Elbrus — majestic peaks of the North Caucasus

I think many people have just heard about the unique Caucasian mount Elbrus, perhaps even went skiing or snowboarding, or just rested at the foot and saw the majestic peaks of the Eastern and Western peaks. It is about this beautiful and unique mountain in its form that we will tell you further.

In a nutshell about Elbrus

Elbrus is the highest point not only in Russia, but also in Europe — 5,642 meters, which is located just north of the Main Caucasian Ridge. A part of Mount Elbrus is located on the territory of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, and a large part is located on the territory of the Kabardino—Balkarian Republic. The mountain itself is a stratovolcano, which has two peaks — the Western 5,642 meters and the Eastern 5,621 meters. The peaks of the mountain are covered with glaciers and snow all year round, which allows you to start the ski season in mid-autumn and finish almost in summer.

But the mountain is of particular interest to climbers who consider the conquest of the peak one of the most important goals of life.

Mount Elbrus was formed about two to three million years ago. It is believed that the dormant volcano erupted about four times in total, the strongest eruption occurred about 225 thousand years ago, and the last time the volcano woke up was only about two thousand years ago. The mountain consists of layers of long-frozen lava, volcanic tuff and ash. The slopes of Elbrus are mostly gentle, but starting from a height of 4,000 meters, the average slope angle is 35 degrees.

The history of climbing Elbrus

The locals of Elbrus did not seek to ascend until the 19th century, so as not to disturb the peace of the revered mountain. Then there were many unsuccessful attempts to climb to the top, but it was only in the middle of the century that the first ascent of Elbrus was made. Namely, on July 10, 1829, to the Eastern peak of the mountain. The expedition that first conquered the mountain was led by General George Emmanuel. He commanded the Caucasian Defense forces and the main overall purpose of his visit to Elbrus was to find places for a military line.

The tasks of the group were quite peaceful: collecting information about the height of the mountains; determining mineral deposits; forest reserves; exploring mountains and valleys. It should be noted that the expedition was organized with the support of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), and the group included scientific specialists. The main part of the group had to stop at an altitude of 4,270 meters due to bad weather, the rest of the group was forced to stop at an altitude of 5,300 meters in front of the Elbrus Saddle. Only one person managed to reach the top. It turned out to be Kabardian Kilar Hashirov, who celebrated the conquest of the peak with three shots from a rifle. The general awarded Kilar with a prize of 400 rubles in silver.

The group's ascent became a major event in the history of mountaineering. After the completion of the expedition to General George Emmanuel was awarded the title of Honorary Member of the Academy of Sciences. To this day, a clearing located in the tract of the Kyzylkol River at the level of 2,450 meters bears the name of the general on Elbrus.

The ascent to the highest Western peak of Elbrus took place 45 years later on July 16, 1874, by a group of British climbers led by Florence Grove and guide Ahiya Sottaev, who participated in the first ascent.

Elbrus is now

Elbrus does not cease to be popular with tourists. Every year the number of those wishing to conquer the peak increases, and with it the number of injured and dead is growing. Every year, due to various circumstances, from fifteen to twenty people die on Elbrus. Some become victims of disorientation in conditions of poor visibility due to strong winds, altitude sickness, hypothermia and many other dangerous situations.

Every year, about 15,000 people try to conquer Elbrus during the season, which lasts only three months a year. On peak days, up to 500 people ascend simultaneously from the northern and southern slopes.

Elbrus region

A specially protected National Park "Elbrus Region" has been organized in the vicinity of the mountain, the purpose of which is to preserve nature and natural resources of the region. Summer in the Elbrus region is cool and humid, autumn comes early enough — in October there is already deep snow. Along the Baksan Gorge on the south side there are hotels, campgrounds and numerous camp sites. The main hobby of the guests of the Elbrus region is skiing and hiking on trekking routes.

The history of the development of skiing in the Elbrus region should be considered from the middle of the 20th century, when Russia's first chairlift to Mount Cheget was built (interestingly, the name means "In the shade").  The second cable car was built at the foot of Elbrus itself in 1969. Its first stage connected the stations "Azau" (2,350 m) and "Krugozor" (3,000 m). And in 1976, the second stage from the Krugozor station to the Mir station (3,500 m) was launched. In 2015, the third stage was opened from Mir station to Gara-Bashi station (3,847 m), entering the Russian Book of Records as the highest ski area in Russia.