Elbrus (5642 m.)

Each participant in the ascent must take out an insurance policy, which will help you first and foremost in the event of an accident during your trip. It is recommended to take out insurance for climbing the southern slope of Elbrus. According to Russian law, rescue operations on the slopes of Mount Elbrus are carried out by the Ministry of Emergency Situations free of charge. Before the start of the route, the guide registers the group with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In the event of an unforeseen situation, it is the group guides who provide first aid, contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations and help evacuate the victim to a shelter, cable car or a place where transport can arrive. The participant contacts the insurance company independently, however, if he cannot do this, the guide or manager contacts the contact person specified in the contract. The contact person already contacts the insurance company, so it is important that he has a copy of the insurance policy. The descent of victims from the southern slope is carried out on foot or by cable car. If additional vehicles such as snowmobiles, snowcats, etc. are required, the participant must pay for them themselves or ensure that the insurance company covers these expenses.

The main insurance requirements are below:

1. The insurance company’s assistant must not be GLOBAL VOYAGER.
2. The “occupation” (or “sport”) field must contain “MOUNTAINEERING” (above 5000 m.)
3. The country of stay is Russia (Russian Federation)
4. The total amount of coverage under the policy is NOT LESS THAN 30,000 USD
5. The dates of the insurance policy must coincide with the dates of the ascent or stay on the territory of the Russian Federation
6. The insurance policy must cover “transportation of the injured”. The amount of coverage for transportation is not less than 20,000 USD.

Route of the ascent from Southern side:

The route starts from the Azau glade (altitude about 2350 meters), which is easily accessible by transport from Pyatigorsk or Mineralnye Vody. The lower station of the cable car is located here, which takes tourists first to the Krugozor station (3000 meters), and then to the Mir station (3500 meters). On the last section, to the Gara-Bashi station (3780 meters), you can get by cable car or by snowcat (a special machine for moving on snow), which significantly reduces the ascent time.

After arriving at the Gara-Bashi station, the pedestrian part of the route begins, where climbers gradually ascend to the Bochki shelter or the Priyut odinnadtsati (about 4100 meters). Here you can acclimatize, which is the most important stage of preparation, especially for beginners. The next important landmark on the route will be Pastukhov Rocks (about 4,700 meters), where an intermediate stop is often made for rest and acclimatization.

The last section from Pastukhov Rock to the summit passes through ice and snow slopes, so at this stage it is important to use special mountaineering equipment – crampons, ice axe, trekking poles, helmet and insurance. The finishing section requires utmost attention and control due to sudden weather changes and thin air at altitude. On this route, program participants climb to the Western summit of Elbrus (5,642 meters), the highest point in Europe.

1. Acclimatization. Since the ascent goes to significant heights, it is important to gradually get used to the thin air, spending the night at intermediate altitudes. This helps to avoid altitude sickness and improve your well-being along the route.
2. Insurance. Although rescue operations on Elbrus are free, it is recommended to take out insurance that covers emergency evacuation and medical expenses. When registering a group with the Ministry of Emergency Situations before the ascent, it is useful for participants to have a copy of the insurance policy.
3. Registration and approval with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Before the ascent, the guide or group leader is required to register the group with the local branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. This helps to quickly organize assistance in case of unforeseen situations.
4. Following the instructions of the guide. An experienced guide is an important element of safety when climbing Elbrus, especially for beginners. He controls the pace of movement, monitors the condition of the participants and helps in making decisions in difficult conditions.
5. Weather conditions. On Elbrus, the weather can change rapidly, and it is important to be prepared to cancel or postpone the ascent in unfavorable conditions. It is better to plan your days in advance in case of weather delays.
6. Physical preparation. Climbing Elbrus requires good physical fitness, endurance and preliminary preparation. It is recommended to take a training course with an emphasis on cardio training to confidently cope with the loads at altitude. We also recommend taking a basic training course to gain knowledge about moving around snow and ice, using crampons and an ice axe, and moving in a roped group. To maintain regular fitness, we recommend going on weekly hikes – mountain or ski.

Equipment:

• High-altitude footwear
• Waterproof hiking trekking footwear
• Change of footwear for the camp (sneakers or crocs)
• Flip-flops
• Backpack with a waterproof cover
• Sun protection: hat, glasses of category 3-4 UV, ski mask, cream, lip balm
• Crampons
• Ice axe
• 3 carabiners
• Self-belay 3 meters
• Power bank and charger
• Sleeping bag, extreme -20
• Headlamp with spare batteries
• Water container 0.5-1 liter
• Personal first aid kit
• Harness
• Thermos

Clothing:

• Down jacket
• Ski jacket
• Ski pants (2)
• Jacket and pants with membrane
• Warm fleece
• Thin fleece
• Thick thermal underwear
• Thin thermal underwear
• Warm and thin
• T-shirts, T-shirts with different sleeve lengths
• Top-shirts (large warm mittens)
• Gloves
• Hat, buff, balaclava
• Dense raincoat