New Year's ascent to Elbrus. Climbing Elbrus in winter What is not included in the price

Our team of two climbers descended from cold Elbrus; a report on their expedition is attached.

At about 2:15 pm we are sitting in the “barrel” at 3800 and trying to warm up; yesterday our familiar guides and the guys from the Ministry of Emergency Situations warned us that it would be cold. That’s right, it’s very cold, it’s hard to keep warm, it’s -20 outside. But we found red ice in the bottle and determined by the smell that it was wine! We love wine, especially dry wine. We have a gas stove, which means we will turn it into a liquid state. We drank and lay down in our sleeping bags, lit the gas stove kindly given to us by the owner of the “barrel”. We looked at our freezing boots and tried to convince ourselves that it was warmer in our room than in the kitchen. Suggestion is a powerful thing! This is how our ascent to Elbrus in winter began, or rather it began yesterday, but we climbed the mountain itself today, that is, December 18, 2012.

People rarely go to Elbrus in winter; the cold and difficulties on the slopes of the mountain associated with a large amount of ice do not allow a massive attack on the mountain, as happens in the summer, when hundreds of people storm the peak.

But here we are: I am the guide and Anton. Anton’s persistence and desire to ascend fuels and inspires me. Unfortunately, only five days were allocated for the ascent, of which four days were allocated for the ascent. Of course, this is not enough for acclimatization, but we will try, what if.

Now, in order, we arrived in Terskol with a wonderful driver Arsen, checked into a hotel and began to prepare for the climb: registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, collecting equipment, fitting crampons - everything as usual. The next day we immediately climbed to 3800, I was worried about Anton’s condition, it was the second day and there was already a big climb.

Let's go up

On the way to our shelter

But everything was calm and measured, we went up on the ski lift, then walked from the Mir station (altitude 3500), because the upper stage of the “chair” rarely works in winter and here we are on the “barrels”. Anton is holding up well, the height doesn’t overwhelm him, he doesn’t want to take me either, the mood is cheerful, and we begin to believe more and more in the success of our ascent.

The next day we went on an acclimatization climb to the Pastukhov rocks.

Ascent for acclimatization

GPS is a good invention, everywhere you look there is white everywhere, if the distance between us becomes more than 10 meters, we don’t see each other, but of course we are careful people, so we tied ourselves with a rope and calmly walked up, trying to understand as we went where this top is...

We reached 4100, we had a rest, but we need higher, we rose to 4300, the weather does not want to become good, the wind and snow are getting stronger. Okay, let's do snow and ice classes here. In winter, the slopes of Elbrus above the Pastukhov rocks are covered with ice, walking on winter ice is more difficult than in summer, because it is very hard, the crampons do not dig into it with their teeth and you need to make an effort when driving in the crampons. In addition, along the entire length of the ice it is necessary to hang the railings by securing the rope to the ice screws, so our classes are thorough, and we spend a long time practicing working with ice equipment.

Learning to work on ice

The weather is deteriorating, after sitting for acclimatization, we began to descend down, still an interesting feeling, when in any direction, wherever your eyes look, everything is white, it seems that you are in space and the concept of direction disappears, but our GPS shows us the way to our home, and we briskly walk through the snow to the shelter. The day was fruitful, classes and acclimatization went well.

We spent the entire next day on the “barrels,” relaxing and talking with interesting people.

Peaks of Elbrus

Mountains in winter

Our ascent is scheduled for December 21, at night at 3-00, the shortest day, and also the last day of our universe (as some say), that is, the end of the world. We don't believe in the end of the world, so we're lucky and we're just preparing for the ascent.

So, at 5-00 we are on the Pastukhov rocks, there is no light at all, it’s dark all around, and the snow is gradually falling around us, there is no wind, no wind at all. This is amazing - in winter, at an altitude of 4700, there is no wind, maybe the end of the world is coming after all. We approached the ice, and we were lucky again; along the entire length there are snow islands along which we wind our way up, trying to avoid the ice. In some places you still have to go out on it, the sensation is unpleasant, you drive the cat into the ice, but it seems that you put it on the glass and it doesn’t hold. Anton tenses up, even though this is his first time on winter ice, but he immediately understood the danger: if the cat slips, he will have to fall down several hundred meters, encountering icy rocks and ice ledges along the way. We safely climbed to 4850, and then it came - altitude sickness. Anton began to feel not very well; after all, going up on the fourth day of being in the mountains is difficult. We are trying to go higher, but with every step it is clear that things will soon get worse, there is not enough oxygen, and there is clearly not enough time to get used to the altitude in three days. Anton is a strong guy, and we are still struggling up to a height of 5000, we take a break, drink tea and start going down. The snow is still falling in large flakes, but at an angle, and the wind has begun to intensify. Having descended to our home, we immediately collect our things and go to the cable car.

In Terskol we eat delicious Balkar kebab and come to the conclusion that we were lucky in everything: the end of the world did not come, we climbed quite high on Elbrus, and we had the experience of winter climbing (and experience, as you know, cannot be bought or drunk) . I consider our decision to descend at the first signs of altitude sickness to be very reasonable and beneficial for our bodies, and besides, we always have the opportunity to return here and climb to the top.

Program Cost How to get there Information sheet

“For a moment we were speechless in front of this amazing panorama; it was not like the Alps, nor the Pyrenees, nor anything we had seen; it seemed that no one, even the most refined imagination, could imagine it. Caucasus..."
Alexandre Dumas the father

Contrary to popular belief about the difficulty and danger of climbing Elbrus, climbing to the highest point of Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus is a prestigious extreme journey - accessible to ordinary physically healthy people who do not have special mountain training. All you need is the desire, the ability to break away from the benefits of civilization for a while, to forget about it for a week. And plunge into the atmosphere of pristine nature, the cold of glaciers and snow, the morning unearthly beauty of the majestic Elbrus, go through all this despite the frost, laziness, the wild “I don’t want” of your own body, sleeping while you move your resisting legs with an effort of thought. And having gone through this, you are rewarded with an almost primitive feeling of freedom, when after the next step you discover that there is no one and nothing above you... The mountains that you looked at in the valley with your head up are somewhere there... below. And, probably, only there, at the top, do you very keenly understand that there can be no talk of any conquest (we can only talk about climbing the Mountain) of the Mountain. That's what those who have never been there say. And only then, below, you will understand that you must return there more than once...

As statistics from previous years of our work show, nine out of ten of our guests successfully climb Elbrus - the highest five-thousander in the Caucasus. Well, of course, if the weather doesn't interfere. Professional guides, high-quality equipment and an optimal acclimatization program will make this trip as safe as possible.

We offer a group tour. And if you are planning to go with your company - call, write, we will organize a tour within the time frame specified by you...

Tour cost:
RUB 33,500
Included in the price: Group meeting in the city of Mineralnye Vody; Transfer Mineralnye Vody city - Terskol village and back; Transfer village Terskol - st. Azau and back; Hotel accommodation in double and triple rooms in the village of Terskol or the village of Elbrus - three days; Three breakfasts at the hotel; Accommodation in the high-mountain shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") - 5 days; Food during your stay at the Gara-Bashi mountain shelter; Rent of group special equipment to ensure safety on the route (ropes for lashings, for handrails, carabiners, ice screws); Rental of kitchen equipment (gas burners, cylinders, dishes); Accompanying the group with a mountain guide throughout the entire program (the price includes one ascent attempt); Ascent and descent on the Elbrus cable car; Snowcat rental st.Mir - st. Gara-Bashi and back for lifting cargo and equipment; Ensuring safety (registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, GPS navigator, communication along the route, first aid kit); Certificate of climbing to the top of Elbrus for each participant; The price does not include: Travel from your place of residence to the city of Mineralnye Vody and back; 4 dinners per day of stay at a hotel in the village of Terskol. One set dinner at the hotel costs 300 rubles for a group member on Elbrus, or you can order dinner separately from the menu; Rental of personal climbing equipment (crampons, ice ax, harness, trekking poles, sleeping bag, backpack, etc.); Cook services at a mountain shelter on Mount Elbrus 2500 rubles/person. Chef services can be ordered in advance or you can prepare your own meals at the shelter under the guidance of a guide. Products and kitchen equipment for preparing meals are included in the tour price; Renting a snowcat on the night of the climb to lift the group from “Bochek” to the Pastukhov rocks - from 40 Euro per person. The cost of renting a snowcat depends on the number of people in the snowcat and the lift height; Accident insurance; Bathhouse, souvenirs and drinks (beer, juices, alcohol);

You can get to the city of Mineralnye Vody by plane from Moscow or St. Petersburg. An air ticket costs 10,000 - 15,000 rubles. There and back again. Flights are operated by Aeroflot, Yur Air, and S7 Airlaines. You can also get there by train. It's a day's drive from Moscow. At 15:00 we meet arrivals at the airport, at 16:30 at the railway station. Tickets from Moscow should be taken for a morning flight to be in Mineralnye Vody by 15:00, and return tickets from Mineralnye Vody to Moscow for evening flights.

The news of the death of a candidate for master of sports in mountaineering, who was climbing Elbrus in January 2013, caused a wide discussion of the causes of the tragedy. Among them, EMERCOM employees cited difficult weather conditions, poor acclimatization of group members, and equipment not suitable for the harsh season. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to climb Elbrus in winter, although it requires much more serious preparation than in summer. After all, in winter Elbrus greets its guests with severe frosts from -20 to -45 degrees and a piercing wind that sometimes completely blows snow off its icy slopes. All this requires the climber to have special equipment, good physical fitness and mastery of the technique of walking with crampons.

So, Mount Elbrus, climbing, harsh climate, dangerous “bottle” ice... How to prepare and which route to choose so that everything goes well?

Clothes and shoes for winter climbing Elbrus

When choosing equipment, you need to take into account that in winter on Elbrus it can be even more severe than in the big mountains during the season.

Therefore, clothes must be warm. A down kit (jacket + trousers) and shoes for high-altitude climbing are required. Ideally, double high-rise boots (boots), although this pleasure is quite expensive, costing about 30 thousand rubles.

You need two pairs of ski goggles - strongly and weakly tinted, which protect from UV rays, wind and snowstorms.

Useful articles:

Winter ascent to Elbrus from the south (classic)

In this case, the classic route is more preferable, because there is an opportunity to settle down and acclimatize in comfortable conditions (the Barrels shelter).

It starts from the Azau tourist center (2200), which is located in the Baksan Valley. From here there is a pendulum cable car. At Stary Krugozor station (2950), you need to change to its next section, which ends at Mir station (3500). The chairlift starts here, taking tourists to the Bochki shelter (Gorabashi station, 3750).

At “Bochki” the main stage of the ascent takes place – acclimatization. Whether the ascent to Elbrus will be successful or not depends on how competently it is carried out.

Climbing schedule:

• 1 day. Arrival at "Bochki" (3750). Rest, walk around the surrounding area (if the weather is suitable for this);
• Day 2. Walk up to the Diesel Hut Shelter at 4050 (former Eleven Shelter). This is a smooth climb (10 degrees) through a snow field that lasts 2 hours. You can go down in 20 minutes;
• Day 3. If you feel good, get up early, around 8 am, and take a hike to the Pastukhov rocks (4600). The ascent lasts 3-4 hours, passes between two rock ridges (4300). Before the Pastukhov rocks (4600) there is access to a snow-ice takeoff (20 degrees). After catching your breath a little, drinking hot tea from a thermos and eating a couple of sandwiches (if they fit into your throat), you can go back. The descent down to the base will take 1.5 hours;
• 4-5 day(depending on the weather and health). Climbing Elbrus (western peak) (5642). Start in the dark (with a flashlight) at 3 am.

Route

Follow the path past Diesel Hut (4050) between two ridges of rocks to the Pastukhov rocks (4600) - climb to the top of the rocks - overcome the snow-ice takeoff (600 meters head-on), but avoiding ice bends –

Note:

Those who have already experienced the climb to Elbrus 2013 note that the most difficult section is the ice slope next to the Pastukhov rocks, which, in the absence of snow, turns into “bottle ice” - hard ice of a greenish tint, into which drills do not penetrate well and crampons cling.

– take the left and go to the “oblique” (5000) from the Pastukhov rocks (1.5-2 hours) – go around the eastern peak with a gentle traverse with a smooth climb through the “motorcycle couloir” and go out to the saddle (5350) – move along the saddle 3 -3.5 hours to the hut –

Note:

If you arrive at the hut later than 15:00 in the afternoon, it is better to start your descent and repeat the ascent to Elbrus the next day.

– move along the saddle (5350) from the hut – turn left along a steep slope (35 degrees), climb to the rocks–

Note:

You may need to use a railing in this area. You can be stuck here for 2 hours.

- go up and to the left and reach the pre-summit plateau (6550) - walk along the flat part of the plateau, and behold - the dome of the summit with a stone pedestal (5642).

It’s better not to linger at the top, take a photo and start descending. On the descent you need to be especially attentive and careful.

Climbing Elbrus from the south lasts 15 hours. Rise - 11 o'clock. You can return to the base in 4 hours.

Organized group rides to make a winter assault on the mountain begin at the end of January, some travel agencies lead groups in mid-March.

There is a wide range of prices for organized winter ascent to Elbrus, the cost of which varies from 15,000 to 40,000 rubles. You can either enter into an agreement with a travel agency, or simply find a private guide on the spot (they themselves will begin offering their services in Azau). The second option is naturally cheaper.

Don’t be embarrassed that you are not ready to climb the mountain on your own and are using the services of a guide. Moreover, an adequate assessment of your own strengths can save your life.

Useful articles:

Winter ascent to Elbrus from the north (for extreme sports enthusiasts)

Despite the fact that the northern route is used quite rarely for winter ascent of Elbrus, it is possible to approach the Eastern peak from this side.
True, it is recommended to agree in advance with the current owner of the Khizhina Oleinikov shelter, Nikolai Petrovich Oleinikov. Or be prepared to independently organize a transfer from the MinVod or Kislovodsk and spend the night in a tent at 30 degrees below zero.

The hut is happy to accept climbers in the off-season by agreement; perhaps other Northern shelters will do this as well. Indeed, today on this side of the mountain in the summer - from May 1 to the end of September, there are several of them (tested during). According to recent tradition, the first ascent of the year takes place here on January 1 (Evgenia Pribyltsova and Alexander Markelov ascended in 2011). And on these New Year holidays, desperate fans had the opportunity to make the first ascent of Elbrus 2013, practically while the chimes were striking.

It starts from Emmanuel's clearing (2600), the sources of Djily-Su. This is where the delivery arrives, although in winter, when the road is snowy, transport can unload travelers earlier, about a 3-hour walk from the sources. The hiking trail starts from here. Cellular communications disappear another 10 km from the clearing.

It is clear that climbing Elbrus in winter attracts only a small number of daredevils and extreme sports enthusiasts. But in the summer season, a parking lot of tents of travel agencies and tourists is organized here, and a post of the Ministry of Emergency Situations operates.

From Emmanuel's clearing to the Northern Shelter is 6 km, with a sharp rise in altitude: from 2600 m to 3800 m. About half the way there is a flat stone field, where there was a German airfield during the war. Here the trail “jumps” up the mountain – to an altitude of more than 3000 m.

Along it they approach the Northern Shelter, where tents are usually set up, and two hundred meters from them there is a permanent parking lot - Oleinikov’s Hut. These are several houses designed for 50 guests (3800), there is also a stationary post of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

It is from here that they climb Elbrus from the north, also going out late at night.

Climbing schedule:

• 1 day. Arrival at Emmanuel's clearing, to the Jyl-Su springs (2600), overnight;
• Day 2. Ascent to the Northern Shelter (3800), walk around the surrounding area;
• Day 3. Day at the Northern Shelter (acclimatization);
• Day 4 Acclimatization hike to the lower cliffs of Lenz (4600). This is the middle of the way to the top, the distance (round trip) is 6 km;
• Day 5 Climbing Elbrus, eastern peak (5621). Start at 2 am.

Route

Move along the glacier to the Lenz rocks, at an altitude of 3900-4200 m in conjunction, because this is an area of ​​ice cracks (in winter they are covered with snow) - go from the Lenz rocks (4600 - 5200), so that when moving up they are on the left hand (movement on the snow, without access to the rocks themselves) -

Note:

The Lenz rocks are not a monolithic block, but rock outcrops above the glacier, forming a kind of gateway to the top.

- at 4800 m turn slightly to the left, making a zig-zag - move between the rocks to the “gate” (5200) - climb the eastern peak “head-on” (5621).

Note:

In the summer of 2012, a non-profit rescue shelter was established on the saddle of Elbrus (coordinates N 43 21 05.0″, E 042 26 53.0″), from the upper cliffs of Lenz it is about 1 km.

Climbing Elbrus from the north lasts approximately 11 hours, of which 8 hours are spent on the ascent and 3 hours on the descent.

Most likely, the northern group ascent to Elbrus, the cost of which in the summer is 32,000 rubles. (organizer - Oleynikov), in winter it will cost about 15% more.

My story had to begin with a lyrical digression, like any story about climbing Elbrus. A lyrical digression with beautiful metaphors and the use of phrases “conquer no matter what”, “waiting for the ascent with bated breath”, “unpredictable, mysterious weather”, etc. But my story begins without digression, I was simply grabbed by a whirlwind called “it so coincided” and, without further preamble, was thrown to where, thank the old Gods and the new, I did not ignominiously disappear under the snow/in a corpse collection/under a backpack, but returned home and began run 10 km a day.

It all started with the fact that, having worked 300 hours in November, I got a break of 5 days somewhere in mid-December and, having no other way to calm my soul than “go to some mountain,” I entered my cherished dates into the search engine, I found the cheapest tickets, closer to “some mountain,” and calmed down.

It’s worth saying that before the trip to Nalchik (which turned out to be the destination on my tickets), I climbed the mountain in a rather specific way. The mountains were not high, the routes were tourist trekking routes, passed by Japanese grandmothers and Chinese citizens with cameras. And I had no idea about cords or carbines, and I had a vague association with cats with electricians who climbed poles in our village and looked very impressive compared to the local tractor drivers.

Preparations for climbing Elbrus began by looking at the reports of those who had already been there, and after a couple of such readings, my soul rejoiced that the view from the mountain was truly gorgeous, the only difficulties were the grueling climb and the rapidly changing mood of the weather, but in general In general, almost everyone can climb.

However, the more literature I read about: what equipment is needed (balaclava is such a funny word); how to properly adapt to altitude (out of my 5 days, adaptation did not work even if I adapted from morning to morning); how to exercise (one source said that in Soviet times you had to do 15 squats on one leg - a kind of test drive to see if you would be allowed to climb Elbrus or not); The more I watched videos about winter climbing, the louder my inner voice ordered me to stay at home. But with an inner voice, in a classic of my own genre, someone who was always forcing me to do rash things and then pay for them argued furiously.

I solved the problem with physical fitness by asking a friend who actively and regularly trains in the gym to teach me how to “squat 10 times on one leg.” He taught me how to teach, but during one visit to the gym, not only could I sit down on one leg, I began to move with difficulty on both legs.

I solved the problem with the cold on the climb by purchasing special socks “for three thousand”, which, as it seemed to me, for such a price should not only warm you up, but also carry you to the top. I decided not to waste money on buying the rest of the clothes, because, firstly, the prices for these very clothes were such that I did not earn, and secondly, I decided that by taking more ordinary clothes, I would compensate for the lack of specialized ones.

I learned the road to Elbrus from the south from the map, took a compass given by a colleague, and that was the end of my routing preparations. Of course, I was a little worried that I would have to find a guide, give him “a lot of money” and be calm in terms of safety. But at that moment it seemed to me that reaching the top was simple, the main thing was a tireless desire and a compass. And the established understanding of a guide as a person who leads people to places where you yourself can go, put a barrier to finding a travel company and everything else. Having visited many places and never once used the services of companies, I firmly stood my ground, a guide is for the weak and the rich.

I solved the safety issue by looking for an instructor for snow and ice lessons. The brain, which did not have the slightest idea about mountaineering, isolated the problem of “learning to hack and walk in crampons”, found an instructor in Azau among the darkness of proposals and calmed down.

After such simple preparation, I ran to work for another 24 hours, shouldered my backpack and flew to the airport, confident in my strength, compass and in the errors of the weather forecast, which predicted minus 45 at the top and a wind of 80 km/h. Just in case, I conducted a survey among my close circle about what “a wind of 80 km/h” is, but I didn’t get a definite answer, only round eyes and various epithets about the abilities of my brain.

Nalchik airport left me no choice in the direction of a minibus or a taxi; Khizir simply approached me and with a welcoming, sweeping gesture invited me into his “taxi”. Considering the twilight and the desire to quickly begin adaptation, even from the notorious 2200 m in the Azau clearing, I got into an authentic Kabardino-Balkarian Priora, and adaptation began right there. Khizir sped off according to his own rules of the road, ignoring road signs, police officers and oncoming cars. Know for yourself, he steered and told, according to the Kabardino-Balkarian tradition, what a great guy he was in everything. I even forgot that I really wanted to eat, I forgot about everything, we were driving so excitingly, not forgetting about crossing solid lines and ignoring speed limits. However, in the area of ​​the village of Neutrino, we suddenly slowed down to an acceptable speed, stopped overtaking through continuous traffic, and generally began to behave in a nauseatingly decent manner.

Khizir, why is it suddenly so slow?

Eh, there are cameras here, I can’t exceed the speed limit!

You almost hit a policeman on a roundabout, and then you got scared of the cameras?

Eh, listen, I can deal with a policeman, but I can’t with a cell!

It is worth adding to my urgent adaptation that I also searched for a hotel throughout Tyrnauz, delayed a taxi in a snowy rut, and a rescue operation with pushing out mainly by my own efforts, because “the engine loves the owner’s leg, push from behind.”

Falling asleep in a warm hotel, after a hearty dinner with nuts and doshirak, I already imagined myself at the top, realizing my greatness and self-sufficiency.

The next morning I met with an instructor for snow and ice training, and, it would seem, I did not surprise him at all with my plans to climb Elbrus. But when I asked for help in renting the necessary equipment (as it seemed to me at that time - crampons, an ice ax and something warm for my feet), he began to look at me more closely.

For those who want to climb Elbrus in winter without preparation, I tell you the following.

First, finding rental shops where climbing equipment has NOT been removed until next summer is quite difficult, and even if the equipment is available, few will be willing to give it to you. The reason is that you don’t want to lose this very equipment, because everyone is sure that you will grab some junk and run away with it to a corpse dump or hide under an avalanche.

Secondly, having a knowledgeable person nearby will increase the list of “equipment necessary for climbing” significantly. And you won’t get away with just crampons and an ice ax, but take a special warm down jacket and a harness and windproof goggles and a thermos and a lanyard with carabiners.

Third, when you go to register with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in order to save time, you should not immediately shout out the window: “Please register for Elbrus!” A group of one person, the leader is me!”, with this you can receive a categorically intimidating lecture about why you should not go there and that a rescue group in such a snowfall will not quickly pull you out of the crevasse.

Fourth, even if you booked “Barrels” or any other shelter using the Internet, this does not guarantee that they will be waiting for you there. And you, with your 60-liter rented backpack and 5 liters of water, will walk around closed shelters and wait for miracles. Sometimes miracles appear in the form of a guy from the Ministry of Emergency Situations who plies along the highways, takes out the key to the shelter from hidden places and, after charging you a nominal fee, leaves you to enjoy the fact that you can at least hide from the snow and wind.

Having spent all daylight hours until noon loading things into the shelter, the instructor began to explain how to dress the cats and, in general, everything that we had rented for unknown reasons. But my mother always taught me to obey men, and I obediently took everything that he said and that, as fate would have it, was found at the box office. Looking ahead, with an eye to the knowledge we already have, I will say that we took the equipment according to all the rules and if I had at least a bit of mountaineering experience, I would have been able to appreciate the invaluable help of the instructor at that time.

It was assumed that the snow and ice classes would take place near Shelter 11, where I would undergo adaptation and learn how to use an ice ax and, perhaps, see what bottle ice really means. Putting on goggles, which turned out to be very useful against the snowy wind, we went to the shelter. Although, it’s hard to say - let’s go. The snow was about knee-deep, and we didn’t walk, we broke through. Remembering an unusually important question, the answer to which I could not find on the Internet, I ran to the instructor, who insisted that I walk somewhat behind, even if I had the strength to walk faster. But no. The instructor didn’t know “how girls usually pee on Elbrus in winter.” I adjusted the three layers of pants and thoughtfully walked on.

Snow and ice activities did not give me much pleasure. It seemed to me that it was very easy - when you fall, you have time to insert the ice ax with the correct side and with the correct position of your hands. To be honest, these 20 minutes at Shelter 11 did not give me anything, in my opinion, useful. But 3 hours to the shelter and about 1.5 hours down, already in the dark, gave me good adaptation (as it seemed to me) and an understanding of what visibility is 5 meters. Looking ahead again, I’ll tell you that the ability to cut myself off helped me a lot, but I can’t say to what extent it helped. And at the moment of successful application of this skill, it no longer seemed to me at all that snow and ice activities were “some kind of crap.”

My plan called for another day of rest, and then an assault. And immediately downstairs, call Khizir so that he can pick me up at the airport. The instructor, no longer surprised by anything regarding my ideas, said that this was madness and offered his services as a guide. I, looking at the snow blizzard and the complete lack of visibility, inquired about the price. The price crossed out all my reasonable impulses and silenced my inner screaming voice.

The instructor took his board, and, telling me to call if I changed my mind, disappeared into the darkness, twilight and the ski slope.

I went to the shelter, boiled water, devoured a gourmet dinner of freeze-dried beef and paper noodles, prepared for the most exciting journey to the toilet, walked out the door, realized that I could fly away to nowhere, decided that the toilet could be transported to the nearby snowdrifts and went to bed, glad that my head doesn't hurt.

I spent the next day of rest responsibly, in accordance with all the rules of behavior before the assault - I did nothing, checked the weather, thought about the start time of the assault and doubted the success, and in the late afternoon - the safety of this event.

Having reached complete zen in solitude and in unity with myself regarding the fact that the event is complete madness, I stopped thinking and decided to just leave early, about 23:00, go towards Shelter 11, then to the Pastukhov rocks (the direction to which The instructor showed it to me, waving in a vaguely defined direction “somewhere out there”) and then, as the suit falls, maybe a straight flush will appear. I turned off my brain, turned on the flashlight, put on everything I could sleep in comfortably and spend less time getting dressed later.

Of course, I couldn’t sleep. She lay down and lazily read a book. But the bell inside still blinked red - danger awaits us ahead. But I waved him off even more lazily: “this is better than vodka and colds” (c).

At that time, for some reason, it was not possible to dress the cats methodologically correctly. I put everything on, as the instructor showed me the day before, and was glad that I remembered all his little educational lessons, but things didn’t work out with the cats. It took about an hour to study the physiology of cats (read: the device); understand the etiology (read: the cause of the breakdown) and prescribe treatment (read: fix it).

And now - work on the mistakes.

First. Properly selected equipment and clothing, regarding quality and quantity, can protect your body from cold, wind, slipping, getting wet, etc. I was so happy about these down pants and jacket, so enjoyed the protection from the wind from the goggles, and fondly remembered the instructor who practically forced me to take all this, including a large thermos.

Second. If the visibility is about 5 meters, then it is not possible to follow a route that looks like a straight line on the map, and in reality you find yourself in a snow vacuum and have no idea where you are going. And the compass, save and preserve, does not help at all. Especially if all you can do is match the arrow with the letter “N”.

Third. When the snow level is about your waist and the same snow continues to cover all your traces, you feel: a) a snail in a matrix, b) a brainless blind puppy, c) lonely.

Fourth. When you have already gone out for an assault, you feel a little helpless and a lot - you fear for your life, then calling a guide is pointless, because he still won’t reach you, won’t provide help and won’t even explain how to live further and which way to go .

Fifth. Bottled ice exists even if you can't see it.

Sixth. Getting hacked when you are sliding and are about to fly somewhere beyond the visibility of 5 meters is not so easy, and also incredibly scary.

Seventh. It is not always possible to see the dawn during an assault.

Eighth and most important. Not reaching the top, but saving your life is not a shame, but on the contrary, in order to turn back you need a lot of willpower, and the closer you are to the top, the more difficult it is to turn around. And you should not check this fact in practice and your own mistakes.

I won’t be able to say how far I moved from Shelter 11, whether I reached the Pastukhov rocks, and in general, whether I moved to the top or to some other place. It’s just that at about 10 in the morning I realized that even if I get to the end, I’m unlikely to be able to understand it, because in the milk of snow and wind in which I was, even my own outlines soon ceased to be distinguishable.

It was even more difficult to return, because at first there was that same ice (yes, under the snow, but it was there!), periodically my deep traces were lost, and my concentration decreased. Not because I'm tired, no. But because the thought is firmly established in my head - going down is as easy as shelling pears! But, as it turned out, going down is very difficult, and cutting yourself off on the way down is even more difficult and scary.

Having already reached the shelter, which I strongly associated with the promised land, I was firmly convinced that I would definitely return to Elbrus, prepared in every sense of the word! Because even behind the dense layer of snow, fog, and wind, I definitely knew that the view from where I was was amazing. That the dawn, which I did not see, touches you to the very bottom, to the very last muscle cell of the heart. That the physical and psychological fatigue that you neglected in order to be at the very top is a worthy payment for the sensations that you received when you reached the end.

After all, even before reaching the end, I felt such a charge of energy in myself, as if the mountain was telling me: “Kat, don’t worry, you’ll come back, prepare better, pay more attention to the next meeting with me, and come back, and I’ll show you what , what were you looking for? Even though I myself didn’t yet understand that I was looking for something.

And I really began to prepare. Immediately, as I descended to the clearing, effectively causing a break in the pattern among the caretakers at the Gara-Bashi ski lift, whom life had not prepared to sell tickets for the descent, but only to check tickets for the ascent. And the girl with a 60-liter backpack at 9 am, who asked to go down... It seems to me that the caretakers and I had a nice chat.

And yes, I started preparing. I found an ice climbing instructor, and for the rest of the day in Azau we climbed on ice with him. I ran during the New Year holidays because I had time, and after the New Year I developed a plan and began running 10 km at a constant frequency and progressively increasing the distance. Because endurance on the mountain is necessary, don’t go to a fortune teller or instructors.

I signed up for an alpine club and began to learn how hard crampons differ from regular crampons, why cracks are dangerous, what is the difference between geographic and magnetic Azimuth, and where is the best place to organize a bivouac.

And the more I learn, the more ridiculous my idea of ​​climbing Elbrus in winter, without a guide, alone on a mountain that I have no idea about, seems. The mountain must be respected, it is extremely important. And coming on a date with her without flowers (read: equipment), without proper knowledge of her habits and preferences (read: knowledge of at least the basics of mountaineering) is at least stupid, and at most dangerous.

And in conclusion, the message of my story is that those who are going to such ascents, neglecting preparation, or neglecting the importance of replacing at least part of the preparation with services

good, responsible instructors who didn’t try to repeat my mistakes. But don’t be afraid of difficulties, you just need to read more, don’t turn on the mode in your brain “it’ll all sort itself out somehow” or “nonsense, let’s shove it in”, but prepare carefully and scrupulously. And then the mountain will give you what I will definitely receive this year. Even if I don't reach the end. Because it's never too late to turn around. It’s important to treat the mountain with due respect, and it will give you more than it takes away, I’m sure.

If you suddenly want to climb Elbrus, the company “No Fear” will help you with this. It's much more fun in an organized group. Qualified mountaineering instructors and professional oxygen equipment will ensure your complete safety during the climb. 10 different programs for every taste: from climbing with oxygen in 1 day to autonomous expeditions along the wild routes of Elbrus. Take a short test and find out which route is ideal for you.

For several years now, every February, a team of our instructors has been going to… winter Elbrus! And 2020 will be no exception! There are several places on the team and you can join us if you:

1. Have you climbed Elbrus in the summer or have experience climbing to heights of 5000+?
2. You have good physical and mental preparation (you have extensive experience in mountain hiking). Otherwise, you can join us without the goal of reaching the top and limit yourself to stunning views from the alpine shelter, technical training, skiing or snowboarding. The winter ascent to Elbrus will take place along the southern route according to the “comfort” program - with accommodation in a hotel below and a high-mountain shelter above.

Plan for winter ascent to Elbrus:

Day 1: We meet opposite the Pyatigorsk railway station at the Kirov monument at 10 am, the transfer takes us to Azau. We have lunch, check into a hotel, check and adjust our equipment. If necessary, we go for rentals. Clarification of goals and priorities.

Day 2: Acclimatization hike to Terskol peak (3127m). We check the equipment and change it if necessary. We have dinner and overnight at a hotel in Terskol.

Day 3: Acclimatization climb to a height of 4200-4400 m along the southern slope of Elbrus. First we take the cable car up to the Mir station, 3500 m. Overnight in Terskol, we prepare our backpacks for moving to the shelter.

Day 4: Today we are moving to the Bochki shelter. We take the cable car up to an altitude of 3850 m, check into a shelter, have lunch and go on an acclimatization trip to an altitude of 4600-4800 m, conduct ice training. We return to the shelter, have dinner and relax.

Day 5: After breakfast, we will have an acclimatization trip to an altitude of 4800-5000 m, hanging the railings for the upcoming ascent, and ice training. We spend the night in “Bochki”.

Day 6: Day of rest. We descend to an altitude of 3000 m or lower - at will. In the evening we move to the upper shelter at an altitude of 4200 m, check our equipment, have dinner and go to bed early.

Day 7: Go for a morning jog at 3.00. Visit local attractions, check the stability of the summit stone of the Western Summit, return to the shelter 4200 m, with the removal of ropes along the way.

Day 8: spare day in case of bad weather.

Day 9: spare day. In the evening descent to Terskol. Gala dinner at the hotel. Spare days can be used for skiing or snowboarding.

Day 10: In the morning departure to Pyatigorsk.

List of required equipment:

General tourist equipment and clothing:

Large backpacking backpack (you must leave empty space for public equipment and food)
- assault backpack (30-40 l)
- sleeping bag (comfort temperature not less than -5) and mat. More about selection
- trekking poles (optional, but they are more convenient)
- trekking boots (for radial excursions), rubber slippers (for hotels)
- thermal underwear: pants + jacket
- fleece jacket + pants
- storm pants + jacket (membrane, wind and moisture protection)
- down jacket (jacket with down insulation)
- insulated pants (with down or synthetic insulation)
- fleece gloves
- thick down mittens (basic)
- one more mittens (spare)
- T-shirt, underwear, towel
- 2 pairs of thick woolen socks, several pairs of walking socks (cotton or special trekking socks)
- sunglasses (lens darkening degree not less than 4)
- ski mask (in case of bad weather, the simplest one)
- fleece balaclava
- thick fleece or thick wool hat
- sunscreen (protection 50+)
- personal hygiene products, personal first aid kit
- headlamp and spare batteries for it
- thermos
- KLMN (mug, spoon, bowl, knife)
- personal “go-to” snack (several chocolate bars)

Climbing equipment:

Cats
- lower harness (included in the price if you don’t have your own)
- ready-made lanyards or a piece of dynamic rope 3 meters long and 9 mm in diameter.
- a piece of cord with a diameter of 6-7 mm. and 1.5 meters long.
- zhumar
- trigger (figure eight/reverso/gri-gri)
- ice ax (included in the price if you don’t have your own)
- 2 ice screws + 2 carabiners without coupling
- helmet (included in the price if you don’t have your own)
- 3 carabiners with coupling
- mountaineering boots. For winter climbing, special high-altitude models (La Sportiva Olympus, Spantik, Zamberlan 8000, Millet Everest) or plastic boots paired with insulated shoe covers are suitable.

Where to get climbing equipment:

Option 1: rent in the Elbrus region. The prices for this rental can be found here. Rentals provide discounts to our members.

Option 2: rent at a rental office in Moscow. Moscow rental prices can be found here. Rentals provide discounts to our members.

Option 3: renting from our rental is the cheapest option, but the amount of equipment in our rental is limited - book well in advance! You can see the prices.

Option 4: purchase your equipment. Write to us and we will help you with your choice! We also provide it in many equipment stores.

List of required documents:

Identity document (Russian passport)
- health insurance policy

* If you plan to rent any equipment in the Elbrus region, then take with you a document that you can leave as a deposit. For example, a driver's license.

Meals (included in price):

At the hotel: We have breakfast and dinner in the hotel cafe. Breakfast usually includes: cottage cheese, milk porridge, scrambled eggs, cheese, bread, butter, tea and coffee in unlimited quantities, lemon. Dinner includes: soup, main course, salad, bread, cookies or pastries, tea and coffee in unlimited quantities.

At acclimatization exits: In the afternoon, during acclimatization trips, we have a hearty snack. Each participant receives an individual snack in the morning: nuts, dried fruits, chocolate, cookies, and also brews tea in his thermos before leaving and takes it with him.

In the high mountain shelter: here we will have at our disposal the usual “urban” products (vegetables, fruits, cereals, canned food, cookies, dried goods, jam, halva, chocolate, honey, etc.) from which we will prepare a variety of camp dishes: sweet cereals for breakfast, soups for lunch, main courses for dinner.

On the summit climb: Before storming the summit, each participant receives an individual snack: nuts, dried fruits, chocolate, fruit, cookies.

Accommodations:

At the hotel: the hotel is located in a picturesque pine forest on the banks of the Baksan River, accommodation in comfortable 2-4 bed rooms, all amenities in the room, wi-fi, TV, clothes dryer, luggage storage.

In the high mountain shelter: shared rooms for 6-10 people in metal trailers reminiscent of a polar station. We sleep in sleeping bags on wooden floors covered with polyurethane mats, or on beds covered with mattresses. The inside of the trailers is quite warm and dry. We cook and eat in a separate large dining trailer.

Cost of the trip:

Cost of participation: 35,000 rub.

What's included in the price:

Transfer from Pyatigorsk to Terskol and back
- accommodation in a comfortable hotel according to the program
- meals at the hotel according to the program (breakfast + dinner)
- accommodation in a high mountain shelter according to the program (6 days, including spare days)
- food in a high mountain shelter
- transfer of equipment and personal belongings by snowcat from “Barrels” to the shelter 3900 m.
- ascent by cable car according to the program (1 time to the “Mir” station, 1 time to the upper “Garabashi”)
- certificate of successful ascent to Elbrus
- work of instructors
- public climbing equipment (ropes, station loops, etc.)
- radio communication
- group first aid kit
- registration of the group with the Ministry of Emergency Situations

What is not included in the price:

Directions to Pyatigorsk/Mineralnye Vody
- pocket expenses, souvenirs, bathhouse, etc.

Possible additional expenses:

Order a bath after descent (300-500 rubles per person)
- visit to a cafe (on average 500 rubles per lunch)
- buying souvenirs
- purchase of a personal “go-to” snack (several chocolate bars)
- rental of personal climbing equipment (crampons, harness, ice axe, helmet, carabiner)
- use of snowmobiles, snowcats and lifts not according to the program.
- hotel accommodation not according to the program.

Payment and booking:

Participation in the winter ascent to Elbrus can be paid in full directly to the instructor on the first day of the expedition. To reserve a place in a group, you must make an advance payment of 20% Attention: a refund of the advance payment for participation in the winter ascent to Elbrus is possible no later than three months before the start of the hike (no later than November 14, 2019).

1. Mountaineering is potentially dangerous and may harm your health.

2. Weather in the mountains is the most important factor determining the success and safety of the entire expedition. The weather can make its own adjustments - you need to be prepared for this. We will not storm the mountain “at any cost” and in any weather. That is why there are 2 spare days in the expedition schedule (a total of 3 assault attempts).

3. Almost everywhere along the route there is cellular communication.

4. How does winter climbing Elbrus differ from summer climbing? — In short, much more severe conditions. In winter it is much colder - the temperature at the top can be down to -40 degrees, and taking into account the wind, even lower. There is a lot of snow on the slopes - especially at the bottom (you may have to trail). There may be so-called ice fields at the top, which will need to be processed in advance before storming the summit. Daylight hours are shorter in winter - sunrise is later and sunset is earlier, so you need to climb the summit at a good pace.

Harsh conditions create certain requirements for the training of climbers: firstly, experience is needed. It’s definitely not worth starting your acquaintance with mountaineering with a winter climb to Elbrus. Secondly, you need good equipment. Going to the top in single-layer trekking boots will not work! Equipment can be purchased or rented.

But visiting Elbrus in winter is an incomparable experience! Dazzling white mountains everywhere you look, fresh clean snow, few people (at the top), a more interesting route, the opportunity to ski or snowboard.