Elbrus Expedition Dispatch
July 4, 2012 – Djantugan Normal First Day
It is Independence Day in the United States and here in Russia we got to stretch our legs on a spectacular short hike from the Djantugan climbing camp not far from our hotel. It is cloudy in the Caucasus today and there is much rain in the Elbrus region, but the mountains around us were spectacular and exciting.
We got a team photo just as we set out from Djantugan at 7,200ft/2,194m above sea level
There were clouds all about us today and the light rain fell through most of the day but the views were great
Left: The rushing water of the Djantugan river which drains the glaciers on the Georgia border; Right: We started in the forest but we climbed more than 2,000ft/609m.
As we approach the glacier
A tiny wave from the glacier
Mac proudly displays his bright orange shoelaces. Wally told him that there was no way he could keep those so bright through the muddy trails on the forest but he did and he was very proud on the glacier.
Karen had a great day. She had told us earlier that she had never seen a glacier before in her life, what an amazing way to see her first glacier.