As soon as the idea of climbing to the highest point in Europe came to me, experienced people warned me that this was not a mountain to take lightly. I was told that although its altitude might appear safe, many people die there each year — somewhere between fifteen and thirty. Fatalities on the mountain have different causes: some people fall into crevasses, while others succumb to the cold after being unable to find the way back. I had already read plenty of reports, and one of them said that only two of the fifty people who set out on the ascent managed to reach the summit. Some were defeated by the weather, while others simply ran out of strength. Many accounts said that climbing Elbrus was genuinely difficult and that most climbers lacked the strength for the descent. Some even fell asleep on the way down after beginning their descent. One of the mountain’s defining features, and one of its hazards, is its changeable weather. Within an hour, clear skies above the mountain can cloud over and a powerful blizzard can begin, wiping out visibility completely. These and many other frightening stories made me appreciate the seriousness of the climb and approach my preparation with the utmost responsibility.
Despite the warnings, I decided to attempt the climb and test myself. From then on I prepared for the mountain with even greater seriousness. I ran every morning, acquired the necessary equipment and looked for companions. Eventually I was fortunate enough to find a wonderful group of people who, like me, dreamed of climbing Elbrus from the north. I bought some of the equipment and had to hire the rest locally. One of my companions had already been on the mountain, although from the south, so we decided to approach from the north. I should point out that the northern route is far more difficult than the southern one. It has fewer of the conveniences found on the southern route, such as cable cars and places to rest. Yet it has advantages of its own. Only here can you truly come into close contact with nature and experience it in full. The route offers a stronger connection with the natural world and is regarded as ideal for genuine mountain enthusiasts.
Today, most people prefer to climb from the south. Elbrus was first climbed from the north, however. The ascent of the Eastern Summit, which is twenty-one metres lower than the western one, is considered the classic northern route. Whichever summit you manage to reach, though, it is regarded as a successful ascent of Elbrus.
As soon as we arrived at the airport, we found the minibus we needed and travelled to Kislovodsk. We had arranged in advance to rent a flat for one night. It was comfortable and had room for all five of us. That evening we bought food at the local market, which proved very good, and hired the equipment we still needed. From Kislovodsk it is possible to travel to Emmanuel Glade, where the Elbrus base camp is located. The entire journey took us no more than three hours, and the glade can be reached only in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Three hours later we arrived at Emmanuel Glade and pitched our tents. There was a hotel and a café on the glade, while nearby stood a remarkable silver spring where people collected drinking water and even bathed because the water was believed to have healing properties. Its temperature was only a few degrees. After registering with the rescue service, we went to sleep so that we could begin climbing towards the high camp the following morning.
The next day we left Emmanuel Glade for the upper high camp, situated at three thousand eight hundred metres. We planned to cache some of our equipment and food there. The ascent crossed the place known as the German Airfield, then climbed onto a ridge and continued towards the summit until we reached the moraine.