wet rocks. That’s not a good combination where footing is critical.
harbor - Jul 12, 2011 4:07 am - Hasn't voted
Nice reportEnjoyed the report.
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:47 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice reportThanks
time2fly - Jul 14, 2011 12:27 pm - Hasn't voted
Need guide?Enjoyed the report. Congratulation on the climb.
Q1: is it possible to do the climb without a guide, i.e by hiring a driver and porter only? I find the cost of EUR 900 a little high.
Q2: is the southern route really still closed? I can find this info only on the elbrustours webpage. Maybe they forgot to update their page, or want the climbers to go via north route. Wo can I call to confirm?
regards,
Henning from Munich
MountainHikerCO - Jul 14, 2011 3:54 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Need guide?There is no requirement to be guided. I suggest checking with Elbrus Tours or Pilgrim Tours about less supported packages. Also part of the mix is the Russian Visa requirements.
http://www.pilgrim-tours.com/index.shtml
http://pilgrim-tours.com/forum//phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=9ffe65316d6b546557f29f2c9b3c34ae
Pilgrim Tours have been mentioned in several trip reports here and elsewhere on the web. Their website has an information page (Local area news) with updates on the situation. They have also cancelled their south side tours.
This Elbrus Facebook page has info:
http://www.facebook.com/ElbrusRace
I’m pretty sure this isn’t being made up to sell north side tours. The whole situation has been a negative impact on the guiding companies and others who depend on tourism for their income.
JFKunst - Jul 16, 2011 12:13 pm - Hasn't voted
GuideMHCO,
Great post! Very nice to have all this information. I also have two questions;
(i) Do you know the family name of your guide Serge? We (my wife and i) are also planning to climb Elbrus and the guide we have booked is also named Serge (i understand this is a common Russian name).
(ii) Did you experience any sense of anti-tourist / anti-westerner behaviour? Or in other words; Did you feel safe?
Thanks a bunch!
JF
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: GuideSorry, I don’t know Sergy’s family name. Just that he lives in Kislovodsk.
We didn’t feel any anti western behavior. We were only in Kislovodsk for a short time before and after the mountain. So we didn’t have a lot of independent interaction with the local people.
In Russia most people we dealt with directly were friendly. However if someone was on the other side of a counter, and they were old enough to have been an adult under the Soviet Union, they didn’t seem as used to smiling as the younger people.
Nas - Jul 19, 2011 2:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: GuideFamily name of that Sergy was Onyfry. He is also known as Youzhik :D
Alpinist - Jul 16, 2011 2:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Congrats!Congratulations again on a successful summit during challenging circumstances! I enjoyed reading your trip report.
MountainHikerCO - Jul 16, 2011 6:47 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Congrats!Thanks