Tour condition: Grade D. The 3-4 days are devoted to the ascent of Elbrus. This climb is for experienced skiers only as it combines climbing and skiing. Although no advanced mountaineering experience is required for the ascent of Elbrus, it is necessary to be familiar with the basic use of crampons and ice-axes. There will be several opportunities to practice them during the first days.
ITINERARY
Day 1. Arrival in Moscow. Transfer to the hotel. On your first night in Moscow there is an optional – bus tour “Moscow at night” or a pub crawl.
Day 2. Check-out from the hotel. Transfer to the airport to meet your flight to Mineralnye Vody, where you will be met by our English-speaking representative. On the way from the airport we pass local cities and villages and in approximately 4 hours, arrive in the valley of the Baksan River. Here you will be able to see the snow-capped mountain summits. Check-in at the hotel.
Day 3. A day to acclimatise. After breakfast you will enjoy your first day’s skiing to Cheget peak . You will take two chairlifts to 2980m and then ski up to 3400m. From there you will enjoy a panoramic view of the Baksan valley and the twin summits of Mt.Elbrus. Return to the hotel.
Day 4. Another day to acclimatise. After breakfast we drive to the cable-car station at Azau and then up to the MIR station (3,750 m) by two lift trams. Today you will ski to the Azau glacier pass ( 3400m.) before returning to Terskol village to ski down the snowy slopes of the Caucasus. Ovenight at the hotel.
Day 5. After breakfast you will drive to the cable station at Azau, to take a cable car and a chair-lift up to the Garabashi lift station (3,750m). Today’s skiing route lead to the Pastukhova rocks (4,600m). The route is not too steep with the last part being the steepest at 20 to 25 degrees, but it is tough going at this high altitude. After a hard ascent there is exciting skiing down to Azau station. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6. After breakfast we drive to the Azau cable station, and take a cable car and a chair-lift up to the Garabashi lift station (3,750m) before skiing up to 3500m. After reaching the accommodation at Barrels you will leave your belongings and hike up to 4,200m to the former refuge Prijut 11. You will stay overnight at the Bochki camp
Day 7. Today you will attempt to reach the main target of your trip – the summit of Mt.Elbrus. If the sky is clear you will woken at 3 a.m., to start your climb. Using the headtorches you will make your way to the Pastukhova rocks where you will stop for a short rest and some drinks. From Pastukhova rocks the slope is not more than 20-25 degrees, but the high altitude starts to affect your stamina. Over 5,000 m the route turns to the left and you start to traverse the slope in the direction of the small flat “saddle” plateau, which you will reach in 2-3 hours. A final big effort is needed to reach the top, which you can do either by going to the East or to the West Summit.
After reaching the summit skiing down will be an exciting experience! Return to the Bochki camp to prepare for a celebration dinner for the winners in the evening. You will also receive your certificate confirming you’ve been on the top of Mt. Elbrus once you are down in the valley. Overnight stay at Bochki camp.
Day 8. Descend to Terskol and rest at the hotel.
Day 9. Breakfast in the hotel. Free time. In the afternoon transfer to Mineralnyje Vody Airport for your flight back to Moscow. Arrival in Moscow and transfer to the hotel. Free time. Overnight in the hotel.
Day 10. Check-out from the hotel. Today you will have the whole day to explore the main highlights of Moscow. After visit to Red Square and the Kremlin, there is a short bus tour of Moscow. In the evening you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight home.
Some places you visit in this journey are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Please click here to view the UNESCO review page:
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