Climb Mt. Elbrus FAQ

Here's where you'll find answers to all (or at least most) of your questions about our Mt. Elbrus trips. We'll be adding to this section frequently, so be sure to check back often. Or contact us if you can't find what you need.

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1. How much mountaineering experience do I need in order to climb Mt. Elbrus?
2. How demanding is the climb?
3. What is the food like on the trip?
4. Which kind of weather should I be expecting?
5. Why do we spend the first night in St. Petersburg
6. How much money do we need to bring?
7. How much are the overweight charges on the internal flights?
8. What about the snowcat ride that I hear some people take on summit day?
9. Do American guides take part in the actual climb all the way to the summit? Do you have assistant guides to take someone back down should they become ill upon ascent and require descent?
10. What if one or two people in the group are slower than the rest?
11. Any suggested reading I should do before taking this trip?

1. How much mountaineering experience do I need in order to climb Mt. Elbrus?

Elbrus is a glacier climb of easy to moderate difficulty. You need to have spent time walking with an ice axe, be familiar with self arrest and proper technique for walking on snow slopes up to 40 degrees. You will wear crampons during the ascent. If you have not been at altitude before know that 18,500 feet is high enough that you will need to pay attention to your body's ability to acclimatize. Weather is a factor on an ascent of Elbrus, as it is on any big mountain. Your guides, both American and Russian, will pay close attention to weather and visibility on the summit attempt. You will gain valuable experience about dressing properly and navigating glaciers to prepare for possible loss of visibility.

2. How demanding is the climb?

Summit day is long, but we leave from huts and return to them. During the time we spend doing acclimatization and training we hike in the mountains around the Baksan Valley. These will be rigourus day trips, but we will return each night to a lodge.

3. What is the food like on the trip?

We will enjoy first-rate meals in fine restaurants and hotels in St. Petersburg and Moscow. We will eat simple but nutritious fare (lots of potatoes, great bread, soups, small portions of meat) at the lodge in the Caucasus. We will take a Russian cook when we move to the huts on Elbrus. She will prepare hearty, simple expedition meals. The only things that we cannot provide in Russia are things such as cliff bars and power bars and specialized athletic snacks.  If a snickers bar, some peanut butter or cheese is just as fine with you, you will be happy.  Otherwise we always encourage people to bring a supply of their own preferred snack food from home.  If you decide to do this keep the quantity small.  You will be served lots of food by our staff and at our lodges.

4. Which kind of weather should I be expecting?

Moscow and St Petersburg are typical of other northern European cities in the summer. It can be hot in midday, but evening temperatures, especially along the Baltic Sea in St Petersburg might be cooler than most places in the U.S. Remember that there is very little darkness at 60 degrees north in summertime.

The Caucasus Mountains have classic variable mountain weather, warm in direct sunlight, cool on cloudy days and at night. You will be adjusting your layers all day as you climb and hike in the Caucasus. Elbrus summit days can be windy and cold, as well as scorching hot in still air lower on the glacier.

5. Why do we spend the first night in St. Petersburg

Our past experience on this trip is that participants tend to arrive tired after a long flight. Spending the first night in a comfortable first class hotel gives them a chance to recover from the jet lag and enjoy the most beautiful city in Russia. We have found St Petersburg to be a more fascinating and accessible city than Moscow. We will see Red Square and the Kremlin when we go to Moscow. But St. Petersburg will offer a memorable base from which we will begin and end our Russian journey.

6. How much money do we need to bring?

St. Petersburg and Moscow can be at least as expensive as other European cities. You will not need to have much money, but if you are in the habit of having drinks, buying souvenirs, budget accordingly. We have traveled with people who spent as little as $200US on entire trip for the occasional meal or drink and incidental expenses. The average is probably three times that amount. Major credit cards are accepted in many places and U.S. currency is easy to spend or convert in the cities. ATM machines in Moscow and St. Petersburg dispense both Russian rubles and US dollars.

In the Caucasus however it is quite different. Quite honestly, there is very little to buy there and when you do spend you will need to have currency rather than plastic. Normally groups decide to tip Russian guides and staff at the end of our stay in the Caucasus. We suggest each climber budget $100 to $150 dollars for this. Also, remember that airport taxes and overweight charges are not included. Russia is a place where some small amounts of currency, some U.S $20 bills, are occasionally needed for fees.

In Russia, as in most other countries outside North America, you will not be able to spend US currency that is torn or damaged. Take care to bring newer, undamaged bills with you.

7. How much are the overweight charges on the internal flights?

We will be allowed 20 kilos each on the flight to Mineral Vody. We will need to include some group equipment, climbing gear and food in our total weight. We usually split the total overweight charges between BAI and the group members. It is, of course, "negotiable" and the Russian agent and we usually go into an office to talk to the officials. The cost will not be much. We will be helped by the fact that you can store most of your travel clothes and extra items in St. Petersburg.

8. What about the snowcat ride that I hear some people take on summit day?

While it is certainly nothing to count on, in past years we have arranged to take a snow cat from Garabashi Huts (3750 M) to Pashtukov Rocks (4759 m). This gets us up to the real climbing faster. The remaining long climb through the Saddle and on to the West Summit will not be diminished by this early morning assistance, if it is available. Each climber will already have travelled the glacier between the Huts and Pashtukov Rocks on foot at least once during his acclimatization hikes. We have not included the cost of the snow cat ride in the trip, because it may not be available and some climbers may prefer not to use it.

9. Do American guides take part in the actual climb all the way to the summit? Do you have assistant guides to take someone back down should they become ill upon ascent and require descent?

The North American Guide is responsible for the pace and overall strategy of the climb. Russian guides and assistant guides will be available to help escort someone if they turn back before the summit. We adapt to the demands of each summit day differently, but you will have the support of experienced guides who know the route well throughout your climb.

10. What if one or two people in the group are slower than the rest?

Our Elbrus summit teams usually do not arrive on the summit at the same time. This is because we travel in smaller groups based on individual pace. There is no need to worry about “will I be the slowest,” or “will someone hold me back?”

11. Any suggested reading I should do before taking this trip?

Knowledge about a country’s history, language and culture greatly increases the traveler’s experience. Even the smallest bits of information on language and culture can open many doors and allow diverse communication between guest and host. With that in mind, we suggest the following reading:

• Lonely Planet Guide for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
• Lonely Planet St. Petersburg
• Lonely Planet Moscow
• Nicholas and Alexandra, by Robert K. Massie
• Sunlight at Midnight: St. Petersburg and the Rise of Modern Russia
• Mount Elbrus and the Upper Baksan Valley, Map and Guide by Andrew L. Wielochowski