Climb Elbrus from the South with Oxygen

This is an exclusive version of the south route ascent of Elbrus with oxygen, for participants who want to climb the highest summit in Europe within a limited amount of time and in a high-comfort format, using supplemental oxygen.

The defining feature of the programme is the use of supplemental oxygen during the high-altitude part of the route. It helps reduce the effect of thin air on the body and makes the ascent of Elbrus more comfortable for participants who cannot spend a long time in the mountains or who want to reduce the effect of altitude during the main climb.

It is important to understand that climbing Elbrus with oxygen is not a substitute for acclimatisation and preparation. The height of the summit, 5642 m, remains the main factor of difficulty in the programme, and every person’s reaction to altitude is individual. Supplemental oxygen is a tool that helps you carry the altitude more easily, but it does not remove the requirements for physical condition, a correct pace and the work of experienced guides.

The programme is built to use participants’ time as efficiently as possible. The preparation, the briefing on using the oxygen equipment, the mountain accommodation and the departure onto the route are all organised around the specifics of a fast ascent of Elbrus by the classic southern route.

Despite the compressed schedule, participants make a full ascent of the West summit of Elbrus, 5642 m, by the classic route from the south. The lead guide decides whether the group can set out, whether it can continue and whether the summit can be reached, taking account of the condition of the group, the weather forecast, the state of the route and the actual conditions on the mountain.

Climbing Elbrus with oxygen suits those who want to achieve the goal of reaching the highest summit in Europe but cannot commit to a long acclimatisation programme. It is also an option for participants who want a more comfortable ascent and less exposure to altitude during the most demanding stage of the route.

Day 1. Arrival in the Elbrus region and preparation for the ascent.

Important: the oxygen programme is an exception to the arrival rules that apply to the standard south route programmes. You must choose a flight scheduled to land at Mineralnye Vody airport before 10:00. The group meets at the airport and travels straight to the Elbrus region.

On the day of arrival participants have to complete the drive to the Elbrus region and ride the cable car up to the high-mountain shelter, because the ascent of Elbrus begins during the night between the first and the second day. With a later arrival participants may miss the cable car and be unable to complete the programme as planned. When buying tickets, be sure to allow time for baggage reclaim and for leaving the terminal.

On arrival participants collect the necessary equipment from the hire shop, check their kit and prepare to go onto the route. The group then rides the cable car up the southern slope of Elbrus to the high-mountain shelter.

In September the cable car may be closed for scheduled maintenance. If the cable car cannot be used, the guide decides the onward logistics according to the actual situation; a vehicle is hired for the ascent if necessary. If the cost of the vehicle exceeds the price of a cable car ticket, participants pay the difference.

At the shelter the guides give a detailed safety briefing, explain the specifics of climbing Elbrus with oxygen, go through how the oxygen equipment is used and check that participants are ready for the high-altitude push. Where necessary there is a short session on moving in crampons and working with mountaineering equipment.

After the preparation participants rest before the main departure. Overnight in the high-mountain shelter.

Day 2. Ascent of the West summit of Elbrus, 5642 m.

The main day of the programme is the ascent of Elbrus with oxygen by the classic southern route to the West summit, 5642 m. The programme is intended for participants who want to make a high-altitude ascent within limited time and to use supplemental oxygen during the most demanding stage of the route.

The departure begins at night, usually between 02:00 and 04:00, depending on the weather, the state of the route and the lead guide’s decision.

Supplemental oxygen is used during the high-altitude part of the ascent and helps reduce the effect of thin air on the body, but it does not replace physical preparation, correct tactics or the supervision of experienced guides.

Where necessary, and by agreement with the group, a snowcat may be used on individual sections of the route. The lead guide decides whether it is used, taking account of the condition of the participants, the weather and the actual conditions on the mountain.

The ascent is led by experienced Mountain Guide guides and follows the safety requirements. After the summit the group descends the southern slope of Elbrus and returns to the valley.

This completes the programme for climbing Elbrus with oxygen.

• Accommodation in the shelter for the number of nights set out in the programme
• All transfers within the programme
• The cable car
• Snowcat or snowmobile, ascent and descent
• Meals as set out in the programme: lunch and dinner on the first day, breakfast and a packed lunch on the second day
• One summit attempt
• One set of oxygen equipment
• Guides, at a strict ratio of one guide to three clients for the ascent
• Group equipment: rope, ice screws, radio, satellite navigator and other necessary items
• Personal equipment: oxygen equipment, double boots (Lowa, Boreal or La Sportiva), membrane jacket and trousers, down shorts or trousers, headtorch, flask, sunglasses, ski goggles, crampons, heavy down jacket, double mittens, gaiters, sleeping bag, ice axe, trekking poles, harness with lanyards and carabiners, medium rucksack
• Hire of a duffel bag for rented and personal equipment for the duration of the ascent
• Certificate of a successful ascent

• Single occupancy
• Other personal equipment
• National park permit, where applicable
• Guides and cooks if the programme changes
• Any costs connected with changes to the programme
• Additional summit attempts and additional oxygen sets beyond those included
• The supplement for an alternative ascent by vehicle if the cable car is closed for maintenance in September and the cost of the vehicle exceeds the price of a cable car ticket

No aluguel Rock-and-Rent há absolutamente tudo, de alta qualidade, você pode chegar até de shorts (especialmente se reservar tudo com antecedência). Selecionamos todo o equipamento com base em um único fator: máxima adequação às condições do Elbrus, para onde levamos grupos desde 2001!

E sim, elaboramos essa lista com muito cuidado; no total, os guias da empresa conduziram milhares de escaladas, e não acreditamos que haja algo supérfluo nela!

Documentos:

• Passaporte
• Passagens aéreas/trem
• Seguro médico
• Voucher (para estrangeiros)

Equipamento pessoal:

• Mochila, 30-40 litros
• Saco de viagem, 80-100 litros
• Saco de dormir, temperatura de conforto de 0°C a +10°C (de junho a setembro inclusive), de -20°C a -10°C (de outubro a maio inclusive)
• Bastões de trekking, obrigatórios com anéis de pelo menos 70 mm
• Crampons
• Piolet clássico, com cordão de 5-6 mm para encaixe no sistema (2-3 metros)
• Sistema de escalada
• Capacete
• Mosquetões, 3 unidades (melhor grandes – muito mais fácil de usar com luvas)
• Cordas de segurança (usos de auto-seguro)

Roupas e calçados:

• Serve roupa de esqui para Elbrus?
• Botas de alpinismo duplas/triplas – plásticas ou de couro. Monocamadas podem ser usadas com gaiters (não confundir com polainas)
• Camada impermeável – jaqueta + calças, nível de membrana recomendado 10.000/10.000 ou mais
• Conjunto de fleece
• Roupa térmica (parte superior e inferior)
• Jaqueta de pluma com capuz, grossa e quente, peso normal para Elbrus a partir de 700 g
• Luvas grossas
• Luva de esqui ou alpinismo
• Luva fina (fleece)
• Bandana (além de proteção solar no vale, pode ser usada para aquecer garganta ou rosto no frio)
• Gorro
• Meias de trekking quentes para o dia da escalada

Diversos:

• Lanterna de cabeça com duração mínima de 12 horas
• Óculos de sol, categoria de proteção 3-4, devem cobrir totalmente a luz lateral
• Máscara/óculos de esqui, categoria 1-2 (para mau tempo, não para bom tempo)
• Garrafa térmica, 1 litro, de preferência sem botão na tampa
• Máscara de vento para a parte inferior do rosto (pode ser substituída por um lenço, com algum sucesso)
• Protetor solar, de marca, SPF 30-50 (na prática, a diferença entre 30 e 50 é mínima)
• Bálsamo labial, SPF-15
• Kit de primeiros socorros pessoal
• Atadura elástica e/ou bandagem de suporte
• Polainas (não obrigatórias, mas podem ser necessárias, especialmente em maio-junho)
• Aquecedores químicos (não obrigatórios, mas podem ser muito úteis)