“We were both on very private journeys, looking for our inner selves, but the pleasure and satisfaction of climbing were best shared.
—Josep Pujante, on climbing Mount Elbrus, from Seven Summits by Steve Bell (2000)
Mt. Elbrus Fast Facts:
- Mount Elbrus is considered an inactive volcano.
- In the 1990s, Land Rover brought a car to the top of the east summit of Mount Elbrus for an advertisement. Locals say it is still there (although I’ve never seen it personally).
- Mount Elbrus was one of the first of the Seven Summits to be climbed.
- Mount Elbrus lies in Russia, close to the borders of Georgia andArmenia.
- Mount Elbrus was the first peak of the Seven Summits to be climbed together by Dick Bass and FrankWells.
AltItude: 18,510feet (5642m)
Summit GPS Waypoints: n4321.129, e4226.010
Elevation Gain: (base camp to summit) 5715 feet (1742m)
Distance: (base camp to summit) 5.6 miles (9km)
Difficulty Ratings: Technical: 2, Physical: 2–3
Time: (door to door) 15 days
Season: June–August
Introduction:
Mount Elbrus, the highest summit of Europe, rises 18,510 feet (5642 m) above sea level in the Caucasus Mountains, a range 700 miles (1125 km) in length, sandwiched between the Caspian and Black Seas. To the north of the Caucasus lie forest and steppe; to the south, a drier, desertlike environment. The Caucasus Range includes the fourteen highest mountains in Europe. Mount Elbrus is tucked deep within the Caucases Range in the southwestern corner of Russia, close to its border with Georgia. It has two prominent summits: the east (18,442 ft, 5621 m) and the west (18,510 ft, 5642 m), with the main climbing route ascending to the col between the two.
Other Activities:
Sightseeing in Moscow and St. Petersburg, traveling through Siberia on train
MOUNT ELBRUS GEAR LISTS