Berg Adventures on Pinterest
Berg Adventures on Pinterest
Berg Adventures on RSS Feed
Berg Adventures on Facebook
Berg Adventures on Facebook

Follow us:

Archive for August, 2012

Elbrus 2012 Expedition Recap

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

Berg Adventures had another great season on Elbrus this year. It was a season full of sun, plenty of laughs and countless memories.

As always, the team started in Saint Petersburg and after seeing the sights they traveled by midnight train to Moscow. They visited the Red Square (literally across the street from their hotel!) and saw the iconic St Basil’s Cathedral before flying to the Caucasus Mountains.

BAI guide Karina greeted the team at the airport in Mineralnye Vody and drove them to Terskol where the climbing portion of the trip began. Each day they hiked and climbed in the mountains around Terskol, using the chairlifts to facilitate their acclimatization to the altitude. Once they were ready, they moved up to The Barrels at 14,110ft/4,300m where they spent three nights as they staged their summit attempt.

On July 11, the team woke up at 1am for a 3am departure. The weather started out badly, but the wind died down and the sun came out as they reached higher elevations. It turned out to be a beautiful day to stand on the summit of Mount Elbrus (18,586ft/5665m), the highest point on Continental Europe!

Enjoy these great photos from the 2012 expedition.

Like what you see? Join the Berg Adventures Elbrus Expedition team in 2013! Click here for more information.

The Team arrives in the Caucasus Mountains.

The Team arrives in the Caucasus Mountains.

Starting our acclimatization hike with a chairlift ride

Starting our acclimatization hike with a chairlift ride

The view from one of our acclimatization hikes

The view from one of our acclimatization hikes

The view from one of our acclimatization hikes

The view from one of our acclimatization hikes

Karen on the chairlift to the Barrels

Karen on the chairlift to the Barrels

Mac on Elbrus

Mac on Elbrus

Barbara climbs higher.

Barbara climbs higher.

Jason with the summit of Elbrus in the background

Jason with the summit of Elbrus in the background

Another beautiful day on the mountain – the twin summits of Elbrus

Another beautiful day on the mountain – the twin summits of Elbrus

Karina is at home on the mountain.

Karina is at home on the mountain.

Setting out on summit day

Setting out on summit day

Karen climbs above the clouds.

Karen climbs above the clouds.

Approaching the summit of Elbrus in the sun

Approaching the summit of Elbrus in the sun

Lenny on the summit of Elbrus

Lenny on the summit of Elbrus

Hugo brought his family all the way to the top of Russia.

Hugo brought his family all the way to the top of Russia.

Heading back down the mountain

Heading back down the mountain