Solo Travel to the Highest Mountain

2013/01/21


Elbrus is the highest mountain of Russia and Europe (5642 m above sea level). It’s hard to breathe on its top, you don’t gasp but it’s just hard to work or do anything (as if you’ve just run up on the tenth floor). One has to acclimatize first. There are some shelters for acclimatization on the mountain, but around are only snow and stones. So it’s better to walk somewhere near the mountain first.


If you try to do it without training, mountain sickness is guaranteed: severe headache, vomiting, and in the worst case – pulmonary or brain edema.


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Day 1: arrival at Minvody city.


Day 2: first walk for acclimatization around the observatory (3100m).



The diameter of the dome is twenty meters (66 ft).



Such tower is located nearby.



Elbrus can be observed from here well.




It’s the monument to the cavalry regiment which blocked the way to the hordes of Division Edelweiss.





If you climb a bit higher…



… you will reach this ice base where you’ll feel you are the last person in this world.





It reads “bread”.



Day 3: coming by bus to Upper Baksan and going up to Syltrankel lake (3200m) to spend two nights there.



The night was spent not far from the lake at such a nice place.



Day 4: coming up to the lake.




Pitching a tent at the lake and climbing this peak of 3600 m.



Coming back to the tent and meeting such guests there. The goats are pasturing nearby being afraid of nothing.





When the cloud is approaching the mountain it looks like this…






Day 5: coming down to the valley and getting Terskol. Finding such avalanch guns there.




Day 6: coming up to Garabashi shelter on the slope of Elbrus (3700m).



Going to the “shelter of the eleven” (4200m). In the background is the observatory we have already been at.






Here’s another shelter.



Day 7: climbing to the rocks of Pastukhov (4800m), it’s already hard to climb and believe you can go up to the very peak.



Day 8: going back to the shelter, the weather is getting worse. A cloud is hanging over the slope. This man on the picture climbed Elbrus 209 times! The last ascent was made at the age of 110!



Day 9: ascent. The start is planned for 4 a.m., it’s still dark and very beautiful.The shadow of Elbrus lies on the clouds.



Many people are going up.




Caucausian peaks are towering above the clouds at height of more than 5000m.




Each step is difficult.



Only one slope remains, but it’s the hardest!



The victory is celebrated over there. That’s the highest point of Russia and Europe.




Hm!



Here’s the view from the top of Elbrus.



It’s time to go down, but everyone is exhausted and the descent seems to be endless.





Leaving another stone on the top of all construction.




Try it yourself and you will never forget it!


via leprosorium



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