Mount Elbrus fascinates not only climbers, but also ordinary travelers. From year to year, tourists come to the foot of the mountain to see the grandeur and power of the peak. Few people remain indifferent and disappointed. This mountain, shrouded in secrets and legends, incredible ascents of the past and present make it even more attractive and popular.
Geographical characteristics
Elbrus is marked on the map of Russia, between the two republics - Karachay-Cherkess and. The nearest city at the foot of Mount Tyrnauz is the city of Elbrus.
The summit has two highest peaks, the height of the eastern peak is 5621 meters, and the height of the western peak is 5642 meters. The distance between them is 1500 meters. The average steepness of the slopes is 35 degrees. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky was the first to determine the height of Elbrus, and it was 5421 meters.
23 glaciers flow down from the slopes of the mountain. The area of glaciers is 134 square kilometers. Maximum length glaciers are about 7–9 km. Their total area has decreased by 19% over the past 100–150 years. The glacier that flows into the Kuban valley has shrunk by 33%. Elbrus glaciers feed three large Caucasian and Stavropol rivers:
- Kuban;
- Malku;
- Baksan.
Until now, the exact boundaries between Asia and Europe have not been defined, so the mountain is often considered to be the highest mountain peak in Europe and equated to the “Seven Summits” mountains. The double-peaked stratovolcano was formed on an ancient volcanic base. It is believed that these two peaks are completely independent volcanoes and do not depend on each other. Both peaks have their own distinct shape and a clearly defined crater.
Finding a mountain on a map is not difficult, since today a wide variety of maps and public routes with detailed descriptions.
general description
Elbrus - height, which is famous for its ancient history. The age of a mountain is determined by the condition of the upper part. Its top has a vertical fault. The last eruption of Russia's highest peak occurred around the 50s AD. e.
The mystery of the name of the mountain
Where is Elbrus located? Perhaps almost every schoolchild in the country can answer this question. But few people know where the name of the mountain comes from. It is worth noting that the peak has more than one name and has about a dozen in total.
Today it is very difficult to understand which name appeared first. If we talk about the modern name, then according to one version, it comes from the Iranian word “aytibares”. Translated, it sounds like a high or shiny mountain. The peak in the Karachay-Balkar language is called “Mingi-tau”, which translated into Russian means “mountain of thousands”. But there is also another name for the Balkars - “Minge-tau”, which translates as “mountain saddled”. Modern representatives of this community call Elbrus - “the mountain around which the wind swirls” (“Elbrus - Tau”).
Names in other languages are also common:
- “Jin padishah” - “lord of spirits” (Turkic);
- “Orfi - tub” - “mountain of the blessed” (Abkhazian);
- “Yal - buz” - “snow mane” (Georgian).
Local climate
Influenced by seasonal air masses The climate of the mountain region is formed. Climatic conditions characteristic of mountainous terrain. The Elbrus region is characterized by good circularity and bad weather.
In summer the cycle is a week. In the first days of June the weather is worse than in July. The climate during this period is humid and cool. The temperature at an altitude of 2 thousand meters sometimes reaches +35 degrees, and at higher altitudes – +25 degrees. Autumn begins from the end of August. Winter comes already in October, at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters. At this point the average temperature is -12 degrees. The absolute minimum was recorded at minus 27 degrees. Spring comes only at the beginning of May. During this period, snow melts actively at around 3 thousand meters. Often it comes down in the form of wet avalanches.
The higher the height, the thicker the cover. Thus, 60–80 cm is the average thickness of the top cover. There is more snow on the northern slopes than on the southern ones. For more high altitudes Eternal snowfields and firn fields remain. Due to them, the mass of all Elbrus glaciers increases.
Volcanic activity
Elbrus is considered an extinct volcano. When studying the mountain, geologists examined its layers, which contain the ash of the volcano. It has been proven that this particular ash was formed since ancient times as a result of eruptions. Having studied the first layer, scientists found that the first eruption of the peak occurred around 45 thousand years ago. e. The subsequent one is the second layer, formed after the eruption of the Mount Kazbek volcano. It was formed about 40 thousand years ago.
Today it has been precisely proven that it was the second eruption that was the most powerful, even by modern standards. People - Neanderthals, living at the foot of the mountain at that time, were forced to leave settled places in search of more favorable living conditions. Determined that last time the volcano erupted 2 thousand years ago BC. e.
The history of climbing Elbrus
Back in 1829, the first conquest of Elbrus was made. The leader of the ascent expedition is Georgy Emmanuel. The members of the scientific expedition were famous physicists, zoologists, botanists, geologists and other scientists. It was they who became the pioneers and conquerors of the highest peak on Earth - eastern part of Elbrus.
A second ascent was made in 1868 English group scientists to the eastern part of the mountain. In the same year, the first conquest of Mount Kazbek was accomplished. The western peak of Elbrus was conquered in 1874 by climbers from England; the expedition guide was A. Sottaev.
During a scientific expedition to map the Caucasus in 1890–1896, an ascent was made to the eastern and western mountains of Elbrus. The expedition was headed by a Russian scientist and military topographer - A.V. Pastukhov. It was he who left behind detailed maps terrain and Mount Elbrus - photo. For his exploration of the Caucasus and Elbrus, part of the cliffs of Elbrus (the southern part) was named in honor of Pastukhov. The height of the Pastukhov rocks is 4800 meters.
In 1891, the highest recorded a short time ascents throughout history - only 8 hours. The ascent began at the foot of the southern slopes and ended at the eastern summit.
Swiss climbers, for the first time in history, in 1910 accomplished the so-called Elbrus Cross. They climbed two peaks simultaneously, as part of one expedition.
The first woman to conquer Elbrus - A. Japaridze (1925).
Soviet climbers made the first winter ascent in 1934. And in 1939, the first ski descent from Elbrus was carried out by Moscow skier V. Gippenreiter.
From the first part of the twentieth century, climbing Elbrus began to become widespread. So, in 1928, 32 groups of climbers carried out the ascent; in 1935, about 2,016 people visited Elbrus, and in 1960, 1,395 climbers.
In 1963, he climbed on a motorcycle Berberashvili - Soviet athlete. In 1997, already by car, the whole team conquered the summit. And in 2015, the Russian athlete A. Rodichev climbed the mountain with a barbell that weighed 75 kg.
The 2016 climb to Elbrus is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Russian climbers A. Kuimov and S. Baranov climbed with the help of an ATV to a height of 5642 meters.
Nowadays, climbing Elbrus is not difficult. For tourists and travelers the path is made easier by shelters - parking lots and cable cars.
The beauty and grandeur of Elbrus make the mountain the most visited in modern world. The viewing radius under favorable conditions is large. So, sometimes from the tops of the mountain you can see the Caspian and Black Seas at the same time. No wonder in 2008, the peak was recognized as one of the wonders of the world in Russia.
Who among us has not heard about the greatness and beauty of Elbrus? Does everyone know where Mount Elbrus is? What is the height of Mount Elbrus? Rising in the ridge of the Caucasus Mountains, it is the highest and most famous point in Russia.
In the last century, Elbrus inspired travelers and climbers to climb. Overcoming dangerous areas, people strengthened their will and strength. Enjoying the beauty of the snowy mountains and contemplating the amazing local landscape from above, poets and bards composed their songs and poems.
It is on Elbrus that you get a feeling of complete freedom from the surrounding bustle, and you have the opportunity to enjoy the deafening silence. The region where Mount Elbrus is located has long been considered a place that can be described as “paradise on Earth.”
The pioneers of the famous mountain were Russian scientists. In 1913, academician and astronomer V.K. Vishnevsky calculated the height and exact location of Elbrus. In 1829, the first Russian expedition was equipped to Elbrus. The researchers included distinguished scientists: academician Lenz, botanist Meyer, architect of Pyatigorsk and others.
The expedition was accompanied by Cossacks, a detachment of a thousand people, under the leadership of General Emmanuel. A detachment of Cossacks stopped at the northern foot of Elbrus at an altitude of 2400 meters. The general and his detachment did not go further, but watched the pioneers through a telescope, ready, in case of unforeseen circumstances, to come to the rescue.
A commemorative inscription was carved on a large stone, which has survived to this day: “1829, from July 8 to 11, the camp led by General Cavalier Emmanuel.”
And the expedition continued its ascent. After spending the night at an altitude of 3000 meters, the travelers moved on. Part of the expedition stopped at an altitude of 4800 meters and did not go further. A memorial sign was carved at this point - the St. George Cross and the date: 1829. In 1949, a group of climbers from the Science society discovered this monument. Only Lenz, two Cossacks and two Kabardian guides continued to go higher.
Lenz and the Cossack Lysenkov reached the saddle of Elbrus. They could no longer go further, since the loose, softened snow prevented the ascent. Only one Kabardian, Killar, went higher. He was able to reach the very top of Mount Elbrus because his body was accustomed to the mountain climate and mountain paths.
General Emmanuel saw through a telescope on the eastern peak of Elbrus the brave mountaineer Killar. When Killar returned to the travelers' camp in the evening, the scientists greeted him with the honors that Killar deserved as a brave pioneer.
In honor of the discovery of the summit of Elbrus and the first ascent of it, two cast iron boards were cast, with an inscription describing this event. Later, these memorial signs were installed in Pyatigorsk near. Currently they are kept in the museum.
First steps to the top
Where to start your first ascent of Mount Elbrus? The first step is to find the mountain on the map of Russia in order to have an idea of the scale and size of the object. After you have found out where Mount Elbrus is located, you will need to tone all your muscles by performing active physical exercises.
Push-ups, squats, exercises on the horizontal bar. All these exercises must be done two months before the expected date of travel. Be sure to jog for several kilometers: to increase the body's endurance. Pistol squats on one leg improve the tone of the leg muscles.
Before the trip you need to take a rest from physical activity so that the body recovers and there is no overstrain. They say that Elbrus carries a special energy charge. Elbrus makes strong-willed people stronger, but it drains weak-spirited people. So it's good to do yoga, breathing exercises, put in order not only the body, but also the spirit. It is necessary to feel the harmony of strength and spirit.
Beginners are usually accompanied by instructors. There is no need to be ashamed of this and thoughtlessly risk your life by starting the ascent without an experienced accompanying person. Moreover, it is unknown how a beginner’s body will react to altitude. The height of Elbrus in meters is 5642. Five kilometers, six hundred and forty-two meters! On a horizontal surface, the journey would take only a little over an hour on foot.
But you will have to go up the frozen slope, overcoming obstacles and enduring hardships along the way. Ascent to altitude is accompanied by pressure changes, so there are several guides for a group of several people. As a rule, this is one guide for three people. If someone becomes ill, the group will have to return to the camp and accompany the sick traveler.
On the second day after arrival, experienced guides first lead travelers to Mount Maly Cheget. The height of this mountain is 3360 m. The walking route lasts 2-3 hours. According to the results of this path, beginners who are already accustomed to the environment are led to the southern slope of Elbrus the next day. The southern slope is the classic climbing route.
In modern perception, with the use of the latest climbing equipment and with the help of experienced mentors, the path will not seem very difficult and dangerous. But this is in the case of unquestioning obedience to the guides.
The main difficulties in overcoming snowy peaks may arise when passing through cracks in glaciers hidden by snow, when strong wind, at very low temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to visit Elbrus for the first time in the second half of summer, in July-August.
Coordinates and history of the famous mountain
Of course, having arrived in Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, any local resident will be able to show where Mount Elbrus is located. Yes, it’s hard not to notice - it towers over the city like a snowy hat and is even marked on the flag of the republic. The height of Mount Elbrus fascinates and delights with its cold beauty.
Elbrus is a volcano that lost its strength many millennia ago. More than 218 thousand years ago, erupting more than 15 times, Elbrus emerged from the bowels of the earth as a huge giant. And in modern times, people feel tremors, but they are no longer as dangerous as active volcanoes.
Elbrus is known for its harsh climate. Snowy hills do not melt even in the hottest days summer days. On Elbrus, the average temperature in the warmest month is 1.4 degrees. There is more precipitation on Elbrus than on the plains Stavropol Territory, but they fall mainly as snow flakes. On meteorological station Elbrus, for three years no rain was ever noticed.
Some people even joke that Elbrus is a piece of ice abandoned from the Arctic. Warm air currents coming from the Atlantic, meeting this cold barrier on their way, pour out rain on the foothills of Elbrus. And Elbrus changes the weather in nearby regions. Local residents even noticed: if Elbrus is covered with clouds on a clear day, expect the weather to worsen.
Legends and songs have long been written about Elbrus. Herodotus wrote about him even before our era. The peoples of the Middle East and the Caucasus have written folk epics about him.
Mount Elbrus has more than two dozen names different languages and adverbs. Moreover, the Kabardian language does not translate the word “Elbrus” in any way. There is an opinion that the word “Elbrus” is of Iranian origin. But, in Kabardian and other local languages, there are 40 different names for the great mountain. It is difficult to write about such a great grief. And it is impossible to describe in words all the beauty of Elbrus. This beauty must be seen with your own eyes.
One of the main attractions of the Elbrus region is Mount Elbrus - the highest peak of Russia and Europe, located north of the Greater Caucasus Range on the border of two republics: Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkarian.
Elbrus is a two-peaked extinct volcano. The height of the western peak is 5642 m above sea level, the eastern - 5621 m. They are separated by a saddle - 5300 m. The peaks are located at a distance of about 3 thousand m from each other. The main composition of the rocks is granites, gneisses, diabases and tuffs of volcanic origin.
Elbrus with two crater peaks was formed a million years ago during the creation of the Caucasus Range. Huge streams of ash mud rushed along the slopes of Elbrus, sweeping away all the stones and vegetation before them. Layers of lava, ash, and stones were layered on top of each other, thereby expanding the slopes of the volcano and increasing its height.
The scientific study of Mount Elbrus began in the 19th century. Russian researchers. The first person to determine the exact location and height of the mountain in 1913 was Academician V. Vishnevsky. In 1829, Mount Elbrus was visited by the first Russian scientific expedition, which included the famous Russian academician E. Lenz, Pyatigorsk architect Bernardazzi, botanist E. Meyer and others. The expedition was accompanied by General G. Emmanuel, the head of the Caucasian line. The first successful ascent to the western peak was made by a group of English climbers in 1874 under the leadership of F. Grove, its participant was A. Sottaev.
In 2008, Elbrus was recognized as one of the “7 Wonders of Russia”. Today Elbrus is the largest ski mountain in the world, as well as the most promising place for all-Russian and international competitions. Basically, the infrastructure is well developed on the southern slopes of Mount Elbrus, where there is a chairlift and a pendulum cableway leading to a parking lot called “Bochka” (at an altitude of 3750 m), which consists of 12 insulated six-seater residential trailers with a kitchen.
Reaching a dizzying height of 5642 m above sea level, Elbrus is the highest mountain peak not only in our country, but also in Europe.
The height of the mountain was determined by the Russian academician Vikenty Vishnevsky in 1813.
Photo: shutterstock.com 3 The name itself high point of our country in the Karachay-Balkar language sounds like “Mingi Tau” - “mountain of a thousand mountains,” which emphasizes its incredibly huge size.
Different nations They call Elbrus in their own way, so the mountain has more than ten names. Some of the most beautiful: “Jin-padishah” - “lord of spirits” in Turkic, “Yalbuz” - “snow mane” in Georgian, “Orfi-tub” - “mountain of the blessed” in Abkhazian.
Photo: shutterstock.com 5 Elbrus is a stratovolcano (layered volcano). This means that it is conical in shape and made up of many solidified layers of lava, tephra and volcanic ash.
The location of the mountain is the Caucasus (borders of the republics of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria). In addition, Elbrus is located on the geographical border of Europe and Asia (which is quite ambiguous).
Photo: shutterstock.com 7 It is included in the list of "Seven Summits" - highest mountains six parts of the world. Vulcan takes the lead in Europe. Moreover, if we assume that Elbrus is located in Asia, the European leadership is given to the Mont Blanc mountain with a height of 4810 m, located in the Western Alps on the border of France and Italy.
Elbrus is considered an inactive volcano, because the last eruption was more than 5 thousand years ago. Some scientists consider it extinct, while others consider it to be fading. And MSU experts say that Elbrus may wake up already in this century, but not earlier than in 50 years.
Photo: shutterstock.com 9 And the mountain has two peaks. They are separated by a saddle with a height of 5300 m. The western peak reaches 5642 m, the eastern one - 5621 m. The distance between them is about 3000 m.
Basically, Elbrus has gentle slopes and is characterized by comparative ease of ascent. Starting from an altitude of 4000 m, the average angle of inclination increases to 35°. Sheer rocky areas up to 700 m high are located on the northern and western slopes, while the eastern and southern slopes are smoother and gentler.
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There are 23 glaciers on the mountain, the melt water of which feeds some of the most big rivers Caucasus and Stavropol Territory: Baksan, Malku and Kuban.
Staying on the top of Elbrus, you have the opportunity to see the Caspian and Black Sea simultaneously. The viewing radius depends on many climatic parameters: temperature, pressure, etc. Well, the weather on the mountain can change in an instant.
Photo: pikabu.ru 13 The most favorable time for climbing Elbrus is from July to August: it is during these days that the weather on the mountain is in the most stable condition. Well, conquering the peak in winter (from October to April) is equivalent to suicide.
Elbrus was conquered on a motorcycle, in a car (Land Rover Defender 90), with a 75-kilogram barbell, by disabled climbers and even by Karachai horses!
Photo: auto.mail.ru 15 Since 1989, annual championships in high-speed climbing to the top of the volcano have been held. Thus, in 2015, Russian climber Vitaly Shkel set a world record - 3 hours 28 minutes 41 seconds (climbing the western peak of Elbrus from the Azau clearing).
Today, LeapRus is considered the highest mountain hotel in Europe, built in 2014 at an altitude of 3900 m. Well, a little higher, at the level of 4100 m, are the remains of the legendary “Shelter of the Eleven”.
The two peaks crowning the cone-shaped volcano are separated by a saddle, the height of which is 5300 m. The peaks of Elbrus are two independent volcanoes formed on an ancient volcanic base. The height of the young cone, located in the east, is 5621 m. This volcano has retained its classic cone-shaped shape with a clearly defined crater. The height of the maximum point of Elbrus - the western peak - reaches 5642 m. This volcano has enough ancient history, which was reflected in the condition of its upper part - it was partially destroyed by a vertical fault.
Elbrus is a saddle-shaped cone of a volcano that was last active in 50 AD. e. It was most active around 225 thousand, then 110-70 thousand and less than 30 thousand years ago. The mountain, formed about a million years ago, consists of alternating layers of lava, ash and tuff.
The slopes of Elbrus are mostly gentle, but starting from a height of 4000 meters, the average angle of inclination reaches 35 degrees. The northern and western slopes are strewn with steep rocky areas up to 700 meters high. The eastern and southern ones are more gentle and even.
Flowers on the southern slope of Elbrus:
At an altitude of more than 3,500 meters, the volcano is covered with stone placers, rocks and glaciers. The number of the latter is about 70 pieces, and their total area is 134.5 km². The most famous glaciers of Elbrus: Terskop, Big and Small Azau. The streams erupting from them, connecting, create the three main rivers of the region - Baksanu, Kuban and Malka. The glacier-free surface is covered with moraines. A huge cap of ice and snow all year round preserves the picture form of the Kazakhstan volcano. It is because of this snow cap that Elbrus is called Little Antarctica.
The first written mention of the double-peaked volcano can be found in the “Book of Victories,” written by the Persian historian and poet, Sharaf ad-Din Yazdi. It tells about the Central Asian conqueror Tamerlane, who during his military campaigns climbed to the top of Elbrus to pray.
The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East made up their minds about Elbrus a large number of songs and legends. One of the legends tells that the mountain used to have one hump. At its top lived the magical bird Simurgh, who bestowed happiness and prosperity on the mountain people who inhabited the valleys of the mountain gorges. This idyll lasted for many centuries, until the bird’s desire to seize the heavenly throne led to its possession of two greedy people. Their fierce struggle was stopped by higher powers: blinding lightning cut the sky, terrible thunder erupted and Elbrus split in two, spewing out streams of fire that incinerated everything in its path. After such a terrible fight, the magical bird Simurgh hid deep underground, upset by the ingratitude and greed of people.
According to research by scientists, Elbrus did not remind itself enough for a long time, but despite this, the current level of activity does not give experts a reason to classify it as an extinct volcano; now it has the status of “dormant”. The volcano is indeed quite active in external and internal activities. In its depths there are still hot masses that heat the local “Hot Narzans” - springs saturated with mineral salts and carbon dioxide, the temperature of which reaches +52°C and +60ºC. In the depths of the volcano, life begins for many famous springs in the healing resorts of Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk and the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region.
The climate on Elbrus is characterized by severity, making it similar to the Arctic regions. average temperature at the very warm month year does not rise above -1.4°C. There is quite a lot of precipitation here, but it is mainly represented only in the form of snow.
Around the two-headed giant are located the most beautiful peaks of the Caucasus: Nakra-Tau, Ushba, Donguz-Orun.
The first time a person managed to reach the eastern (lower) peak of the volcano was on July 22, 1829. This was done by the conductor of the Russian scientific expedition, a Kabardian by nationality, Kilar Khashirov. highest peak Elbrus (western) was conquered by a team of climbers led by Florence Grove in 1874. The first to reach both peaks was the Balkar hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev. During his long life, he conquered Elbrus nine times: he made his first ascent at the age of forty extra years, and the last in 1909, when he was 121 years old.
At the top of Elbrus:
View from the top of Elbrus:
The study of Elbrus by Russian scientists began actively in the 19th century. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky in 1913 was the first to determine the height and location of the volcano. In addition to its status as a unique natural attraction, the famous Caucasian peak is also an important scientific base. Even before the war, the first experiments with cosmic rays in the Soviet Union were carried out here, and today it houses the highest geophysical laboratory.
The Elbrus region is a major center of tourism and skiing. The bulk of the guests are fans of winter sports, including extreme sports, which are very popular in these mountains. In addition to the usual snowboards, sleds and freeride, a new entertainment was organized for thrill seekers, which was an ascent to the top of Elbrus by helicopter and subsequent descent from the mountain on skis. For more conservative skiers, there are cable cars with an average capacity of 2,400 people per hour.
