Caucasus climbing
- Caucasus Russia
- Ascent of Mount Kazbek
- Dykh Tau
- Shkhara
- Mount Koshtan Tau
- Gestola
- Mount Bzhedukh
- Climbing Erydag-Bazarduzu
- Mount Bazarduzu - Dagestan, Russia
- Mount Erydag - Dagestan, Russia
- Adyl su mountain course
- Mount Khalatsa
- Peak MNR
- Irik Chat alpine course
- Bezengi Guides
- Acclimatization Bezengi A
- Acclimatization Bezengi B
- 4x4 tour in Georgia and Armenia
Elbrus West top from the West
Northern Central Caucasus. Russia. Karachaevo-Cherkessia.
Climbing West Elbrus (5642 m). Classic climb of West Summit (5642 m) from the West via the "Utug" buttress
Altitude: 5642 m
Program category: Mountain Climbing
Difficulty: advanced (SPECIAL SKILLS ARE REQUIRED)
Duration: 9 days
Season: June - September
First climb: G. A. Emmanuel, 1829
Program price from: 950 Euro
- 25.06.21 - 08.07.21Standart, group 6 part. 950 EURO booking
Classic climbs of Caucasus.
Climbing Elbrus 5642 m.
Climbing the highest mountain of Europe by the most interersting route from the West.
Elbrus is the most popular and world-famous peak of the Caucasus. This is the highest peak in Europe, the highest mountain in the Caucasus, and also some –most titles often applied. This mountain is certainly very popular. But popularity in the mountains has some unwanted effects, such as crowds of people turning climbing routes into busy highways. The routes visited by unscrupulous tourists have marks of the garbage hills everywhere and uncivilized forms of business and other “benefits of civilization” flourishing around. But for the real mountain lovers, it is just what from which they try to escape in the mountains! The paradox is that the mountains, which should give us a sense of unity with nature, purity and value of human communication, in case of crowded commercial route turn - into something diametrically opposite! Fortunately, the mountain world is still huge and wild, only in some places spoiled and corrupted with human activity. At the same time, if you want to climb Elbrus, but from the non-standard side, you can find there a lot of interesting and unexpected things.
In our collection of the Elbrus routes, there are options that can satisfy any requirement - this is a very simple and easy to access Southern slope route (most popular and crowded), this is a beautiful, not complicated technically classic Northern route to Elbrus, this is an adventurous route to Elbrus from the East. But for the lovers of true mountaineering, who sometimes smile even at the name of Elbrus, we have something really special.
The West Elbrus climbing route from the West is a truly unusual program for Elbrus which includes all the qualities of a real high mountain expedition. This is quite long and in some parts – complicated technically route, accessible for experienced and physically trained climbers, reasonably coming for a challenge with a Really Big Mountain - a challenge in which you can only rely on yourself and your friends!
Important! In order to get maximum positive impressions of the Elbrus program, as well as to reduce the risk of harm to your health, we strongly recommend to add to the Elbrus from the West climbing program the module of acclimatization. MCS AlexClimb mountaineering school offers two modules of acclimatization, which can be added to Elbrus from the West climbing program:
Acclimatization program in Bezengi
Acclimatization program in Adyl Su
Acclimatization program in Irik Chat
This 9-day program "Climbing West Elbrus from the West" is designed for people who have prior experience in mountain climbing and who want to try themselves at moutain route of the moderate difficulty. West climbing route of Elbrus is quite hard physically, requires to overcome technical climbing pitches of moderate difficulty and stay some time in the high altitude conditions. Regardless your climbing experience, we recommend passing the MCS AlexClimb Course of general physical preparation and Course of Mountain Technique (basic level) before participating in this program.
The First Principle of MCS AlexClimb
The First Rule, by which we are guided in the development of our mountain programs - is safety. Professional Guides lead the group, the highest quality certificated equipment and the most modern navigation equipment are used. This guarantees the highest possible level of your safety in the mountains, which is the most important side of our work.
Program Schedule
The AlexClimb Elbrus Russia climbing schedule (Climbing West Elbrus from the West 2022):
Guided ascent of West Elbrus (5648 m) from the West
Moderate difficulty сlimb, Advanced level
West Elbrus West route climbing program of MCS AlexClimb
Day 1 - Arrive to MRV, hotel accommodation City business Hotel ***, dinner in the restaurant
Day 2 - Transfer 4x4 from Mineralnye vody to Khurzuk village and further up the valley. Overnight stay in the West Elbrus BC 2700 m (West Jaly Su) in the tents. Breakfast in the hotel, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 3 - Walking up to the camp 1 on the moraine of the glacier, 3300 m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 4 - Walking up to the Camp 2 on the upper morain, 3900 m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 5 - Climbing the steep snow (ice) gorge to the upper glacier plateau, setting the altitude Camp 3, 4600m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 6 - Climbing West Elbrus 5648 m, descent to the Camp 2, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 7 - Spare summit day, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 8 - Spare summit day, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 9 - Descent to the camp 1, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 10 - Descent the the starting point of the route, 4x4 pick up and transfer to MRV. Hotel accommodation, overnight in the hotel, breakfast, lunch - outdoor rations, dinner in the restaurant
Prices and conditions
The price of the "Climbing West Elbrus from the West 2022":
1150 Euro* - standart group 5-10 participants
1650 Euro* - mini-group 3-4 participants
3200 Euro* - private program for 1-2 participants
* price per person
You have to be ready for:
- 10 days of camping life in the field conditions;
- Cooking your meals by yourself while climbing mountains;
- Carrying a 25-30 kg backpack;
- Air temperature can be down to -20°C on the altitude higher than 3000 m;
Conditions: the passing of the acclimatization module and Brief AlexClimb course of mountain technique is recommended before the trip.
The price includes: Professional mountain guide services, rent of the communal equipment (ropes, belaying and navigation equipment, cooking gear), hotel accommodation, transfers from the point of the beginning of the program to its end (Mineralnye vody or Nalchik), using the communal basic medical kit, local registering and climbing permits, food for outdoor part of the program.
The price does not include: Russian visa charges*, International and domestic flight expenses** to and from the point of the beginning of the program (Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik), one day in Moscow if you have long transfer***, obligatory climbing insurance, rent of the personal equipment, food and drinks while being in cities, using the satellite phone.
Group capacity: 10
Guides: 2
*AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can provide Russian Visa support for you. More information on request.
**AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can book the flights for you.
***AlexClimb Mountain Climbing School can book hotel for you in Moscow and organize, transfers sightseeing and recreations according to your preferences - basic Moscow package cost is 270 Euro wich inclides pick up and drop off in the airport and one night in the Hotel 3*.
Detailed conditions and limitations on the program "Russia. Climbing West Elbrus from the West" can be read in the Offer section
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.
