camp ice trek crampons

Best Hiking Crampons

When you plan to trek across icy mountains and steep glaciers, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got all the essentials: plenty of food and water, a headlamp, pocket knife, and high-quality crampons.

If you’ve never hiked through the snow, you might not even know what crampons are, or why they’re important for your journey. Or, maybe you’ve done your fair share of winter hiking, but you’re in need of a new pair of crampons. But, just as you’d need to look up the best camping tents or best sleeping pads , it never hurts to get another opinion.

Before you tackle a wintry forest or Mount Everest, I’ll break down why crampons matter, how to pick out the right pair, and which ones are the best crampons for hiking.

Why Crampons are Essential

When you hike through mountain trails in the summertime, you usually don’t need more than a pair of high-quality boots. However, add in a bit of snow and ice, and you can no longer get a grip in those same hiking boots. This is where a set of crampons can come in handy. Just as an athlete wears cleats to gain traction on the field, the pointy, metal teeth of crampons help you gain traction in the snow . These pointed ends dig into the ice and snow.

Not all wintry terrain requires a pair of crampons. If you’re only hiking in a couple of inches of snow, and the snow is already packed down from hikers before you, crampons might be unnecessary. However, if your boots begin to sink into the snow or you keep slipping on the ice, crampons can help you get a toehold.

Crampon Features to Consider

If you already know that crampons are going to be a must-have for your next wintry expedition, then your next obstacle is figuring out what to look for. When you shop online, most crampons list tons of different features and specifications, but it can be difficult to tell which ones matter—and that’s where I come in:

Type of Frame

You’ll notice that most crampons use either one of two materials: steel or aluminum. Both have their benefits, but aluminum crampons tend to be better for snow or ski mountaineering. Since they’re lightweight, aluminum is less likely to slow you down or tire you out as easily as a burly pair of steel crampons would.

However, if you plan to cover rocky terrain, you’ll want to trade those aluminum crampons in for steel ones. Steel crampons, whether it be stainless or Chromoly steel, often hold up much better, and are an ideal choice for technical mountaineering.

If you do plan to use a pair of steel crampons, you’ll have to pick between Chromoly steel and stainless steel. Chromoly steel should still hold its own, but stainless-steel crampons are significantly more rust-resistant non corrosive—but they do usually come with a higher price tag.

Construction

Besides using different materials, you’ll also notice that crampons vary by construction too. Traditional crampons use rigid designs, but most of them have a semi-rigid construction now. Semi-rigid frames work on a variety of different terrains, but if you’re also looking to use your crampons on gentle hikes, you’ll probably want to find a pair that allows you to adjust to flexible mode.

As the name suggests, a crampon in flexible mode should feel less rigid on your boots, and make navigating your hike a little easier. Not all crampons include a feature to switch to flexible mode—so, it’s really only a consideration if you plan to use that mode a lot.

Number of Points

When shopping for crampons, most of these traction devices use 10 or 12 points, but sometimes up to 14. For ski mountaineering or even heading up glaciers, mountaineering crampons with 10 points should suffice.

However, for mixed climbing that begins to get a bit more technical, you’ll probably want to bump your crampons up to 12 points. Crampons with more points may also have sharp frontpoints that you can replace if they wear down or adjust as needed. Keep in mind that points can also vary as horizontal, vertical, or monopoints:

• Vertical frontpoints work better for steep climbs and don’t get stuck in crevasses or cracks as you climb. They’re also easy to replace or adjust on your boot if you need to.
• Horizontal frontpoints are versatile and can work for most types of climbing, but specifically alpine climbing.
• Monopoints are pretty specific, and you’ll only need them if you plan to do a technical waterfall or mixed climb.

Your crampon points are also either going to be adjustable, or modular, or fixed, also called non-modular. Some people prefer to use modular points that they can replace as time goes on but easily adjust depending on the type of terrain. However, modular points can also be heavier, and you’ll have to keep an eye on any screws that come loose.

You can’t adjust non-modular points, but you can sharpen them. Like a pencil, they’ll only get shorter as they continue to wear down and need re-sharpened.

How They Attach to Your Boots

Most people want to know whether their crampons will attach to their boots, or if they’ll need a special pair just to strap on the crampons. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and the answer depends on how the crampons attach to your boots. Semi-strap crampons, for instance, should fit on a lot of boots, as long as you’ve got a stiff sole and a heel groove.

Things get a little more complicated if your crampon requires a wire bail, or step-in binding. Your boots will need a very rigid sole, as well as a ⅜-inch welt on the toe and heel. There’s usually an ankle strap involved too, but not always. This might seem time-consuming to some, but your crampon is unlikely to go anywhere once you’ve got it on.

The most versatile system is the strap-on system, which you can attach to almost any pair of boots you own. As long as the center bar matches up, you can strap your crampons on without too much trouble.

Crampons vs. Micro-Spikes: What’s the Difference?

Some people may use the term “micro-spikes” interchangeably with crampons, but these traction cleats are very different. For first-time users, it can be difficult to discern when you only need micro-spikes, and when you should make the switch to crampons.

Generally, micro-spikes work well for wintry terrain, unless you start venturing up slopes with high angles. Or, if the mountain is coated in inches of ice, the micro-spikes might not be long or sharp enough to penetrate.

It’s at this point that most people make the switch to crampons. Not only are they sharper, but they’re also longer too. Most of the time, you’ll find that crampons, aluminum or steel, tend to be heavier than the average pair of micro-spikes. The extra weight isn’t always a plus, but it might be what you need on a heavy-duty hike.

My Favorite Crampons

Now that we’ve gone over how to find some of the best crampons for mountaineering, I’ll highlight some of my favorite picks:

Here are the best hiking crampons right now:

• Editor’s Choice - Black Diamond Contact Strap Crampons with ABS Plates
• Premium Pick - Black Diamond Snaggletooth Pro Crampons
• Bang for Your Buck - Kahtoola K-10 Crampons
• Bang for Your Buck - Hillsound Trail Crampon

Petzl Irvis Hybrid Leverlock Crampons

Grivel g20 plus cramp-o-matic crampons, kahtoola kts steel crampons, c.a.m.p. usa skimo tour crampons, petzl lynx leverlock crampons, cassin alpinist tech crampons, filter crampons by category.

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Editor’s Choice

Premium Pick

Bang for Your Buck

Black diamond contact strap crampons with abs plates.

$123.95 at Amazon

See the black diamond contact strap crampons with abs plates, 75 reviews on amazon.

• Easy to assemble: 9/10
• Traction: 8/10
• Lightweight: 8/10

Bottom Line

If you plan to conquer any rocky inclines, you’ll probably want to opt for stainless steel crampons, like the Black Diamond Contact Strap Crampons with ABS Plates. Not only are they more lightweight than some other steel crampon options, but they’re also versatile too. The flexible bootstrap makes it easy to secure the crampons to most mountaineering boot.

You’ll also find that the ABS plates on the crampons help deter snow from sticking to your feet. As you wade through inches of snow, the last thing you want is to deal with tons of balled up snow. With its horizontal front points, I’ve named this pair my Editor’s Choice for a couple of reasons: not only are they durable and versatile to wear, but they also help you avoid the common problems that every hiker encounters on a wintry climb.

Keep in mind that if you have a boot that’s size 12 or higher, you’ll need to purchase a long center bar separately.

• Price: $123.95 on Amazon
• Weight: 1.7 pounds

Black Diamond Snaggletooth Pro Crampons

$287.99 at Amazon

See the black diamond snaggletooth pro crampons.

• Easy to assemble: 7/10
• Traction: 9/10
• Lightweight: 7/10

From the same brand, the Black Diamond Snaggletooth Pro Crampons kick things up a notch with this step-in product. For professional hikers that need a pair of crampons that feel professional, this might be the right choice for you.

The stainless steel construction is not only relatively lightweight, but the design of the crampons includes a rocker in the front rail that fits even modern boots. If you’re worried about trudging up snow while you hike, the front and rear ABS plates should prevent the wintry terrain from sticking to the crampons.

For hikers that regularly deal with low-angle climbs, you might appreciate the secondary frontpoint that helps you gain traction in treacherous ice (or “ice greWhile it’s not as lightweight as the other Black Diamond pair we’ve mentioned, you also get a front railing, extra ABS plates, and a secondary frontpoint with these crampons.

• Price: $219.95 on Amazon
• Weight: 1.9 pounds

Kahtoola K-10 Crampons

$99.99 at Cabela’s

See the kahtoola k-10 crampons, 45 reviews on amazon.

• Easy to assemble: 8/10
• Traction: 7/10
• Lightweight: 9/10

Not everyone has hundreds of dollars to spend on a pair of crampons, especially if you aren’t a regular. If you’re looking for something that can still make the climb but isn’t too extravagant, the Kahtoola K-10 Crampons offer great value.

They’re also versatile and should fit over your existing boots with few exceptions. Unlike some crampons, which use step-in bindings and tricky assembly features, these crampons shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to fit your feet.

Another perk of these crampons is that they’re also pretty lightweight at only 1.3 pounds. When you’re traipsing through the snow, these crampons shouldn’t slow you down too much.

It’s worth noting that they fit most boots up to size 13 for men and size 14 for women. If you’ve got a bigger shoe than that, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

• Price: $99.99 at Cabela’s
• Weight: 1.3 pounds

Hillsound Trail Crampon

$69 at Amazon

See the hillsound trail crampon, 728 reviews on amazon.

• Traction: 6/10

If you need a pair of crampons that won’t break the bank, the Hillsound Trail Crampon can still get the job done, although they probably won’t be much help on technical climbs. On backcountry hikes that have been covered in snow or even glacier walking, these Hillsound Crampons can give you the extra traction that you need.

The carbon steel spikes have been treated with heat for better durability, so they’re less likely to wear down with regular use. If you’re worried about getting these crampons on your feet, they use hook-and-loop straps that you can take on and off.

When you’re not using this Hillsound Trail Crampon, you can keep your crampons safe by placing them in the storage bag so they don’t get damaged in between hikes.

• Price: $65.00 on Amazon
• Weight: 0.9 pounds

$155.99 at Amazon

See the petzl irvis hybrid leverlock crampons, 82 reviews on amazon.

Some brands might force you to buy each crampon separately, but with the Petzl Irvis Hybrid Leverlock Crampons, these come as a pair. With 10 points, these crampons ensure that every point has a purpose. The two wide points in the front help you dig into snow while you can use the teeth in the back to stabilize yourself when you’re headed downhill.

The hybrid structure means that these Petzl crampons are also part aluminum. While that can limit how well they perform on rocky slopes, it also makes these crampons extremely lightweight as well.

• Price: $177.99 on Amazon
• Weight: 1.2 pounds

$224.99 at Amazon

See the grivel g20 plus cramp-o-matic crampons.

• Lightweight: 5/10

The Grivel G20 Plus Cramp-O-Matic Crampons might look like they’re ready for battle, and you’ll want these fierce crampons on your side. With hot drop-forged frontpoints that you can replace or adjust as needed, these traction devices do well with rocky or ice climbing.

There are also 2 center points that can help increase your stability on an incline, as well as keep you steady when you’re headed downhill. If these crampons come loose while you’re trekking in heavy snow, the safety straps on the front ensure that you won’t completely lose them.

Since they’re made for a heavy-duty climb, it only makes sense that these are heavy-duty crampons. If you’re looking for something more lightweight, you might want to check out one of the other choices we’ve highlighted.

• Price: $249.00 on Amazon
• Weight: 2 pounds

$169.95 at Amazon

See the kahtoola kts steel crampons, 13 reviews on amazon.

• Easy to assemble: 6/10

With stainless steel bars that flex with your foot as you move, the Kahtoola KTS Steel Crampons are all about flexibility and ease of movement. The 10 points are all one-inch and provide you with better stability regardless of where you’re at.

Since it uses Chromoly steel, these crampons are unlikely to wear down, even if you take them on a rocky incline. When you’re back from the hike, you’ll need to wash them with only lukewarm water, and allow them to air-dry before the next use.

• Price: $169.95 at REI
• Weight: 1.5 pounds

$179.95 at Amazon

See the c.a.m.p. usa skimo tour crampons.

If you need to move quickly across the mountain, the CAMP USA Skimo Tour Crampons won’t slow you down. Weighing just a touch shy of a pound, these crampons can trek across ski slopes without compromising traction.

Since they do use aluminum over steel, you probably don’t want to try using them on a rocky or technical climb. Not only will they function poorly, but they’ll also wear down much quicker. When it comes to fitting these on your boots, the micro-adjustable linking bars allow you to get a much more accurate fit.

• Price: $134.96 on Amazon
• Weight: 1 pound

$250 at Amazon

See the petzl lynx leverlock crampons.

• Traction: 10/10

When you’ve got a challenging mixed or technical climb ahead, you won’t want to leave home without the Petzl Lynx Leverlock Crampons. These modular crampons allow you to modify the frontpoints with a screw.

The anti-snow plates on the crampons can also prevent snow from building up and adding more weight to these already heavy-duty crampons. With fourteen frontpoints, these crampons can help you regain stability, even on tricky icy slopes.

• Price: $227.00 on Amazon
• Weight: 2.4 pounds

$249.95 at Amazon

See the cassin alpinist tech crampons.

• Lightweight: 6/10

While it might have a steep price, these Cassin Alpinist Tech Crampons are also made for steep, technical inclines. To fit the design of most modern boots, these crampons have an asymmetrical design. Speaking of the fit, the micro-adjustment linking bar helps you get a much more accurate fit.

By reducing the connection joints, you’ll lose some of your flexibility on a climb, but you’ll also be able to get a much more secure hold to the ice or snow.

• Price: $187.46 on Amazon

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Camp/Adventure 16 Ice Trek Crampons

Camp/adventure 16 ice trek crampons .

Flexible, strap

USER REVIEWS

A bargain price does not always turn into a good value! That is very much the case with CAMP crampons. The Ice Trek crampons appear to be well made of a very brittle chrome molly steel. Though the width in the forefoot and the length is adjustable I don't believe they will fit boots over size US 10. The width could not be adjusted to even snugly fit a pair of Lowa Baffin's Size US 11. There products from other manufacturers of greater value in the flex crampon market. I would not recommend any of C.A.M.P's products due to extremely poor support. (See customer service below)

Customer Service

Customer service from CAMP USA leaves a lot to be desired. They did not respond to inquiries via email or fax and only responded after two follow up phone calls and a fax to their parent / partner / manufacturer in Italy. It is not surprising given their recent relationship with Adventure 16, whose arrogance torwards their customer is only exceeded by extremely high pricing.

Similar Products Used:

Buy a well known and readily available brand such as: Black Diamond Charlet Moser / Petzl Stubai Cassin Kong This will at least ensure that repair / replacement parts are easy to obtain.

really nice classic crampon well made and suitable to a wide range of uses, not very technical but there is where its beuty lays, its lack of specific purpose makes it ver versitile, though straps are a pita as on all strap on crampons, they are widely available sold as military surplus

austrio alpin tyrol ,macko's, foot fangs

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CAMP XLC Nanotech Crampons

Lightweight crampons for ice & snow.

Designed for mountaineering and glacier travel, the CAMP XLC Nanotech crampons help you keep your footing on ice and hard-packed snow. Made from Sandvik Nanoflex stainless steel, each pair features a lightweight 12-point design, a 3D-pressed frame, and CC4U wear indicators on the side points that show when it’s time for a replacement. The automatic bindings fit most rigid mountaineering, A/T, and telemark boots, while the semi-automatic bindings fit most semi-rigid mountaineering boots and the universal bindings fit most mountaineering and hiking boots. 

Note: At checkout, choose the XLC Nanotech Semi-Automatic crampons or XLC Nanotech Automatic crampons.

XLC Nanotech Automatic

• Frame material: 7075 aluminum, Nanoflex steel
• 3-D pressed frame
• Automatic bindings
• CC4U wear indicators
• dynamic anti-balling plates
• Size: EU 36–47
• Weight: 19.8 oz (560 g)

XLC Nanotech Semi-Automatic

• Semi-automatic bindings
• Dynamic anti-balling plates
• Size: EU 36–48
• Weight: 22.9 oz (650 g)

Estimated ship date is Dec 10, 2018 PT .

Payment will be collected at checkout. After this product run ends, orders will be submitted to the vendor up front, making all orders final.

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How to use Camp Ice Trek crampons?

I’m lending an old pair of Camp Ice Trek crampons to someone. I can’t remember how the straps go over the boot. There are a couple of threads on here but no clear answer and Google has failed me. Can anyone remember how the straps go please? I do remember it was a pain. Here’s a helpful labelled photo:

Not used those specific ones but they just look like standard old fashioned straps...

Front strap through ring (G) at the toe, then ring (E) on the far side, then back over to buckle (D).

Heel strap does a full 360 loop round the ankle to buckle (C), possibly going through ring (F) on the way if that seems sensible.

Buckles to the outside of each foot. Also as I'm sure you're aware, adjust the crampons to length first so they're a push fit onto the boot sole, that bit is crucial!

Brilliant. Thank you. That looks right, although the straps need trimming a bit I think.

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Black Sheep Adventure Sports

Taking the road less traveled.

Review: CAMP Alpinist Crampons

• 12 point steel mountaineering crampons
• Weight: 970g
• Available with Auto, Semi-Auto and Universal boot attachments
• Come with dynamic anti-balling plates
• Two heel bail positions
• Three toe bail positions
• Micro-adjustable linking bar
• Fantastic crampon bag included

Designing a pair of crampons to fit every different make and model of boot, each with a differently shaped toe box, has got to be the bane of a crampon designers existence! Generally fully-auto attachments work fairly well across different boots, and that holds true with the Alpinist crampons. However, the Semi-Auto / Universal front boot attachment is a bit on the wider side and so struggles with some types of lighter summer mountaineering boots, basically anything with a thinner toe box. Boots with a wider toe box attach to the Alpinist crampons securely.

Performance:

I find that most mountaineering crampons perform well when mounted on a stiff pair of ice climbing boots. However, the softer the boot gets the less performance you can squeeze out of a pair of crampons. Of course this means that soft mountaineering boots appreciate a technical crampon when the going gets steep and icy. And this is where the Alpinist crampons really shine! They feature a unique heel slide design which adds rigidity to the crampon while all but eliminating any play between the heel and toe, making them feel very secure in technical terrain. They’re stiff enough to support softer boots, though a stiffer boot still feels a bit more secure in the steeps.

The Alpinist crampons also feature a fairly aggressive angle on the secondary points making front pointing up steep alpine ice much more secure. The front points have a fairly short radius bend into the nice flat downward point, a design that I prefer over front points with a gentle arc into a steepening angle towards the tip of the front points. The consistent angle is more reminiscent of technical ice crampon front point geometry and more secure in the steeps.

At 970g the Alpinst crampons are definitely on the heavier side, the price that’s paid for performance. The Petzl Vasak crampons, for example, weigh in at 880g per pair. That’s almost 100g lighter!

CAMP eliminated the rear connection point making the Alpinist crampons stiffer and more performance oriented, which also means that they cannot be packed down into as small a package when not in use.

Last, but definitely not least, the Alpinist crampons come with one of the best crampon bags I’ve ever come across. Simple and functional, this thing is fantastic!

Pros: Versatile, performance focused design

Cons: Wide-ish toe straps on semi-auto version don’t fit all boot types

Overall: A fantastic performance crampon

Black Sheep Adventure Sports was supplied with a pair of crampons for testing but of course this didn’t influence our review in any way.

Published by

Monte johnston.

Editor in Chief at Black Sheep Adventure Sports. Monte uses the combination of his guiding experience and civil engineering background to critically analyze equipment and apparel providing in-depth reviews on exhaustively tested gear. View all posts by Monte Johnston

Crampons. Where to even begin? Crampons are an essential piece of winter kit for those who enjoy adventuring on ice and snow, whether climbing up an icy gulley or trekking across a snow-covered peak. But it’s important to wear the correct crampons and pair them with the right boots.

Why? Well, in severe situations, it could be a matter of catastrophe, but generally, it’ll help prevent accidents and likely contribute to how much enjoyment you get from your adventure.

Let’s start by going back to basics.

What Are Crampons, and What Are They Used For?

Crampons are a set of metal spikes that you attach to your boots to improve mobility and traction on snow and ice. They’re often made from steel or aluminum and have a varying number of spikes on the bottom, tailored to different uses.

People often use crampons for hiking and trekking in freezing conditions, crossing glaciers, ski touring, ice climbing and winter mountaineering. They come in various weights and materials, each with their own pros and cons.

Steel vs aluminium crampons

Steel is preferred, due to its strength, although this option does weigh more. Aluminum is becoming more common, but generally isn’t suited to sparse UK conditions, where you’re more likely to kick a rock than a snowball, as this is where aluminum has the potential to break – not good for safety, or your bank balance!

The Anatomy Of A Crampon

Crampons have a front section and a heel section, joined by a bar in the middle. The more flexible the bar, the better suited to walking it is. The stiffer the bar, the better suited to climbing it is. These bars have holes which allow adjustability for accommodating different sized boots.

They also have spikes, and right underneath your toe are the front points of the crampon. Short horizontal points are better suited to walking, whilst long horizontal points are better suited to mountaineering and sharp vertical points to climbing. It’s also worth noting that the more spikes on the front section, the better suited to technical mountaineering they are.

Anti-balling plates

Underneath you’ll see plastic plates called anti-balling plates. Anti-balling plates aim to stop snow from freezing to the exposed metal on the underside of the crampons. Otherwise, without these plates, snowballs could potentially under your feet, rendering the points of the crampons useless. These plates also aim to stop snow from becoming compacted in-between the crampon and the boot, which has the potential to knock the crampon off altogether.

On the top of the crampons, you may notice differing methods for attaching them to your boots.

Strap-on crampons

Strap-on crampons feature plastic baskets at the heel and toe, joined with a strap to hold them in place. These are the most versatile, but least secure, providing a good option for walkers, although not the durability required for climbing and mountaineering.

Semi-automatic crampons

Semi-automatic crampons have a plastic toe basket and a heel clamp, with straps between them to hold them in place. This design gives the best all-round performance and offers security, as well as adjustability, when used with compatible boots.

Automatic crampons

Automatic crampons feature metal toe bails and heel clamps. They offer the most durable and secure fit when used with the right footwear.

Microspikes

Microspikes, or pavement crampons, are becoming increasingly popular. They’re great when used for their intended purpose – to gain traction over flatter, icy ground. However, they can be less effective on steeper paths, or even on slightly angled side slopes, as the only thing attaching them to your boots is some stretchy elastomer. This is because the flexibility of this elastomer makes it easy for your boot to slip out of the crampon.

Microspikes also lack the anti-balling functionality underneath, meaning in sticky snow, you spend more time knocking the snowballs off the bottom than you do walking.

Rating Systems

Neither crampons nor boots have a common rating system, either for stiffness or intended use, particularly across brands. However, labels often design boots with a particular use in mind. The requirements for a winter walker’s boot and crampon combination are very different to the needs of either a Ski Tourer or Ice Climber, for example.

To help differentiate between the sort of rigours that you’ll be putting the boots and crampons under, you’ll often hear of a system that uses B-ratings for boots and C-ratings for crampons. These letters are followed by either 1,2 or 3, denoting the stiffness of the product, 1 being more flexible, and 3 being less flexible. Each rating allows you to decipher which crampons and boots are suitable for certain activities, and which crampons need pairing with which boots.

In terms of ratings, it’s worth starting with your footwear, as your boots will indicate what crampons are suitable for use with them.

Boot Ratings

Consider a B0 boot to be the stiffest walking boot you can find. They generally possess a thick, full-grain upper, a full rubber or TPU rand, and a deep, well-spaced rubber tread. If you took the boot in your hands and tried to bend the toe to meet the heel, you’ll barely be able to bend it. Any boots less robust than this, with more flexible midsoles and uppers, are generally designed for hill walking and hiking below the snow line. If paired with a crampon, these flexible boots run the risk of popping out of place, a potentially dangerous situation if you slip or trip up. Therefore, B0 boots are suitable for pairing with microspikes on flatter easier ground, to prevent slips in icy conditions.

B1 boots are designed for four-season use and can be worn for hiking, trekking, scrambling or less technical winter walks. They take the points from B0 boots, and turn the dial up to 11. B1 boots have a stiffer midsole and chunkier tread on the outsole.

You’ll often find a more walking-orientated tread pattern on a B1 boot, when compared to some of its more winter-mountaineering-focused cousins. They also have a good amount of ‘rocker’ to allow a natural gait when walking. Manufacturers often combine these features with leather or fabric uppers that provide ample protection and durability. Walking-focused models sometimes include insulation, too.

Finding a TPU heel ledge for additional, secure crampon compatibility is becoming more common, especially in climbing-focused models. You should wear B1-rated boots with C1 crampons. This pairing will work perfectly for most UK winter fell walks and gentle adventures in the snow.

The midsole and upper of B2 boots are stiff and supportive, giving you ample protection in rocky or uneven terrain. However, they also have just enough flexibility to allow you to walk. B2 boots generally fall into two categories – faster and lighter or bigger and chunkier. The faster and lighter ones have a flatter, more climbing-focused sole, aiming for activities such as summer scrambling over rocky climbing terrain. With the ability to attach a mountaineering crampon for winter activities, the trade-off here is warmth. Chunkier and thicker boots work better for more winter-based activities. They still have a climbing sole, this time with a slight rocker, insulation and tougher uppers. You’ll also (almost) unanimously have a heel ledge that helps crampons fit securely. These boots usually need pairing with C2 crampons to create an ideal setup for winter Munro-bagging and low to mid-grade climbing in snow and ice. A B2/C2 combination would also work well for summer Alpinism.

With the ability to attach a mountaineering crampon for winter activities, the trade-off here is warmth. Chunkier and thicker boots will be aimed for more for winter-based activities. They still have a climbing sole, this time with a slight rocker, insulation and tougher uppers. You’ll also (almost) unanimously have a heel ledge that helps crampons fit securely.

These boots are to be paired with C2 crampons, which would be ideal for winter Munro-bagging and low to mid-grade climbing in snow and ice. A B2/C2 combination would also work well for summer Alpinism.

B3 boots are the stiffest boots you can buy. They provide lateral and medial support for different actions and movements on technical terrain. B3-rated footwear best suits activities like advanced mountaineering, mixed climbing, and ice climbing. This rating also includes models with extra insulation for high-altitude missions. Common features include heel and toe welts (ledges) that allow C3 crampons to fix onto the boot. These features help you to visibly identify a B3 boot compared to B2s, which only have the rear welt (ledge).

Next up are the Crampons. Again, we’ve broken down each rating to give you a clearer idea of this system.

Crampon Ratings

C1 crampons.

C1 crampons are primarily used for walking, as the shorter, less aggressive points and more flexible binding systems do not lend themselves to climbing. Whether hiking Scottish Munros in Winter or trekking across Glaciers, they give you ample grip in snow and ice. These crampons usually have 10 points and a flexible bar in the middle to accommodate stiffer hiking boots, which still tend to be a little softer than full-on mountaineering boots. You’ll also notice a more flexible heel, toe baskets and connected straps that you can use to attach them.

C2 crampons

C2 crampons usually have 12 spikes, which are more aggressive, to add extra traction in snow and ice. They’re designed for walking on more technical, icy terrain and climbing less advanced routes during the winter. Another noticeable visual difference on C2 crampons is that, unlike C1 crampons, they have specific clips on the rear. This clip attaches to the rear welt of most B2 boots, and is paired with a flexible, plastic toe basket and straps in between. The crampons will also flex less through the middle bar, lending themselves well to stiffer mountaineering boots.

C3 crampons

A C3 crampon will take all the details from C2 crampons up a notch. The rear heel clip remains, but now you have a metal toe bail, rather than the plastic basket. You’ll notice B3 boots have welts on the front and rear to accommodate this, overall creating a secure fit on a stiff boot. These metal toe bails on the front provide more durability against solid ice and rock, which is safer than plastic for more technical ascents. Some crampons also allow you to reduce the number of points on the front to just one, for more precision on delicate terrain or climbing narrow cracks. C3 crampons are generally used for technical ice climbing.

Adaptation systems

Some crampons are now being developed with ‘adaptation systems’ that allow you to transform a C2 crampon into a C3 crampon by, for example, changing the binding system. Some even have the ability to fit a different front section, one that is more aggressive, as your interests progress. This gives the user more versatility on different adventures and terrains, without spending double the price on multiple pairs. Keep an eye out for these coming into stock here shortly!

Crampons with cords?

You may also see crampons with a cord in the middle instead of a bar. A cord? Sounds a little ominous? This shouldn’t be a cause for concern; the cable is usually made with Dyneema, which is incredibly strong – so strong that it’s trademarked as the world’s strongest fibre. However, these lightweight crampons are only suited for use with rigid ski boots, for more technical levels of ski touring. Their lighter-weight construction makes them more packable and suited to consolidated snow, but not rocks and ice. These stiffer ski boots are needed to counterbalance the crampons’ flexibility – the last thing you want is your crampons popping from your boots mid-adventure!

Crampon Tips

A quick tip we’d offer to any crampon newbies is to be proactive. It can be easy to wait until you need them to wear them, but this can prove more difficult or even become dangerous if you get stuck on a snowy or icy patch with nowhere to rest and put them on. If you see a lot of snow or ice on the route ahead, put your crampons on before you reach that point. It’ll save you a lot of faff or stress and generally gives you the upper hand regarding safety.

Crampons and Microspikes at Trekitt

So, in a nutshell, the rating systems make it pretty easy to correspond your crampons to your activity and your boots. As long as you match the numbers, you’re pretty much good to go.

We stock a large variety of crampons, spikes and accessories here at Trekitt, including renowned brands like Petzl , Grivel , Nortec , Kahtoola and Black Diamond . You can shop our entire range of crampons by clicking here .

Looking for some new boots to match? We stock plenty of those, too! Check them out here .

If you have any questions, or need some further advice before you purchase, you can visit us in-store at our Hereford Service Centre, or speak with our friendly customer service team via telephone ( 01432 263 335 ) or email ( [email protected] ).

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Mount Elbrus Ascent

Culture, Climbing and a Seven Summit — Da!

Climb­ing Mount Elbrus, the high­est peak in Europe and one of the Sev­en Sum­mits, per­fect­ly immers­es you into expe­di­tion climb­ing and gain­ing expe­ri­ence with the acclima­ti­za­tion process. The gen­tle slopes of Mount Elbrus beck­on climbers in a range rem­i­nis­cent of the Alps. Jagged peaks with glac­i­ers that flow into moun­tain val­leys dot­ted with pine forests, alpine mead­ows, and remote vil­lages wel­come vis­i­tors trav­el­ing into this moun­tain paradise. 

Time spent explor­ing the extra­or­di­nary city Moscow also offers inter­est­ing glimpses into Rus­si­a’s rich cul­ture and his­to­ry. And if you want to see how the Russ­ian czars real­ly lived and explore one of the world’s most com­pelling cities, check out the St. Peters­burg exten­sion . If you’re look­ing for some seri­ous cul­ture, a Sev­en Sum­mit, and for Kil­i­man­jaro climbers and oth­ers look­ing for an intro­duc­to­ry glac­i­er climb, there’s no bet­ter objec­tive for those with no expe­ri­ence — our guides show you the ropes dur­ing the trip. They may even lead you astray for some caviar and vod­ka at the end of the trip.

The ulti­mate com­bo —  Elbrus/​Kilimanjaro , two Sev­en Sum­mits in less than three weeks!

Ski lifts take you to a hut on the moun­tain, mean­ing no heavy packs — and from there sno-cats whisk you up the moun­tain leav­ing a rea­son­able sum­mit climb and a high chance of suc­cess! And then there is the danc­ing at the Plea­sure Dome after the climb- you’ll have to find out what that is for yourself….

Description

A vol­canic mas­sif locat­ed north of the Cau­ca­sus main ridge, 18,510-foot / 5642 m Mount Elbrus ris­es almost 3,000 feet / 914 meters high­er than sur­round­ing peaks. The sum­mit offers breath­tak­ing views of the Cau­ca­sus Moun­tains and the impres­sive trib­u­tary val­ley sys­tems feed­ing the rag­ing waters of the Bak­san Riv­er. The Bak­san Val­ley offers trekking through fields of wild­flow­ers, amongst poplar and pine forests.

After acclima­ti­za­tion hikes in the Bak­san Val­ley and a day spent review­ing skills, we take a cable car up the moun­tain to the shel­ters at Kharabashi. Here we spend sev­er­al nights before our sum­mit attempt. The climb offers great intro­duc­to­ry lev­el glac­i­er climb­ing that includes the use of cram­pons, ice axe, and roped travel.

Also, con­tribut­ing to your suc­cess are decades of expe­ri­ence in the Cau­ca­sus. Our roots on Elbrus go way back, from Scott Fis­cher’s first guid­ed trip there in the 80’s to Moun­tain Mad­ness’ cur­rent own­er Mark Gun­log­son and his first trip to the region in 1990, short­ly after the col­lapse of the Sovi­et Union. Since a time when the coun­try expe­ri­enced food short­ages to now, our pro­gram has been care­ful­ly craft­ed to take in the best of Russ­ian cul­ture, food, accom­mo­da­tions, and peo­ple. Along with an expe­ri­enced guide from the U.S. or Ecuador, you will be trav­el­ing with Russ­ian guides that know the area as their home. All this com­bines for the per­fect expe­ri­ence in an area that remains as intrigu­ing as ever.

Short on time? Join us on our 11-day Mount Elbrus Express climbing trip — an express experience to this 7‑Summits peak that gives you an opportunity to hone your expedition climbing skills. Or double down and climb Kilimanjaro and bag two of the 7 Summits on our 19-day Mt. Elbrus and Kilimanjaro Combo trip. 

La times article.

Ice Queen Demands Respect at Each Step; For the locals in south­ern Rus­sia, Europe’s high­est peak rep­re­sents their indomitable spir­it. For one climber, Mt. Elbrus is a bru­tal challenge.

The Los Ange­les Times; Los Ange­les, Calif.; MAU­RA REYNOLDS

Mt. Elbrus is the high­est moun­tain in the Cau­ca­sus, whose dom­i­nant range stretch­es 750 miles between the Black and Caspi­an seas– rough­ly the size of the Alps and twice the length of the Sier­ra Neva­da. Includ­ing Elbrus, the Cau­ca­sus boasts eight peaks high­er than France’s Mont Blanc, the high­est of the Alps, whose 15,771-foot sum­mit lies more than half a mile clos­er to sea lev­el than [Elbrus]. (The high­est moun­tain in the con­tigu­ous Unit­ed States, Cal­i­for­ni­a’s Mt. Whit­ney, is low­er still, at 14,494 feet.)

The writer takes in the snowy sum­mit of Mt. Elbrus. The 18,510-foot Elbrus, in the Russ­ian repub­lic of Kabardi­no- Balka­ria, is the high­est moun­tain in Europe and sacred to the Balka­r­i­an people

Link to full arti­cle here: Full Text

(Copy­right, The Times Mir­ror Com­pa­ny; Los Ange­les Times 2001 all rights reserved)

One must approach Europe’s high­est moun­tain as a sup­pli­cant, the locals warn. Slow­ly. with respect. She is a haughty queen, they say. Beau­ti­ful and placid on the sur­face, wear­ing her 18,510 feet of icy glac­i­ers like ermine robes. her twin con­i­cal sum­mits are as gen­tly round­ed as a wom­an’s breasts. But geo­log­i­cal­ly and tem­pera­men­tal­ly, she is a vol­cano. When angry, she fumes foul gas­es and stirs fierce storms, which cause climbers to become dizzy and lose their way.

Per­haps she is petu­lant because so many don’t take her seri­ous­ly. Euro­peans, enam­ored of their ele­gant Alps, resist includ­ing this down­trod­den cor­ner of Rus­sia on the map of Europe. Moun­taineers, enam­ored of more treach­er­ous peaks, con­sid­er her lit­tle more than a high-alti­tude slog. Per­haps it is only the Balka­r­i­an people,who tend their sheep on her flanks, who love her uncon­di­tion­al­ly. ​ “ She’s our sacred moun­tain,” says Iskhak Tilov, a Balkar who runs a high-alti­tude base for moun­tain climbers and skiers. ​ “ Every­thing we have comes from her – our life, the water for our fields, for our flocks. The ice has been here for thou­sands of years. And so have we.”

Mt. Elbrus is the high­est moun­tain in the Cau­ca­sus, whose dom­i­nant range stretch­es 750 miles between the Black and Caspi­an seas– rough­ly the size of the Alps and twice the length of the Sier­ra Neva­da. Includ­ing Elbrus, the Cau­ca­sus boasts eight peaks high­er than France’s Mont Blanc, the high­est of the Alps, whose 15,771-foot sum­mit lies more than half a mile clos­er to sea lev­el than Elbrus. (The high­est moun­tain in the con­tigu­ous Unit­ed States, Cal­i­for­ni­a’s Mt. Whit­ney, is low­er still, at 14,494 feet.) ​ “ You have to argue with some peo­ple about it,” says Mike Cole­man, a 30-year-old virol­o­gist and climber from Lon­don. ​ “ Peo­ple at home all want to think that Rus­sia is in Asia and Mont Blanc is the high­est in Europe.”

But geo­g­ra­phers agree that two moun­tain ranges form the bor­der between Asia and Europe – the Urals, which divide Euro­pean Rus­sia from Siberia, and the Cau­ca­sus, which bor­ders Rus­sia to the south. Elbrus’ sum­mits in the repub­lic of Kabardi­no-Balka­ria are eight miles north of the range’s ridge line – close but com­plete­ly on the Euro­pean side. The pro­pa­gan­da val­ue of being the high­est point in Europe was not lost on either of the 20 th cen­tu­ry’s most noto­ri­ous dic­ta­tors. In the 1930s, waves of Sovi­et work­ers were sent up Elbrus, installing a long- since-gone bust of Josef Stal­in on top. In 1942, Adolf Hitler sent in a crack team of alpine troops to seize the mountain.

But for the most part, con­sid­er­ing its stature, Elbrus has been neglect­ed. Most peo­ple, even inside Rus­sia, have nev­er heard of it. It may be big­ger than any­thing else in Europe, but that’s not enough to earn it the world’s atten­tion or respect. ​ “ Elbrus is like Rus­sia – diky no veliky,” says Soltan Kochkarov, 28, a moun­tain res­cue team mem­ber and climb­ing guide. ​ “ Wild, unciv­i­lized. But mighty.”

4:30 a.m. A moun­tain this big is climbed 6 inch­es at a time. That’s about the dis­tance from one mid­step to the next as I set out before dawn with a pho­tog­ra­ph­er and our Balka­r­i­an guide, Soltan. Con­stel­la­tions drape the night sky as bright­ly as Christ­mas lights. Soltan sets a slow pace as the fir­ma­ment cracks open slow­ly in the east. I start doing the math. Each step gains me per­haps 3 inch­es of ver­ti­cal height. That’s four steps per foot of ele­va­tion. We have a lit­tle more than 6,000 feet between here and the sum­mit. That’s 24,000 steps. I’m tak­ing two steps per breath in the rar­efied air. That’s at least 12,000 breaths.

I decide not to count. I remem­ber the advice Iskhak’s wife, Khal­i­mat, offered the day before: There is only one way to reach the top of Elbrus, she said. You must be hum­ble. You must walk as if you will nev­er get there.

Accord­ing to leg­end, the Balka­r­i­an peo­ple descend­ed to Earth from a con­stel­la­tion known as the She-Bear. They were sent to live in com­mu­nion with the moun­tain ​ “ Min­gi-Tau” and the gods who ruled from her and through her. ​ “ Min­gi-Tau means ​ ‘ a thou­sand moun­tains’ in our lan­guage,” Khal­i­mat Tilo­va explains. ​ “ It is our Mt. Olympus.”

Tra­di­tion­al­ly, it was for­bid­den to try to climb the moun­tain, she says. Those who braved Elbrus’ slopes often returned to the val­ley with headaches, hal­lu­ci­na­tions and oth­er ills now gen­er­al­ly accept­ed as symp­toms of alti­tude sick­ness. Sul­phuric gas­es ema­nat­ing from the moun­tain’s active fumaroles also may have played a role. But at the time, it seemed evi­dence of the wrath of the gods. The ancient Greeks knew of Elbrus – in fact, it appears sev­er­al times in Greek mythol­o­gy, and some believe that it is the moun­tain to which Prometheus was eter­nal­ly chained. The ancient Ira­ni­ans gave it the name ​ “ Elbrus” in about the 2 nd cen­tu­ry BC, nam­ing it for a myth­i­cal chain of sacred mountains.

Two men are cred­it­ed with being the first to reach its sum­mit. The first is Kil­lar Khashirov, a native of the flat­lands below the Balkars’ moun­tain val­leys. He reached the slight­ly low­er, east­ern sum­mit as a mem­ber of a Russ­ian sci­en­tif­ic expe­di­tion in 1829. The high­er, west­ern sum­mit was climbed half a cen­tu­ry lat­er, in 1874, by a British expe­di­tion guid­ed by a Balkar, Akhiya Sot­tayev. Sot­tayev is a nation­al hero; accord­ing to Balka­r­i­an tra­di­tion, that means his name should not be spo­ken aloud. That makes things a lit­tle dif­fi­cult for his 42-year-old great-grand­son, deputy direc­tor of an alpine climb­ing camp, who car­ries his name.

“ It’s a big hon­or,” says the cur­rent Akhiya Sot­tayev, ​ “ but peo­ple are still afraid to pro­nounce it.”

6 a.m. Con­ver­sa­tion is point­less; I am wrapped in a wall of sound. The wind blows against my Gore-Tex hood. The air rush­ing to my lungs seems to blow through my ears. Cram­pons and poles scratch unpleas­ant­ly into the ice and snow, as if on a chalk­board. I am locked into a kind of two-step with the moun­tain. Left foot, right pole. Right foot, left pole. Inhale. Exhale. It would be hyp­not­ic if it did­n’t take so much concentration.

The first rays of direct sun strike so hard I feel knocked off bal­ance. I look behind. The pointy peaks of the Cau­ca­sus cast baby- blue shad­ows against the baby-pink dawn. I won­der if I’ve ever seen any­thing more beau­ti­ful. If his­to­ry had been dif­fer­ent, the Cau­ca­sus might have become Switzer­land. Like the Alpine coun­tries, the Cau­ca­sus is inhab­it­ed by hardy moun­tain peo­ples, fierce­ly inde­pen­dent, who sur­vive large­ly by herd­ing cows and sheep.

The moun­tains are eas­i­ly as impres­sive. One of the first West­ern explor­ers to pen­e­trate the region, a mem­ber of the 1874 British expe­di­tion, wrote that ​ “ in appear­ance of inac­ces­si­bil­i­ty and in bold­ness of form they are beyond the Alps, and prob­a­bly, when they are bet­ter known, they will be thought grander and more majes­tic than the Alps.” But his­to­ry has not been kind. Unlike the Swiss, the moun­tain peo­ples of the Cau­ca­sus were over­run by one empire after anoth­er– the Huns, the Mon­gols, the Turks, the Rus­sians. In the 19 th cen­tu­ry, Rus­sia assert­ed its claim over the Cau­ca­sus and sent in armies that loot­ed hun­dreds of vil­lages, com­mit­ting mas­sacres along the way. After the 1917 Bol­she­vik Rev­o­lu­tion, the Balkars were forced to leave their vil­lages, pre­vi­ous­ly orga­nized by clan, and join col­lec­tive farms.

“ See that stream,” Soltan says, point­ing to a brook trip­ping down a hill­side so steep the cows appear ready to top­ple off. ​ “ My fam­i­ly’s lands used to begin there. But once the Rev­o­lu­tion came – poof.” He flaps his hands in an ​ “ all-gone” ges­ture. Soltan says his grand­fa­ther lived to be 120. Once upon a time, he says, Balkars rou­tine­ly lived longer than 100 years. Not any­more. Not after all that his­to­ry. ​ “ Now we die as fast as every­one else,” he says.

8 a.m. We reach a jum­ble of boul­ders known as the Pas­tukhov rocks- ‑at 15,700 feet, about the same alti­tude as Mont Blanc. On the map, we have climbed about halfway from where we start­ed. But the tough­est sec­tions, and the thinnest air, are still ahead. It’s hard not to anthro­po­mor­phize this moun­tain. As we set off high­er, I imag­ine her as a malev­o­lent god­dess. When my poles snag in the crusty snow, I imag­ine it’s the moun­tain try­ing to trip me up. The wind blow­ing down from above is her breath, try­ing to blast me off her flanks like an unwant­ed pest.

Sovi­et moun­taineer­ing got its start in the mid-1930s when Stal­in hired a group of Aus­tri­ans to jump-start a pro­gram in ​ “ mass alpin­ism.” They approached the task with mil­i­tary fer­vor. Peaks were clas­si­fied by degree of dif­fi­cul­ty. Climbers were to attempt var­i­ous ascents accord­ing to a pre­or­dained order of dif­fi­cul­ty. A hotel, Priyut-11, was built high up on Elbrus’ slopes to host the large groups of climbers.

Rus­sians still tend to climb in orga­nized clubs, a sharp con­trast to the indi­vid­u­al­ized West­ern cul­ture of moun­taineer­ing and adven­tur­ing. Elbrus is rel­a­tive­ly unpop­u­lar with Russ­ian climbers. For one thing, it’s not tech­ni­cal­ly dif­fi­cult – it ranks a rel­a­tive­ly low 2A on the Russ­ian scale from 1A to 6B. Russ­ian climbers use Elbrus most­ly for alti­tude acclima­ti­za­tion before leav­ing for big­ger moun­tains – Tajik­istan’s Pamirs, Kyr­gyzs­tan’s Tian Shan, or the mighty Himalayas. ​ “ Elbrus,” says Yuri Khokhlov, vice pres­i­dent of the Moscow chap­ter of the Russ­ian Moun­taineer­ing Fed­er­a­tion, ​ “ is a train­ing mountain.”

But many climbers have died nonethe­less. Trade unions and col­lec­tive farms, in Stal­in­ist stunts of col­lec­tive ath­leti­cism, sent many ama­teurs up Elbrus in the 1930s with inad­e­quate train­ing. Entire par­ties were wiped out. If the weath­er is bad, Elbrus’ slopes become sheets of ice and one slip can lead to death. But if the weath­er is good and a climber knows how to steer clear of the moun­tain’s cliffs and hid­den crevass­es, Elbrus’ sum­mit can be reached with lit­tle more than spiky cram­pons for trac­tion and an ice ax or trekking poles for balance.

These days, most climbers take trans­porta­tion more than halfway up the moun­tain; two cable cars and a chair­lift reach 12,500 feet. From that point, snow lasts year-round, and some wealthy for­eign­ers even hire a Snow­Cat trac­tor to bring them to the Pas­tukhov rocks – giv­ing them a sum­mit climb of just 2,810 feet. Even so, many don’t make the sum­mit. Near the top of Elbrus, there is half the oxy­gen as at sea lev­el. On oth­er high peaks, moun­taineers spend weeks at high alti­tude to give their bod­ies time to adjust to the scarci­ty of oxygen.

But the climbers who come to Elbrus are gen­er­al­ly novices on a tight sched­ule. For the most part, they spend three or four days hik­ing above 12,000 feet, and then make a one-day dash for the sum­mit from the top of the chair­lift – more often than not, brav­ing headaches, dis­ori­en­ta­tion and nausea.

11:30 a.m. I nev­er thought my lungs could work so hard and accom­plish so lit­tle. I am tak­ing three or four breaths per step. I try to find a rhythm but can’t. I keep stop­ping. Just to breathe. Just to feel the heav­ing in my chest sub­side a lit­tle. We reach the sad­dle between the two sum­mits – 17,500 feet. Soltan says we are going to attempt the east­ern sum­mit, which Rus­sians pre­fer. Like most West­ern­ers, I want to climb the ​ “ real” sum­mit, the west­ern sum­mit, 69 feet high­er. But Soltan says ice con­di­tions on the west­ern sum­mit are too treach­er­ous. It would take an extra two hours. We are exhaust­ed already. I nod agreement.

The east­ern sum­mit is still about 1,000 feet above us. Soltan offers a deal: We will take just 10 steps at a time, then stop to rest. We start to move our feet, and I won­der whether I’ll make the 10 steps. I do, and stop grate­ful­ly. A few feet ahead, Soltan is dou­bled over his ice ax, gasp­ing as hard as I am. It dawns on me: This is the hard­est thing I have done in my life.

The worst moment of 71-year-old Khazhar Tem­moye­va’s life – and the lives of most Balkars of her gen­er­a­tion – came a few min­utes after dawn March 8, 1944. Sovi­et sol­diers pulled up out­side the house where she lived with her fam­i­ly in a vil­lage where Elbrus’ glacial streams reach the val­ley. They drove shiny new Stude­bak­er trucks. She was 14. ​ “ The sol­diers gave us a half-hour and told us to get in the trucks.” The mem­o­ry is 57 years old, but Tem­moye­va’s voice still fal­ters. To steady her­self, she fuss­es with her black head scarf, which swathes her head like a nun’s habit. ​ “ They drove us to the train sta­tion in Nalchik. Then we rode the train to Kaza­khstan. We lived there for 14 years.”

Angry at the Nazis’ inva­sion of south­ern Rus­sia and six-month occu­pa­tion of Elbrus, Stal­in ordered the entire Balka­r­i­an peo­ple deport­ed to set­tle­ment camps in Cen­tral Asia. Most of the depor­tees were women, chil­dren and old men – the healthy men were most­ly on the front line. ​ “ I remem­ber every­thing,” she says. ​ “ I remem­ber the war. I remem­ber how the Ger­mans came and killed my father and left us orphans. And then [the Rus­sians] sent us away. No oth­er nation has suf­fered as we have suffered.”

Khadzhimu­rat Bichekuyev, now 78, was one of the men on the front line dur­ing the depor­ta­tion. He sent mon­ey home through­out the war, but it start­ed com­ing back ​ “ unde­liv­er­able.” He was nev­er told why. When he made his way home, his fam­i­ly and neigh­bors were nowhere to be found. He was a dec­o­rat­ed artillery offi­cer who had fought in Odessa and Stal­in­grad, then chased the Nazis back to Ger­many, meet­ing Amer­i­can allies at the Elbe. But now he was only a mem­ber of a sus­pect eth­nic group. ​ “ The Ger­mans shot my father. My broth­er was in the army. I was in the army. It was­n’t fair to pun­ish us all,” Bichekuyev says.

Only about half the pre­war pop­u­la­tion returned to the val­leys after Stal­in’s death; the rest died on the jour­ney or in the deserts, or lost heart and remained in Cen­tral Asia. When Tem­moye­va made it back from Kaza­khstan, she took up back­break­ing labor on a state farm, which pays her about $5 a month. These days, in the vil­lage where she was born, she stoops over soft lay­ers of sheep wool, comb­ing it with her fin­gers and dous­ing it with boil­ing water to make tra­di­tion­al felt hats, capes and car­pets. The state farm buys what she makes in an effort to keep the old crafts from dying out. ​ “ Our tra­di­tions were ruined,” she says. ​ “ Our way of life isn’t the same.”

Bichekuyev was luck­i­er. After the war, the Sovi­ets set up a research cen­ter in the vil­lage of Ter­skol, and he found work as a lab­o­ra­to­ry assis­tant. He would climb around Elbrus with the sci­en­tists to take sam­ples from the moun­tain’s 54 glac­i­ers. In the course of his work, he reached the sum­mit 10 times – eight on the east­ern sum­mit, twice on the west­ern. ​ “ But my hero is my father-in-law,” Bichekuyev says, pick­ing up a fad­ed pho­to of a man wear­ing a lamb­skin hat and clunky black eye­glass­es. ​ “ He climbed the moun­tain 209 times. And died at 116 years old.”

1:15 p.m. I try not to look up. There’s some­thing about the thin­ness of the air and the bright­ness of the snow that make dis­tances deceiv­ing. I have no idea how far we’ve come. I have no idea how much is left.

I stop to catch my breath. I don’t know if I’ve been stand­ing for a minute or five min­utes when I hear a voice up ahead: Just 50 more feet. For a sec­ond, I won­der if it’s worth it. Then I begin to move my feet. Sud­den­ly, the ground is no longer slop­ing up. My cram­pons crunch on vol­canic grav­el and wind-packed snow. I look up. The oth­er sum­mit stretch­es out to the west like a com­pan­ion on a beach; noth­ing is high­er, not even clouds. Below, the mighty peaks of the Cau­ca­sus have shriv­eled. They are spread out as far as the eye can see, gray and white like a dusty expanse of day-old meringue. All I feel is relief.

Iskhak Tilov was born in exile in the deserts of Kaza­khstan. In 1957, four years after Stal­in’s death, he saw the moun­tains of his home­land for the first time. He was 6. ​ “ I nev­er imag­ined moun­tains could be so high,” he remembers.

As Balkars trick­led back, the Sovi­et Union launched a build­ing boom in the Elbrus region, con­struct­ing six health resorts and eight alpine train­ing camps. A ski school opened, and Iskhak was one of the first stu­dents. In 1967, he became the Sovi­et Union’s junior down­hill cham­pi­on – one of the first Balkars to achieve nation­al stature in alpine sports. In 1969, he placed sec­ond in the Euro­pean Junior cham­pi­onship. And soon, young Balkars began to real­ize that the moun­tains weren’t just a place to raise sheep. With enough luck and train­ing, sports could pro­vide not just for­tune but also fame.

In the 1980s, Iskhak received per­mis­sion from the Sovi­et Sports Com­mit­tee to build a high-alti­tude train­ing base for skiers on Elbrus, and soon the nation­al team was train­ing on snow year-round. But then the Sovi­et Union col­lapsed, tak­ing with it mon­ey for train­ing, trav­el and equip­ment. Then, war began in Chech­nya and tourists shunned the region, which is only 130 miles from the war zone. Balkars lost their jobs at the camps and tourist cen­ters. Iskhak’s ski base fell into dis­re­pair. ​ “ Every­thing was hard for our coun­try,” Iskhak says. ​ “ It was like a 10-year gap in our lives.”

2:30 p.m. The snow­storm hits quick­ly. A new sound is added – the tin­kle of snow pel­lets hit­ting Gore-Tex. I see Soltan fad­ing into the white fog ahead of me. My knees whine in pain as my cram­pons sink deep­er into the snow on the down­ward slope. I remem­ber the sto­ries I’ve heard about climbers on Elbrus who have died in storms– dis­ap­peared over cliffs, slid into crevass­es, died of expo­sure. On the way up, boul­ders are speck­led with memo­r­i­al plaques. I feel nau­se­at­ed. I’m not sure if it’s the snow swirling dizzi­ly in front of my eyes, the ener­gy bar I choked down, the lack of oxy­gen or the moun­tain’s nox­ious gas­es. I just know that if I walk any faster, I will get sick and my knees will give out. I am remind­ed: Climb­ing a moun­tain does­n’t end at the sum­mit. You also have to get down.

The sun shines. Iskhak’s base bus­tles. Shirt­less snow­board­ers bask in the warm sun­shine between trips off a jump ramp, impress­ing each oth­er with half-pipes, full pecs and the lat­est in board gear. Behind them, a sim­ple rope tow car­ries ski school stu­dents up the slope. Every so often, a cram­pon-shod climber stum­bles past.

Iskhak wafts through it all, radio in hand, base­ball cap on head. Like many Balkars, he has strange­ly pale eyes, in his case light brown. He shields them behind an over­sized pair of sun­glass­es. He keeps an eye on the snow­board­ers, whom he does­n’t ful­ly trust. ​ “ Skiers and climbers are seri­ous, hard-work­ing,” he says. ​ “ These kids are young. They just like to have a good time.”

The last three years have seen a kind of revival in the Elbrus region, fueled by three new breeds of thrill seek­ers who come despite the Chechen war: snow­board­ers drawn to its near­ly year-round snows; ​ “ extreme” skiers and ​ “ free rid­ers” seek­ing dan­ger and pris­tine ter­rain; and a cer­tain kind of ama­teur moun­tain climber eager for boast­ing rights to a ​ “ high­est” sum­mit. Elbrus is one of the so-called sev­en sum­mits, the high­est peak on each con­ti­nent. (The oth­ers are Asi­a’s Ever­est (29,028 feet); South Amer­i­ca’s Aconcagua (22,834 feet); North Amer­i­ca’s Denali/​McKinley (20,320 feet); Africa’s Kil­i­man­jaro (19,340 feet); Antarc­ti­ca’s Vin­son Mas­sif (16,067 feet); and Aus­trali­a’s Kosciusko (7,310 feet).)

Since 1983, when a pair of mid­dle-age exec­u­tives set out to climb all sev­en – Frank Wells, then of Warn­er Bros., and Dick Bass, a Texas busi­ness­man – the idea has caught on among a cer­tain kind of ambi­tious, mon­eyed adven­tur­er. These days, Iskhak leas­es the base from the gov­ern­ment and charges climbers about $5 a night to stay in one of the 10 red-and-white school-bus-sized bar­rels he has out­fit­ted with bunks. Since the high- alti­tude hotel Priyut-11 burned down in 1998, he knows that all aspir­ing ​ “ sev­en sum­miters” will come through his camp, that they are his tick­et to the future. ​ “ With­out Elbrus, they can’t do it.” He smiles broadly.

Still, Elbrus is a long way from becom­ing a major tourist attrac­tion. Poor­ly devel­oped by West­ern stan­dards even in its hey­day, the moun­tain has suf­fered severe­ly from post-Sovi­et decay. There are no ameni­ties – no warm­ing huts, no snack bars, no place to buy sun­screen or water or beer. Instead of a café, climbers fend for them­selves in a prim­i­tive com­mu­nal kitchen with food they bring up them­selves. There is no plumb­ing or run­ning water; snow must be melt­ed to be drunk.

Things are prim­i­tive in the val­ley as well. There are few hotels, and for the most part they have no maids, infre­quent hot water and crude cafe­te­rias. There is no trans­porta­tion sys­tem between the hotels and the slopes. The chair­lift runs when the oper­a­tor feels like it. Those who seek extreme sports here must have not an aver­sion to extreme dis­com­fort. ​ “ This is anoth­er degree beyond adven­ture trav­el,” says Mort Ger­son, a 67-year-old retired lawyer from San­ta Mon­i­ca who hopes to sum­mit Elbrus and ski down. ​ “ The peo­ple I know would­n’t want to come here.” A num­ber of adven­ture tour com­pa­nies that offered Elbrus climbs in the ear­ly 1990s have since pulled out, in part because of the Chechen con­flict and because con­di­tions for trav­el­ers are too unpredictable.

“ It takes a cer­tain kind of per­son to enjoy this place,” says Tom Milne, a guide with Moun­tain Mad­ness, a Seat­tle-based alpine tour com­pa­ny that still brings sev­er­al groups to Elbrus each sum­mer. What kind of per­son is that? ​ “ Flex­i­ble,” he says euphemistically.

6:30 p.m. The storm has lift­ed. Below, a row of red bar­rels comes slow­ly into focus. I can’t believe that it has tak­en so long to get down. My knees no longer whine; they howl.

I stum­ble past snow­board­ers with bleached locks and mir­rored shades. I must appear like a prophet descend­ing from the heights– shag­gy, unsteady and more than a lit­tle disreputable.

Iskhak stands out­side his trail­er. He breaks into a big smile. ​ “ Con­grat­u­la­tions. The moun­tain was kind to you.” Then he adds: ​ “ But you must come back, you know. After all, there’s still anoth­er summit.”

Frequently asked Elbrus questions

What kind of food is eat­en? Can you accom­mo­date a veg­e­tar­i­an diet or oth­er dietary restrictions?

All of the meals served on Moun­tain Mad­ness trips are a com­bi­na­tion of the best local and region­al fares along with some spe­cial­ty items brought from the U.S. Your guide or your per­son­al cooks are expe­ri­enced in work­ing with veg­e­tar­i­an diets and dietary restric­tions due to food aller­gies or intolerances.

Can I arrive ear­li­er or depart lat­er than the trip dates? 

Moun­tain Mad­ness is hap­py to help you arrange accom­mo­da­tions before and after your trip. Our area direc­tors can rec­om­mend side excur­sions and restau­rants for the extra time.

How do I get from the air­port to the hotel when I arrive?

A Moun­tain Mad­ness guide or rep­re­sen­ta­tive will pick you up at the Moscow air­port on the sched­uled arrival date and time. For easy iden­ti­fi­ca­tion con­sid­er wear­ing your Moun­tain Mad­ness T‑shirt!

Can I leave lug­gage in Moscow?

Yes, there is a secure place to store your valu­ables in Moscow while you are away on the climb. There is a nom­i­nal charge of about $5 to $10 per day for this service.

Should I get insurance?

Moun­tain Mad­ness high­ly rec­om­mends the pur­chase of trip can­cel­la­tion, trav­el and med­ical evac­u­a­tion poli­cies. Once we have received your appli­ca­tion and have con­firmed your spot on the expe­di­tion we will send you infor­ma­tion about the var­i­ous types of insur­ance and the com­pa­nies we recommend.

How heavy will my pack be?

On Elbrus we stay in huts so there are no camps to sup­ply and no heavy back­packs to car­ry. On the acclima­ti­za­tion hikes and the sum­mit climb you will need to car­ry your own snacks, cam­era, water and some extra cloth­ing which should be less than 20 pounds. Not too bad, huh?

Can I rent my gear through Moun­tain Mad­ness? Will the guide check my gear before we leave for the moun­tain?

Yes, some items will be avail­able- call our office for details. We will check your gear in Moscow. Our equip­ment list is very com­plete and we ask that you bring all the items list­ed. Rus­sia is a very dif­fi­cult place to pur­chase gear and as such it is unlike­ly that we could find the prop­er items. We will be hap­py to help you solve any gear issues pri­or to departure!

What if some­one on my rope team gets sick? Will I have to descend and lose my sum­mit opportunity? 

Safe­ty is the pri­ma­ry con­sid­er­a­tion on all Moun­tain Mad­ness trips. For all of our trips par­tic­i­pants must remem­ber that they are part of a team and that the safe­ty and secu­ri­ty of every­one on the team is more impor­tant than any one indi­vid­ual reach­ing the sum­mit. If the entire group is required to get a team mem­ber down, they will be called to assist the guides and staff. How­ev­er, we have a very high suc­cess rate in part because we often hire skilled local guides to assist on sum­mit days, decreas­ing the client-to-guide ratio. This offers addi­tion­al safe­ty and increas­es everyone’s chance for suc­cess. Addi­tion­al­ly, our sched­ule has an extra sum­mit day built in which gives us all a sec­ond oppor­tu­ni­ty if weath­er or oth­er prob­lems cause us to miss the first opportunity.

Is this climb ade­quate prepa­ra­tion for Aconcagua?

Yes, if you are able to reach the sum­mit and feel that your per­for­mance on the climb was strong. Aconcagua is how­ev­er a full-blown expe­di­tion and has mul­ti­ple days about the sum­mit ele­va­tion of Mount Elbrus. So, it can be a good indi­ca­tor that you will do well on Aconcagua, but on the oth­er hand you may find out that you don’t do well at ele­va­tions above 20,000 feet or 6,000 meters. For that rea­son would ide­al­ly sug­gest that you have an addi­tion­al expe­di­tion expe­ri­ence above the ele­va­tion of Elbrus.

Have a Question? Contact Us!

• (800) 328-5925
• [email protected]

Mount Elbrus

$5,700 – 14 Days / Includes trav­el time

*Due to the ongoing conflict, we will not be leading any trips to Mount Elbrus in 2024

Sin­gle Supplement – $350

Price Includes

• Assis­tance with obtain­ing visa vouch­ers for visa appli­ca­tions (extra fees may apply for non-US citizens)
• Domes­tic flight from Moscow to/​from Min­er­al­nye Vody
• Moscow city tour
• Sched­uled restau­rant meals in Moscow
• Three sched­uled hotel nights in Moscow (dou­ble or triple occupancy)
• Four sched­uled hotel nights in Cheget (dou­ble or triple occupancy)
• All food dur­ing the climb
• All team climb­ing gear and cook­ing gear
• All expe­di­tion sup­port staff 
• Lift fees on Mt. Elbrus
• 1 Sno-Cat ride
• Air­port trans­fers at the begin­ning of trip

Price Does Not Include

• Inter­na­tion­al airfare
• Rus­sia entry visa and air­port fees
• St. Peters­burg extension
• Excess bag­gage fees on flight to Min­er­al­nye Vody from Moscow
• Air­port trans­fer at end of trip
• Per­son­al climb­ing gear and clothing
• Per­son­al expens­es (phone calls, laun­dry, room ser­vice, extra meals, etc.)
• Trav­el insur­ance with trip can­cel­la­tion, med­ical and evac­u­a­tion policy
• All expens­es asso­ci­at­ed with non-sched­uled departure
• Break­fast and lunch Day 2
• Lunch and din­ner Day 14
• Alco­holic and bot­tled beverages
• Guide/​Staff gratuities

Payment Schedule

• $700 deposit at time of reg­is­tra­tion, which includes a $300 non-refund­able reg­is­tra­tion fee
• Bal­ance due 120 days pri­or to departure
• The bal­ance may be paid by check, wire trans­fer, ACH or cred­it card with a 3% con­ve­nience fee

Add St. Petersburg Extension

Mount elbrus 2024 — cancelled, mount elbrus 2025 — tbd, cancellation / refund policy.

• MMI strong­ly rec­om­mends trip cancellation/​interruption and evac­u­a­tion insur­ance for all trips. Our insur­ance part­ner, Rip­cord , offers com­pre­hen­sive trav­el insur­ance includ­ing trip can­cel­la­tion, as well as rescue/​evacuation poli­cies and can assist in answer­ing any ques­tions. In addi­tion, Par­tic­i­pant is expect­ed to have suf­fi­cient med­ical insur­ance as pre­scribed by their coun­try of ori­gin. Par­tic­i­pant under­stands that MMI does not include any type of insur­ance with the cost of the trip.
• If you decide to can­cel your trip or change your itin­er­ary, MMI must be noti­fied in writ­ing. Your trip will be can­celled from the date writ­ten notice is received. If prop­er writ­ten can­cel­la­tion notice is not received, amounts paid and reser­va­tions made will be forfeited. 
• Non-refund­able fees may apply for cer­tain trips in order to secure per­mits and oth­er ser­vices. MMI must strict­ly adhere to can­cel­la­tion poli­cies out­side MMI’s control. 
• Due to the per­son­al­ized ser­vice we offer on our trips, MMI reserves the right to waive any fees. We will attempt to accom­mo­date changes and can­cel­la­tions, waiv­ing cer­tain fees when feasible.
• Cir­cum­stances out­side the con­trol of MMI and its part­ners, may require amend­ed cancellation/​refund poli­cies. Such cir­cum­stances may include, but are not lim­it­ed to COVID-19, nat­ur­al dis­as­ters, wild­fires, ter­ror­ism and so forth.

Inter­na­tion­al Trips/​Courses:

• Full refund, less the non-refund­able reg­is­tra­tion fee, will be pro­vid­ed 121 days or more before the depar­ture date
• No refunds will be pro­vid­ed 120 days or less before the depar­ture date

Trip Insurance

We strong­ly rec­om­mend the pur­chase of trav­el can­cel­la­tion insur­ance to pro­tect you from the unex­pect­ed. You aren’t like­ly to think of it now, but peo­ple do get ill, break a bone, have a fam­i­ly emer­gency or get assigned to a last-minute busi­ness trip. If you are in remote areas, please note that emer­gency res­cue & evac­u­a­tion can be very expen­sive.

We also strong­ly urge you to con­sid­er res­cue and evac­u­a­tion insur­ance if your own pol­i­cy does not pro­vide the cov­er­age need­ed. Ser­vices avail­able may include, but are not lim­it­ed to, heli­copter evac­u­a­tion, med­ical care, etc.

If you choose not to pur­chase insur­ance, you assume full respon­si­bil­i­ty for any expens­es incurred in the event of a med­ical emer­gency and/​or evac­u­a­tion, as well as for trip can­cel­la­tion, inter­rup­tion, lost lug­gage, etc. We are not the experts and there­fore ask that you please con­sult our trav­el insur­ance part­ner direct­ly with any spe­cif­ic questions.

To pro­tect against loss­es due to ill­ness, acci­dent, or oth­er unfore­seen cir­cum­stances, Moun­tain Mad­ness strong­ly rec­om­mends the pur­chase of trav­el insur­ance as soon as pos­si­ble after mak­ing a deposit. Moun­tain Mad­ness has part­nered with Red­point Res­o­lu­tions as our pre­ferred trav­el insur­ance provider. Redpoint’s Rip­cord Res­cue Trav­el Insur­ance™ is designed for adventurers. 

For a quote, or to pur­chase trav­el insur­ance, please click this link Rip­cord Res­cue Trav­el Insur­ance™ or call +1 – 415-481‑0600. Pric­ing varies based on age, trip cost, trip length, and lev­el of coverage.

Crit­i­cal ben­e­fits of Rip­cord Res­cue Trav­el Insur­ance include:

• A com­plete­ly inte­grat­ed pro­gram with a sin­gle point of con­tact for emer­gency ser­vices, trav­el assis­tance, and insur­ance claims
• Evac­u­a­tion and res­cue ser­vices from your point of injury or ill­ness to your hos­pi­tal of choice
• Com­pre­hen­sive trav­el insur­ance for trip cancellation/​interruption, pri­ma­ry med­ical expense cov­er­age, bag­gage loss or delay, emer­gency acci­dent and emer­gency sick­ness med­ical expense, emer­gency den­tal, acci­den­tal death and dis­mem­ber­ment, and more
• Option­al secu­ri­ty evac­u­a­tion cov­er­age in case of an unplanned nat­ur­al dis­as­ter or oth­er secu­ri­ty events
• Waiv­er for pre-exist­ing con­di­tions (must be pur­chased with­in 14 days of tour deposit)
• Option­al ​ “ Can­cel for Any Rea­son” cov­er­age (must be pur­chased with­in 14 days of tour deposit)

Flight Information

The total num­ber of days for your trip includes all trav­el to and from your des­ti­na­tion, with some excep­tions. Dates list­ed on the web­site start with a depar­ture date from the U.S. and include the day you arrive home. For this trip you will need to arrive in Moscow, Rus­sia on Day 2 any­time dur­ing the day. You will be met at the air­port by a Moun­tain Mad­ness rep­re­sen­ta­tive and trans­ferred to your hotel. 

If you are trav­el­ing from Europe it’s pos­si­ble you can elim­i­nate one day from the itin­er­ary as long as you arrive on Day 2 of the itin­er­ary. Return flight is sched­uled for Day 14 of the trip. 

Domes­tic flights to Min­er­al­nye Vody are includ­ed in the cost of your trip. If you choose to fly direct to Min­er­al­nye Vody, thus elim­i­nat­ing time in Moscow, we can care­ful­ly coor­di­nate this with you so that you meet your group at the domes­tic ter­mi­nal in Moscow or in Min­er­al­nye Vody. 

Please con­tact our office for any help need­ed with your flight schedule.

Mount Elbrus Day by Day

The first day is allo­cat­ed for those requir­ing an overnight flight to Moscow.

A Moun­tain Mad­ness rep­re­sen­ta­tive will meet you at the air­port. You will be trans­ferred to your hotel where you will spend the night.

Tour the city of Moscow, includ­ing a vis­it to the Krem­lin Cathe­dral and Armory. Overnight at hotel. Ori­en­ta­tion meet­ing and gear check.

Min­er­al­nye Vody / Terskol

Ele­va­tion: 7,030 ft / 2143 m

Trans­fer to domes­tic air­port for the two hour flight to the city of Min­er­al­nye Vody (Min­er­al Water) or Nalchik. Con­tin­ue by bus to a hotel in the town of Ter­skol in the Bak­san Val­ley, where you spend the next sev­er­al nights.

To pre­pare for our sum­mit attempt of Elbrus, and to enjoy the mag­nif­i­cent Cau­ca­sus Range, we take a day hike in the Bak­san Riv­er Val­ley. At the end of the day you overnight in the hotel.

To fur­ther pre­pare for the climb, we ride the cable car and prac­tice cram­pon and ice climb­ing skills. Overnight at hotel.

Ele­va­tion: 12,467 ft / 3800 m

Ride the cable car up to Kharabashi, which is Balka­r­i­an for ​ “ where black rock meets glac­i­er.”. We set­tle in for a rest day in com­fort­able bar­rel shel­ters. More skills review possible. 

Acclima­ti­za­tion hike

Acclima­ti­za­tion hike to Pas­tukhov Rocks and return for anoth­er night at the barrels.

Review Skills

Fur­ther review basic moun­taineer­ing skills. Rest and pre­pare for the climb.

Sum­mit Attempt

Two days are sched­uled for our sum­mit attempt. We increase our chances for a suc­cess­ful sum­mit climb by rid­ing a snow­cat to just below our pre­vi­ous high­point near the Pas­tukhov Rocks. If weath­er allows our group to sum­mit on the first day, we descend the fol­low­ing day and have an extra day in the Bak­san Valley.

Overnight at Hotel.

Min­er­al­nye Vody / Moscow

Dri­ve to Min­er­al­nye Vody. Fly back to Moscow. Trans­fer to hotel.

Depart Moscow and fly home.

Note on Itin­er­ary: Although we do our very best to fol­low the sched­ule list­ed, this itin­er­ary is sub­ject to change due to inclement weath­er, unsafe route con­di­tions, or oth­er rea­sons beyond our con­trol and in the guide’s best judgement.

Equipment for Mount Elbrus Ascent

Carrying gear, summit pack (40-50l).

Lightweight as possible with a volume between 2,500-3,500 cubic inches (40-50 liters) serves most people’s needs well

Osprey Mutant 38, Black Diamond Speed 40

Large duffel bag (150L)

One at least 7,000 cubic inch capacity (150 liters). Must be durable and waterproof

Patagonia Black Hole

Small padlock for duffel bags

Extra security

Baggage tags

Makes identifying your bags easy at airports or hotels

Sleeping Gear

Expedition quality sleeping bag (15-20f).

One down or synthetic bag rated from 15-20°F /-9 to -7°C

Marmot Helium, Marmot Trestles, Western Mountaineering Apache, North Face Guide 20

Sleeping pad (inflatable or closed cell foam)

A foam pad will be provided but a supplemental pad is recommended. This can be an inflatable or closed cell foam pad. Make sure to purchase a pad rated for cold conditions.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir & Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol

Climbing Gear

Alpine climbing harness.

Must have adjustable leg loops and fit over all clothing

Black Diamond Couloir, Petzl Altitude, Petzl Hirundos

Locking carabiners (2)

Two large, pear-shaped carabiners are best

Black Diamond Rock Lock, Petzl William, Petzl Attache

Mountaineering ice axe

under 5’7” use 60cm, 5’7”-6’2” use 60 or 65cm, over 6’2” use 70cm

Black Diamond Raven, Petzl Glacier

Crampons w/ anti-balling plate

Steel 12-pont. Must be fit to climbing boots prior to trip, new-matic/hybrid type

Black Diamond Sabretooth, Petzl Vasak

Adjustable trekking poles

Three piece poles recommended

Black Diamond Trail Back Pole

Climbing helmet

Lightweight

Black Diamond Half Dome, Petzl Elios

Head and Face

Fleece or wool hat.

It must cover the ears

Shade hat or baseball cap

A visor hat with a good brim is essential for protection from the sun

Mountain Madness trucker hat

Bandanas or neck gaiter

Various uses, i.e. cleaning glasses, sun protection when tied around the neck, etc. We have our own Mountain Madness neck gaiter available for purchase!

Mountain Madness neck gaiter

Balaclava or Buff

A thin balaclava will add significant warmth on that cold summit day

Outdoor Research, Marmot

Glacier glasses

100% UV protection with side shields and a hard-sided storage case

Ski goggles

To fit over glacier glasses in high wind. Rose or amber lenses

Smith, Oakley

Liner gloves

Two pairs thin fleece or synthetic

Warm gloves

One pair fleece or wool with water resistant shell

Outdoor Research Arete

Expedition mitts

One pair Gore-Tex or equivalent, with textured palms and taped seams. Synthetic or down filled. Warm, heavy duty for cold temperatures

Outdoor Research Altimitt

Thin socks (2 pair)

Two pairs of synthetic or wool socks to wear under heavy wool socks to help prevent blisters and keep feet dry

Smartwool or Cool Max

Thick socks (3 pair)

Three pairs of synthetic or wool socks, medium to heavyweight. Check boot fit with thin and thick socks on

Smartwool or Thorlo

One pair of gaiters made of breathable material; keeps dirt and snow out of boots. Make sure they fit over your boots

Outdoor Research Verglas or Crocodiles

Plastic mountaineering boots

Depending on your future mountaineering endeavors, a boot such as the La Sportiva Spantik is a good investment for those who are pursuing other high-altitude climbs (such as Aconcagua or Denali), whereas the Koflach Degre would be the choice for those looking for a warm boot in moderate conditions. If you are looking at hybrid leather/plastic boots, make sure it is rated for 6,000-meter peak climbs or winter mountaineering

Light hiking boots or trail shoes

For acclimatization hikes

Salomon X-Ultra 3 Mid, Merrell Moab, La Sportiva Boulder Ex

Synthetic t-shirts

Two synthetic or merino wool t-shirts. No cotton!

Long-sleeved Base Layer

Two lightweight to mediumweight, pull-over is best

Patagonia Capilene

Sports bras

Two, synthetic, no cotton!

Softshell Jacket w/ hood

This is what you will be wearing while hiking at higher altitudes or while kicking around camps at lower altitude. This jacket should be full-zip

Outdoor Research Ferrosi

Hardshell jacket w/ hood

A good jacket made of Gore-Tex (recommended) or waterproof nylon, roomy enough to fit over multiple layers

Outdoor Research Foray, Patagonia Triolet

Down or synthetic jacket w/hood

This is your most important piece of warm gear and will mean the difference between an enjoyable climb or a miserable one. A warm, full zip jacket with hood is ideal.

Helly Hansen Vanir, Feathered Friends Volant, Marmot Guide’s Down Hoody, Outdoor Research Virtuoso Hoody

This piece with a high SPF rating and lightweight fabric offers protection from high altitude sun

Outdoor Research

Undergarments

Adequate supply for the entire trip

Bathing suit (optional)

lightweight and packable

Hiking shorts

One pair of quick-drying shorts. Good for hiking at lower elevations on the mountain

Long base layer

Two pairs light or mediumweight

Softshell pants

Softshell pants are water resistant, yet highly breathable and durable. Great for colder conditions over a pair of long underwear or tights higher on the mountain or summit day

Outdoor Research Voodoo, Mountain Hardwear Touren, Patagonia Guide

Hardshell pants

waterproof and breathable with side zips (minimum of ¾ zips recommended) Gore-Tex or equivalent

Outdoor Research Furio, Arcteryx Beta AR

Miscellaneous

Stuff sacks/ditty bags/plastic bags.

To organize gear in your duffle and pack. All clothing should be kept dry using waterproof stuff sacks or large heavyweight plastic bags (trash compactor bags work great)

Toothbrush and paste, comb, tampons, biodegradable soap (small amount), etc. Bring enough for the entire trip

Toilet paper

1 – 2 rolls stored in a plastic bag

Must have SPF rating of 20 or more. Bring two just in case!

Bring plenty of sun block with SPF of 40 or more. It's easy to underestimate the amount necessary for your trip!

To block out snoring and other noise to ensure a good night's sleep

Water bottles with insulators

Two one-liter wide-mouthed plastic bottles

Small stainless-steel thermos (optional)

For hot beverages on summit day

Water purification

Steri Pen, Potable Aqua, Polar Pure crystal iodine. Purifies drinking water while on the trip.

Water flavoring

Powdered additives like Gatorade or NUUN are a nice change of pace to water and help replenish much needed electrolytes.

Bring extra batteries!

Pocket knife or multitool

Simple Swiss Army type with scissors. Make sure you transport in checked bag, not carry-on!

Personal first aid and drug kit

small personal first aid kit with ample bandaids and moleskin

Nausea medications

Pepto Bismol tablets; Maalox, Gelusil M or Mylanta antacid tablets. Donnatal for stomach cramps. Probiotic capsules taken daily may help keep your gastro-intestinal system working smoothly

For wash up in camp

Handi-Wipes

A small pack or two anti-bacterial are great for general hygiene

Spare contacts and glasses

Contacts can be a problem in dusty conditions, so make sure you have your back-up glasses with you. Glasses wearers should have a spare set

Snacks (general)

Bring your favorite snacks and power/energy bars or if there is something else you particularly like to eat while hiking and climbing

Spare bottle for a pee bottle, and a pee funnel (Lady J or Freshette) for women

It can be a cold walk to the toilet at night

Insect repellent

Personal electronics.

Phone with camera, and/or separate camera. Bring extra batteries and memory!

Electronics charging

If you want to charge your electronics along the way, a small, lightweight solar panel to charge batteries or portable charging device may be a good addition

Travel power adapter

Most come in kits with all the plugs you need. Double-check to make sure you’re taking the correct adapter/plugs

Travel clothing

Comfortable clothing for travel before and after the expedition

14 Days / Includes trav­el time

18,510 ft / 5642 m

Client to Guide Ratio

St. petersburg option.

Spend two full days tak­ing in the sights of this UNESCO gem.

Advanced Beginner

Climbers should have basic snow and ice-climbing skills and should be comfortable with glacier travel, which includes moving in a rope team, self arrest, and basic crevasse rescue. Basic knowledge and experience would be required for objectives with some rock climbing.

Extend Your Trip

Warm-up before elbrus.

North America Washington

Mount Baker Coleman Deming Glacier

• 3 Days / Includes Transportation, Tents and Food

Difficulty Beginner

Climbing the Seven Summits Africa Tanzania

Kilimanjaro Seven Summit Ascent & Safari

Difficulty Advanced Beginner

Introduction to Mountaineering

• 2 Days / Includes Transportation, Tents and Food

North America Mexico

Mexico Volcanoes Expedition

Do You Need Crampons For Everest Base Camp?

Before I completed my Everest base camp trek I had quite a few questions about the gear I need to take, crampons being one of them. So let me answer.

Do you need crampons for Everest base camp? No, you do not need crampons to complete the Mt Everest base camp trek. You just need some good quality hiking boots or shoes and hiking poles if you want extra support and stability.

I understand why you would ask as I wanted to know myself before going. After having now been and experienced the base camp journey I know the terrain isn’t what you would use crampons for. 

Why You Don’t Need Crampons For Everest Base Camp.

The main reason you don’t need them is that you won’t be doing any ice climbing or walking which crampons are used for. Crampons are used for ice or packed snow and you don’t really walk on those surfaces on the Everest base camp trek.

Nearly all the way up to base camp you are on worn paths or rocks but not any Icy surfaces.

Crampons are used for:

• Ice climbing
• Crossing glaciers
• Snowfields and ice fields
• Ascending snow slopes
• Scaling ice-covered rock

You won’t be in the situations that crampons are required. Good hiking boots or shoes with a good grip will be all you need to minimize any risk or slipping on the surfaces.

When I imagined the trek to base camp I pictured crossing icy glaciers and trekking through deep snow. In reality, it was not quite like that. It was more like rock and gravel. 

That was on my trek through and every trek is different. You can most definitely encounter heavy snow on the way to base camp but the need for crampons is not needed.

As I said before, just good hiking boots with a good grip will be sufficient. 

Is There Any Ice Or Snow On The Everest Base Camp Trek?

Yes and no. You will see plenty of mountain views which are covered in snow and you will sometimes get snow as you head higher up the base camp trail. 

On my trek, I only had snow on the last few mornings before reaching base camp but it was only light snow. We had reasonably good weather all the way up.

I had a friend who did the trek about 6 months before me and he had plenty of snow and it was a lot colder.

At points though, my water bottle had ice in from just being inside my room in the tea house. But still, overall you probably won’t be trekking on heavy snow or ice.

The paths are usually just stony and gravelly without snow or ice.

On the last day when we left for base camp, I remember climbing over some big boulders.

Especially the last few hours before base camp there are some rough paths with big boulders to navigate but it’s pretty easy if you take your time.

What Kind Of Boots Are Needed For The Everest Base Camp Trek?

So if you don’t need crampons for the trek what kind of boots do you need for good grip?

I wore the Salomon Men’s Quest 4d 3 GTX. 

Here’s what they look like.

These griped the surface absolutely fine and rarely did I slip. They felt quite light which helps on long treks.

Something like those will be all you need for your feet to trek to Everest base camp. 

As long as they good quality and durable then you’ll be fine.

You MUST wear your boots in though because if don’t you could get heal blisters which will cause considerable discomfort when walking 4-7 hours a day.

If you wear them in you’ll be fine.

What Is The Everest Trek Like?

I’ll only touch on this briefly as I go into more detail in my Everest base camp trek guide here.

Everest base camp is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places I’ve been to. It was very challenging due to the altitude.

Fitness wise I think most people can do it as long as they can walk over long periods of time. Most days you trek between 4-7 hours at a slow pace.

The altitude is what makes the trek hard.

If you take your time and drink plenty of water then you should be able to do it without any problems.

I even made the journey to basecamp as a smoker and with asthma! I know, it’s terrible I shouldn’t be smoking especially with Asthma, but I’ve finally quit now which is good. 

The point is, if a smoking asthmatic can do it then I’m sure most people with just average fitness can do it.

So anyway I hope I’ve answered the question do you need crampons for Everest base camp.

I’m sure you’re excited about doing it, believe me, it will be an experience you’ll never forget and one which you’ll cherish forever. 

Good luck and have fun!

Can Smokers Do The Mt Everest Base Camp Trek?

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Mount Elbrus Climb – Complete Guide To Europe’s Highest Summit

Climbs & Mountaineering , Europe , Mountains , Seven Summits

The Mount Elbrus climb is a fantastic mountain challenge and an incredibly rewarding experience. But like any serious mountain climb, Elbrus can be dangerous. This inactive volcano is one of the seven volcanic summits .

Below we have provided a summary of useful information that you will want to read before you go. This guide is particularly useful for Elbrus climbs from the south side (i.e. less technical side of the mountain), but also covers information on the North-side approach.

Mount Elbrus Climb Overview

Mount Elbrus is considered the highest mountain on the European continent . The mountain is part of the Caucasus  range and is situated on the southwestern side of Russia.

Elbrus consists of two summits, both of which are dormant volcanoes. At 5,642 metres (18,510 ft), the West Summit is the highest, whilst the East Summit stands at 5,621 meters (18,442 ft).

Elbrus was successfully summited via the East summit in 1829, by Khillar Khachirov. In 1874 an English expedition led by F. Crauford Grove reached the West summit. Since then Elbrus has been climbed by 1000s of mountaineers, including some of the world’s best climbers who bag the mountain as part of their Seven Summits bid.

View of Mount Elbrus and it's East (5,621m) and West (5,642m) Summits.

There are two main approaches to Mount Elbrus - the south side approach and the north side approach. The South side is significantly easier than the north side. We estimate su mmit success rates from the south side of Elbrus at about 80-90%. 

In contrast, summit success rates on the North side could be as low as 50%. There are also route options from the Eastern and Western flank of the mountain, but these are very rarely used.

Although Mt Elbrus is not a technical climb, it should not be underestimated. The cold weather and altitude can make the climb pretty challenging and dangerous. Both the south side and north side approach involves basic technical skills, like rope travel, crampons , glacier crossings (North side only) and the use of ice axes on some steep snow slopes.

Due to the number of people who climb Elbrus every year, there are unfortunately a number of deaths on the mountain. We estimate the death rate at Mount Elbrus could be as high as 25 people a year . We don't have statistics on the split between North and South side deaths, but most deaths occur due to bad weather and/or altitude sickness issues. 

Climbing Mount Elbrus is a 5-6 day expedition from the South side, and a 6-7 day journey from the North side. Here is a brief summary on the popular routes.

Mount Elbrus VS Mont Blanc

Many people think Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe, but Elbrus is in fact the highest mountain on the European continent. It is part of the Caucasus main range that is considered the border between Europe and Asia. 

In terms of difficulty, both mountains are graded PD and are about the same difficulty. In the words of mountaineer, Alan Arnette: "Mount Elbrus is kind of like an extra high Rainier or Mont Blanc".

The main difference is the altitude (4,810m vs 5,642m) making acclimatisation more important on Elbrus. Also, Elbrus is much colder than Mont Blanc and requires more organisation.

Popular Elbrus Routes

There are two main approaches to climb Elbrus - the South and North side routes. Elbrus has several other routes, but these only get a few ascents every year.

Map of the south side routes to the summit. Image credit: Kavkaz Ski Tur

South Side Via The Cable Car

The most popular route on Mount Elbrus is via the south side. If you have limited high altitude mountaineering experience, then this route is for you!

It is the easiest, safest and fastest way to climb Elbrus.

The south side approach from the Azau village uses a unique cable car system to ferry climbers up to 12,500 feet (3,658 m). 

From here, you will see the Barrels (bochki). These are steel containers where you will sleep and cook meals. There are three barrel sections on the south side of Elbrus

The Elbrus barrels with the twin summit peak of Mount Elbrus in the background. Image credit:  Matteo Leoni

Mir Station (3,500m)

This station is used by day visitors and skiers on Elbrus. At the Mir Station there is a coffee shop and a few souvenir shops. This station is busy and is not a great place to stop unless you are feeling the altitude! Generally climbers continue on a chairlift to Garabashi Station (3,800m).

Garabashi Station (3,800m)

At Garabashi you will find several barrel hut containers. The first few are near the chairlift and are generally quite busy. We recommend walking further up to the top barrel huts as these are quieter, and by staying further up you will shorten your summit push. At Garabashi you will find a few coffee shops (one of which stays open 24 hours). You can charge your phone in these coffee shops, as well as buy food and water.

Shelter Maria (4,100m)

At Shelter Maria you will find large containers, each with a kitchen and gas stove. Shelter Maria's electricity supply stays on until 19:00 each night and the toilet is outside. You will find no drinking water here and no coffee shops. You will need to either melt snow for water or collect water from the streams near by (make sure to bring purification tablets to purify your water). Shelter Maria is a great option to stay at if you are well acclimatised as it shortens the summit push.

Most climbers start their summit climb at the second "Barrels" stop - Garabahsi. The summit climb takes about 8-9 hours of ascent and 3-5 hours to descend. Summit bids start early at around 12am, allowing climbers to have just enough time to get back down to the chairlift, which closes at 16:00pm.

Using Snowcats:   From Garabashi it is possible to get a Snowcat or Snowmobile to Shelter Maria and onto Pastukhov Rocks (4700m). This shortens the summit push by a good few hours but is of course cheating and will set you back about $90 pp.

A schematic of the Southern route profile from Azau to Mir, up to Image credit: Kavkaz Ski Tur

North Side Approach to Mt Elbrus

The North side approach to Mount Elbrus is significantly more challenging and, therefore, gets only a few climbers each year.

Unlike the south side, there are no cable cars or chairlifts on the North side. You will therefore need to carry all your gear from base camp, which is situated at about 8,200 feet.

The route includes a glacier crossing where crevasses are a risk. If you decide to do this route option it is important that you and your group have some experience with crevasse rescue and are comfortable using short-rope techniques.

The route is particularly challenging as it includes lots of elevation gain - from ~8,200 feet at base camp to ~18,500 feet, with a 6,000 foot summit push. It also has relatively steeper exposures on snow slopes than the Southern route. 

The Northern route is however increasing in popularity due to the high number of climbers on the south side.

Register With The Rescue Centre

Whether you decide to do the south or north route, we recommend registering with the Rescue Centre in Terskol (MCHS) before you set out. They will take your name, surname, passport number, contact phone number and return date. After the climb, you should sign out with them in person or by phone. If you do not sign out they will call you to make sure you made it off the mountain safely. Their contact number is: +7 928 694 51 19 or +7 866 387 14 89.

Before Your Climb

The red cable car that takes climbers from Azau to Mir Station. Image credit: Lev Yakupov

Getting To Mount Elbrus

To get to Mount Elbrus you will need to first fly into Moscow. You will need to get a visa to enter Russia; this can be a lengthy process so please make sure you apply early.

From Moscow you will need to catch an internal flight to Mineralnye Vody Airport or Nalchik Airport. There are also flights from Istanbul to Nalchik. If you are joining an organised tour it is likely that all transport and accommodation before and after the climb will be arranged for you.

If you are planning to climb Elbrus independently or join a group once at the base of the mountain then the information below will be helpful.

There are three towns near Mount Elbrus: 

• Terskol : This is the largest town near the mountain, and the best spot to stay in our opinion. The town has a number of accommodation options, including hotels, hostels. homestays and camping facilities (if you are on a tight budget). We recommend the Hotel Elbrusia. You can leave some of your valuables / non-climbing gear at your hotel in safe lock-up for collection when you return from your climb.
• Cheget : This town is furthest from Elbrus but closest to Cheget mountain (3,601m), which most climbers use for an acclimatisation hike before Elbrus.
• Azau : This is the closest town to Elbrus and the location of the cable car that will take you up to Mir Station. Azau is about a 5 min drive from Terskol  

From Mineralnye Vody Airport or Nalchik you will need to get a minibus to one of the small towns near Elbrus - Terskol, Cheget or Azau. The journey from Nalchick to Terskol takes about 1.5 hours and costs about $5 in a minibus or $10 in a taxi. The journey from Mineralnye Vody Airport to Terskol takes about 3 hours and costs more.

Please note: It is best to bring Russian rubles in cash with you to Elbrus. There is only one ATM in Terskol and it is often out of cash. Some hotels will exchange US dollars or Euros, but they will not give a favourable rate. When you arrive in Terskol your hotel or hostel will require you to complete registration papers and pay a small registration fee ~$5 - this is a government requirement for all foreigners.

Acclimatisation

Before you climb Mount Elbrus it is imperative that you spend a few days acclimatising. You can do some of this acclimatisation on Mount Elbrus itself, but we recommend undertaking a hike or two before getting the cable car up to Mir Station. 

The most popular acclimatisation hikes are on Cheget Mountain and to the Observatory / Terskol Peak (3127m). Both have well marked walking paths and are relatively easy hikes. Just make sure you don't push yourself too hard! These hikes are meant to help you acclimatise to the altitude, so slowly does it! 

The views of Elbrus from both peaks is very impressive!

Once on the mountain itself, there are few options for acclimatisation. One of them is a hike to and back from the Pastokov Rocks (4680m) from the barrels - this adds a day to the climb but is well worth it! A conservative approach to climbing Mount Elbrus takes fives days of acclimatisation before attempting a summit bid.

Read our guide to altitude sickness and acclimatisation .

Getting To The Barrels

From Terskol we recommend getting a taxi to Azau where you can get the cable car to Mir Station. There are two cable car options - the old red option (this takes you direct to Mir and is cheaper) or the white option (this is a newer car and more expensive. It also goes via Krugozor station where you have to change cars to get to Mir). 

The cars run from 09:00am to 16:00pm (16:30 is the last car down). This is important to remember as missing the last car after descending from the summit will mean staying another night at the barrels. 

From Mir you take a one-person chairlift to Garabashi. Please note that you cannot take a pack that is heavier than 10kg on the chairlift! It is possible to walk from Mir to Garabashi (it's about 300m and takes an hour), but most people don't as it can tire one out. It is also possible to walk from Azau to Garabashi, but this will take around 4-6 hours and is pretty tiring!

Pro tip:  Make sure that you keep your ticket safe as you will need it to descend. We also recommend leaving Terskol early so you can get on one of the first cable cars up the mountain. This will ensure that you get the best picks of accommodation further up the mountain.  

Best Time To Climb Elbrus

A particularly bad day of weather at Krugozor Station (2,900m). Image credit: Lev Yakupov

The main climbing season is from June through early September , with July being the busiest month.

The permanent snow line is around 3350m with temperatures rarely rising above freezing at night.

The best time to ski Mount Elbrus is in June, when there is more snow. This however makes climbing more challenging!

Afternoon clouds and thunderstorms are common during summer season.

Due to its hight, Mount Elbrus has dynamic weather, making it hard to predict weather conditions. Prepare for very cold temperatures and high winds above 4,000 meters.

How Difficult Is The Elbrus Climb?

High on Mount Elbrus. Image credit: Matteo Leoni

From the south side, the ascent of Mount Elbrus is not technically difficult. Climbers only need basic experience in using crampons and ice axes to be well-prepared.

However, in serious weather the climb can be quite hazardous. 

Also, despite being technically easy, the lack of high mountain camps on Elbrus (all of them are quite close to each other) causes the elevation gain to be one of the most demanding of the seven summits. Climbers need to ascent as much as 1,900 meters of altitude for the summit push.

The most technically challenging part of the climb is just above the Pastukhov rocks and the saddle between the two summits. The slopes in both these spots are relatively steep and clipping into a fixed rope is highly recommend.

The north side is more challenging as the elevation gain is greater (base camp on the north side sits at around 8,200 meters) and snow slopes are steeper, which means rope work and experience with crampons and ice axes are required.

There are no cable cars, chairlifts or Snowcats on the North side. So one needs to carry all their gear up the mountain. 

Besides the technical challenge of climbing Elbrus, the logistics of the climb, if you are not using a tour operator, can be challenging. The visa process via Russian authorities can be lengthy. Also the ethnic conflicts in the area can cause problems.

Training To Climb Mount Elbrus

The West summit of Mount Elbrus (5,642m). Image credit: Jason Blue-Smith

To successfully climb mount Elbrus a good level of aerobic fitness and leg strength is required. 

Climbing Elbrus takes roughly a week, including acclimatisation hikes. Summit day is a lengthy one with over 1,900 meters of altitude to be gained, taking about 12-14 hours (descent included).

The climb is also cold, meaning you will lose energy quickly. It is advised to set yourself a training schedule that includes aerobic exercise and long hikes.

Even someone in very good physical shape can fail to summit Mount Elbrus.

You should not be overconfident in your own abilities, because there is the factor of dealing with the altitude that will determine whether you summit or not.

Climbers who are overconfident tend to rush up the mountain and as a result they fail in their attempt to summit.

Here are a few things to implement in your training schedule.

Develop your endurance and stamina

The first thing to do is to make sure you have built enough endurance and stamina before traveling to Russia. Undertaking practice climbs and hikes are the best options, but if you don’t have hills or mountains to climb in your home country, running is a decent alternative. Build a routine, but don’t push yourself over the limit as you will want to avoid injuries.

Get comfortable carrying weight

The ideal way to train is carrying a pack and going uphill and downhill, since this simulates what you will be doing on Mount Elbrus. Start with a light pack and gradually increase the weight as you get closer to the climb. Never run with a pack on and use hiking boots if you can.

Prepare yourself mentally

At some point in your Mount Elbrus climb you will likely find yourself in a difficult situation that is way out of your comfort zone. Cold weather, strong winds and a long summit day will not only be a physical challenge. Make sure that you prepare yourself mentally as well.

What you eat during your training weeks and climb should not be underestimated. A diet rich of carbs is as important as your training. It might even be a good idea to consult a professional nutritionist.  

Strength training

Training with weights is an important part of your training routine as this improves anaerobic metabolism and feeds much of muscular work you will do on Elbrus. Developing your back and shoulder muscles are necessary to comfortably carry your backpack during the climb, while calve muscles and hamstrings are needed to climb uphill and descend the snowy slopes.

Consume lots of water during your training sessions. Not only does your body need fluids, but it is the best way to get used to hydrating a lot. When you climb in cold conditions, you might not feel thirsty,  but it is vital to drink lots of water. Drinking a lot of water helps in getting acclimatised to the high altitude and avoiding dehydration.

Specific skills

Mount Elbrus may well be a basic alpine climb, but it still requires some specific skills including using an ice axe and crampons. Since the slopes are quite steep on Mount Elbrus, being familiar with the ice axe arrest technique is recommended. You can learn these skills on smaller snow-covered peaks in your region or during a winter mountaineering course where you develop / fine tune your skills.

Mount Elbrus Gear List

A Elbrus Snowcat with a number of climber's rucksacks on the front plough. Image credit: Matteo Leoni

An expedition like Elbrus requires some specific gear. 

To make sure you don’t forget to bring anything, this is a recommended list of gear to pack, based on our own experience.

Travel Gear

• Passport with valid visa:  Entering Russia requires an international passport and visa. Be sure to start your application early as this might well be a time-consuming process.
• 90-120L Duffel Bag : This will be used to carry all your gear to the "barrels". You definitely want the duffel to be waterproof, have back straps and have a capacity of at least 90L. We recommend the Patagonia Duffel (with back-straps) or the Yeti Panga 100 Dry Duffel (this bad boy is the ultimate duffel / dry bag!)
• Daypack:  Lightweight 25-30L daypack that will be used as your carry-on luggage for flights, and as your pack for acclimatisation hikes and the summit push on Elbrus. We recommend the Osprey Talon 33L (Unisex).

Climbing Gear

Despite being a relatively straightforward alpine climb, Elbrus requires some mountaineering gear.

• Alpine Ice Axe:  Go for a straight shaft ice axe. Choose the right size according to your height; under 5'2'' use a 50 cm axe, 5'3'' to 5'5'' use a 55 cm axe, 5'6'' to 5'9'' use a 60 cm axe, 5'10'' to 6'0'' use a 65 cm axe, above 6'0'' use a 70 cm axe. We recommend Petzl Glacier Ice Axe . 
• 12 Point Crampons :  Make sure you go for adjustable 12-point crampons. 10-point crampons offer less traction. Avoid single-piece rigid crampons or aluminium frames. We recommend the Black Diamond Sabertooth Crampons .
• 2 Locking Carabiners:  Auto-locking carabiners are best. Petzl AM'D Triact Carabiners are good.
• 2 Non-Locking Carabiners:  Wiregate carabiners are stronger and better than round-gate carabiners. Go for the Black Diamond Neutrino Wiregate Carabiners . 
• Climbing Harness and Accessory Cor d:  Make sure you go for a newer model of harness, one that has gear loops, adjustable leg loops and a waist belt. Also make sure you bring an 5 foot (6mm) accessory cord . Our recommended harness is the Black Diamond Couloir Harness .

Clothing & Accessories

Elbrus is a cold weather climb, despite being summer season. Freezing temperatures on the mountain are normal. During your summit attempt you will start off in the middle of the night well before sunrise; temperatures as low as -30 degree Celsius are common . Wearing sufficient layers and high quality clothing is important for your own comfort.

• Double climbing boots - plastic-shelled models are fine, but modern non-plastic boots are better. We recommend the LA Sportiva Spantik or the Scarpa Phantom 6000 .
• Mid-weight hiking boots . We recommend the Salamon Quest ( Men's ) or ( Women's ).
• 3 pairs of climbing socks. Smartwool or Bridgedale socks are good.
• Full-sized gaiters . See Outdoor Research Crocodiles .

Lower Body Layers

• 2-3 pairs synthetic underwear. 
• Bottom synthetic base under layer. We recommend Smartwool Base Layers .
• Lightweight synthetic hiking trousers. We recommend The North Face L4 Soft Pants .
• Hard shell trousers. These need to be able to fit over your base layer and soft shell pants. Full-length side-zippers are best so you can take on or offer without removing your boots.

Upper Body Layers

• Top synthetic base under layer. We recommend Smartwool Base Layers .
• Lightweight climbing shirt
• Medium weight climbing parka / fleece with hood. We recommend Rab Baseline Jacket .
• Soft shell jacket. Wind and water resistant. Should be able to fit over your fleece. The Arc'Teryx Gamma Jacket is brilliant.
• Hard shell jacket. Must be able to fit over your fleece, an soft shell jacket. The Arc'Teryx Alpha SL is our recommend option.
• Soft shell down winter jacket. The North Face L3 Down Hoodie is excellent.

Headgear and Handwear

• Warm ski hat / beanie
• Buff / Balaclava
• Ski goggles. We recommend Zeal Optics Goggles .
• Sunglasses - We recommend the Julbo Glacier Explorer Sunglasses .
•  Head lamp with extra batteries. Go for the Black Diamond Storm Headlamp .
• Inner gloves - Go for Outdoor Research Base Gloves .
• Insulated climbing gloves. Go for Rab Baltoro Gloves .
• Insulated and waterproof mittens. Go for Outdoor Research Highcamp Mitts .

Other Essentials

• 4-season sleeping bag rated to 0F (-18C). We recommend Mountain Hardwear Lamina or Mountain Hardwear Phantom sleeping bags.
• Inflatable sleeping pad. The Therm-a-rest sleeping pads are great.
• Ski / trek poles. These are highly recommend on Elbrus. Our preferred poles are adjustable and lightweight, like the Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles .
• 2 wide mouth 1 litre water bottles. Avoid hydration bladders or metal bottles as these freeze. Go for a co-polyester (BPA plastic free) bottle like the Nalgene Titan .
• Insulated bottle covers. Go for the Outdoor Research Water Bottle Parka .

Accessories

• Personal Medications - standard painkillers, personal prescriptions. diamond for altitude and meds for nausea and vomiting. Also bring a small personal first aid kit . 
• Water purification tablets
• Lip scream and sunscreen
• Toiletries and toilet paper
• Hand sanitiser
• Pee funnel (women) / bottle (men)
• Snacks and drinks, for example energy gels and instant coffee packs and energy bars.
• Toe-warmers
• Altimeter watch. The Suunto Ambit 3 Peak watch is amazing!
• Camera and Book

Typical Itinerary For The Elbrus Climb

The itinerary below is for the most popular south side route:

Depending on where you live, you might be heading for a long flight towards Moscow.

Most climbers spend a day in Moscow before traveling further to the Elbrus region. With highlights like the Red Square and the Kremlin, it is one of world’s most impressive metropoles.

From Moscow, you can fly to Mineralnye Vody or Nalchik Airport, the closest airports to the Caucasus and Elbrus Region. Drive to Terskol from Mineralnye Vody Airport is about 3 hours. It's about an 1.5 hour drive from Nalchik airport.

After having settled in Terskol, the next thing you will probably do is an acclimatisation hike. Terskol Peak (3900m) and Mount Cheget (3404m) are popular options. Both offer great views of Mount Elbrus. If you have an extra day for acclimatisation, a 4 hour walk from the Terskol Valley to the Observatory provides a great first acclimatisation hike.

The next day you move from the Terskol Valley to Barrels (3800m). The easiest approach is to take the cable car system from Azau to Mir Station. From there you can either walk for 1 hour, or take a 1 person chairlift to Garabashi - "The Barrels". It is about a 50 meter walk from the top of the chairlift.

After having settled, it is best to do an acclimatisation hike up to 4,100 meter in the afternoon. ‘Climb high, sleep low’, accelerates adjusting to the altitude.

To complete your acclimatisation process, a hike to Pastukhova Rocks (4700m) is recommended. It takes about 3 hours from the Barrels.

A short night of sleep since you will start your summit bid at 2am or 3am. You will be climbing about 1,900 meters of altitude making for a long summit day (12 hours up and down). Most climbing operators make use of snowcats to start their bid at Pastukhova Rocks (4800m) making their summit day significantly shorter, but true mountaineers don’t use the aid of snowcats.

In case you had bad weather the day before, the summit bid is today. This means that you will not only be summiting today, but will also descend to Terskol Valley. Starting early is recommended to catch the last cable car to the valley (otherwise there is very long descent waiting for you).

After having had a good nights sleep in your hotel in Terskol, you will drive back to Nalchik Mineralnye Vody airport to catch your flight home.

Costs And Permits

Epic picture of climbers pushing up past the Pastukhova Rocks. Image credit:  Matteo Leoni

The cost to climb Mount Elbrus ranges depending on how you tackle the mountain. Here are three rough estimates:

Budget Independent Climb

It is possible to climb Mount Elbrus independently. The cost (excl. international and domestic flights) could be as low as $500 pp, but this would be super budget. You will need to budget for your transfers to and from Nalchik, accommodation in Terskol pre and post the climb, cable car journeys, food and water on the mountain and accommodation stays on the mountain.

Climbing with a Local Guide

Their are a number of good Russian guiding organisations who charge about $1000 pp for an Elbrus climb. This often covers accomodation pre and post your climb, all logistics and expenses on the mountain, and a professional guide. Quality can however vary.

Climbing with a Western Operator

There are a number of Western operators who offer Mount Elbrus. Prices range from $2000 to $5000 pp. The service quality tends to be excellent, with professional guides on the expedition. The cost generally includes everything from Moscow and back. 

Like on most mountains, you need a permit to climb Elbrus. But unlike the high cost of a climbing permit on Aconcagua (~$1000) or Kilimanjaro (~$1000), Elbrus only costs $25.

Helicopter rescue on Mount Elbrus. Image credit: Ilya Bogin

Travel insurance is important when climbing a mountain like Elbrus. If you climb with an guided organisation, you will likely need adequate climbing insurance before joining their tour.

Most general travel insurance providers will not cover Mount Elbrus as the activities of the climb involve high altitude and mountaineering with fixed ropes. You will need to source specialist insurance that covers you for high altitude mountaineering.  

We recommend contacting the BMC in the UK or the American Alpine Club in the US .

About the author 

Mark Whitman

Mark has trekked extensively in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa. He founded Mountain IQ in 2014 with the sole aim to be the best online information portal to some of the most popular mountain destinations around the world. When not writing for Mountain IQ, Mark is out exploring the outdoors with his wife!

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i am flying out to Terskol on 9th october,HOW CAN I GET A MOUNT ELBRUS CLIMBING PERMIT QUICK ?

Hi Michael, Elbrus climbing permits currently cost €25 and can be bought in Elbrus town or from the rangers at the ski lifts.

Hello, Thank you very much for this detailed report. We are happy to hear that we can climb mount Elbrus independently. We are now looking forward to do the climb this year. Best regards, Doreen and Jean-Christophe

Hi, I’m planning an alpine attempt of Elbrus, starting the trek from Azau (no cheating), both summits in 3 days, tentative 7~9 July 2019; looking for like-minded mountaineers

I have an interview for a school project and I want to ask some questions.

1. What measures can you take if someone has a medical emergency during a climb?

2. What type of clothing do you recommend for protection from the cold or to deal with the climate?

3. What happened on your most dangerous Elbrus expedition?

Hello Mr. Whitman, I think my earlier comment wasn't posted. My name is Juliana J, and I'm doing a research paper on climbing Mount Elbrus. I'd like to ask you (as an expert) what measures can be taken if someone has a medical emergency during a climb? Also, what type of clothing do you recomend for protection from the cold to deal with the harsh climate, and what happened on your most dangerous Elbrus expedition? Thanks for your time in answering these questions for me.

Hello Mr. Whitman, I think my earlier comment wasn't posted. My name is Juliana J, and I'm doing a research paper on climbing Mount Elbrus. I'd like to ask you (as an expert) what measures can be taken if someone has a medical emergency during a climb? Also, what type of clothing do you recomend for protection from the cold to deal with the harsh climate, and what happened on your most dangerous Elbrus expedition? Thanks for your time in answering these questions for me.

Hi Juliana, I’m not too sure of the answers. I recommend contacting Vitaly at Russian Mountain Holidays (if you Google them, you will find their site). He is an experience Elbrus guide and should be able to help.

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5289 Meters | Himachal

Friendship peak, 2024 batches: 8 & 19 jun | 31 aug | 14 & 28 sept | 12 oct, may – oct.

Friendship Peak is a stunning mountain that forms a part of the Pir Panjal range, situated in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India. Its towering summit, which stands at an elevation of 5289 meters, provides a breathtaking view of the surrounding peaks like Hanuman Tibba, Shetidhar, Ladakhi, Manali peak, Makar Beh, and Shikar Beh. Along with the picturesque views of the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges, the Beas Kund basin enhances the beauty of the landscape.

The Indian Mountaineering Foundation has recognized Friendship Peak as an ideal trekking peak for trained and professional mountaineers. The route to the top includes several mountain topographic features like moraines, glaciers, crevasses, and ice patches, which vary depending on the season. The trek is considered a moderate to hard grade, making it a good option for experienced trekkers who are looking to switch to mountaineering.

The surroundings of Friendship Peak are adorned with lush green meadows and dense forests. The summit, however, is covered with thick layers of snow. The trek to the peak is challenging, yet it rewards trekkers with panoramic views of the majestic Himalayan ranges. The best time to attempt this trek is from May to October when the weather is favorable and the conditions are suitable for climbing.

If you are looking for something even more challenging but in the same area, you could also go for 5K DUET CLIMB – Friendship Peak + Shitidhar. Climb two 5000m peaks in one attempt. Know more about it by clicking here.

Day 1: Arrival at Manali. After some rest, we would go on a normal walk in order to acclimatize.

Day 2: Drive to Dhundi (road-head) and trek to Bakarthach (3,300 meters) (4-5 hours).

Day 3: Trek from Bakarthach to Lady leg (3,900 meters) (4-5 hours).

Day 4: Acclimatization & load ferry to summit camp. Night stay at lady leg.

Day 5: Trek from Lady leg to summit camp (4,400 meters) (2-3 hours)

Day 6: Trek from Summit camp to Friendship peak (5289 meters) & back to lady leg (8-9 hours)

Day 7: Trek down from Lady leg to Road-head. Drive to Manali. Night stay in Hotel along with Expedition Celebration Party!

Day 8: End of trek. Departure after breakfast.

• 2 nights in a nice hotel with breakfast
• 5 nights’ accommodation in Camps as per the itinerary
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner on all days
• Tea every Morning & Evening
• Soup in the Evening
• Highly qualified Guides during the trek
• Camping in tents along with sleeping bags
• Climbing boots & Crampons
• Seatharness & Ice axe
• Firstaid medical kit
• Oxygen cylinder till Summit for emergency
• All the necessary technical equipment required for the expedition
• All fees & Permits
• Participants will get an exclusive discount on all Fast&Up products
• Travel till Manali
• Personal clothing & Personal Porter
• Lunch & Dinner when in hotel
• Any kind of personal expenses
• Tips to guide/porter
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions of the package.
• Personal Insurance

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q) Who should go on this expedition? A) Those who have been trekking for a while and now want to push their limit or try their hand, particularly at mountaineering should go for this expedition. You’ll get to learn and practice proper mountaineering skills here.

Q) Is this expedition suitable for beginners? A) You must not be an absolute beginner. Some prior trekking experience is required.

Q) What will be the pickup point? A) You will have to arrive at the Manali bus stand by yourself. Our cab will be waiting there for you and that’s where your journey with B&C starts. Someone from our internal team and many trekkers usually go via Delhi/Chandigarh. So, we can book our bus seats accordingly and travel together.

Q) What are the best months to visit Friendship Peak? A) In summer, the best months are April-June. Whereas in winter, it’s September-October.

Q) How different is this from a usual trek? A) Most of the days would feel like a regular trek except for the summit push when you have to start climbing in the middle of the night using proper mountaineering gears

Q) Can this trek be reduced to 6-7 days? A) Yes, it can be reduced by a day or two but for an extra charge since you’ll be given a personal guide while coming back. Please WhatsApp us on +919000603444 to know more.

Q) What to pack? A) You’ll need to pack the basic clothing and accessories you’ve used on your previous treks. Mountain gear that you require after the summit camp, such as Ice-axe, Snow boots, Crampons, Harness, etc., will be provided by us.

Q) What will be the accommodation type for this trek? A) At Manali, we will stay at hotels or guesthouses. During the trek, you will stay in a 3-man tent/camp on a twin-sharing basis.

Q) Can I get a personal tent? A) Of course, you can get a separate tent for yourself if you don’t want to share your sleeping space with someone. However, you’ll have to pay an extra charge for that.

Q) What will the temperatures be like during this trek? A) Maximum temperature you’d witness on the trek will be around 25 degree Celsius. At a minimum, it could go -5 after summit camp during the night.

Q) Who will lead us on the trek? A) Your trek will be led by one of our experienced and knowledgeable mountain guides, who will be supported by a team of skilled coordinators, helpers, and cooks.

Q) Is a trekking pole necessary? A) Though it is not necessary, a trekking pole is extremely helpful since the terrain could get

Q) Do I have to buy all the gear required? A) We can help you get trekking poles, hiking shoes, gloves, warm trousers, raincoats & jackets on rent. Connect with us to know the charge.

Q) What are the gears we will be using? Is it easy climbing with those gears for the first time? A) Till the base camp, you’ll not require any typical mountaineering gear but from the summit camp, you will. You will also be provided with enough training so that you can climb with gear such as snow boots, crampons, ice-axe, harnesses, ropes, helmets, etc. Not to mention, there will always be people around you for supervision.

Q) Will I be carrying my bags the whole time? A) No, mules will be there to carry your bags till the base camp (Ladyleg). After Lady Leg, you carry some of the basic stuff you’ll require on your summit day and leave them at the summit camp for next-day use. We call it the load ferry.

Q) What’s the success ratio for the summit attempt? A) Most of the climbers on friendship peak are first-time mountaineers, i.e., they may have gone on treks before but it’s their first time climbing mountaineering gears. Still, about 70% of people are successful at their attempts.

Q) What kind of fitness level is required? A) You must be ideally fit, untouched by any sort of physical injury, illness, or overweight. Should be able to walk for 6-8 hours easily.

Q) How can I prepare for this expedition? A) You must start preparing at least 1.5-2 months prior to the kick-off date. Below are some of the exercises you could add to your fitness regime: -Jog/Run for 5 Kms in 25-30 mins Or walk continuously for 10 km (with 3-4 small breaks) on plain terrain (a slight incline is better), even better if done with some weight on your back -3 sets of Climbing 30 – 40 steps in one stretch -Push Ups – 10 x 3 -Lunges & Squats – 15 X 2 sets -Planks

Q) Is transportation included? Where will you pick us up and where will you drop us off? A) We will pick you up from Manali private bus stand and drop you at the same place. Other domestic transportation, i.e. from the hotel to Dhundi (where the trek starts), will also be provided by us.

Q) Is mobile network available during the trek? A) Your number will go unreachable as soon as you start your trek from Dhundi and will stay like that until you’re back. You’ll be out of network for about 6 days.

Q) What are the toilet facilities during the trek? A) A separate toilet tent with a portable toilet chair will be available on all days except on the summit push day.

Q) What kind of food is available during the trek? A) A variety of highly nutritious veg & non-veg food is available during the whole journey. However, at the summit camp, limited food can be carried. That day, you’ll be given noodles, soup, tea, sandwiches, etc.

Q) For what other things will I be charged? A) We don’t work with any hidden costs. You’ll get everything required and mentioned in the brochure from when you arrive in Manali, till we bid you adieu.

PREPARATION GUIDE

• Have Previous Trekking/Mountaineering Experience.
• Weight train the body. Walk uphill or stairs steps with a weighted back pack.
• Strength training for the lower body and core. Do planks, crunches and cycling.
• Climbing Friendship peak requires a fit body and a conscious mind. One needs to be exercising regularly for the past couple of months.
• Any high altitude trek requires you to build a good amount of cardiovascular endurance. Jogging is the best exercise to increase your stamina.
• You need strong legs to success fully finish a high altitude trek. Squats are the best way to build leg strength quickly. Especially your thighs, glutes and knees.
• For detailed advice and coordination, we’ll have a WhatsApp group.

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B&C specializes in providing premium-quality & safe mountaineering experiences around the world. We are committed to protecting & conserving the natural environment in which we operate . Our highly experienced support team & certified guides make for a hassle-free journey throughout.

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• Gorky Central Park of Culture and Recreation, Moscow
• Guide to Russia

What is the history of Gorky Park?

• In the pre-revolutionary period, Gorky Park was a city dump and wasteland, which was cleared in 1923 to host the All-Russian Agricultural and Artisan Industrial Exhibition
• In 1928, a huge park was planned on the former site of the exhibition. It would not just be a place of leisure, but a place to proudly display Soviet culture and daily life
• Gorky Park has remained a cultural hub ever since, and has been renovated and added to over the years to make it one of Moscow’s top attractions today

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Recreation

Gorky Park is the most famous park of Moscow, created during the Soviet period as a hub for relaxation and cultural activities. The park is beloved by Muscovites and tourists alike, who visit in all seasons to stroll, enjoy sports, admire the park’s attractions, and attend cultural events. Gorky Park is the central part of an ensemble of four green spaces – Muzeon Park of Arts, Neskuchny Garden, and Sparrow Hills Nature Reserve – which curve around the southern bank of the Moskva River to the south-west of Moscow city centre. Here you may spend some time and enjoy nature and contemprary art during your vacation in Moscow .

History of Gorky Park

Imperial russia.

In the 17th century, the eastern bank of the Moskva River beyond Moscow’s city limits was home to floodplain meadows, where palace horses grazed. From the mid-1850s, events such as cockfights, fistfights, and races were held here, and by the 20th century this area had become a city dump where the unemployed and homeless people of Moscow lived, which remained this way until the Soviet period. This wasteland lay in stark contrast to the adjoining Neskuchny Sad – ‘merry garden’ – which lay to its south, an area of aristocratic country estates and elaborate gardens.

Soviet Russia

Photo from  https://parkseason.ru/

Following the October Revolution, Vladimir Lenin travelled around Moscow to find a suitable site for the first All-Russian Agricultural and Artisan Industrial Exhibition, which would reveal opportunities for socialist development of agriculture and industry. Lenin decided on the wasteland alongside the Moskva River, which was cleared with a programme of community work. In 1923, the exhibition began. It encompassed 250 pavilions dedicated to different themes of agriculture and industry, and was divided into thematic zones, such as villages, livestock, crops, engineering, railways, republics of the USSR, and foreign countries. The organisation of the exhibition demarcated the future layout and size of Gorky Park, and the paths, ‘zones’, and main square of the exhibition have been preserved until the present day. In March 1928, Moscow City Council decided to establish a park of culture and recreation on the site of the former exhibition, which would also encompass the Neskuchny Garden. Moscow’s residents were instrumental in the construction of the park – they voiced their desires for events spaces, physical education and leisure facilities, and gave up their weekends to build the park. The park’s main architect was Konstantin Melnikov.

Did you know? Konstantin Melnikov also helped to construct Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Rusakov Worker’s Club, one of Moscow’s Constructivist masterpieces .

Over 100,000 Muscovites flocked to the opening of the park on 12th August 1928. The brand-new park was equipped with two theatres, a cinema, nursery, reading room, restaurant and café, music stages, sports arenas, rowing boats, and even a giant helter-skelter slide. Unfortunately, because of the vast size of the crowd and the general excitement, the park was damaged and closed until September.

Did you know? The park was not named after Maxim Gorky, writer and founder of Socialist Realism, until 1933.

In 1929, Betty Glan – at the mere age of 26 – became director of the park. She decided to reconceptualise it, uniting leisure, design, and ideology with the help of Moscow’s most eminent architects, designers and artists. Over the next decade, more cultural venues were established in the park, the Pushkinskaya Embankment along the Moskva River was developed, and the landscaping of the park was carefully cultivated. Architect Alexander Vlasov was particularly influential, and won the Grand Prix at the 1937 World Exhibition in Paris for his design of Gorky Park. This period under Glan’s directorship until 1937 was known as the ‘golden age’ of Gorky Park, which became not just a place for recreation, but a public space where Soviet culture and everyday life could be proudly displayed.

Did you know? During the Second World War topical events were held in Gorky Park, such as the championship in bayonet combat, grenade-throwing competitions, and air defence training. What’s more, an exhibition of captured enemy weapons – tanks, artillery, aeroplanes, and more – was organised in Gorky Park and continually updated throughout the war.

In the post-war decades new attractions were continually added to Gorky Park. These included the majestic 24-metre triumphal arch at the entrance to the park, an astronomical observatory (which remains open today), the famous Ferris wheel (unfortunately dismantled in 2008), and a fountain with lights and music.

Russia today

Photo from  https://countryscanner.ru/

The Gorky Park ensemble continued to flourish as a centre of culture and recreation in post-Soviet Russia. The adjoining Muzeon Park of Arts was founded in 1992, and Garage Museum of Contemporary Art was established in Gorky Park in 2008. The ensemble underwent serious reconstruction in 2011. Many new sports facilities were added, including centres for beach sports and extreme sports, bicycle paths and sports equipment rental hubs, and much effort was devoted to reviving original buildings, sculptures, and landscape compositions. Two years later, the embankment of the Moskva River from the southern tip of Zamoskvorechye Island all the way to Sparrow Hills was redeveloped and pedestrianised, making it possible to peacefully walk or cycle along the Moskva for many kilometres.

What can you do at Gorky Park today?

• Explore the park and see architectural attractions, fountains, and beautiful gardens
• Visit Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and the Gorky Park Museum
• Go boating on the lakes and stroll down the Pushkinskaya Embankment
• Rent bicycles or scooters, skateboard, and visit the sports centres

What can you do at Gorky Park?

Park attractions.

While exploring the treelined paths of Gorky Park, you’ll come across a number of attractions. To the west of the main entrance, near the river, is a beautiful geometric bandstand used for music and literary evenings in the Soviet period. As you head down the central alley of Gorky Park from the main entrance, you’ll see a statue of Maxim Gorky on your right, and discover the light and music fountain with its dancing jets of water – find the schedule of its performances here .

Did you know? Don’t be afraid to feed the red squirrels and birds you encounter on your walk around Gorky Park – there are even vending machines which sell special food for the animals!

The southern section of Gorky Park is occupied by the Golitsynsky Garden. In 1802, the Golitsyn Hospital was founded here as a hospital for the poor; it still adjoins Gorky Park today. Gardens were created as a relaxation place for patients, extending from the hospital building to the riverbank, and included landscaped gardens, a Chinese Bridge, and two ponds. On the riverbank is the Rotunda of the Golitsyn Hospital, which has been preserved since the 19th century. There is also a rose garden and fountain by the Bolshoi Golitsynsky Pond.

Did you know? In the Golitsynsky Garden is also located an unusual architectural monument – a public toilet designed by Alexander Vlasov in the 1930s, which is recognised as an ‘object of cultural heritage’!

Outdoor activities

Gorky Park’s extensive and varied grounds aren’t only good for walks! You can relax on the water by renting boats to sail on the Pionersky and Bolshoi Golitsynsky Ponds, or visiting the Olivkovy Beach on the Pushkinskaya Embankment to sunbathe. As well as this, you can hire bicycles, electric scooters, longboards or even roller skates to explore the park and embankments, play table tennis, visit the sports complex to play football, basketball, handball, badminton or volleyball, or visit the Vans skatepark or Nike sports centre for workouts and classes such as rooftop yoga.

Gorky Park Museum

Photo from  http://themedium.ru/

Visit the Gorky Park Museum, located in the left pier of the entrance arch. The current exhibition is dedicated to Gorky Park in the ‘golden age’ of the 1930s, and shows the development of Moscow’s central park through the eyes of Betty Glan. There is an observation deck on top of the arch, which offers a lovely view over the park and Moscow’s skyline.

Did you know? In the entrance arch there is also a gift shop where you can purchase balls, frisbees, blankets, and other items to enjoy your visit to Gorky Park.

Garage Museum of Contemporary Art

Photo from  https://muzeolog.com/

In Gorky Park you will find Garage Museum, Russia’s first philanthropic institution dedicated to contemporary art, founded in 2008 by Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova. 10 major exhibitions are hosted each year to showcase the work of established and up-and-coming artists. Also organised are a rich programme of events including curator-led excursions, workshops, masterclasses, lectures, concerts, performances, festivals, and film screenings at Garage’s outdoor cinema. Read our article about Garage Museum of Contemporary Art to learn more.

Food and drink

There are plenty of excellent cafes and restaurants dotted around Gorky Park, where you can stop for a quick coffee or enjoy a long meal with a view. They include the stylish lakeside café Ostrovok (Little Island) and upmarket restaurant Vremena Goda (Seasons) which serve European and Russian food, colourful lakeside Thai restaurant Lebedinoe Ozero (Swan Lake), trattoria Merkato with its huge summer terrace, restaurant Syrovarnya (Cheese Factory) with a menu focused on its homemade cheese, food-truck court Restoparking which is stylised as a drive-in café, and ice-cream and tea shop Chaynaya Vysota.

What’s nearby?

Gorky Park is bordered by Muzeon Park of Arts, Neskuchny Garden, and Sparrow Hills Nature Reserve. This huge ensemble curves for eight kilometres along the bank of the Moskva River, providing a beautiful oasis of green in Europe’s biggest city.

Muzeon Park of Arts

Photo from  https://new-magazine.ru/

Muzeon Park of Arts is the largest open-air sculpture museum in Russia, home to 1,000 sculptures by Soviet and Russian sculptors, including those by famous artists. A large part of Muzeon is occupied by the New Tretyakov Gallery , which houses Russia’s most complete exhibition of national art from the 20th century to the present day. The pedestrianised Krymskaya Embankment which extends alongside Muzeon has recently undergone redevelopment, and is one of Moscow’s most popular spots to relax.

Neskuchny Garden

Neskuchny Garden is the oldest park in Moscow, founded in 1728 by Prince Nikita Trubetskoy, who threw fantastic festivities in his manor house and gardens – neskuchny means ‘merry’ in Russian. Many other noble families also built their country estates in this area, which became a public park and garden after being acquired by the royal family. Today, the Neskuchny Garden is home to historical buildings, fountains, and gardens from the 18th and 19th centuries, sports facilities, an open-air theatre, and a huge greenhouse which supplies flowers to Gorky Park.

Sparrow Hills

Sparrow Hills Nature Reserve is a huge forest park lining the steep bank of the Moskva River and the only specially protected nature area near the city centre. It is home to ecological trails, ponds, natural springs, rare species of plants and animals, many spots for picnicking, cafes, and a mini zoo. At the bottom of the park lie the Vorobyovskaya and Andreevskaya Embankments, with promenades along the Moskva River, a beach, and piers offering boat trips. As with Gorky Park, Sparrow Hills is hugely popular for sports and outdoor activities in all seasons. A new winter sports complex with snowboarding, ice skating, and ski tracks and jumps is currently under construction. When the weather is pleasant, you can rent a bicycle to ride the 8 kilometres along the river from Muzeon to Sparrow Hills.

Essential information for visitors Address and contact details Gorky Park, Krymsky Val, 9, Moscow, 119049 Website:  https://park-gorkogo.com/ Email:  [email protected] Telephone: +7 (495) 995-00-20 Nearest metro: Oktyabrskaya (570m), Park Kultury (860m) Opening hours and tickets

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