Mount Elbrus--18,510'

[Steve Bonowski]

Our CMC expedition to Mt. Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, just returned several days ago. We hit the weather window right on this year. Summit day for 11 of 13, including me, was July 4 (what an Independence Day present!). Chilly in the morning, with the steep grade above 15,000' requiring use of crampons due to frozen snow. No clouds at all until late in the day = lots of sun reflecting up from what was then "mashed potato snow."

For those who have done Elbrus, the route up from the 17,700' saddle has changed a little. Used to switchback up into some light rock bands ("light" as they're mostly snow covered) and then straight up about 300' to the summit ridge. Now the route continues to traverse on a narrow, exposed snow path leaving a straight shot of only 150' or so to the summit ridge. It went well but one needed to watch every step to avoid having to check out your "self arrest with crampons on" skills.

Other two in the party got into the saddle, so everyone got something. Again for those who have been there, lots of changes now in the Elbrus Valley. Several small new hotels in Terskol and even a mountaineering gear sale & rental shop. Also good shish-ka-bob.

For those who want to try Elbrus, I recommend CET-Neva, the Saint Petersburg based outfitter we used. Very good service. Web site is http://www.cetneva.spb.ru (Anatoly Moshnikov). Steve

[Yog]

Nice job Steve, congrats!

[climberinCH]

Glad to hear you've had another successful trip to the summitt and of the changes in the area. I sure had a great time with you there in '01.

[scheelt]

We just got back from climbing the North side and we missed the weather window. Our summit attempt was on 7 Jul. We had clear skys until we reached the saddle and a blizzard with lightning came up from the south side and forced us to turn around. High winds the next day kept us from another attempt and then we had to return to catch our flights.

[cbauer10]

For those who want to try Elbrus, I recommend CET-Neva, the Saint Petersburg based outfitter we used. Very good service. Web site is http://www.cetneva.spb.ru (Anatoly Moshnikov). Steve

Wow, they are pretty cheap too. Only $1,000.00 US. Alpine Ascents is $4,600.00 US.

[Scott Rogers]

I'll be going with pilgrim tours when I go. Cheaper than both companies, and I have heard good things. Congrats on the summit steve, bummer about the weather scheelt.

http://www.pilgrim-tours.com

(I'm thinking about doing the ski tour, sounds like quite the experience)

[Scott P]

I'll be going with pilgrim tours when I go.

That's who we went with and they were good.

For those who have done Elbrus, the route up from the 17,700' saddle has changed a little. Used to switchback up into some light rock bands ("light" as they're mostly snow covered) and then straight up about 300' to the summit ridge. Now the route continues to traverse on a narrow, exposed snow path leaving a straight shot of only 150' or so to the summit ridge.

Other two in the party got into the saddle, so everyone got something. Again for those who have been there, lots of changes now in the Elbrus Valley. Several small new hotels in Terskol and even a mountaineering gear sale & rental shop. Also good shish-ka-bob.

With your permission, I could really use some of this information on my summitpost page, plus anything else you might have.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock ... lbrus.html

Wow, they are pretty cheap too. Only $1,000.00 US. Alpine Ascents is $4,600.00 US.

If going guided, always go with a local company with a good reputation rather than a US outfitter. It will be 1/4 to 1/5 the cost for basically the same trip.

Pilgrim Tours for example is selling basically the same trip as AAI.

8 day trip is $773-884 and the 11 day trip is $953-1035 (converted Euro to Dollar). This included all transport, food, accomadation, etc, etc. Moscow to Moscow.

http://www.pilgrim-tours.com/index.shtm ... art8/index

http://www.pilgrim-tours.com/index.shtm ... rt11/index

CET-Neva sounds good too.

[Steve Bonowski]

Scott: feel free to use whatever I posted for your slot on summitpost. Just give CMC a word of credit.

Gary Neptune used Pilgrim Tours last year for a climb up the north side of Elbrus and liked them. CET-Neva has lodging arrangements in Moscow that we didn't know about prior to the trip. If I lead Elbrus again in 2009, we will transit through Moscow again. SPb is nice, but flights to/from MinVody are limited. There are daily flights from Moscow and back, which probably would lessen the cost even more.

We're working now on a CMC trip to Muztagh Ata in western China next year. CET-Neva did a climb of it last year, so we will be looking at them as a possible outfitter. I agree with the notion of not using home-based outfitters if possible. I have good vendors in Argentina and East Africa for trips I lead to those places, and can avoid the price mark-ups from US outfitters. Also have an excellent guide in Chamonix for Alps stuff.

Steve

[BeetchnCamaro]

Just got back after a successful climb a few weeks ago. I, too, used Pilgrim and they were easily the most affordable in the research I did. Plus I waited until after high season, so their rates came down a bit too. I think the cost was 560 euro. I was quite happy them, not just because we made the summit, but the overall organization was quite good as well. It's a well run operation.

For those not looking for an organized tour or of a frugal nature, Pilgrim also offers a lite package which handles the logistics and red tape for you and lets you climb unguided. Elbrus is not a hard climb if you have some snow experience, but the weather can be tricky. At first, I sort of wish I had done this, but our 11-person multinational group, of which my girlfriend and I were the only Americans, ended up being alot of fun and made the vodka go down that much better. As a result, I made some new climbing buds which is always a plus, especially when they live in Switzerland...

Pilgrim also offers a longer route up the backside of the mountain. Gary Neptune did this route with Pilgrim and the Pilgrim guides that I talked to said this is, by far, the most enjoyable approach to the mountain. It is significantly longer however.

I shot some video during the climb so if anyone is interested in climbing Elbrus and wants to see it, let me know.

[wildbrookie]

Us? Watch climbing videos? Nooooooo. I'll watch it, peez

[giogio]

Highly recommend Geographic Bureau http://www.geographicbureau.com.
Probably the best quality service in the Elbrus area. Contact person Gia Ksnelashvili