Mount Elbrus

Day 9 – 22/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Last day in the mountains.

Moscow on a Saturday morning.

Scooter hire.

Entrance to Red Square.

Inside GUM. (Large department store on the other side of Red Square from the Kremlin.

Red square has the military tattoo this week.

Saint Basils cathedral.

Inside it is lots of small chapels.

Jesus is looking down on you.

The Old English Court.

Zaryadye Park (between Red square and the Moskva River.)

Inside “Central Kids Store on Lubyanka”.

They still have BHS in Russia.

Built out of Lego.

Walking along the Moskva River.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

And back to Belorussky Station to catch the train back to the airport hotel.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 8 – 21/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Back to hotel.

We went for a walk in the forest behind the hotel.

A bridge over a pond.

With fish in it.

Local spring water.

Day 11 – 24/08/19 – Moscow

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 7 – 20/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Climb day.

Some cloud on the summit this morning.

Looking down at the glacier next to out camp.

I’m not sure I would trust this toilet.

Heading down on the cable car.

Past the infamous barrels.

On the left, the old cable car still runs.

Back in the valley between Elbrus and the main Caucasus range.

In the evening, celebrating our climb with vodka.

Day 9 – 22/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Last day in the mountains.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 6 – 19/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Rest day.

Climb day. First we caught a snowcat up to the top of the Pastuckhov Rocks at 4,750 meters. The place we hiked to 2 days earlier.

These are the photos from the official photographer.

Video of the last 90 seconds of my assent.

 

Finally, at the summit. 5,642 meters above sea level. The highest point in Europe.

It’s all down hill from here.

Day 8– 21/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Back to hotel.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 5 – 18/08/19 – Mount Elbrus

This was a rest day before attempting the summit the next day.

Looking over the mountains towards Georgia.

Our base camp.

The snow plows waiting for day trippers who have come up the cable car.

Tomorrows challenge.

Sunset over the Caucasus Mountains.

Day 7 – 20/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Climb day.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 4 – 17/08/19 – Mount Elbrus

Early morning and Mount Elbrus is cloud covered.

The cloud soon cleared. (We are aiming to climb the left hand peak.)

Looking across the mountains towards Georgia.

Heading back up Elbrus.

Some people are camping on the mountain at 4,000 meters.

Up to the top of the Pastuckhov Rocks at 4,750 meters. This will be our starting altitude on summit day. We’ll get a snow plow up to this position.

The cable car station by the base camp.

View up to our camp (behind the wooden building), from the cable car station.

Elbrus by night.

Day 6 – 19/08/19 – Mount Elbrus – Rest day.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 3 – 16/08/19 – Caucasus Mountains

Second acclimatisation hike on Mount Elbrus. This time up to 4,500 meters.

Unfortunately a thunder storm started and we had to run back down the mountain. (Slowly going up, quickly coming down.)

Back at the base camp, we have our evening meal.

Day 5 – 18/08/19 – Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Day 2 – 15/08/19 – Caucasus Mountains

First day on Elbrus, and our first visit to our base camp at 3,870 meters. We’re not staying here yet, but it was a chance to drop some kit off.

The other huts belonging to our tour company.

The toilets.

Base camp is at the top end of the cable car. (3 cable car trips up.)

Just a short walk up to 4,300 meters for acclimatisation.

Behind the mountains at the other side of the valley is Georgia.

The locals come up on the cable car and wander around in shorts, t-shirt and trainers.

Going back down on the cable car.

The old cable car is still in use.

Mount Elbrus

 

Mount Elbrus

Day 1 – 14/08/19 – Caucasus Mountains

We went for a short acclimatisation hike up Cheget mountain.

Mount Elbrus – we’re going to the left hand peak which is slightly higher.

Looking down the valley where we came from.

On the other side of these mountains is Georgia.

The peak of Elbrus.

The path to the Georgian border – 5km away. Only 3050 meters up.

Disused ski lift.

Back down the mountain on the ski lift.

Back down on the ski lift.

Day 3 – 16/08/19 – Caucasus Mountains

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus

Traveling up the valley to Elbrus.

At the hotel in the Caucasus Mountains, around 2,000 meters above sea level.

My Hotel room

The shower looks complicated.

View from the balcony.

The market in the village.

Hotel “Seven”

My roommate is the top floor with the balcony.

Fence made of old cable.

Day 2 – 15/08/19 – Caucasus Mountains

Mount Elbrus