Elbrus climb report. Climbing Elbrus: beginner's impressions Elbrus reports

Meeting with the group in Kislovodsk. Anatoly is an instructor, Vladimir and Dmitry are experienced climbers.

From Kislovodsk on a gazelle to the village of Khurzuk, Karachay-Cherkessia, we drove for 3 hours. We stopped at the Gumbashi pass, had a bite of hychin with ayran, admired the wonderful views and rushed on.

In Khurzuk, having agreed with a local resident for 3000 rubles (then it was about $ 100), we continued on our UAZ. We drove through a pine forest with numerous crossings across the river on bridges made of logs.
Every time they drove up to the river, the driver poured a bucket of water into the radiator to cool the beast-machine. In 2 hours we covered about 20 km and reached the last point of civilization called Jily-su, set up tents near the closed base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, ate cereals and went to bed.

Day 2:
We woke up, washed ourselves with water from the well, ate muesli, drank tea and went on our way. We walked along the ridge, terribly uncomfortable, because of the slope often one leg is higher than the other. Beauty, wildlife besides us, not a soul. We communicate, from conversations I begin to understand where I ended up smile emoticon . Elbrus is not for beginners, Elbrus is from the north, especially. Scary stories about accidents on the mountain turn out to be true. Anatoly does not dramatize, but confirms the authenticity of all the accidents that I heard about. From the very beginning, I decided for myself that the ascent would be without fanaticism. As long as everything is under control. Dmitry and Vladimir share past exploits and worry about whether they will be able to conquer the summit. Will you have enough strength to climb, and what if the weather is bad, because the previous group did not climb because of the weather?.. What if the mountain does not let you in? Looking ahead, I will say that climbers are wildly superstitious. Dima refused to go "for water", it's like being carried away by the river, so we went "on water". And I already considered the ascent accomplished, a lot of impressions from yesterday and I already set my high-altitude record when I ate khychin).

Stop for a modest lunch, Snickers with tea. There is no time for a full meal, and you can’t eat tightly because it will be difficult to move on. Before dark we arrive at the parking lot, Balk-Bashi pass, height 3600, the air is fresh, spring water from the stream.

An enchanting view of the Elbrus glacier, the rumble of broken blocks of ice is periodically heard. We cook porridge with stew, dinner is our main meal. We drink tea, discuss tomorrow's route, prepare mentally for the fact that it will be difficult. We go to sleep.

Day 3:
Difficult section of the route, descent into the valley to the source of the Malka River. Constant ups and downs. Climbing down the scree from the hill the size of a skyscraper was a real adventure. A very steep slope, small and not very stones move in a stream with you. They descended by traverse two by two, parallel to each other, so that the rockfall would not hit the one below. Anatoly and Volodya were the first to go, it looked very beautiful and smooth, approximately like skiing, only instead of skis - boots, instead of snow - stones. Dima and I are sitting and waiting, we have already lost sight of the first bunch. Anatoly shouts that they are already below, it's time to go down. I can’t get up, the slope is so steep that it seems that if you stand up straight, you will immediately roll down, a heavy backpack makes it difficult to catch your balance and straighten up. Sticks, which should help, get in the way due to lack of experience. After several unsuccessful attempts, it turns out to get up and move down, periodically I fall and get up with difficulty. After 2/3 of the descent, I learned to keep my balance, then I glide with pleasure. At the bottom we pour stones from the shoes, go further.
We approached a stormy and wide river, we must cross to the other side. About an hour looking for a convenient place. Balancing and jumping from rock to rock with 20kg on your back is not easy at all. We insure each other and find ourselves on the other side, change shoes and continue on our way. Since the river meandered, we had to repeat this trick several times.
We pass by the teeth of the dragon, it starts to rain with hail, we increase the pace. Wildly thirsty, and I suck on hailstones. The strength is long gone. Anatoly says that they have almost arrived, our camp, "Airfield", is on the hill. Gathering all the willpower into a fist, we climb the plateau, pass another 2 km and we are there.

Day 4:
Today we have to get to the base camp, climb 900m. We leave part of the equipment and food on the way back. Over the past days, I understood the meaning of every gram in the backpack, so I leave everything superfluous. For example, the second thermo-t-shirt and a silicone mug turned out to be superfluous, because you can drink from the cap of a thermos. I propose to take one toothpaste for everyone, and Tolik wonders why we did not do this from the very beginning.
It is very difficult to go, a steep endless climb. The landscape changes every year, so there is no permanent trail, you have to pave the way through trial and error. Several times we stop for 15-20 minutes to take a breath and up again. A group of climbers descends, we say hello, Dima asks: "Where are you from?" - they answer: "From above" smile emoticon.
In the evening we arrive at the base camp. We find only a few tents, there are few climbers, it is already the end of the season and the last shift of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
When you take off your backpack, a second wind appears, we go to the glacier "on the water".
I wash my face with ice water, a smile appears on my face, my mood is wonderful. It seems that the top is within easy reach, but it only seems...

Day 5:
Acclimatization hike to the Lenz rocks (4700 m), climb 1000 m. Our dress rehearsal before the ascent, the purpose of which is to test the equipment and the reaction of the body to a height that we have never been to.
The fear of any climber is mountain sickness. "Pumpkin" can develop due to oxygen starvation along with aggravating factors such as physical fatigue, cooling, dehydration, severe weather conditions, sudden changes in temperature, etc. "Pumpkin" is a terrible thing, can lead to pulmonary edema and brain. So when symptoms arise, the best medicine is down, down, down again.
In a nearby shelter, I rent boots 2 sizes larger, wildly smelly, I was lucky that I found at least such ones. For the first time in my life I put on crampons, sharp spikes, so as not to slip on the ice. There are many cracks on the glacier that you can fall into, so we go in a bunch. I control every step so as not to catch the cat and step on the rope. Tolik has an ice ax ready, in case someone falls. His task is to quickly "hack" to keep us from sliding down. On the rocks of Lenz we conduct snow and ice classes and return to the camp.
Despite the severe fatigue, the state of health is good, the body perfectly adapts to the altitude and lack of oxygen. We are resting.

Day 6:
We have two days to climb: today and a spare day tomorrow.
If everything goes well, at night we go out to storm the summit.
We eat, rest, gain strength, enjoy the views and walk around the camp. Only in the mountains can you get sunburned and frostbitten at the same time. We sit near the tent, the bright sun burns the face, but the back freezes. In a matter of minutes, we are enveloped in clouds, the weather deteriorates, and it starts to snow. We hide in a tent, play cards, communicate. The probability that today there will be suitable conditions for climbing is very small, but there is hope. Wild cold, zero visibility.
Under such conditions, there is not the slightest desire to attempt an assault, I don’t even want to climb out of the sleeping bag. I decide for myself that if the weather suddenly "improves" and Tolik says "forward", I will stay in the camp and wait for the group to return.
Snow is falling, we dig out the tent one by one so that it is not completely covered with snow, and we do not suffocate.

Day 7-8:
Tonight is the last chance to walk on the top of Elbrus. I do not like the expression "conquer the summit", in the mountains you understand how small and helpless you are. A strong gust of wind can blow you into a crack, and you will not be found for the next hundreds of years, you can stumble and die, you can freeze something or break ...
In the evening, the weather on Elbrus worsens, so the ascent begins at night in order to have time to return safely before the evening. We wake up at about one in the morning, the weather is excellent, the ascent will be. Climb 1900 meters. The Lenz Rocks, where we went for acclimatization, are half the way. But mathematics does not work in the mountains, in terms of time and complexity, the Lenz rocks are only 30% of the ascent. If I knew how difficult it would be to get to the top, I would have stayed in the tent.
We leave at about two in the morning, we go with headlamps. The beauty is incredible, the stars are not only above your head, but also from the side. It seems that you are on the same level with them. The stars are so close you can touch them. We overcome the familiar route to the Lenz rocks, we continue to gain altitude.
We were joined by a large group led by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Rescuing people is a dangerous and ungrateful business, that's why the Ministry of Emergency Situations prefer to be instructors during working hours. Tolik was appointed trailer, and he ran far ahead, the lifeguard-closing.
On the last section of the climbers, a magical stone awaits, and the magic is that the closer you get to it, the farther it seems. To increase my chances of climbing, I don't look at him. Dima is far behind. I follow Volodya, it's easier psychologically.
On the ascent, when it is already very difficult to go forward, there is a technique of "counting steps". For example, you set a goal of 50 steps, reached the goal, stopped, set the next goal, and so on. Tolik explained in advance that 50 steps is very good, 20 is also very good, and 5 steps is also very good. I decide to take 200 steps to quickly get to the magic stone, from which the top is already close. But this system did not work, the forces ended long ago, the magic stone is infinitely far away.
I go around Volodya, he stood for too long, and my feet are already starting to freeze. Tolik is standing near the magic stone, I go up to him, and he says that this is not the peak yet ... We are waiting for the others and together in about half an hour we climb to the eastern peak of Elbrus, height 5621 m.
It is difficult to describe the wonderful views that opened up to us. But there is no time and special desire to admire for a long time. There is a strong wind at the top, it is very cold, I want to be in a warm and safe sleeping bag as soon as possible. We take pictures and start descending. If there was no strength already on the ascent, it is not clear how to descend.
The feeling that if you close your eyes, you will immediately pass out. The weather is deteriorating, strong wind, it is snowing, visibility is poor. The glacier is the most frightening, we are barely dragging our feet, and there you have to be very careful not to fall into a crack. We drink snow with tea, fill a cap of a thermos with snow, pour tea on top, so it turns out more.
Dima is really bad, Tolik gives him vitamins and the last tea, we sort out the contents of his backpack among ourselves, we move on. We safely pass the glacier and about 3 days we are again in a warm tent. The ascent succeeded!

photo Pavel Bogdanov - www.pavelbogdanov.ru

Step #5: To the mountains!

I arrived in Pyatigorsk a few days before leaving for the mountains. It was the right decision. There were several locals among the participants of the trip, so almost immediately after checking into the hotel I was taken to see the sights of the city. So the legends about the hospitality of this region are true.

One of the main attractions of Pyatigorsk is Mount Beshtau, which rises to 1400 meters above sea level. It offers a breathtaking view of the city. Despite the small height and ease of climbing, I, I confess, almost died: terrible shortness of breath, pulse under 200. There is only one thought in my head: “what else is Elbrus if I can’t climb such a small hill.” Subsequently, I observed the same condition in several participants in the campaign, who ended up in the camp almost immediately after the plane. Turns out it's all about acclimatization. It just takes time to get used to the altitude.

And one more plus of my “early” arrival: at the entrance to the city there is a large shopping center with two specialized stores. In one of them, I rented everything I needed and bought some of the things.

The next day we went to Kislovodsk, or rather to its Kurortny Park. It is considered the second largest in Europe, so it is almost impossible to get around it in one day. There are routes for the treatment of heart and vascular diseases. Yes, you heard right. It is the routes called "health paths". The doctor conducts an examination and instead of taking pills, he prescribes walks in the park, the purest mountain air and Narzan. There are only 6 programs, ranging from 1700 to 6000 meters.

Early in the morning with all things we gathered at the railway station. There for the first time I saw all my comrades on the hike, including the guides who checked our equipment. We boarded buses (it turns out there are all-wheel drive Gazelles), on the way we stopped at the nearest rental point so that someone would take the missing one, and hit the road. On the way, I fell asleep, and when I opened my eyes, it was as if in another world. The road went along a mountain serpentine. There were just crazy views.

They couldn’t take us to the camp itself, so after we unloaded, we had to walk a few more kilometers. Herds of sheep ran past me, followed by an elderly dzhigit on a horse.

Due to the sudden change in altitude, some did not feel very well. By the way, one of the “tricks” of faster acclimatization is movement. It is advisable not to sit still, not to wallow in a tent, but to go for walks.

On the way to the camp, we passed through the Emmanuel glade, named after General G.A. Emmanuel, leader of the expedition that first reached the summit of Elbrus on July 23, 1829. We walked the same route and on the same days as the first successful expedition to Elbrus, only 186 years later.

Symbolic, isn't it?

"1829 from July 8 to July 11 Camp under the command of the General from the cavalry Emanuel"

Continuing to walk picturesque routes, marveling at the lack of civilization, people, mobile communications and the rapid change of weather, we reached our first camp. He was at an altitude of 2600 meters in Jily-Su (translated into Russian means "warm water"). This is an incredibly beautiful and interesting place. It was here that we first saw Elbrus up close.

The camp itself consisted of several fenced-in areas. There was a generator and several blocks in which the commandants of the camps and rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations lived. In the camp, electricity was sometimes turned on, there was a shower, a kitchen, and toilets. We set up tents, divided into groups, appointed duty officers and dealt with other domestic issues. And all this time, with every cell of my body, I enjoyed the views, the air, the open spaces, the feeling of being a grain of sand surrounded by majestic mountains.

The small dots on the left are our camp.

Evening came unnoticed. It was necessary to cook dinner and, naturally, I volunteered first. The menu was not the most diverse, but satisfying and useful. We had dinner and went to sleep in our tents.

Surprises began with the fact that I woke up at 5 am. For me, this fact is surprising, since I am a night owl, and I usually wake up late. This happened every day. But this fact was impossible not to rejoice. There is more time for admiring the stunning landscapes. Just imagine: on the one hand the rising sun, on the other - Elbrus. Cows graze in the valley. And all-consuming silence all around.

Early in the morning we had breakfast, took some food, water and went to look around. We did not climb the mountains, since not everyone could comfortably endure this height. Nevertheless, the day turned out to be very eventful: we went to the Sultan waterfall. The power of the natural elements could not fail to impress us. Being close to her was enchanting. A spring spouted from some crack in the rock. It turned out to be Narzan. Carbonated and delicious. I tried not to drink too much. The body is already overloaded with height, so it’s not worth frightening it with unusual drinks.

We passed through the Kalinov Bridge - a natural stone arch that hangs above the water at a height of about 15 meters. Of course, we took a dip in the narzan bath, a kind of natural “jacuzzi”. Baths help to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal systems, as well as connective tissues and digestive organs. You need to take a bath motionless: gas bubbles cover the entire surface of the body, it becomes warm, and towards the end of the 15-minute session, the skin on the body turns red, there is a burning sensation, as if you were whipped with nettles.

Late in the evening, tired and satisfied, we returned to the camp. We had dinner and went to bed in anticipation of a new day.

On this day we had a more serious acclimatization hike. First came to interesting place, called the "German airfield". Due to the unique relief, this place was used as a real military airfield during the Great Patriotic War.

Then we went even higher to a height of about 3100 to a place called “Stone Mushrooms”. We were taught to use trekking poles, walk on boulders, stones, and breathe properly.

It was interesting to watch how nature changed with the rise. Bright colors faded, giving way to muted shades, the flora became poorer because of the stone soil.

The exit was quite difficult. But we were helped (who would have thought) by an ordinary ascorbic acid.

The day ended with a descent to the base camp, household chores, a cup of bulgur for dinner, and, of course, a sound sleep.

According to the plan, on this day we were supposed to throw some things into our "upper" camp - to a height of 3700 - and then return to spend the night at 2600 in the lower camp. But since the group felt good and we were afraid to miss the clear weather, it was decided to save one day and immediately go up with everything you need (tents, food, gas cylinders). Guides advised not to take extra things with you.

I packed my backpack, grabbed some of the community food, some gas tanks, and was horrified by its weight. I have never lifted such a heavy backpack. We set out on the road. One of the girls immediately pulled a ligament in her leg. How she managed to get to the top, I never understood. Apparently, women are indeed more resilient than men. Hiking is the same as running: before going out with backpacks, you need to do a serious warm-up, and after a hitch. I had no injuries, no sprains, no muscle pain in the morning.

We walked almost the same route as yesterday, only already loaded with backpacks. Specially moved slowly, in a single rhythm. It is believed that it is much easier to go uphill with a heavy backpack.

The vegetation disappeared almost completely, we walked on huge black boulders. Sometimes they swayed underfoot. Sometimes they rolled. It's amazing how quickly the body gets used to a change in the situation! A couple of days ago, I would never have walked on such stones without insurance, but now I also had a huge backpack with me.

It was getting noticeably cooler. In places, ice was already visible between the stones.

After 7 hours of such an ascent, everyone was very tired. We tried to support each other. Personally, it helped me a lot to realize that many girls go with almost the same heavy backpack as I have. By the way, it was on this climb that I felt all the comfort of my backpack and light trekking boots. The weight of the backpack was somehow cunningly redistributed to the hips, the back was ventilated, the boots did not slip on the stones and did not braid each other.

On the way we passed the base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. There we were given tea and we rested a bit.

To camp away from popular trails, one had to go further, already through the glacier. I had to put on climbing boots for the first time. And after about 9 hours of travel, we finally reached the place of our second camp.

It was a spit of black volcanic stone (moraine) in the middle of a glacier at the foot of Elbrus. The view was unique. Some kind of alien: ice, stones, wind, clouds floating underfoot. Although we were so tired that we didn't care anymore. In addition, we were at an altitude of 3700 for the first time, and each step was accompanied by shortness of breath. Somehow we set up tents, boiled water, had a quick bite to eat and quickly climbed into the tents to recover. The state was strange. There was fuss and nervousness, it was difficult to concentrate on something. I was looking for something in my backpack for about thirty minutes, someone wandered around the tent for a long time. We must have looked funny from the outside. So our brain was affected by a lack of oxygen. With the last of my strength, I climbed into the sleeping bag and instantly fell asleep.

Traditionally, I woke up at 5 am. The head was clear and calm. I left the tent: there were clouds under me, and Elbrus hung from above, glowing in the rays of the rising sun. We dressed in "space" clothes: membrane jackets and pants. Despite the fact that they are light and thin, it feels like you are walking in a spacesuit, since they are not blown. Well, and, probably, the height so acted on the fantasy.

After breakfast, we went to the acclimatization exit, to a height of 4500 to the Lenz rocks. We learned how to put on crampons, tied ourselves with a rope and hit the road. It is almost impossible to go fast at such a height, and, as it turned out later, it is harmful.

After several hours of climbing, a strong wind blew, and the sun disappeared behind the clouds. It got much colder. I had to warm up.

The temperature flurry continued. The sun came out from behind the clouds again, the wind died down, it became hot. I overheated in warm clothes. Yes, and quickened his pace to quickly reach the place of rest. And then I felt what mountain sickness is, or, as it is also called, “mountain sickness”. The condition resembled poisoning: nausea, wadded legs and severe weakness. I changed my clothes, lay down at a halt, drank tea and ate ascorbic acid. It became easier. When we returned to the camp, as if nothing bad had happened. Conclusion - it is better to go slowly and get a little chilly than fast and overheated.

On the way to the camp, we saw an interesting cloud of an unusual shape, which was rapidly moving in our direction. And literally in 10 minutes it covered us, driven by strong wind and snow.

We returned to the camp at about 18:30 and spent the rest of the evening dealing with domestic issues, relaxing, and thinking about the upcoming ascent.

We were given a rest day. We had to gain strength before climbing. You know, I was definitely lucky with the team. It's impossible to get bored with her. Despite the strong wind, we were even able to play cards

Our guide went to the base of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to find out the weather forecast. Being in the mountains is very important. It often happens that bad weather persists for weeks, and no matter how well prepared and equipped you are, climbing is impossible. In the mountains you are at the mercy of the elements, to compete and compete with which is akin to suicide.

We were lucky. The weather forecast was optimistic. Plus, the full moon was starting, which is a good sign. So it was decided to use the chance and start to the top tomorrow. Immediately, excitement ran through the camp. I was also very excited, I didn’t even think that I could fall asleep. Everyone began to gather, as we must leave the camp at one in the morning.

I went to the tent, quickly gathered a storm pack so as not to forget anything, put the necessary things into the pockets of my jacket, dragged my boots into the tent, climbed into the sleeping bag and prepared to suffer from insomnia. I did not believe that I could fall asleep at 6 pm in this state. But somehow he quickly fell asleep.

At midnight, we were waiting for a very early breakfast or an extremely late dinner. Whatever you prefer to call it. I ate a plate of buckwheat (one of the best food options before climbing), poured boiling water into a thermos and diluted it with isotonic instead of tea (a sports drink that provides the body with water, carbohydrates and minerals).

When the preparations were over, we tied ourselves with a rope and went into the darkness. The silence was broken only when it was necessary to jump over the cracks in the glacier. They say they are up to 200 meters deep. At about 5 o'clock in the morning we met the dawn on the slope of Elbrus. A stunning spectacle.

Around the same time, three rescuers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations joined us. They walked a little behind and looked after us.

At about 6:20 we made a short halt at an altitude of 4500 (lower cliffs of Lenz). In the same place where 2 days ago I became ill. I intensely listened to my body and (oh, a miracle!) There were no signs of gornyazka. I was delighted, but did not relax, closely controlled my body, tried to calm my pulse and breathing. They took off the ropes, since there are no further cracks, and you can go not in a bunch.

Serious height, lack of oxygen, one-dimensional rhythm and pace of movement, equally swaying back in front of the walker introduced me into a trance state. It was difficult to estimate the time. It seemed to freeze. Sometimes he raised his head, assessed how close the summit was, and again became convinced that it seemed to be inaccessible.

So, slowly we reached the upper Lenz Rocks (about 5000 m). At this height, the rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations strongly advised some of our team not to climb further, as they noticed signs of an incipient “hill climbing” in them. The rest went on. It remains for us to overcome the “Eternal Dome”. This is a gentle snowy slope, behind which you can see the top of Elbrus, deceptively attracting with its proximity.

I started to feel weird. I took a step, counted to three, and took the next one. It may sound strange, but I was walking at such a snail's pace. Surprisingly, at such a constant pace, I began to overtake the rest of the participants. I turned on my favorite music, to which I ran and trained for Elbrus. The effect of height on the body has changed. I felt some pleasant feeling of euphoria, excitement, intoxication. Thoughts were spinning in my head about what is important to me: family, relatives, friends, colleagues. Step is a memory. Another is a picture from the past. Music intertwined with them in an amazing unity.

Suddenly, at some point, I realized that there was nothing else besides the person walking ahead of me. The weather deteriorated sharply, a strong wind blew with snow and nothing was visible beyond 15 meters. The situation, to put it mildly, is not very comfortable. I followed the same “man in front”. So we reached the edge of the volcano (Elbrus is a cooled volcano) and, as it were, it is believed that we climbed it. But somewhere further there should have been a memorial obelisk, where everyone takes pictures, and we went further.

The wind picked up and blew straight into my face. I tried to turn away from him and almost crashed into that very monument. Several of our members sat around him. The guide patted my shoulder and took some photos.

So, at about 12 noon on July 28, I climbed the eastern peak of Elbrus, 5621 meters high.

I just started to comprehend emotions, but from somewhere a rescuer of the Ministry of Emergency Situations appeared and ordered to urgently descend because of the storm wind. Adrenaline began to be produced furiously, new forces appeared, the head began to work clearly and clearly. In general, I felt great. Going down was much easier than going up, and the weather began to improve.

At about 18:00 we reached the camp and climbed into the tents to catch our breath. Then they sat down to drink tea and eat. Almost no one spoke, but comprehended what happened.

Again 5 am. Since we were tired of the rocks and ice, and the memories of our first camp came up in our heads, we asked the organizers to return to the lower camp. Green grass, warmth and delicious food awaited us there. By 10 am we broke camp and went down. The road was also not easy, but the anticipation of the camp gave strength.

When we got to the camp, almost the entire group experienced overwhelming bliss. And you know from what? We drank a can of cold cola, which someone was able to buy from the camp commandants. We decided that it would be reluctant to disassemble our backpacks and set up camp again, so a transport arrived for us a few hours later and took us to Pyatigorsk.

The rain has just stopped. When we were driving along the road, under which a kilometer-long abyss gaped, right below us we saw 3 rainbows at once. I saw this for the first time. Usually, to admire this natural phenomenon, you need to lift your head high. The driver (a highlander who doesn't speak Russian well) turned on Joan Osborne - "One Of Us". We suddenly realized what a great adventure we had. And that we are a team, each of which gave 200%. A very bright feeling. We joked, laughed, rejoiced, finished eating stash of sweets. It was almost night when we checked into the hotel. When they reached the mirror and city clothes, everyone noticed that they had lost weight. My scales showed minus 6 kg.

Neither I nor the other members of the group wanted to sleep. And we went for a walk around Pyatigorsk at night. They drank tarragon from street vending machines, talked, admired the beauty and originality of the city. We went to the restaurant to finally eat regular food. We ate a piece and that's it ... we ate It's good that at least you thought of not eating more, but taking it with you - you need to smoothly return to ordinary food.

The next morning I got ready, handed over the things that I had rented. Then I went to the airport and within a few hours I was with my family, telling them about one of the most unusual vacations of my life.

P.S. We continue to communicate and meet with our group. Such a vacation really allows you to make new friends!

All things. We need to set new goals. But somehow all this was in very distant plans and conversations. In July 2015 Transaero (blessed memory) put everything in its place. By chance, tickets from St. Petersburg to Minvody and back at a price of 5300 rubles caught my eye. It was immediately decided that we take. We wrote a post in contact - and in a couple of days there were as many as 8 people who wanted to climb Elbrus. Then there were 2 months of preparation: searching for a guide and a more budget option, correspondence, discussing the details, digesting in my head what we actually fit into and searching for equipment. They flew by unnoticed. It was September 10th - the day of departure.

First day: departure and Minvody

The most ordinary airport. Nothing special.

The flight was not without incident. One of the members of the expedition was so intensely “preparing for the flight” that he overslept and had to urgently go and wake him up individually. And this is two hours before departure. The telephone receiver was switched off. Fortunately, the flight was eventually postponed by an hour. Everyone made it. It is worth noting that due to problems with work, one of the alleged participants in the trip still could not escape. 6 people flew out of St. Petersburg. And the seventh character (an aborigine of the city of Sochi) joined us already in Minvody. There is nothing to write about the flight. What is the cost of such and flight. Killed Boeings, aged 20-30. They don't fall and it's good. According to the plan, the transfer in Moscow was short - only an hour. Due to the transfer of the St. Petersburg-Moscow flight, we barely managed to run to the transfer. The plane was waiting for us on purpose, but the luggage did not have time to transfer.

Minvody

Compared to the cloudy cool September St. Petersburg in Minvody, it was just like summer heat. Still, a couple of thousand kilometers to the south. Not the tropics, of course, but still. As mentioned above, our luggage did not arrive. The usual story for connecting flights with short transfers. We spent half an hour on bureaucracy. They promised to deliver our luggage to the hotel, and it was supposed to arrive on the next flight from Moscow around 8 pm. Then we went to look for something to get on. Traditionally, we refuse a taxi and sit in some kind of minibus. Having traveled half the distance to the desired address, we unload, and walk the rest of the distance.

Guesthouse "Sofia" and surroundings

In Minvody we had to spend only 1 night. The next day at 12:00 we had an appointment with a guide at the railway station. They did not stand on ceremony with the hotel for a long time: a couple of weeks before departure, they went to Agoda and chose a cheaper option and booked it. The room was, in fact, a one-room apartment in a one-story private house. The room has 6 beds. A folding sofa in the kitchen was supposed to be the seventh bed. The whole thing cost about 3500r. for everyone. That is, 500 rubles. from the nose. There is a shower / bath, everything is in order, even there are towels and a full kitchen. It's ok to stay 1 night. After checking in, we walked down the street in search of a store. We found a canteen. They ate almost everything that remained unsold at the end of the working day. They asked how much vodka cost. 140 rub. In the cafe. Bottle!

Second day: meeting with the guide

We go to meet the guide at the railway station.

Live in the mountains.

Clean, nice, a little Soviet.

As a result of the evening - the meeting was late for half an hour. But it seems to be allowed. The guide met us at the station and took us to the meeting point, where there were 2 minibuses, an assistant guide and the eighth participant in the trip. It turned out to be Pavel from St. Petersburg. He, as it turned out later, made the decision to travel just after seeing my post in VKontakte. We load and go to the Adyr Su gorge.

Mountains in the clouds.

There we were supposed to have the acclimatization part of the program: getting used to the heights, living in tents, and at the same time admiring the mountain beauties of the North Caucasus. But, something went wrong. The gorge is located in the border zone and a special permit is required to visit it.

The scale of the stones is amazing!

The lift only lifts cars. No car - walk up the stairs.

But downstairs I had to walk.

Swill, of course, but warms well.

The flow of the river is quite strong. You shouldn't swim there.

Caucasian "chocolate hills".

Adyr-su is the right tributary of the Baksan River.

Muddy streams of the river. They are cloudy because of the minerals in the river.

After an awkward moment with customs. We go down and wait for the car.

The organizers of the trip did not take into account one detail, that one of the participants in our trip was a citizen of Ukraine. According to the border guards, to stay in the border zone, a special permit was required, which is done in advance. Attempts to resolve the issue on the spot did not lead to anything. We were not allowed into Adyr-Su. The situation was not very pleasant, but, nevertheless, not hopeless. The trip program was promptly changed and we went straight to Cheget, Elbrus region for acclimatization. A couple more hours of waiting and we are loaded onto the bus again. Two hours later we arrive at the Cheget glade at the base with the touching name "Reserved Tale".

Very small but fast stream.

This is our house.

With a mountain view.

Alcohol in the Elbrus region

Despite the fact that we, it seems, were going to conquer a mountain that was not easy in terms of altitude, the issue of alcohol was studied in detail. Bottom line: in the Elbrus region, in small shops everywhere, you can easily buy singed vodka without any problems. It costs by metropolitan standards just obscenely cheap 100-150r. for half a litre.

Light beer after a long journey.

Already in the camp. Drink beer =)

Real Zhigulevskoe. Beer brewed locally =)

Beer, on the other hand, is relatively expensive. A bottle of locally produced beer, mostly unpasteurized, costs an average of 70 rubles. In many local cafes and restaurants, alcohol usually costs about the same as in stores. You can also bring alcohol purchased outside the establishment. There are no problems with this.

Claimed

station Gara-Bashi - shelter Eleven - Pastukhov rocks - per. Elbrus saddle + ver. Elbrus B + ver. Elbrus Z. (2A, 5642 m) - Pastukhov rocks -

Actual:

Moscow - Mineralnye Vody - pos. Terskol - station Stary krugozor - station Mir -

station Gara-Bashi - shelter Eleven - Pastukhov rocks - per. Elbrus saddle + ver. Elbrus Z. (2A, 5642 m) - Pastukhov rocks -

Shelter of Eleven St. - Gara-Bashi - station Mir - pos. Terskol - Mineralnye Vody - Moscow

2A 1 pcs: per. Elbrus saddle + ver. Elbrus Z.

Not having time to arrive from friendly Georgia, where our group made, I was already looking forward to a trip to the highest point in Europe - Elbrus. At the same time, against the backdrop of a simply impeccable past trip, there were certain thoughts - well, what will I find beautiful in a place where I am not the first time, where there are a lot of tourists, where ski lifts, snowcats, snowmobiles, shelters take away the last bits of freedom from people who have come to test themselves, the pleasant difficulties of climbing and a real climbing bivouac? At least we didn't plan to use aids above 3500 meters.

Also, good acclimatization and regular uphill training are important for success, preferably with a heavier backpack. We planned to get all these joys in the first part of our trip - mountain trekking near the village of Verkhniy Baksan.

Day 1-2 [/]

So, I met at the station in Pyatigorsk with a group on July 1. First of all, Dima arrived from Voronezh. We already knew each other from previous trekking in Montenegro and were delighted to have the opportunity to go to the mountains together again. To celebrate, we managed to buy food and gas even before the official gathering time of the group, as well as take a little walk around Pyatigorsk. Our group consisted of 5 participants and a guide, i.e. me. Five men and a girl. Not everyone had the experience of climbing in the mountains, but everyone was quite well prepared physically, and - just fine - mentally. A very good number of people for a trip like this. From the very first hour, an excellent atmosphere of camaraderie, humor, and healthy sporting ambitions developed in the group. Not once during the trip did we have any conflicts, no one spoke in raised tones with each other. I ordered a transport by phone, which delivered us from Pyatigorsk to Verkhny Baksan on the same day after lunch.

Trekking. We were able to warm up on a very beautiful route that passed through the valleys of two rivers - Syltrans and Kirtyk, and included an overnight stay near mountain lake Syltrankel, the conquest of the Syltran pass and an easy radial exit to the ridge without backpacks.

On the first night, we only slightly rose above the village and spent the night in the sight of the Baksan river near, as the local, a miraculous spring where water containing silver enters a banal metal bath. Evening by the fire, conversations, acquaintance, first night in tents. For many, this was the first night under the stars outside the city in a very long time.

On the second day, the participants had to demonstrate all their stamina, endurance and strength - after all, with heavy backpacks, we had to gain almost one and a half kilometers of height along a rather difficult terrain. The trail first passed through the forest, we often crossed streams. Then we went to the mid-mountain zone with its amazing vegetation of dwarf trees twisted by the winds, thickets of radodendron, wild flowers and herbs. Sometimes I had to move along the stone placers, balancing with a heavy backpack on poorly standing stones. As we climbed, snowfields began to appear, the vegetation began to disappear. After many hours of a difficult but extremely beautiful journey, halts and snacks, losing the path in the snowfield and my reconnaissance wandering along the stone scree slope, we nevertheless reached a height of 3200m, where an amazingly beautiful view of the lake opened before us. Ice floes were still floating on it, on the slopes of the mountains surrounding us lay strips of melted snow, on the higher peaks - caps of glaciers. In this place, a person is embraced by an indescribable mood and state. We set up camp on the very shore of the lake. At such a height it was already quite cool and windy, especially in the evening, so we had to dress properly and strengthen the tents with stretch marks. It also turned out that this place is a favorite habitat for mountain goats, which walked around in whole groups, sometimes approaching a couple of tens of meters.

In the morning, we did not deny ourselves the pleasure of swimming in an icy lake, and after a rather long gathering and visiting a viewing point above the reservoir overlooking the yesterday's valley of the Syltransu river, our group began to climb the Syltran pass. The height difference here is small and the climb did not take all our strength, but it brought a lot of joy - the views from there are amazing, the landscape is simply alien! After a short rest on the pass, we began to descend into the valley of another river - Kirtyk, along which we had to return back. The descent was not an easy task for many. In the mountains, the descent can often be more difficult than the ascent. In some places he was very cool, we had to carefully take every step and help each other. Nevertheless, after some time, we ended up in a new valley, where it was decided to set up camp at an altitude of about 3050m and arrange a half-day with a radial exit.

We chose one of the ridges closing the “circus” of the Kirtyk river valley as the object of our mountain excursion. After a short but very steep ascent along a scree slope, we found ourselves on a ridge. It was so beautiful there that no one wanted to go down. As a result, we sat on top for about two hours, admiring the panorama of Elbrus and the surrounding mountains. Nevertheless, in the late afternoon, we went down to our camp and started preparing dinner.

In the morning we allowed ourselves to take a little walk and sunbathe, after which we packed up the camp and moved down the valley towards Upper Baksan. Gradually lowering the height, we admired the views and had conversations with our neighbors along the trail. We spent the night already somewhere at 2300, on the high bank of the river. We collected a lot of firewood, so in the evening we could sit around the fire to our heart's content. In the same fire, Dima's socks disappeared without a trace ...)

On the last day of trekking, we could not allow ourselves to sit for a long time - we had a very rich program ahead of us. Therefore, we left early and after a couple of hours went down to the village. Before we had time to eat ice cream, our driver drove up. First, we stopped at the village of Elbrus, where we bought the products necessary for the ascent in the store. Then we went to the turn to the Cheget glade, where in the well-known box office for an hour and a half they picked up the missing equipment. After consulting with local guides, it turned out that ice was exposed on the western peak and special equipment was needed to overcome the dangerous area. I had to take it too. The rental is quite expensive, but there is almost everything you need for entry-level mountaineering.

Climbing.

The driver patiently waited for us and took us to the final destination - the village of Azau - the highest inhabited point of the valley. From here they begin their ascent of the cable car to Elbrus. This village is simply imbued with the spirit of Elbrus, it is everywhere - in names, souvenirs ... it has become part of the mountain and exists at the expense of the mountain. Here a farewell flat lunch was given in a cafe, thanks to which we almost stayed downstairs longer than expected - the cable car closes at 16:00, and we stayed until 15:50)). Twenty minutes, and we have already risen from 2300 to 3500. It's cooler, fresher. You can go further - on a chair lift to the "barrels", at 3800. But for the sake of better training, we go on foot. At 3800 our lodging for the night - we find a good place under tents on a stone ridge along the road for heavy equipment - something is being built here all the time, hefty trucks and other mastodons drive. Now they are installing supports for the next cable car. As always, they spent the night mentally.

In the morning we moved on - climbed to a height of almost 4200, to a place known as the "Shelter of Eleven", although this shelter burned down seventeen years ago. Now there are a lot of trailers on stone screes. In addition, there are tents. We also camped in tents, found good grounds above the KSS trailers.

Nothing compares to the feeling of living at high altitude, above the clouds, in the shadow of a huge volcano! On such days, I feel like some kind of bird, an albartos wanderer, who has made a temporary nest somewhere on the edge of the world in order to rest and fly further. We lived in our camp for four incomplete days and three nights and to some extent managed to get used to these heaps of stone, a world without greenery, with a bewitching view of mountains, glaciers, snow, changeable weather. We managed to catch this simple mountain rhythm with early lights out and early rises, to feel this bird weather dependence - here we are subordinate to the sun and fog, snow and rain, wind and sun. But the Mountain was waiting for us and calling to itself. When you see her every time you raise your eyes, you eventually learn to see her even through the night or through the veil of clouds.

Therefore, on the second day of our "bird" life, we went higher, already without heavy backpacks. For acclimatization, we, as usual in these places, climbed to the top of the Pastukhov Rocks, where we safely got into a snowstorm. We were covered in snow, visibility was gone up to several tens of meters, and we were sitting just like six tightly dressed Alice in the White Wonderland ... at such moments I lose touch with what is commonly called reality ... Early July? Heat? Ice cream and the beach? We are in the snow up to the top and shifting from foot to foot so as not to freeze! Then we went downstairs, warmed up, rested. Some of us experienced what an attack of mountain sickness is - weakness, headache, many were driven into a tent. The weather forecast for the next day was not good. We agreed to have one more acclimatization hike and rest before climbing Elbrus. At the same time, we agreed that we would look at the weather.

Vertex.

And the weather again brought a surprise. At four in the morning there were no clouds above us, it was quiet and Elbrus simply attracted us with the purity of its outline. We began to pack up, although not all of us were physically ready to go up. The disposition was as follows - we put on "combat style", put on harnesses, take tea, food and go up. Further on the circumstances. This will either be another way out for adaptation, or perhaps an attempt at an assault. Although personally I did not really believe in this possibility. Firstly, in the alpine camps it was firmly drummed into my head that they don’t go to Elbrus so late, and secondly, the condition of not all participants was pleasing to the eye. Nevertheless, we went out in full force at six in the morning. Unfortunately, one participant immediately felt ill and returned. The rest continued to rise. Here is the place of yesterday's highest point for us ... We take a short rest and go higher. We reach the last frontier of civilization - this is somewhere at 4900, a place where snow groomers and snowmobiles reach. Then the infamous "oblique shelf" begins - in fact it is an oblique traverse eastern summit with a constant climb. It is already difficult for an unprepared climber to go here. Gradually, the intervals between rest stops began to decrease, the group began to slow down, but still climbed quite confidently. Finally, we reach the traverse, and, having passed between the peaks, we get to the place of ascent to the Western, the highest. Occasionally, people come down to meet. Their appearance can give confidence to few people - most are exhausted, make frequent stops, sit down on the snow. But, as I already wrote, it was difficult to shake the morale of our group with such trifles)). We begin the steep ascent to the Western Peak. Thanks to the ascents made in the season (and twice), I feel pretty good, I watch the guys. Someone is doing well, someone goes free, but everyone goes and no one complains. I admire and move on. Here is the beginning of the railing. We go separately, with self-insurance. Even for a novice climber, this section is not difficult, but what should an ordinary city person feel here, sitting in his office a week ago?! It's hard to even imagine… One by one, having passed a steep rise, we reach a gently sloping summit plateau. And now, in another thirty minutes we reach the top! Three PM. The weather is calm, cloudy, almost nothing is visible. And yet we are here! On the top! There is no one here but us. highest point Europe is at our complete disposal for almost an hour. Someone laughs, someone silently rejoices. Feelings are unreal. Something happened to us that many of us realize in detail only after days and even months of life. In the meantime, we are all here celebrating our small victory together! Our team was able to achieve their goal. Almost by force after forty minutes I force the descent to begin.

Surprisingly, but the summit added strength and vigor to almost everyone. On the descent, our group looks better than many others - we do not stagger, we do not fall on the trail in search of peace. We confidently go down. If the ascent took us about nine hours, then the descent took a little more than three. We go down to the camp, rest. A friend who refused to climb prepared tea for us, brought barbecue from a cafe. We eat dinner and rest.

In the morning we begin to gather a little. Closer to dinner we go down to the ski lift at 3500, from there to Azau. We go to Cheget and rent equipment. Here two participants leave the group and rush by minibus to their trains.

There are still a few days ahead that we spent traveling around the Caucasus, swimming in narzan, tasting local cuisine, climbing the lift to Cheget.

This trip as a whole brought me a lot of vivid and varied sensations, useful experience and incomparable pleasure. I sincerely thank all the participants of our trip for their participation, good mood, cheerfulness and willpower! See you on the way!