{"id":37415,"date":"2016-04-19T11:12:46","date_gmt":"2016-04-19T08:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mountainguides.pro\/?p=37415"},"modified":"2026-09-10T16:11:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T13:11:15","slug":"when-dreams-become-reality-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mountainguides.pro\/ja\/2016\/04\/19\/when-dreams-become-reality-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"When dreams become reality. Part two"},"content":{"rendered":"

Climbing Elbrus with our guides<\/p>\n\n

Getting the group ready takes about an hour and a half. Before we set out we all make sweet porridge and drink hot, fragrant tea or cocoa, whichever anyone prefers. The start is planned for half past two or half past three in the morning, so we will be moving in the dark with head torches. From the high camp onwards we move roped up, in crampons and with ice axes in hand. By the time of the summit push everyone in the group is well acclimatised and knows how to walk in crampons, how to breathe properly and how to self-arrest after a slip. For the whole of the route we will move roped together, and on the more dangerous sections the instructors set up fixed ropes for extra protection. The climb itself takes from six to twelve hours, depending on the fitness of the group, the weather and the state of the slope. The descent needs another three to four hours or so. The tenth and eleventh days are set aside as reserve days in case of bad weather, which gives us three days for the summit push, since unsettled weather on Elbrus is nothing out of the ordinary. On the twelfth day we will go down to the Emmanuel meadow. And what actually happened?<\/p>\n\n

On the first day we reached the village of Elbrus at about six in the evening. We spent roughly an hour packing the group kit. My rucksack weighed 34 kilograms and the women’s about 25, so the instructor put each of the men in charge of one of the women, to help her lift the rucksack on and off at every halt. We reached the campsite in the dark. I walked in the middle of the group, and the last to arrive were the married couples: the men were carrying heavy rucksacks to make the walk easier for their wives. In the evening we pitched the tents, sorted out who was sleeping where, got to know one another round the fire and got through the plan for the first day. The next morning those on duty were to be up at five so as to have the group ready to leave at seven.<\/p>\n\n

On the second day we woke on time, had breakfast and started packing up. Getting everyone moving together was still hard work, but our tent was the first ready to go. We set off at half past seven, having first practised walking and breathing technique, which made the going a great deal easier. All day we moved up the Irik Chat valley, gradually growing used to the heavy rucksacks. For the night we stopped below Mount Irik, where some of us cooked borsch and the rest went to bed.<\/p>\n\n

On the third day our task was the climb to the Irik Chat pass. A strong wind made the going harder, and there was occasional rain. We stopped on the snow below the pass, where the wind had dropped and the sun was out. After a rest we practised self-arrest on a snow slope and walking in crampons on ice. Despite the difficult conditions everyone was pleased and in good spirits. In the evening it was our turn on duty and we cooked supper. Unfortunately the rain soon started, and even waterproof clothing let the water through. Once the food was ready we washed up and went to bed in order to be up by morning.<\/p>\n\n

A storm with rain raged in the night, and towards morning a blizzard set in. Breakfast was cooked in the tent porch, because there were so many of us and food had to be made for 18 people. Fortunately the snow stopped, and we packed quickly, put on crampons and split into three rope teams. Almost at the start, though, one of the women slipped, and I had to drive my ice axe in to hold her. We then carried on down the northern side of the pass, where the glacier forced us to move very carefully indeed. Everyone’s legs ached, especially those not used to long descents on ice. Once we reached the ice plateau we crossed it in an hour and stopped for lunch.<\/p>\n\n

Coming off the glacier we saw that the river had risen, and we had to wade it on a rope. One of the group hurt their head during the crossing, having decided to take their helmet off, but the doctor treated them at once. After that everyone decided to keep helmets on even at rest stops. The path had been washed out by a mudflow, and we started looking for somewhere to spend the night.<\/p>\n\n

On the fifth day we were due a rest day, but instead we had to find the way to the Emmanuel meadow. We managed to find a way through, cross the ice plateau and drop down to Jily-Su, where we ate chebureki before walking up to the meadow. In the evening we had supper and went to bed, another day of the expedition behind us.<\/p>\n\n

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What to read next<\/h2>\n

See the programme:<\/strong> Climbing Elbrus from the south, 9 days<\/a><\/p>\n