Ski Touring on Elbrus from the South, 9 Days

The 9-day ski tour on Elbrus from the south is a chance to enjoy the mountains while making the ascent on skis, at a comfortable rhythm. The programme is built for participants with previous ski-touring experience, a confident and controlled descent off prepared pistes and enough endurance for sustained work at altitude. It is not a basic course: before booking you must tell the guide about your experience and your most recent ski-touring days.

The programme includes additional acclimatisation days, one in the valley and a second on the slopes of Elbrus. That approach lets you take in the surroundings and prepares the body for the ascent. The ascent itself is planned for the seventh day, which gives good conditions for acclimatisation.

The programme is designed for those who want a comfortable and safe ascent without unnecessary stress. If you do not yet have enough ski-touring experience and a controlled off-piste descent, take separate training first and build practice on lower routes. Elbrus should be the start of your mountain path rather than its limit. You can test yourself on other summits; the emphasis in this programme is on comfort, safety and enjoyment.

Ski mountaineering on Elbrus demands a high degree of preparation and a careful approach to acclimatisation. Including ski touring in the programme lets participants feel the freedom of movement on the slopes and the spirit of adventure that sets this activity apart.

Climbing Elbrus in ski-touring format is not only a test of your skills but an absorbing journey into the heart of the Caucasus.

The state of the snow on Elbrus changes through the spring: whether it is possible to climb and descend on skis is decided by the guide according to actual conditions.

Ski-touring skis, boots, bindings, skins and ski crampons are not available for hire, so each participant brings their own compatible ski set.

Day 1. Arrival at Mineralnye Vody and transfer to the Elbrus region. The group meets at Mineralnye Vody airport. Two group transfers are provided on the first day of the programme: the first leaves at 12:00 and is for participants whose flights are scheduled to arrive no later than 11:00; the second leaves at 15:00 and is for participants whose flights are scheduled to arrive no later than 14:00. We recommend buying tickets that allow time to collect baggage and leave the terminal. If a flight is delayed and you miss the group transfer by more than 30 minutes, we will help you order an individual transfer, which the participant pays for separately. The drive to the foot of Elbrus takes about three hours over roughly 200 km. We stay in a hotel at the start of the Baksan river valley, rest after the journey and meet over dinner. Participants get to know the guide and the group, receive the programme briefing and check their personal equipment. This day exists so that you can settle into the rhythm of the trip and resolve any organisational questions before the first outing. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Acclimatisation outing to Cheget, 3000 m. After breakfast we set out along mountain paths and alpine meadows towards Cheget. Depending on the weather and the state of the route, the guide may choose another acclimatisation outing with a comparable purpose. This first gain in altitude allows the guide to assess how the participants feel, the working pace of the group and the readiness for the days ahead on Elbrus. After the descent we return to the valley, have lunch and recover. This outing does not replace the altitude acclimatisation of the following days, but it lays its foundation without an abrupt move to sleeping in the refuge. Height gain 1100 m. Distance about 11 km. Night in a hotel.

Day 3. Acclimatisation and skiing on the slopes of Elbrus, 3500 m. After breakfast we take the cable car up to about 3500 m. We spend time on the slope, acclimatising and skiing, gradually getting used to the altitude, the snow and the terrain of Elbrus. The day helps you check how your personal ski-touring set works before the move up to the refuge and gives another chance to assess your controlled descent technique. The intensity and the specific plan are set by the guide according to the weather, the state of the snow and how the group feels. After the outing we take the cable car down and return to the hotel: sleeping lower helps recovery before the high-altitude part of the programme. Night in a hotel.

Day 4. Move up to the refuge, 3888 m, and acclimatisation outing to 4200 m. We take the cable car up to the refuge at 3888 m, settle in and prepare for several days on the mountain. After something to eat we make an unhurried acclimatisation outing to about 4200 m. Its purpose is to continue adapting, to check how the body responds to the first night at almost four thousand metres and to keep strength in reserve for the higher outing the next day. On the route it is important to tell the guide about any change in how you feel and not to speed up on your own. After returning we rest and prepare our equipment. Height gain 312 m. Distance about 2 km. Night in the refuge.

Day 5. Ski mountaineering outing to the Pastukhov Rocks, 4700 m. We climb towards the Pastukhov Rocks to about 4700 m. This is the main acclimatisation and training outing before the ascent: participants spend a long period above the refuge, work on an even pace at altitude and prepare for changes in the way they move. Depending on the state of the snow, part of the route may be covered on skis, and on some sections the guide may direct the group to move in mountaineering boots and crampons. Particular attention is paid to breathing, to conserving strength and to handling personal equipment. After reaching the planned point we descend to the refuge, rest and monitor recovery. Height gain 812 m. Distance about 6 km. Night in the refuge.

Day 6. Rest and preparation for the ascent. After two high outings the body needs a day of recovery. We rest in the refuge and check skis, skins, boots, crampons, the avalanche kit, clothing and personal items for the early start. The guide confirms the order of travel, how participants are grouped, the forecast and the possible ways equipment will be used on different sections. If the weather and the state of the slope allow, there is a session on movement technique on snow and ice terrain; its length must not interfere with recovery. It is important to eat in good time, prepare water and go to bed earlier than usual, because the start is planned for the night. Night in the refuge.

Day 7. Ascent of the West summit of Elbrus, 5642 m. We leave the refuge early in the morning, roughly between 2:00 and 4:00. By prior decision, part of the way can be covered by snowcat to conserve strength for the upper section. On summit day no more than three participants work with one guide. The group moves at a pace that allows everyone’s condition to be monitored and a safe return from altitude. The decision to continue the ascent, the turnaround time and the way the group moves are taken by the guide, taking account of the weather, the snow, the visibility and how the participants feel. A full ascent and an unbroken descent from the summit entirely on skis are not guaranteed: where necessary, ski crampons, ordinary crampons, an ice axe and a rope are used. After the summit we descend to the refuge, have dinner and rest. Height gain 1754 m. Distance about 14 km. Night in the refuge.

Day 8. Reserve day or descent to the valley. If the weather or the condition of the participants did not allow the summit attempt on day 7, we use this day as a reserve for a group attempt. Whether the group sets out, and the plan for the ascent, are decided by the guide according to the actual situation. If the ascent has already taken place, we pack, take the cable car down and return to the hotel. The remaining time can be given over to rest, the local market, the banya, a cafe or a quiet walk. This order preserves the weather reserve while giving participants time to recover before the journey after a successful ascent. Night in a hotel.

Day 9. Return to Mineralnye Vody. We leave the hotel at 7:00 and head for the airport or railway station at Mineralnye Vody. If the schedule and the time before departure allow, a stop in Pyatigorsk for a walk and lunch is possible on the way. When choosing your return flight it is important to allow for the time of the group transfer and a margin for the journey. The programme ends in Mineralnye Vody. Flight or journey home.

• Mountain Guide guides: a lead guide throughout the programme and assistant guides on summit day, strictly at a ratio of one guide to three participants. There is no limit on the number of group attempts within the reserve days; if part of the group reaches the summit, the ascent counts as completed and additional attempts for the remaining participants are paid separately
• Cook services
• Hotel accommodation in twin rooms, for the number of nights set out in the programme
• Accommodation in the mountain refuge, for the number of nights set out in the programme
• All transfers according to the programme, including the cable cars, from the airport or railway station and back
• Three meals a day throughout the programme, with dinner on the first day and breakfast on the last
• Permits and registrations for the route, with the exact scope and the responsibility of each side confirmed before booking
• Group equipment: ropes, ice screws, radios, satellite navigators and a first-aid kit
• Hire of a duffel bag for rented and personal equipment for the duration of the ascent

• The snowcat on summit day
• The national park permit, where applicable
• Single occupancy
• Early check-in or late check-out at the hotel before or after the programme (we always try to agree additional benefits for our guests with our partners, and early check-in or late check-out is often granted at no charge)
• Personal equipment
• Any deviation from the programme
• Any costs connected with changes to the programme

Na Rock-and-Rent você encontra absolutamente tudo, de alta qualidade. Você pode até chegar de shorts (especialmente se reservar tudo com antecedência). Selecionamos todo o equipamento com base em um único fator: máxima adequação às condições do Elbrus, onde levamos nossos clientes desde 2001!

E sim, elaboramos esta lista com muito cuidado; no total, os guias da empresa realizaram milhares de ascensões, e não acreditamos que haja algo desnecessário nela!

Documentos:

• Passaporte
• Passagens de avião/trem
• Seguro de saúde
• 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, obrigatoriamente com anéis de pelo menos 70 mm
• Crampons
• Piolet clássico, com cordão de 5-6 mm para engate no sistema (2-3 metros)
• Sistema de escalada
• Capacete
• Mosquetões, 3 unidades (melhor grandes – significativamente mais fáceis de manusear com luvas)
• Cordão de segurança

Roupas e calçados:

• Será que roupas de esqui funcionam para Elbrus?
• Botas de alpinismo duplas/triplas – plásticas ou de couro. Monolayer pode ser usado com galochas (não confundir com polainas)
• Tênis de trekking ou botas de trekking. Em maio e início de junho, ainda é possível encontrar neve nos primeiros treinos de aclimatação; nesse caso, botas são claramente melhores que tênis. Depois da metade de junho até o final de setembro, tênis podem substituir botas (mas há risco de torcer o pé), certifique-se de que ainda sejam à prova d’água
• Camada impermeável – jaqueta + calça, nível de membrana recomendado a partir de 10.000/10.000
• Fato de fleece
• Roupa térmica superior + inferior
• Casaco de plumas com capuz, grosso e quente, peso normal de um casaco de plumas para Elbrus a partir de 700 g
• Luvas quentes
• Luvas grossas (esqui)
• Luvas finas (fleece)
• Bandana (além de proteção solar, pode ser usada para aquecer garganta ou rosto no frio)
• Gorro
• Meias de trekking quentes para o dia da ascensão
• Proteção solar para cabeça
• Calças e camisetas de trekking (de preferência, mangas compridas)
• Meias de trekking para os dias de trekking (de preferência, suficientes para todos os dias)

Diversos:

• Lanterna de cabeça LED com autonomia mínima de 12 horas
• Óculos de sol, categoria de proteção 3-4, que cubram totalmente a luz lateral
• Máscara de esqui, categoria de proteção 1-2 (para mau tempo, não para bom)
• Garrafa térmica, 1 litro, preferencialmente sem botão na tampa
• Máscara de proteção contra vento para a parte inferior do rosto (pode ser substituída parcialmente por um cachecol)
• Protetor solar, marca confiável, FPS 30-50 (na prática, a diferença entre 30 e 50 é mínima)
• Bálsamo labial, FPS-15
• Kit de primeiros socorros pessoal
• Bandagem elástica e/ou suporte
• Polainas (não obrigatórias, mas podem ser necessárias, especialmente em maio-junho)
• Aquecedores químicos (não obrigatórios, mas podem ser muito úteis)