Elbrus 2012

Published on Russia Today: 22 September, 2012. Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, is now a slightly more attractive proposition for climbers as a new rescue cabin has been built in order to help stranded mountaineers.
Some would argue that it’s technically not in Europe, but at 5642 meters, Russia’s Mount Elbrus is considered by many to be Europe’s highest mountain.
With such a backyard, it’s no wonder Russians have always been avid mountain climbers.
During Soviet times, mountain climbing was actively encouraged and Mount Elbrus was the prize attraction.

But there’s a reason why mountain climbing is considered an extreme sport. Hundreds of people freeze or plummet to their deaths every year, mainly because they are ill-prepared or ill-advised on how to tackle the climb.
Mount Elbrus is no exception, with up to 10 climbers dying annually, which is why a consorted effort was made to install a cabin shelter at the mountain’s summit.
“We constantly have to rescue people from Mount Elbrus,” Aleksey Ovchinnikov, CEO of Russian Mountaineering Federation, told RT. “Around 100,000 mountain climbers from all over visit it every year, and every year people die from bad weather, losing their way, so to have a rescue cabin on hand is really important.”

The process of the entire project was a lengthy one, because it was a voluntary effort, i.e. no sponsors or government grants were used.

“It’s also an enormously difficult task from an engineering point of view,” Ovchinnikov stressed. “There are almost no analogs. It’s the highest construction in Europe and the second highest in the world and to build something like this is always a huge ordeal.”
In 2010, the group managed to complete a different shelter, which was technically the first, but it was blown away by a particularly bad blizzard.

So when two mountain climbers perished in April 2012, with one of the bodies never recovered, Russia’s Mountain Climbing Federation made the construction of another, more durable, shelter cabin one of its top priorities.

Indeed, the interior of the cabin doesn’t leave much to the imagination, with only two horizontal planks for beds and a small table in-between; But when your life is on the line, surely luxury amenities would be the last thing on your mind.

“The cabin was built for emergencies only, not for a full overnight stay,” alpinist Pavel Terekhov explained. “But it allows rescuers to come to a specific point, rather than having to search large areas, and in turn it helps the mountain climbers to, well, survive.”
The new cabin has already come to the rescue of two German mountain climbers and hopefully will assist many others in the future...

Source:

http://rt.com/sport/elbrus-rescue-cabin-ovchinnikov-713/

August, 25 a blitz-climbing program was realized on the highest peak in Europe andRussia–Mount Elbrus. The participants had only half a day, for one acclimatization outing. But they were quite experienced climbers who are in good shape. This is what contributed to the success of this risky climb. As well as the excellent work of guides of 7 Summits Club - Sergei Onufrienko and Andrei Afrin. Climbers reached the top: Lyudmila Antonovskaya (Belarus), Konstantin Korotkov (Belarus), Dmitry Sokov, Roman Smirnov, Alexander Stolyarov, Sadik Hafizovich (Switzerland).

Our Belarusian friends shared photos of Elbrus on flickr.com

Full album is posted here >>>>>>>

Seventh International Elbrus Race competitions were held from August 26 to September 2. Weather these days was unstable, the main start was held on August 31. Strong wind in the summit forced organizers to limit the height of rise for most participants. Only four athletes have reached the top of Elbrus.

The competition was held in two categories. Classic: start at 3710 m finish at 5642 m. Extreme: start at 2400 m and finish at 5642 m.

Anton Proshchenko fromOmskwas the first on the track Classic. His time was 2 hours 28 minutes 2 seconds. He became the new recordsman of the competition International Elbrus Race on track Classic. The previous record belonged to Andrey Puchinin from Almaty - 2 h 34 min 33 sec. Just behind Anton, the second climber reached the top. It was Aggai Skopin (Kazakhstan, Almaty) – his time is 2 hr 31 min 35 sec. Rafael Ramazanov from Ossetia, has a third time, 3 hours 31 minutes.

Well-known guide Roman Gubanov won on the track Extreme. Roman, a permanent member of races, improved his previous result on this route - his time of 4 hours 31 minutes 11 seconds.

Then the weather turned bad on the summit of Elbrus, the wind increased. The judges, who were on duty on top, found to be impossible to finish on top. Other participants finished near the Saddle.

Olga Mikheenko was the winner of the women.

One of the participants of starts was an old friend of 7 Summits Club Boris Korshunov. He just in the day of start turned 77. On this day, our veteran, world record on the number of ascents on peaks above 7000 meters, in the 77th time climbed to the top ofMount Elbrus. According to him, he's going to be back to theHimalayas next spring.

http://elbrusrace.com

http://www.russianclimb.com

August, 30 in the evening, the group ate dumplings. So that in the morning they were all cheerful and well-fed.

August 31, our multinational team reached the highest point of Europe -Mount Elbrus. 10 members and 4 guides. And Vladislav Lachkarev attended two summits of West and East - that is, made the "Cross of Elbrus."

Tired but happy, all the band members the same day went down to the hotel "Povorot".

And today we are all waiting for a party at the end of the season in the Elbrus! Georgian menu, disco and delicious cocktails for all guests of the fest ! Come on!

List of groups:

Kuzmin George

Lachkarev Vladislav

Nechaev Michael

Kileinikov Sergei

Valishev Rustam

Murtazin Marseille

Mehran Imami,

Nrinder Singh,

Dawn Matthey,

Ricardo Maalihan.

Currently, Canadian Elia Saikaly is on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. August 24, he was with a group on Cheget .. Great weather contributed to good photos. On the eve of his departure for Russia Saikaly published a nice article about the features of climbing Elbrus ..

Elia Saikaly is a Canadian social entrepreneur whose award-winning films, global adventures and dynamic public engagement initiatives inspire others to FIND their most meaningful LIFE and spark positive change.

Whether he’s traveling with a nomadic tribe in the Sahara, climbing the world’s highest peaks, (4 Everest Expeditions + Cho Oyu and 5 of the Seven Summits) or communing with polar bears in the Far North—Elia has proven himself to have the determination, stamina, skill, resourcefulness and vision required to meet the greatest of challenges.

As an adventure filmmaker, he has successfully broadcast back webisodes to networks such as CTV, NBC, CBC and RDS from some of the most inhospitable environments on the planet including Mt. Everest where he successfully shot, edited and broadcast a web series from the top of the world to over 20 000 Canadian students.

http://www.findinglife.ca/

FindingLife

http://vimeo.com/34680158#at=0

Everest:Summit!

So You Want to ClimbMount Elbrus

I'll never forget the day I was sitting in the airport lounge inAtlantain 2008, on my way toRussiato climb the highest mountain in Europe, when I looked up at the monitor and read the headline "War erupts betweenRussiaandGeorgia".

My flight was set to depart toRussiain less than 45 mins and I could hardly believe what I was seeing on television. In that moment, I was 'pinged' by my climbing partner Omar, an Egyptian friend, who wrote, "A bit of alarming news. War erupted and we're unsure if we'll be able to climb. See you inMoscow". "See you inMoscow? That's it? We were about to be climbing in an area next to the war zone and all I get is "See you inMoscow?"

I was new to climbing and I had never been toRussiabefore. I had yet to meet my team and I was there not only to climb, but to shoot the entire experience in HD video. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time since I had no idea what was going to happen. Would we be permitted to climb? Would the country be off limits? Would we be sent home upon arrival? We had a lot at stake, including our lives. Here is a glimpse of what happened on

Day One:

http://youtu.be/6CbeKBXEm90

So let's talk a bit aboutMount Elbrus. Famed and sought after by climbers all across the globe for being credited as the highest mountain inEurope, the mountain has two summits, the west (and higher summit) towers 5642m and the east summit (just slightly lower) stands 5621m. In mountaineering circles, it's often climbed by those seeking to complete the challenge of the seven summits -- to climb the highest mountain on every continent.

I sometimes refer to Elbrus as the Kilimanjaro of Europe. Like Kilimanjaro, it's the highest mountain on the continent, it's accessible, quite affordable when you compare it to other notorious peaks such as Everest and it's easy enough that just about anyone who is fit and who has basic mountaineering skills can reach the summit. What makes Elbrus dangerous is that some amateur adventure seeking enthusiasts make the mistake of underestimating the mountains and die on her flanks. In 2003, various unofficial sources claim that there were 48 deaths in the surrounding area. However, the biggest threat to any climber is the weather which I ultimately experienced first hand by the end of my first expedition in 2008.

So why did I climb Elbrus? It's simple: I was hired to document an all-Arabic expedition whose climb was in support of a Middle Eastern charity. I was brought along as the sole filmmaker, my classic 'one- man show', whose responsibility was to capture and document the climb, using a wide array of Canon DSLR's and accessories, from the base to the summit of the mountain.

Given my mountaineering history (a few Everest expeditions, 5 of the seven summits, Cho Oyu etc.) Elbrus should have been a piece of cake right? It's lower than Kilimanjaro and there's a chairlift that takes you up to 3000m point. In fact, you can even buy shish kabobs at the top of the chairlift if you're hungry. Did I mention Elbrus was a ski resort? Yup, that's right. You, your friends, and even grandma can ride the chairlift and get within striking distance of the summit without even exerting yourself provided that you're familiar with getting off chairlifts. Joking aside, 3000m and above is where the climbing begins. In my case, climbing was the easy part. Dealing with all of my technology, at a high altitude and uncontrolled environment, with a group of people that weren't willing to wait for me to 'get the shot' was what made my task of reaching the top three times harder than my colleagues.

Imagine this: every time you decide to roll camera, you're expending energy that you need for your summit climb. When you do decide to roll, you need to be conscious of how much time/energy it will require to catch up to the group -- an exhausting endeavour at high altitudes. If you manage to catch up to the group, you're likely out of breath and unable to stabilize the camera due to your panting. If you're ambitious and want to get ahead of the group to create a shot of the entire group coming towards you, then you'll need to factor in how much energy that requires as well.

You're carrying your camera gear in addition to all of the gear that everyone else is carrying like water, warm clothes, extra gloves, food etc. You're wearing crampons (spikes on the bottom of your boots) and risk tripping and falling down the mountain while destroying your equipment. In addition, you worry about storytelling, audio, interviews and the grandest of challenges, backing up all of your footage and recharging all of your batteries in the cold while everyone is sleeping peacefully after their arduous day.

The lack of rest and exhaustion you experience hinders your body's ability to properly acclimatize and lessens your chances of remaining healthy and strong and summiting the mountain. Add to this the beauty of this is that the more you worry about all the things that can go wrong, the greater the toll the altitude takes on you and minimizes your chances of succeeding.

So how did I deal with all of this? I followed some simple rules that can be applied to any climb. Whether you're climbing Kilimanjaro, Elbrus orMt.Everest. Here is what I did to stay healthy; ensure I stayed with the team and delivered outstanding footage to my client.

#1) Manage your stress:

No matter what happens, take the climb is one step and one day at a time. I will not worry about anything. EVER. That's the code. I'll be conscious of all things occuring around me and within my own body but I will not allow my mind to create unnecessary stress. If you remain stress free, then you're halfway there. I've seen too many people psych themselves out and as a result the body shuts down.

#2) Manage the basics:

Sleep. Food. Water. This is the simple science of mountaineering. It sounds like first-grade advice but you'd be amazed to know how many people mess this up. Altitude can suppress your appetite. Even if you're not hungry, eat anyway! You are in control. Your body is burring calories at an exhorborent rate. Feed it and you're chances of success will be maximized. Drink four to five litres of water a day and try to sleep eight hours. In my case, this was a challenge, but it will be the key to staying healthy so I can shoot the entire climb, from base to summit.

#3) Check your ego at the door:

That means having the humility to know when your body is sending you warning signs.AcuteMountainSickness -- otherwise known as AMS -- can affect anyone at anytime. If left untreated, AMS can lead to very serious cases of pulmonary and cerebral edema, an abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs and the brain. The side effects could be as severe as death. The Canadian climber who died this past spring onMount Everestsuffered from edema. If you have a headache, it's the first sign. Nausia, insomnia, irritability, lack of appetite etc. are all warning signs that you're pushing your body too hard or that you're not acclimating optimally. In my case, if I needed to rest and slow down, I would.

#4) Monitor your oxygen saturation:

This is the amount of oxygen saturation in the blood. I'll be carrying a pulse/oxymetre with me for my next climb. This will contribute (as I don't rely on these devices as the sole indicator of low saturation) to the overall picture of my health.

#5) Smile. Laugh. Breathe.

Live the experience in the moment. Nothing is quite like being above the clouds, close to the heavens, ever-present and living an adventure.

So how do you know if climbing Elbrus is for you? Well, if you've doneMountKilmanjaroand you're looking for the next mountain challenge, Elbrus could be for you. You'll need some basic mountaineering skills to pull it off, a strong team, a logistics or expeditions company like my friends at Adventure Alternative. It's slightly lower in altitude compared to Kilimanjaro, but you're climbing on snow and mixed terrain which is a different ballgame entirely. Your fitness level should be high in order to maximize your experience. The last thing you ever want to do is climb above the clouds and be staring at your feet the entire time!

Seven years ago, I took a huge risk to pursue a career as an adventure filmmaker. I shut down my small, corporate video-production business and gave it all up to chase my dream of becoming an adventure filmmaker. and it's moments like these remind me that those risks were all worth taking. You can never go wrong by doing what you love and following your passion.

I ended up reaching the summit on one of the most miserable days in August-Elbrus history. I stood on the summit with my close friend Omar Samra, against all odds, with zero visibility as we shared an unforgettable adventure together that remains to this day, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I can only hope to be so fortunate this time round. If I'm truly fortunate, I may even be gifted with a clear and unobstructed view from the rooftop ofEurope.

Reach for the skies in all that you do everyone!

Follow Elia Saikaly on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eliasaikaly

Today, the entire team of 7 Summits Club climbed to the top of theWestern Elbrus. This 10 members from Tyumen and 4 guides. And then four person and guide Alexander Abramov also ascended the Eastern peak of Elbrus. Thus, having a "cross of Elbrus." This Kristina Melnikova, Julia Anisimova, Pavel Rudenko and Salavat Mananov. At the Western Peak they were at 8 a.m., and on the East at 10:45. The team managed to reach Terskol on the evening. The weather was beautiful.

Tomorrow all members fly away home.

In a group of 10 climbers fromTyumen:

1. Kristina Melnikova

2. Andrey Frank

3. Christina Novoseltseva

4. Salavat Mananov

5. Oleg Pestov-Zhukov

6. Marina Pestova-Zhukova

7. Julia Anisimova

8. Xenia Malgavko

9. Pavel Rudenko

10. Vadim Abanin.

4 guides - Alexander Abramov, Andrey Berezin, Alexey Vodolazkin and Hussei Kuchmezov. And Lena Trishankova - Manager of our Nepal office.

A new refuge on the Saddle of Elbrus

Group of Victor Saunders (known English guide, climber and writer) today climbedMount Elbrus. Two climbers reached the summit, one could not. The weather conditions were very hard. Today's climb was made at the third attempt, before that a storm, strong gale and poor visibility made it impossible to reach far then Pastukhov rocks.

Before Elbrus the group climbed the second highest peak of the Caucasus- Dykhtau.

Victor Saunders

Hello! This is Alex Abramov. I am currently working as a guide ofTyumenteam of 10 climbers. Weather is disgusting. We went yesterday to Cheget; it was hail, very strong winds. The guys got it. Yesterday they took the new equipment in our shop. I hope everything will be good now.

Now we are trying to climb the shelter Bochki, on the slopes ofMount Elbrus. The weather is bad. The cable car is not working. But we are going.

Yesterday, 15/08/2012, the following members of an international group of 7 Summits Club reached the summit:

Geoffrey Ritchie Wood,
George Mark Chambers Beattie,
Derek John Mahon,
Rasmus David Bugge Henriksen,
Bent Henriksen.

Noel Richmond Hanna was their guide, he ascended the summit of the two days - 14.08 and 15.08.

08/14/2012 the ascent and ski descent made by:

Noel Richmond Hanna,
Adam Paul Leeb,
Eberhard AAlfred Lange.

From 16 people in the group, only eight made it to the summit! According to witnesses, who on the same day was on the mountain, at the top you can just lie! Wind is not even allowed to walk on all fours!
This is a very good result, because the weather is nasty, snowing with rain and terrible wind. And the forecast is until bleak!

An international team was working on the program “Elbrus from the north”. Three members reached the eastern peak of Mount Elbrus. This: Charles Wesley Clements III (U.S.), Ionut Radu Ropota (Romania) and James Richardson (Canada). Another climber Charles Wesley Clements II reached an altitude of 5350m. Two person did not summit attempt. This is Adam Roberts (Canada) and Grant Lester (UK). All climbers are down to Kislovodsk, are happy and plan for next year to conquer the Mount Elbrus from the south side. In the evening at a gala dinner guides presented certificates to all participants of the expedition.

Hi! It is Ludmila Korobeshko from Pastukhov Rocks. So, now our multi-ethnic group descended? We reached almost in full the top, the western summit of Elbrus. One climber, Brazilian, failed to reach the top. For her it was the first experience in the mountains. In general, we have risen fast enough, go down also quickly. It should be noted that the "ringleader" was Irena, and the men ran after her. And it should be noted, of course, Catherine, for which it was also the first experience in the mountains. Interestingly, she won the trip on the joint action of the Red Fox and 7 Summits Club. It was hard for her, but she managed, and now she runs down, so that we could not hijack her. In general, we're having a good time and enjoy life. But we finally celebrate, of course, when the go down to his shelter. Hello!

So, our team made not only traverse but a real “cross” of Elbrus! To be honest, before the ascent, we had doubts. That was the fact that it was necessary to carry heavy backpacks. And quite a large length of the route. But most importantly was the weather. Forecast for next 4 days was bad. Constant snowfalls. The whole evening before climbing, rain pouring on barrels. However, at 3 a.m. the rain stopped. And even the stars appeared in the sky. As early as 7 a.m., our “top five” reached the saddle. And at 8:30 we were at the top of the Western Summit. Hooray! It's cold. But the traditional picture of the flag and with a golf club made! Tired, we are running down. Along the way we welcome our friends from the group of "classic." At the head turned an idea - there is still Eastern Summit. And we must go at it with heavy backpacks?? May be not climb it. In the end, it is our whim. The program does not include it..

But no one said this aloud. We drank tea, shouldered the rucksacks and went up to the Eastern Peak. Now we are six. We were joined by guide from Nothern Elbrus region Andrew Berezin. Wind increased. And it blows almost all the time in the face. We put on masks, those who have. And at last, the edge of the crater. A little more and - the Eastern summit. Almost all cameras were frozen. We start a descent on North. Weather deteriorates very quickly. Snow, a blizzard. Distant thunder. We try to go as quickly as possible. The forces were at the end. Good, that the storm is aside. At 3.30 p.m. we were in the camp at 3600. Compote. We meet old friends. It's great. And it's great that we have carried out our plan.

In the cross-traverse were:

Kyrill Muraviev

Vitaly Simonovic

Sergey Dmitriev

Mark Hornell

Andrei Berezin

Ludmila Korobeshko

Today, our new team, all six members and two guides, ascended the western peak of Elbrus. At 11 o'clock in the morning. In perfect weather.

We could not make a traverse of Mount Elbrus, as one member fell ill. But now we are already at the refuge, healthy, contented and happy.

Hello! This is Alexander Abramov from Pastukhov Rocks. Our climb was over, all members of our team, "RTSoft" reached the summit of Elbrus. The main part of the team has risen at 8.30 a.m., Moscow time. Then, a part of team descends back into the Terskol with two guides. The second part of the team, too, with two guides, went to the north, that is, on the other side of Elbrus. As it was planned. In addition, the two participants, with a guide made the "cross ofMount Elbrus." That is, they have climbed additionally on top of theEastern Elbrus. In general, we are fine. In two days the team will meet again in the city of Kislovodsk. Then they will fly away home. Good-bye!

We congratulate climbers, congratulate employees and owners of the firm "RTSoft" with the 20th anniversary! The team, according to its representatives, going up toMount Elbrus, is very strong. Good luck in everything!

The part of our group turned to the North for a traverse

This is Alexander Abramov. Now late in the evening, and a concert in the Elbrus region still continues. Today, our team has climbed to the top of Cheget. It was a very useful walk in the foggy weather. In the evening the participants of the song festival came fromMoscow. Right in the office of the 7 Summits Club, right on the street, we had a concert, and then dancing, and dancing. Now the concert goes on, has already begun the first hour of the night. We are all in excellent mood. Tomorrow we'll go to the Shelter Eleven. And by the way, the bards will climb with us. The concert will continue. Good-bye!

It is Alexander Abramov from Elbrus. Yesterday, about 12 o'clock in the afternoon, our team was on top of Mount Elbrus. More exactly in the 10-40 a.m., they tell me. That means even faster. In perfect weather. Climbed to the top: a guide Alexander Abramov, ........... from Morocco, Cecil Seriylav from Belgium, as well as Russian citizens Maksim Loginov and Michael Yarin. The ascent took place in a good mood. In a good pace. No one frostbitten. Everything went down happy. Also, we were able to celebrate this event and to celebrate the birthday of our chef cook, Anna, wife of Danila. That’s all, good bye! Tomorrow the team members fly home.

Russia Today Published: 05 July, 2012, 16:55

The Skyrunning World Series event on Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, turned into a battle between the extreme sport trendsetters Italy’s Marco de Gasperi and Luis Hernandez of Spain.

­When it comes to sport, human beings can perform wonders at sea level. But, at above two and a half thousand meters, altitude sickness becomes an issue – and a good tip to avoid it is to climb up slowly.

But this advice is not for the skyrunners, who gathered on the slopes of Europe's highest mountain, in Russia’s Caucasus.

Running in the mountains has been a pastime for thousands of years, but probably very few did it for fun.

Italian Marino Giacometti established skyrunning as a sport in the early 1990s, while his compatriot, forest ranger Marco de Gasperi, is one of its best athletes.

The opening race of this season’s World Series began on the icy slopes of Elbrus, and will end in Spain in November.

Italian de Gasperi was the quickest in the Vertical Kilometer event where athletes run up a height of one thousand meters, with the overall length of the course not exceeding five kilometers.

The 35-year-old beat Luis Hernandez of Spain by a minute, and set a new record in the three thousand meters sector.

However, it was the 35-year-old Spaniard, who claimed revenge, in style, by being the first to touch the peak in the SkyRace.

The runners started from 2,300 meters, aiming to reach the top at a height of 5,642 meters.

It usually takes around nine hours to do it, but Hernandez stopped the clock in less than four hours.

“I used to compete in cross-country skiing and biathlon,” Hernandez said. “As there is little snow in Spain we had to climb high up into the mountains. And I did it quickly. I've always enjoyed the mountains and looking at the scenery. So after quitting biathlon there was no question for me about what to do next.”

Since the first man reached the summit, almost a hundred and fifty years ago, thousands of mountaineers have reached the top. For some, it remains a long-term and tough achievement.

But for those who run above the clouds, it appears to be nothing more than just another challenging, but enjoyable, jog.

The great success - so you can call the results of competitions named Festival Red Fox Elbrus Race 2012. It took place from 7 to 11 May on the southern slopes of the highest mountains in Europe, on the classical route. It is near the village of Terskol. Several hundred participants started in several sport disciplines (vertical kilometer race, sky-running, ski-mountaineering, snow-shooing) . This is much more than two years ago. World leaders of sky-running for the first time took part in the Elbrus race . After a year pause, connected with operations against terrorists in the area, Mount Elbrus (from the south) is open for the public, open for climbing.

Guide 7 Summits Club Artem Rostovtsev took a very high place in the competition. He was the fourth in the vertical kilometer race and fifth in the race to the summit of Elbrus.

Route:

Azau Glade –Western Summitof Elbrus

The whole length of the route is around 12200 meters
Vertical drop of the route 3240 m

Men

1. Luis Alberto Hernando (Spain) - 3.41

2. Marko de Gasperi (Italy) - 3.44

3. Vitaly Shkel (Samara) - 3.53

Women

1. Janna Vokuyeva (St. Petersburg) - 5.02

2. Alexandra Dzik (Poland) - 5.39

3. Nadejda Korolyatina (Krasnoyarsk) - 6.12

Amateurs.

Refuge Bochki (Garabashi) –Western Summitof Elbrus

Men.

1. Denis Provalov - 3 hours of 17 minutes

2. Vladimir Klebansky - 3.22

3. Ismail Achabayev - 3.45

Women.

1. Zoya Spirina - 5.16

2. Valeria Merkuryeva - 5.46

 Russia Today TV