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Elbrus logistics
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My collection of routes to Elbrus is here
Which city is next to Elbrus? Transport logistics of the Mount Elbrus routes
Mount Elbrus - Patriarch of the Caucasus Mountains
One of the main distinguishing features of Mount Elbrus is its transport accessibility from almost any side. It can be said that apart of Mount Elbrus, not a single Caucasian peak has such a transport infrastructure. This is due to the proximity of Mount Elbrus to the major cities with train stations and airports in them: Mineralnye Vody, Kislovodsk and Nalchik.
Mount Elbrus is preparing for weather disaster
The main reason for such an easy access is that unlike the vast majority of the mountains of the Caucasus, Elbrus is completely located in Russia (Kabardino-Balkaria, Stavropol Region and Karachay-Cherkessia), without falling into the zone of border restrictions.
4x4 road to Western Djaly-Su - the beginning point of the West route to Elbrus
For example, Mount Kazbek is located directly on the state border between Russia and Georgia, which creates additional formal difficulties in accessing the climbing routes located on the other side of the border. The situation with Mount Bazarduzu is the same - on the one side it is the territory of Azerbaijan, on the other side, the border restrictions on the territory of the Russian Federation.
On the way to the North Base Camp of Mount Elbrus
Regarding Mount Elbrus, I can say that no matter which climbing route you take, you can get to the starting point comfortably and without problems:
Mount Elbrus South Normal route (Kabardino-Balkaria).
Climbing Mount Elbrus from the South
Most climbers choose the most popular route to climb Mount Elbrus - from the south side. They begin their journey from Nalchik or Mineralnye Vody. The South route begins in the Azau village, from where you can start climbing by foot, or use the cable car. The distance to Azau from Nalchik is 128 km (good road, about 2 hours drive) The distance to Azau from Mineralnye Vody is 227 km (good road, about 3 hours drive).
Mount Elbrus East route – East Summit (Kabardino-Balkaria).
Climbing Mount Elbrus from the East
Approximately the same logistics as for the South route are required when choosing the ascent route from the east. This route starts from the Elbrus village in the Baksan Gorge, located about 15 kilometers, before Azau village. Accordingly, the distance from Nalchik is 113 km, from Mineralnye Vody 212 km along a good road.
Mount Elbrus North route (Stavropol region).
Climbing Mount Elbrus from the North
If you choose the route to the summit of Mount Elbrus from the north, then a slightly more interesting access adventure awaits you. From the north side Mount Elbrus does not provide that variety of tourist facilities and infrastructure as from the more popular south side. Ascent of Mount Elbrus from the north begins from the Emmanuel Base Camp. The easiest way to get to this point is from Mineralnye Vody (140 km, partially dirt 4x4 road) or from Nalchik (170 km, partially dirt road).
Mount Elbrus West route (Karachay-Cherkessia).
Climbing Mount Elbrus from the West
The most complicated and technically difficult variant of climbing Mount Elbrus, which is correspondingly the least popular, is the route from the West, from Karachay-Cherkessia. This climbing journey starts from the West Djaly Su Base Camp. You can get to this place only by an 4x4 or on the horseback from the Khurzuk aul. A good road leads to Khurzuk aul from the nearest large cities with rail stations. The airports are Mineralnye Vody, Kislovodsk and Nalchik. From Mineralnye Vody to the Khurzuk aul is 190 km of good road, from Kislovodsk it is 150 km, from Nalchik 270 km.
The MCS AlexClimb group reaches the West Summit of Mount Elbrus via the West route
The distance that you need to overcome by a mountain dirt road from Khurzuk aul to the West Djaly Su Base Camp is 20 km. Depending on the conditions and weather, this road may become completely impassable for the normal cars, even for 4x4 ones – in that case the solution can be some military truck or horses – both variants are organizable in Khurzuk aul.
The author of the texts and photographs Alex Trubachev
Your professional mountain guide for Mount Elbrus and other mountain climbing routes in Caucasus
MCS EDIT 2024
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Our Principles
AlexClimb Rule #1 - Safety First
From the very beginning of our activity, here nearly 16 years, the first Principle of work of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb is the Safety Priority. On the basis of this Principle all process of training is based, all programs and rounds are developed and carried out only within this main principle. We consider that at professional approach to development of programs, at personal discipline and correctly put motivation - occupations by mountaineering and rock-climbing are COMPLETELY safe. And from the return - all troubles and accidents in our sport come from nonprofessionalism, from ignorance or neglect by elementary standards of safety, from irrational motivation, from revaluation of own forces and opportunities. All these prerequisites we COMPLETELY EXCLUDE in our work - ours Rock-climbing, Ice climbing and Mountaineering are based on one Principle - the Safety Priority. In rock-climbing, mountaineering and ice climbing, the Priority of Safety of MCS AlexClimb-is your personal security and comfort irrespective of, than we are engaged - we train muscles and we work technology of the movement in the sports hall and on the rock climbing wall, we make the way through snowstorm to top or we relax on golden sand of the Caribbean beach after hot day of trainings on rocks. The Safety priority - the main credo of School of mountaineering and rock-climbing of MCS AlexClimb.
AlexClimb Rule #2 - Leave No Trace
Closely interacting with Nature, working with the active programs in mountains, woods, lakes and rivers, we perfectly understand the importance of carefull and respectfull bahavior towards the Nature, for its resources. From the very beginning of our outdoor-activity we adopted rules of Leave No Trace technique - the standard of behavior of the person accepted in all the civilized world in relation to environment and especially - to the wild nature. After all on the relation of people to the nature near which they exist, itself can draw dalekoidushchy conclusions on the relation of these people to... Where and as we didn't travel - we don't reserve any garbage, we try to reduce whenever possible our influence on environment to a minimum. We clear earlier zagryazyonny tourist parking of the left garbage, we take out and we take out to utilization places that to us other people left there. We consider that only thus, at personal individual consciousness of each citizen, each tourist, climber or autotraveller, we will be able to keep the nature surrounding us in its state, natural, suitable for life, - in it pledge of the healthy future for ourselves and our children.
