How to spend a vacation in the Elbrus region - at the foot of the highest peaks Russia
Travels / / December 19, 2019
Alexander Piskarev
Author articles about tourism and travel. Passionate about the mountains and hiking: behind the ascent of Elbrus, trekking routes in the Crimea, Svaneti and Krasnaya Polyana.
Elbrus in the winter ride skiers and snowboarders, and summer - climbers, lovers of trekking and trail running. For five to seven days you plenty will walk through the mountains and ravines, look at Elbrus and other peaks of the Main Caucasian Ridge. Walks do not carry a lot of equipment: just a small backpack with water, food, camera and extra clothes in case of bad weather. Afternoon walk in the evening is going home.
How to prepare
1. Select time
It is best to go from mid-June to late August. During this period, the weather is most pleasant. And it is more stable than in the off-season: less rain and less cloudy. The snow is just above 3000 m, the powerful waterfalls in the canyons of green and everything blooms. To catch the good weather, take a look at and make Elbrus cool photos - go in the summer.
2. Tighten the physical form
a few days walking in the mountains is difficult, especially for those of us who lead a sedentary lifestyle and little moves. To get pleasure from a hike - Train. Begin to run two or three times a week for a month before the trip, this will be enough to bring the body in tone.
3. Decide Where to stay
Elbrus is located in the Baksan Gorge, which closes the clearing Azau - road ends here and the slope of Elbrus begins. Before Azau Terskol village lies, and next to it a glade Cheget. In these places, there are many hotels, inns and guest houses, and local residents rent accommodation - accommodation options for many. It is more convenient to stay in Terskol, to be closer to the main pedestrian routes.
4. Collect gear
Here's what you need:
- Sunglasses, sunscreen. In the mountains, a strong level of solar radiation, so choose sunglasses and a cream with a high protection factor.
- Headdress. Cap or bandanna will protect your head from overheating.
- Thermos and water bottles. Hot and sweet tea from a thermos will give strength and jar can be refilled in a waterfall or river.
- Trekking poles. Remove the load from the muscles and joints, help up and down.
- Head Torch. Handy if dark, and you have not yet returned home. Do not forget extra batteries - just in case.
- membrane jacket. In the mountains the weather changes frequently, so the membrane jacket will not get wet, and at the same time protect from the wind.
- fleece jacket. When cold, it warms, and even well-fleece wicks moisture, dries quickly and is lightweight.
- Backpack 20-30 liters. For food, Cameras and that is described above.
- walking shoes. Shoes or sneakers for light trekking or hiking. The main thing - the shoes should be raznoshena that did not press and do not rub.
- Trekking socks. Special socks for hiking protect from calluses, foot support, do not rush, breathe and dry faster cotton.
- Pants or shorts. Hot day and you can go in shorts, but then in a backpack should lie pants in case colder. Lightweight pants breathable synthetic material can replace the shorts.
- T-shirt. Choose the options from synthetics, they are better wicks moisture and dries quickly.
Where to go and what to see
Below - a five-day program for the review of the most popular attractions. On these routes climbers acclimatize before climbing to the top of Mount Elbrus. They rise higher, have lunch at a height, and then go down.
Trails for simple orientation and well-trodden in summer many groups of climbers, runners and tourists. For navigation, you can download or Maps.me OsmAnd application, and before the trip to explore the trails on the resource Nakarte.me. At each place need one day, and the travel time depends on fitness. Better to leave early to get back before dark.
Price: Free
Price: Free
Price: Free
Price: Free
gorge Terskol
Better to start from here. It closed gently sloping valley, which rises near the end. Here is a simple path with a gradual rise, so go easier than on other routes. It is important to gradually adapt to the altitude and to stretch our legs after the road. Just short of the end of the gorge, on your left, you will see one of beautiful waterfalls Elbrus - Terskol. This business card route.
Waterfall girlish braids and observatory at the peak Terskol
Observatory is at a height of 3 to 150 m, and from there a great view Elbrus, glaciers and its South Caucasus range. The main starting point for the ordinary tourist, who does not have the goal to acclimatize for the climb - Waterfall girlish braids. This is a good place to rest, and snack dip before lifting to the observatory, or descent down.
The valley of the rivers and Irik Irikchat
The mountains are beautiful, but to look at the same peaks all five days, although from different angles - is interesting not for everyone. To change the types you can go by taxi to the village of Elbrus, which is located 12 kilometers from Terskol. There, the trail begins in the Valley Irik Irikchat and rivers, where the climbers route on the eastern peak of Elbrus. On the trail can be seen other mountains of the Caucasus Ridge: Ullukara, Bashkara and Bzhedukhs. On the way there narzan source and "sand castles" - rocks that are under the influence of wind, water and temperature changes have acquired a shape similar to the ancient eastern Palace.
Cheget
This ski center near the village Terskol. The route starts from the clearing Cheget, and on the whole it is maintained over a sufficiently steep climb. It can be reached both on foot and on the chair lift. In the middle of the trail there is a cafe where you can have a tasty lunch: eat local hychiny (thin cakes with fillings) and Laghman. At the end of the route offers views of Mount Elbrus, an observatory, all Baksan Gorge and top Donguzorun on which the beautiful glacier "Seven."
Elbrus
The last day is logical to devote a major top. If the previous days you several times climbed above 3000 m, by this time the body is enough to acclimate altitude. If not - watch out their condition or climb high.
On the mountain can be a lot of snow, so useful gaiters to protect feet. If you want to spend the night in a hostel at the top, then take a sleeping bag. All equipment can be rented at the Azau before lifting - many distribution points.
The cable car rises to the station "Gara-Bashi" - the very last stop at an altitude of 3847 m where. you can walk taller and look at the place where once stood "Shelter eleven" - hotel climbers. If you go hard or too lazy, there can be reached by snowmobile or snowcat for money. Above it is not necessary to go - can worsen the condition because of altitude sickness.
Meals are available at the station "Mir", there is a cafe. Slightly above, between the stations, there are hostels for the night - this place is called "barrel" because of their shape. Availability is better to specify in advance by telephone, some can agree on a diet, so as not to raise the food underneath.
Sleep on Elbrus stands for sunrise and sunset over the Caucasus range, the noise and the atmosphere around the glaciers. On the mountain, you can meet lots of interesting people from all over the world.
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