Elbrus May. About climbing Elbrus in May

In May - to Elbrus

After the hike, we stopped at the village of Terskol. After eating hychans and drinking beer, we climbed on the cable car and, after a couple of hours, reached the barrels. The barrels were completely filled with people. Mostly climbers and military personnel from the military unit, traditionally trying to climb Elbrus on May 9th. There were no places in the barrels, and we could not pay 80 rubles per night. We set up a tent inside a broken barrel, it turned out well. On the same day, we decided to run to Shelter 11, or rather to the place where he was. We ran along the ratrachny road in 3 hours. The weather was not very good, but the visibility was good. The climbers from the barrels also ran.

The next day the weather did not improve, and we climbed a little in the surrounding icefalls. All climbers and the military began to slowly dump.

Exactly on May 9, the weather became better. We decided to try. We left at 5.00. Snow piled up and had to trail to the very houses of rescuers - wagons. On the rocks of 9, two trailers are now fastened to the rocks with cables. We rested in one of them, because. tired of the strong wind and trekking. The time was around 8:00. At 9:00 they went further. As we climbed to the area of ​​the Pastukhov rocks, the wind began to intensify. At times, the front in a bunch is not visible due to the strongest wind and dense snow. Glasses instantly freeze. The wind mask was completely frozen to the beard, and it was impossible to tear it off. In a few hours we approached the upper part of the Pastukhov rocks. Here we were completely blown away. And it became clear that the weather was getting worse. In general, having photographed, it was decided to stop the disgrace and return.

The next day the weather began to improve in the evening. In the evening we moved to the area of ​​rocks 9 in order to spend the night in a trailer, and leave early in the morning. From the equipment we had all the warm clothes, in abundance. Gas burner and cylinders. Two large capes made of waterproof rags. The vessel is an army bowler hat. Two shovels. At least all this equipment made it possible, under emergency circumstances, to dig a hole, take cover with capes and cook food.

Of the special equipment was a standard piece of iron, allowing you to work on arbitrary ice slopes. Rope 50m + auxiliary rope.

Also, a certain amount of tea with lemon and any high-calorie food was taken. Sweet, etc.

We didn't have an alarm clock and we slept until 8:30. We were awakened by Dmitry who got up from the barrels. The wind was quite strong and we doubted whether it was worth going, went to the top.

On the first section to the Pastukhov rocks, the wind strength gradually increased. This section was not technically difficult, because. the steepness is not great and there are no large areas of open ice. The entire path is marked with flags. Having reached the stones at the top of the rocks, we made the first halt. I didn’t have to sit for a long time. It cooled down.

Then it got worse. Almost the entire area from the rocks to the beginning of the oblique shelf consists of open, hard “bottle” ice. In some places there are almost perfect mirrors with a length of about 5 meters. Passing through such mirrors in cats, they do not even have scratches. In addition, the following phenomenon began in this area. Whirlwinds or whirlwinds began to form from the region of the saddle against the background of a strong wind. They are clearly visible, because. drifting snow and tuff sand rotate at high speed in these whirlwinds. Whirlwinds moved from the saddle through the Pastukhov rocks to the east. At the edges of such a vortex, the wind speed increased significantly. When you get into such a whirlwind, it seems that you are grabbed by the backpack and actually dragged a meter down. Because whirlwinds, and their direction of movement is clearly visible, the following tactics were used. A few seconds before hitting the whirlwind, you need to drive the front teeth deeper, drive the ice ax sideways and stand between the teeth and the ice ax and hold on until the wind subsides. At least, in this position it does not tear off. In this mode, it took 1.5 hours to get to the oblique shelf, passing dangerous sections during a strong wind on all fours, for 3 cycles. Open ice throughout.

It became easier on the oblique shelf, because. the whirlwinds were already flying below us, and the ice was replaced by a hard firn and the steepness decreased. It is very tedious and difficult psychologically to walk along the slanting shelf, although technically the section is easier. The steepness in some places is 30 degrees and firn. Before reaching the saddle 2.5 hours. At the saddle the wind became quieter. In half an hour we reached the ruins of the hut, almost along a flat area. Here they heated a seagull on gas. The cylinders were filled with our usual gas, which we bought in the winter. This gas works in the cold much better than "native". Backpacks with equipment were secured to the remains of the hut.

From the hut to the western peak there is an open ice slope of 45 degrees of steepness. That's the right way to go to the top. First, we move traverse the slope of the western summit to the north to a small rocky ridge. From there climb up about 100m 40 deg then walk along the plateau to the top.

At the top, the wind died down completely and it became warm. They even took off their masks. We were shown fabulous pictures of a sea of ​​clouds with islands of five-thousanders of the Caucasus sticking out of them. We touched the same cobblestone on top with a blue sign “300 years of the fleet”, which is currently the highest point in Russia. And they unfurled the MAI flag on the western peak on May 11, 2000 at 14.00. By the way, this same flag has been at the North Pole, and at the orbital space station MIR, and many other places.

They went downhill very carefully, remembering how on the descents they fly away on bare ice into the corpse collector and about other troubles. Rest often. In general, the descent was easier, because. the wind has decreased significantly. But walking on the icy mirrors downhill is harder. At the Pastukhov rocks we found ourselves in a terrible cloud cover. Visibility dropped to 5m. In this situation, the compass helped a lot, in which a huge bubble inflated from the height, and the knowledge of azimuths from Pastukhov to rocks 9, and from rocks 9 to barrels. It is recommended to pre-calculate them on the map. If we had not done this, then for sure we would have needed the equipment we had taken. Up to 9 rocks they got, looking for each next milestone from 5-20 minutes. It's not so easy, and even all sorts of extra milestones are poked. So we went to the ridge to the rocks 9. From the rocks they also went in azimuth and ran into barrels. Moreover, the cloudiness hung 100m above the barrels. We were on the barrels around 9 pm.

We spent the night on barrels. In the morning we went down to the cable car. The weather is sunny, and Elbrus was perfectly visible. Goodbye like this...

Goodbye Grandpa, don't cough?!

Weather in May in the city of Elbrus - in detail

May is the last spring month before the start of summer. gradually increases in May. So, if the average temperature at the beginning is +8°C (+8°C during the day, +7°C at night), then the average temperature at the end in the city of Elbrus is +11°C (+13°C during the day, +13°C at night). C).

The average in May is 68%. At the same time, the humidity at the beginning of the month is 66%, at the end of the month - 64%.

Weather in May in the city of Elbrus in different years

The coldest day in the world was in 2017. The average temperature was only +3°C. It was May 24, 2017.

The warmest day in the world was in 2014. The average temperature reached +17°С. It was May 31, 2014.

The temperature for each day in May in the city of Elbrus in different years is presented on the graph below:

Average monthly temperature in May in Elbrus

The most was in 2017. The average temperature was only +7°C.

The most was in 2014. The average temperature reached +13°С.

The graph of the average monthly temperature in the city of Elbrus in May for different years clearly demonstrates this:

Weather records in Elbrus in May

Monitors the weather in the city of Elbrus since 2014. Every year, every month and almost every day in a particular city, nature sets climatic records. The information about the minimum and maximum temperatures in Elbrus in May is below.

I have not yet been in serious mountains, a maximum of 3100 m (the ascent on the Montblanc gondola at 3842 m does not count). So I had no idea how Elbrus would be tough for me. But so that life does not seem like honey, it was decided to take a snowboard with you in order to drag it to the top and then go down on it. Regarding the expediency of the last idea, doubts arose immediately after collecting things. A tightly stuffed 90l backpack, a board tied on top, another 45l backpack on top. The whole structure pulled 34 kg, and it was not very clear how to climb uphill in the snow with all this. Okay, we'll survive somehow...

Day 1,2 - arrival

I flew from Vienna to Mineralnye Vody with a transfer in Moscow. Another five conquerors traveled by train from Kyiv to Pyatigorsk. I arrived a day early and the plan was to meet them the next morning at the railway station.

In Moscow, it turned out that I needed to move from one Sheremetyevo to another. When leaving Sheremetyevo-2, I was simply stunned by taxi drivers, who seemed impossible to fight off. Later, I realized that taxi drivers are just such a unique subspecies of people, unlike anyone else. In the meantime, I moved to Sheremetyevo-1 by bus and then flew to Min without any problems. Water

The problems started right there. My construction of a puffy backpack with a snowboard laced to it never appeared among other luggage. It was very sad, because. ruined all plans. I filled out a bunch of forms there, the woman involved in the loss of luggage called Moscow, and in the meantime I was placed in a hotel - at the expense of Aeroflot. The hotel is right next to the airport, in a very ascetic style, with multiple rooms. But cheap - up to 100 rubles per night. In the evening, the woman in charge of luggage cheered me up that the backpack had been found and should arrive on tomorrow's flight. "If they don't forget," she added after a pause. In general, a very pleasant woman, and knows her job perfectly.

In short, plans have been adjusted. The rest of the group landed on the trail. day in Min. Waters and went to me at the airport, because. there was also a bus station. In general, we met safely and went to buy bus tickets to Tyrnyauz, fighting off taxi drivers along the way and maneuvering between police posts.

And you have to buy tickets on the bus, - said the cashier, - if he comes again. Yesterday, for example, was not.

Hmm... In the meantime, I went to the airport to meet my flight. With bated breath, I followed the baggage claim and almost shed a tear when I saw my native green clumsy snowboard. In general, as it turned out, luggage almost never arrives from European destinations the first time. A German sitting next to him remarked: “Obviously, it just takes one day to transport luggage from one Sheremetyevo to another.” In life, I will no longer check in luggage in transit.

The bus to Tyrnyauz never arrived. But there was a bus to Nalchik, and we went there. In Nalchik, we became an unwitting reason for a showdown between taxi drivers. As usual, they swooped down on us in a flock: “Where are you going? To Tyrnyauz? Sit down, we’ll fly with a breeze, there will be no more buses today. It was true, the last bus had already left. But there were buses.

The taxi driver wanted 2000 rubles, we refused. Then another taxi driver comes up and says so quietly: “Guys, that dude, of course, turned down, I’ll take you for 1000.” We figured it out, it looks good. We started loading into his bus. However, the upstart was not understood by his comrades in the profession. In general, they quietly took him somewhere, probably to explain the policy and the code of honor of taxi drivers. After modestly waiting a few minutes, we got out and transferred to a minibus. She left in 20 minutes, the poor taxi driver had not returned by that time. By the way, we paid a total of 530 rubles for the minibus ...

In Tyrnyauz, we, as foreign citizens of distant Ukraine, had to register. But it was Sunday in the yard, it was getting dark, and tomorrow is May 1, and there the 2nd ... In short, of course, everything was closed. We are sad on the road. Here comes a cheerful taxi driver. We explain the situation.

Oh, you need a boss. He is at the wedding now. Wait, I have his wife's phone number...

In general, half an hour later, the chief himself arrived and practically put registrations on the ball for us, he didn’t even take money for the trouble. A good man ... In gratitude to the taxi driver, we drove his car and his friend's car to Terskol. Along the way, we saw traces of an avalanche that came down a few years ago. A very impressive sight, the trees all around were felled strictly in one direction.

Actually, our campaign began in Terskol. We decided to go to Cheget before dark. After a while, three young men in uniform and with machine guns come forward:

Border zone. Where are you heading? Is there a pass? No? Then you can't come here.

But it turned out that you can go along another path, we crawl further up. After 15 minutes, the same trio catches up with us:

Sorry, you can't come here either.
- Where can you?
- You can't go anywhere, come back.

Angry from the fact that the entire journey was in vain, we descend. In general, you can’t be on Cheget at night. We walk along the road back to Terskol, on the way we quietly turn into the forest and set up our 2 tents there. It is forbidden, here the territory of the Elbrus National Park (NNP) is everywhere. Campfires are also prohibited, but we don't care. This long day ends with us patiently sitting around the fire at night and waiting for 40 minutes for the tea to finally boil in the pot...

Day 3 - start of the journey

We get up late, at 9-30, we leave at 12. We walk along the highway past Terskol to Azau. Azau is the starting point of the ascent, the height is 2350 m. Cable cars run here, but we want everything to be fair, so we will climb on foot. Before leaving, we decide to refresh ourselves. The sun, the air, a plate of hot delicious vats, khachans (they are khichins, they are khychins), a glass of cold ayran - beauty ... These were our last hours of rest - I mean, passive rest.

And then active rest began, or rather, it did not even begin, but simply fell upon us. Slowly we crawl up through the snow. The backpack ruthlessly puts pressure on the shoulders, on the belt, it hurts the back, legs buzz in difficult areas, sometimes the boots go deep into the snow, sometimes they slide down. And this is just the beginning. No, I won't come...

But gradually you find your rhythm, a second wind opens up. And now, from time to time, you even raise your head to look around, some thoughts begin to stir in your head again. Basically, you get used to it. Gradually we break away with Timur from the rest, our intermediate goal is the Stary Krugozor cable car station. At first it seems close, then very close, then VERY close. And we all go, go, go ... At the end it is especially hard, the strength is running out, the rise seems steeper. But sooner or later we are at the top, with relief we take off, or rather even drop, take off our backpacks.

Half an hour later, the rest come up, we move on. But we're not going long. Firstly, a couple of people were very tired, and secondly, we found an excellent picturesque place for a tent on the ridge. We decide not to tear our claws anymore and camp here for the night. The decision turned out to be correct, soon it began to snow, visibility dropped sharply - we would not have gone far.

At night there is a very strong wind, snow is falling, the tent is making noise with might and main. In the morning the weather is bad, but it's a pity - because from here, in theory, there would be beautiful views. We leave again late, at 11-30. Only a little passed, as the sun came out and instantly you find yourself in a different world. It became unbearably hot, and I packed light things to the very bottom. I had to repack the whole backpack in the snow.

Our next goal is the Mir station. In general, it’s a shame, of course, to walk a little along the cable car, when everyone around you carelessly climbs it, and then just as fun descends on skis and boards. Too much civilization. But on the other hand, we felt like stars for a while. There were a lot of people who wanted to take a picture with these tough guys, who, in shorts and T-shirts, stubbornly drag huge ryuks up. Closer to the "Mir" photo shoots began to replace us with breaks for rest, all the skiers were ours.

Oh, are you going to the very top? How I envy you!

Hmm, I certainly didn’t envy myself during the ascent ... But here we are on the spot, heading to the cafe. Hot sea buckthorn tea seems unrealistically delicious, we drink several cups. At 14:00 we go further. Styopa and Andrey are still to rest. Styopa, by the way, is the only one who took skis with him on the trip. He skis, I snowboard.

Meanwhile, the rest of the four go on their way. Very slowly, but almost without pauses (mainly for photo shoots), we reach the “barrels”. There is another rest. I take off my backpack and then I find trouble - my belt dangles unfastened. But there hung a case with a camera. Just in case, I decide to go back down lightly and I'm lucky - after 150 meters in the snow I find my camera.

That's it, no lifts go further. But retracers go. One of them overtakes us, and the crowd shouts something merrily to us from him. We force smiles in response. We are getting closer and closer to our final goal, the Shelter-11 camp. The road here is not steep and razretrachennaya, it is easier to go. You can already see the shelter, the last climb is left before it. On this climb, we almost died. The weather was a great incentive to go. The sun has gone, the wind has risen. At an altitude of 4200 it became cold to be in shorts, and there was no strength to change clothes. All that was left was to go, step by step.

But here we are at the camp. I can’t catch my breath, although the backpack has been lying around for a long time. While Zhmen, Artem and Timur are setting up their tent, I am contacting Andrey and Styopa. They will not reach the shelter today, they are pitching our tent near the barrels. I decide to lightly go down to them on a snowboard.

It was a bad idea, I just can't describe how bad it is. It is very difficult to go down - deep virgin soil, severe shortness of breath. But the main thing is that you can’t see a damn thing around, everything around is white. Where to go, I could guess only by the slope of the road. It got to the point that I often really could not understand whether I was driving or standing still at a given moment in time. The world existed in the form of me, a snowboard and white color around, a pure "Matrix".

I went down for a while, then I realized that it was unrealistic. Moreover, it was impossible to return. I vaguely saw from behind the beginning of a ridge of stones, which was supposed to lead back to the shelter, and wandered towards it through deep snow. How hard it was! I took 2 steps and fell down. Oddly enough, walking turned out to be much more difficult than before with a heavy backpack. I got to the stones and then somehow climbed over them. The distance to the shelter was ridiculous - 100-150 meters, but I walked them for ages, step by step, stone by stone, and between them rest, rest and rest. Sometimes I even thought that I would not make it.

At some point in time, a shelter worker saw me. Having quit his job, he looked at me incredulously for some time, and then called somewhere: “Imagine, I work here, and suddenly a silhouette of a black snowboarder grows up from behind the stones” ...

We had to sleep four of us in one tent, it was crowded. Plus, the height began to affect, the head buzzed. Until 3 o'clock I could not fall asleep at all until I ate a pill.

Day 5 - acclimatization №1

In the morning visibility is again zero, "milk". A large crowd went to acclimatization. You can't see anything around, you can hardly see the footprints of the person ahead of you below. Oddly enough, I go without any tension at all. Maybe I got used to the height a little, maybe because of the air - it is clean, windy and cold, it refreshes well. We walked for 2 hours, did not reach the Pastukhov rocks (4800 m), about 100 m. Ice began there, and no one had cats with them.

At 3 we returned to the camp. At 4 Styopa and Andrey came up. There was nowhere to put a tent in the old shelter, so we had to clear a place outside. In the meantime, the weather cleared up, went with Styopa to jump from the springboard, finally it was possible to use the snowboard for its intended purpose, and not just drag it behind your back.

I can't sleep again. Strange - 3 o'clock in the morning, and there is no desire to sleep, it is even difficult to keep your eyes closed. I had to eat the wheel again from the head.

Day 6 - acclimatization №2

The next day we decided to do another acclimatization, this time we took cats with us. According to tradition, we left not early - about 12, the weather, as usual, was not good. But I still decided to take a snowboard, there was an evil confidence that it would clear up by lunchtime. Moreover, in vain do I carry this board with me?!

We reached Pastukhov's rocks quickly, further along the ice in crampons. The going is pretty steep, and the ice is splintered. Snowboarding is not allowed here. Here it serves only as a sail under gusts of wind. We reached about 4900 with Zhmen and Timur, Styopa and Andrey stopped a little lower, Artyom generally decided to stay in the camp.

Before the descent, we decided to take a photo on duty. Timur moves a little further with a camera, then stumbles and falls down. The ice is smooth, the angle is not weak, so Timur glided for a long time, holding the camera in his outstretched hand. About a hundred meters later he was stopped by some island of snow, which happened to be on the way. Timur was not injured, which cannot be said about the camera. The batteries flew out, and the card was no longer readable (I saved the pictures later). Gentle technique went ...

Okay, let's go down. It’s a shame, of course, to drag a snowboard down, but I’m not so suicidal yet to ride on such sections - it’s simply unrealistic to go down here. In the meantime, the weather has really cleared up.

At the foot of the cliffs Pastukhov Styopa was just putting on his ski boots. It was a pleasure to drive to the shelter - the coverage is super, the nature around is super, the track is super. We arrived very quickly. I wanted to go further and further, but I was stopped by the thought that later I would have to climb all this way on foot. At the shelter, the people built a beautiful springboard, it is a pity that they no longer had the strength to jump on it.

Day 7 - climb

Good weather was promised for today, so it was decided to try to climb to the top. Getting up at 3 o'clock is not a problem for me, I still can't sleep. By the time we got ready, we got out only at 5. It was snowing, headlamps illuminated the path in the dark. The snowboard was left at the camp, unfortunately, there is no point in taking it.

Acclimatization is still a good thing, walking is quite easy. I am slowly breaking away from the group, until yesterday's record of 4900 I go without any pauses at all. There, too, I do not linger, I energetically rise higher and higher, overtaking small groups and single tourists along the way. The bright sun comes out on the right, the breeze blows on the left. The ice section is long and steep, but it is not difficult to go, the cats bite into the ice reliably. You can already see the traverse - a long path to the left, with snow cover and a less steep climb. It looks like it will be easier to go there.

Hell no! On this trail, I almost threw back my hooves. Traverse is a mega insidious thing. It's just endless. You seem to see the end somewhere, but you don’t get any closer to it. It is very difficult to go, the height is already more than 5000. The most important thing is not to turn back. Pauses must be done very often, otherwise the head is spinning, nausea sets in. On this trail, I slowed down specifically.

Gradually, Artyom began to catch up with me, and I decided to wait for him. I was thirsty, but Styopa and me had a bottle of tea left with the latter. While I'm waiting, the radio rings - Andrei has problems with cats, he returns to the camp.

Artyom has an interesting gait - he walks very slowly and his legs are somehow tangled. It feels like it's about to fall. But he goes on and on without stopping. Therefore, in the end, Artem outperformed all of us.

And I finally reached the saddle, 5300 m. There, at the fork, I almost went to the Eastern peak (we need to go to the Western one). Climbing there is hard - 2 steps on virgin soil and you fall into the snow, trying to restore your breath. Walking at this altitude was generally very difficult. I decided to wait for the others, climbed to some hill, from where the path was perfectly visible.

An hour later Zhmen appeared, followed by Timur and Styopa at regular intervals. Together we reached the end of the saddle and rested for 20 minutes under powerful gusts of wind. Finally, we slowly made our way upstairs. It is still difficult to go, but I already knew that I would be able to ascend today. We had a carload of time, the weather was sunny, so we could afford long breaks. During one of them we were met by Artem, who was already going down.

Closer to the top, the gusts of wind really blow you off your feet, especially when the wind is sudden. And yet we overcome the last lift and around 13-00 we climb the highest point in Europe, 5642 m! The feeling is unforgettable - in order to stand here, it was worth going all this way. There are mountains and clouds below you on all sides, above you there is only a blue sky and a bright sun. And the wind whistles around...

Slowly, let's go down. We have nowhere to hurry, the main goal of the trip has been completed. The descent also lasted endlessly, closer to the camp, no one had any strength left. I was pleased with the thought that tomorrow it would finally be down, and there chanakhi, ayran ...

Day 8 - descent

Andrei gets up at 2 am, he will make another attempt to climb, this time he will take Styopa's cats. Another group gathers quickly in the morning and heads down. Stepa and I are in no hurry. We have skis and snowboard, we will go down faster. True, I don’t know yet how I will go down on the board with 30 kg behind my shoulders, but I try not to think about it.

In the morning, the state of health is not very good. Sore throat, but that's not the point. The main thing is that my face burned badly. With difficulty, I stuff a throat pill into the gap between my swollen and cracked lips. I feel that I don’t look good, we don’t have a mirror, so I take a picture of my face.

Hmm ... A terrible mixture of unshaven, shabby and burnt. I have never looked so scared in my life. Even when he cut his hair bald, definitely. And all because he did not cover his face with anything and did not smear with creams. Well, I can’t cover my face - at a height there is already little air, and if I breathe through a scarf, then I just suffocated. The face created 2 problems. Firstly, it was impossible to blow your nose - it's terribly uncomfortable and painful. Secondly, it was impossible to eat, for the same reason.

Be that as it may, Styopa and I got together, left the tent for Andrei and began to prepare for the descent. The weather in the morning was terrible as usual, then it seemed to clear up, but by 12 the clouds began to descend. Andrey got in touch - he reached the saddle, the weather does not let him go further, he will have to return.

And we started descending. At first, it is very difficult to ride, it is simply unrealistic to control a huge backpack behind your back on a snowboard. It is also incredibly difficult to get up after a fall. Getting up on a snowboard is generally not a trivial task, and if you are in deep snow on a flat surface and have 33 kg behind you, then this is forty times harder. And when you fall on your back, it's about the same as if the beetle lies on its back and cannot roll over onto its stomach. And there were also flat areas on the virgin soil, on which you had to plod with a board in your hands. In general, I suffered specifically.

But after the barrels it became easier. There the descent begins steeper, and at speed it is easier to go. I even started to enjoy the ride. I was already falling only from fatigue, only fatigue became more and more over time. The undoubted disadvantage of snowboarding is that you cannot stop to rest (unlike skiing). You must definitely sit down, and each rise with a backpack and the beginning of the path takes a lot of energy.

But overall, it was interesting. It was the longest descent in my life, it lasted almost 2 hours. At the bottom there was already a mixture of wet virgin soil and mud, but somehow I got to the finish line. The whole company was already sitting at the table of the Leila cafe and feasting. I immediately ordered a long-awaited plate of vats, but did not enjoy the meal. Eating hot vats with swollen lips was one torment.

We also saw an avalanche coming down from the mountains. They say it's small, but still impressive. And it makes quite a noise.

This was the end of our joint trip. Zhmen, Timur and Artem were leaving the next day, and Styopa and Andrey and I had 5 more days to kill for something. The first three went into the forest to pitch a tent, Andrei was still upstairs in the shelter, and Styopa and I went to look for an inexpensive hotel.

Rooms for 500 rubles seemed expensive to us, and we were offered the Cellar for 300 rubles. The name, to be honest, did not inspire much, but the Cellar turned out to be a great place. It was located right below the lower cable car station and everything was there. Mainly it's water. She no longer needed to be extracted from the snow, she could finally wash her hair, shave, wash, brush her teeth ... And going to the toilet at night ceased to be a heroic feat. In short, the Cellar turned out to be just a paradise.

Day 9 - rest

Today we wanted to go skiing. There is practically only one track here, but it's just great. Unfortunately, this plan proved unworkable. The queue for the cable car lasts at least an hour, it was unrealistic to wait that long.

They took the second group to the bus in Terskol, where I finally changed money. Currency exchange in the Caucasus is not a trivial task. Before that, I lived for a week on 10 euros, which I changed at the Moscow airport.

We went with Styopa to the clearing of the Narzans, which is 4 km from Terskol. There are about 3 springs with narzan, the taste is quite interesting, it gives off iron. It was also cool to scare civilized tourists with video cameras and cameras, which were brought in crowds on buses. Some recoiled from me immediately, others could not take their eyes off me for a long time, and others made comments like “God, how scary.” I tell them - do not drink a lot of Narzan, otherwise the same thing will happen to you. They don't believe...

In the evening we met with Andrey, settled him in our "cellar". Andrei is upset that he could not get up. But in the following days the weather was even worse. We climbed on the 5th of May (Andrey tried again on the 6th), and a few days later we are informed that on the 9th of May a group of 14 people got stuck on the saddle due to bad weather conditions. At the moment, 7 corpses have been found, the search continues. Yes, mountains are a dangerous thing...

Day 10 - Cheget

Having slept enough, we directed our feet to Mount Cheget. There we climbed on the cable car as far as possible and made an attempt to climb to the top. The attempt failed. Snow fell, visibility dropped, there was no point in going further, still nothing was visible. Styopa and I also rode on the Cheget tracks, but I didn’t like it - there was a lot of snow, it was all wet, there were holes all around. I felt like I was on a snowboard for the first time.

In the end, we descended almost to the very bottom (to where there was enough snow), although the track was officially closed. We went to the forest for the night in the same place where we spent the night on the very first night. Seems like a long time ago...

Day 11-13 - Saray Mountain

The remaining days, it was decided to kill on an easy hike around the outskirts of Nalchik. I bought a guidebook for Kabardino-Balkaria, it temptingly described the route through Sarai-mountain to the Blue Lakes, 50 km long.

Having reached Nalchik, I had to withstand another attack by taxi drivers. Still, these are interesting guys, only with them such dialogues are possible:

Guys, where are you?
- Nowhere.
- And how many of you?
...
Let's take you to the railway station.
We don't need to go to the railway station.
- How is it not necessary? The train leaves early today!
...
- Guys, let's go to Terskol.
Yes, we just got there.
- So what?

In general, we handed over unnecessary things to the storage room, we got to the village by minibus. Hasanya and started our trip. The route to Sarai-mountain is theoretically marked with red and white marks on the trees. In practice, the marks often disappeared, but we searched for them again further. After a few hours of travel, the markers disappeared for about 20 minutes, and then the trail disappeared, just dissolved. But a road appeared, we decided to slap along it to the left (as it turned out later, this was true). Then we went to the river and turned downstream at the fork (as it turned out later, it was a mistake). And then the road crossed the river. I had to take off my shoes and cross over. Then again. And further.

When the river stood in our way for the fourth time, we were offended. We decided to spend the night here and head back tomorrow. It’s a pity, of course, that we didn’t get to the lakes, but what can you do. It rained all the way, the path and the road almost always consisted of one dirt. But in general, it went well, and the places are beautiful - a river, a forest, mountains, rocks ...

In the morning we went back, and reached very quickly. We pitched a tent in a clearing about 5 km from Khasanya. On the way, we discovered deposits of wild garlic, which turned out to be very tasty. Got a full bag.

The next day, the long-awaited sun came out, and for a long time we could not force ourselves to get up from the rugs. Finally managed to dry things. Then we returned to the bus station, and from there by bus to Ming. Water In Min. Waters regular control, checking passports. A man in uniform definitely liked my international passport with a bunch of visas, and he ordered me to follow him to the closet.

From Elbrus? They say yours got stuck there, right? ... Well, what can you tell us, Yuri?
- What can I tell you?
- Well ... give us a magarych! How much is your salary there in Europe? ... Why are you giving 100 rubles in total, give me more!

In general, it was fun ... We settled in the same cheap hotel where I was waiting for my luggage.

On the trail. day Styopa and Andrey were leaving by train at 12 noon, and in the morning we decided to hit the road quickly on the train to Essentuki, to drink some water. Andrei still had to change 20 bucks, but as it turned out, in Min. There are no exchangers in the waters (however, this has ceased to surprise me). Everyone advised me to turn to the “currency traders” hanging around at the station. The currency traders turned out to be those hucksters, their exchange rate was rather low, but there was no choice.

Essentuki has a large park, a beautiful fountain and mineral water, No. 4 and No. 17. There is cold water, there is hot water. You can drink as much as you like, you can't collect. But people quietly fill the bottles. Officially, a liter costs 7 rubles.

Then we parted ways. Styopa and Andrey went to Pyatigorsk, from where they got a train. I had a plane tomorrow morning, so I decided to fly back to Kislovodsk. Kislovodsk is just a super-mega city. A huge park with 3 long routes, a mountain river, everything is picturesque, clean and well maintained. There is a very beautiful central boulevard, a large church, there is even a local history museum-fortress. It’s a pity, I didn’t see Elbrus, although the weather was clear. I climbed one of the paths up the mountain, even rode on some ferris wheel - it was not visible. Obviously close the nearby mountains.

They also give some water - carbonate, narzan and others. Got drunk on everything. In general, walking around Kislovodsk is a pleasure, I did not expect the city to be so pleasant.

Good afternoon, may I have a look at your documents?
- Sure, please.
- Yeah ... Let's go to the office.

Damn, the valiant Russian police still spoiled the day a little. Where is your registration (Tyrnyauz does not fit)? And the hotel ticket? And the air ticket? And the bus ticket? What about insurance? How is there nothing??? Well then you're in, man.

I gave them 10 euros in money, they didn’t want to take it yet, everyone asked in rubles. I don’t have extra rubles, you can change it yourself. In general, I realized that it was no longer safe to stay in this city, and hastily retreated to Ming. Waters, where he arrived, fortunately, no one else detained. And on the trail. the day flew away safely, taking with him a bunch of impressions from the trip.

Instead of a conclusion

And finally, the case of the ram. Once we return with Styopa from Terskol to Azau. Here we see a young ram standing on the road 100 meters ahead. There is only one asphalt around the ram, i.e. there is no way to cut the grass. What else can be done in this life, the ram did not know, and therefore bleated plaintively.

The ram stood exactly in the middle of the road on the dividing strip, facing our direction, and against the backdrop of the mountains was beautiful. Wanting to cheer up the animal, I made him a reciprocal "beee." The reaction was unexpected - delighted with the help that had come, the ram, as if on wings, rushed towards us. Before reaching 20 meters, he stopped in disbelief. Something told him that we were not from his circle - the ram turned around and ran to its original position.

Just then a car began to approach. By all the rules of the road, the driver decided to go around the obstacle, bleating exactly in the middle of the road, on the left. Wanting to make the task easier for the driver, the ram ran away from the road. And also to the left. Thus, the car was pushed to the side of the road, but by some miracle managed to slip through, only slightly catching the lamb. The same, in turn, unexpectedly quickly found a way out into his barn (or whatever they call it) and disappeared into the green juicy grasses. Full happy ending.

In early May, Elbrus is very popular. Firstly, because the May holidays account for many non-working days, which allow you to meet the "classic" terms for mountain climbing. And secondly, in early May, the region attracts a lot of athletes, because. speed climbing competitions are organized - Red Fox Elbrus Race. Consider these factors as you will need to buy plane tickets and book accommodation (including in shelters) in advance.

And many more go to Elbrus in May to open their season - to get enough acclimatization and prepare, for example, for climbing in the Pamirs or other high mountain regions.

View of the northern slopes of Elbrus © Evgeny Pismenny

Climbing Elbrus is usually not technically difficult. Nevertheless, rapidly changing weather conditions, strong winds, the difficulty of orienteering in conditions of limited visibility in bad weather, require mountain climbers to take all seriousness in preparing and conducting the ascent. Every year, the slopes of Elbrus gather victims of unpreparedness and frivolity.

About climbing Elbrus in May. Evgeniy Pismenny

Region Features

Before you plan to climb Elbrus in May, you need to take into account some features of the region. Firstly, the unstable weather in the Elbrus region - winter has not yet passed, and summer has not begun. You must be ready for this. Secondly, there is still a fair amount of snow in the region at this time - during acclimatization trips to different heights, you will definitely encounter this. Thirdly, while climbing Elbrus on the side of a mountain, you may have to deal with ice - winds tend to blow snow off the mountain, and the slopes are exposed. For example, on the south side, ice areas are exposed from a height of 4,500-4,800 meters and stretch up to 5,000-5,100 meters. These areas cause considerable difficulties and it is necessary to prepare for them. Your crampons should be well sharpened, be sure to have an ice ax and some ice screws with you just in case (you may need to organize insurance).

Descent on the ice on the southern slope of Elbrus © Evgeny Pismenny

Weather on Elbrus in May

On the slopes of Elbrus in May, you need to be prepared for extremely low temperatures - I know from my own experience that it can drop to -57°C. This is the so-called "feeling temperature" - when a hard frost combined with a strong cold wind feels like -57°C. At the same time, down in the valley, when the weather is sunny, it is quite warm. Sometimes you can even strip down to a T-shirt. But at the top, harsh temperatures from -25 to -40 ° C reign. Especially at night and early in the morning.

But there is good news too! Since summer has not yet arrived on the slopes of Elbrus in May, it is unlikely that you will fall into a thunderstorm.

Routes. Which to choose?

The most popular route for climbing Elbrus in May is the route from the south. On the south side, the infrastructure is well organized: hotels are ready to receive visitors, cable cars work. In addition, climbing can be combined, for example, with skiing.

You can organize an ascent from the north side. But keep in mind that the road will not be cleared of snow yet, and you will have to walk some distance to the camp - the car may not pass. Before planning your trip, check this question. As a rule, the road to the base camp is cleared of snow in late May - early June. Then the cars begin to carry visitors directly to the camp in Emmanuel's clearing.

View of the Elbrus peaks. Northern Shelter © Evgeny Pismenny

In May, camps are already open on the north side - there are not many of them, so plan in advance where you will live and in which shelters you will stay. Contact local managers or operators and book your place.

If Elbrus is your first ascent, then I would recommend doing it in the summer months. Simply because summer is much warmer than May. But if you have already decided on May, it would be nice to use the services of local guides. Without experience, it can be very dangerous on the slopes of the mountain, and the guides will provide you with additional safety net.

Clothes on Elbrus in May

As I have already noted, on Elbrus at this time there are very low temperatures and strong cold winds blow. So, you need high-quality clothes. If possible, it is better to buy it. But if this is not possible, then you can always rent everything you need. There are several rentals in the Elbrus region, they will fully provide you with clothes and equipment.

I am often asked the question: “Do I need to take a warm jacket or warm boots? They will be hot." To which I answer: yes, you should definitely take it. Hot - not cold: if it is hot, it is better to leave these clothes in a shelter or in a hotel. Take everything you have and never be afraid that it will be hot. Especially in the May ascent. From practice, I can say that clothes in the spring months have never been superfluous: people always put on everything they have and no one regretted it.

Early morning before the summit. Climbers are wearing all layers of clothing, and their faces and heads are covered as much as possible from the cold and wind © Sport-Marathon Team

You need to dress in layers. First layer: thermal underwear, then - fleece, downy sweater. These first three layers provide good thermal insulation. The next layer is a membrane jacket that protects against moisture and wind. And the last layer, as a rule, is a down jacket, which gives an additional layer of warmth and protects against frostbite. It must be with a hood - it performs a very important function, preventing hypothermia. If you're lucky with the weather, after 10-11 hours the sun will come out, it will become warmer and you may have to take off your jacket. But from personal experience I can say that in May, especially at the beginning of the month, we spend the whole day in down jackets.

The face must be protected with a balaclava. Sometimes you need to put on a ski mask on top - so as not to frostbite your nose, lips and cheeks. But if the weather clears up, the mask can be replaced with sunglasses.

The legs should also have several layers. The first is thermal underwear. Then - fleece pants (the warmer the better). And then there is the membrane. Sometimes at the box office they give out pants with insulation. You can also wear them - it will definitely not be hot.

Climbing boots

Boots must be double layered. These can be plastic models or boots made of modern technological materials, but they must be two-layer. As a rule, it is very cold in single-layer boots. Sometimes single-layer boots are complemented by shoe covers that completely cover and protect them. And cats are put on top. You can also walk in this combination, but from personal experience I can say that this whole design is not very comfortable, because cats constantly cling to shoe covers.

As for the rental, there you will always be given two-layer boots.

Equipment

Spring ice on the slopes of Elbrus is quite hard. So, the cats must be well sharpened. You must have an ice ax or some kind of tool with you. And it is absolutely necessary to have a few ice screws with you just in case. You will also need to take a rope - from 25 to 50 meters. As for the ligaments - to walk or not to walk depends on the situation and the level of training of the participants. If we are talking about climbing the northern slope, then there are sections that must be climbed in bundles - because there are a lot of cracks. On the south side, along the classical ascent path, everything is safe and there are no cracks. There are no links needed. However, sometimes guides are tied to their participants with ropes to provide additional security.

Acclimatization before climbing

Before you climb Elbrus, you need to go through acclimatization and prepare the body for stress at altitude - the month of May is no exception. On the south side, there are several programs that involve additional ascent or additional climb. Some acclimatize on the slope of Mount Cheget - they rise to a height of 3,500-3,700 meters: they use the cable car, then they walk some distance and descend back to the village. Now acclimatization trips to the observatory through the Maiden Spit waterfall, up to a height of 3,000-3,100 meters, have become quite popular. But here you need to take into account, again, that there is still a lot of snow, and in some area you will have to do something about it. Then they usually go up to the shelters and acclimatize already by climbing up to the Pastukhov rocks at an altitude of 4,700 meters. In May, on Elbrus, snow usually still lies up to the intermediate station of the cable car at an altitude of 3,000 meters, and the two upper lines of the cable car are in operation. This means that you can combine acclimatization with skiing or snowboarding.

On the north side, the program involves climbing up to the Lenz Rocks at a height of approximately 4,600 meters.

Acclimatization trips to the Maiden Spit waterfall (2,800 m) and to the Peak Terskol observatory © Pavel Laktyushkin, mountain guide and content manager at Sport Marathon

Which acclimatization program to choose is up to you, the main thing is that you pass it. Because it depends on how well you will feel and, in the end, how successful the climb to Elbrus will be. The program lasts 3-4 days and involves climbing to a height, descending, good rest and food.

The program of climbing Elbrus in May (as in other months), together with acclimatization, lasts from 7 to 12 days - it all depends on your experience.

The classic climbing program involves a day of rest before going up the mountain. It is needed for the body to recover from the loads that accompanied the acclimatization exits. And after a day of rest, you can plan the tactics of climbing.

Day 1 - Arrival to the "Climbing Elbrus from the South".

Arrival of the group in the city of Mineralnye Vody at the airport or railway station (bus station) before 14:30. The best options for arriving in the region: by plane or by train to the city of Mineralnye Vody.

Meeting of the group at the Mineralnye Vody airport.

Transfer to the village of Terskol (2000 meters above sea level) of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Transfer to Terskol 3.5-4 hours (from the city of Mineralnye Vody to Terskol about 190 km) along the mountain road to Elbrus.

Accommodation in the village of Terskol in two-three-four-bed standard rooms with private facilities in the hotel "Salam", "Snow Leopard", "Smile Hotel", in the hotel "Peak of Europe" in the village of Elbrus or another equivalent level.

(Single accommodation in a hotel of any level is organized for those wishing to book in advance).

Acquaintance of the guide with the group. Welcome dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 - Acclimatization hike to Mount Cheget up to a height of 3000 meters.

Breakfast. Today we have an acclimatization walk to the slopes of Mount Cheget-Tau-Chana (in common people - Cheget) up to a height of 3000 meters or to the slopes of Terskol Peak through the waterfall "Maiden's Braids" to the observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (at the discretion of the guide).

From the slopes of Mount Cheget, in good weather, a beautiful view of Elbrus, Donguz-Orun, Nakra and other most beautiful peaks of the region opens up. On Cheget, it is recommended not to use the cable car, as the best results are achieved when climbing on foot.

Light lunch with hot tea. (At the first station of the Chegetskaya cable car, you can go to the famous cafe "Ai" (translated as "Moon") and taste hot pies with meat or blueberries).

Descent and return to Terskol village. After the rest - preparation for the ascent to the high-altitude zone: inspection, selection and rental of personal climbing equipment.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 - Ascent to the mountain shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") to a height of 3800 meters. Acclimatization hike to "Shelter-11" (4200 meters) and higher to the rocks of the ridge up to a height of 4300-4400 meters.

Breakfast. Transfer Terskol - "Azau" - the lower station of the Elbrus pendulum cable car (2500 meters above sea level).

Ascent on the Elbrus pendulum cable car to the shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") - 3800 meters. The cable car has two stages: (the first stage of Azau, 2500 meters - Krugozor, 3000 meters and the second stage of Krugozor, 3000 meters - Mir, 3500 meters).

From the top station "Mir" (3500 meters) to the shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") a chair lift was laid, which, unfortunately, does not always work. In this regard, a fallback option for climbing: we climb on foot.

Accommodation at the mountain shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") or in one of the other equivalent mountain shelters: "Shelter-11" ("Diesel-Hut"), "Maria", etc.

Light lunch with hot tea.

Briefing on safety measures when staying in the highlands, rules of conduct in the mountains.

Acclimatization hike to "Shelter-11" up to a height of 4200 meters and higher to the rocks of the ridge up to a height of 4300-4400 meters.

Return to the shelter "Gara-Bashi". Rest. Fitting equipment with a guide (harnesses, crampons, etc.).

Dinner. Overnight at the shelter.

Day 4 - Acclimatization hike to the Pastukhov rocks (4600 - 4800 meters) and higher up to 5000 meters.

Breakfast. Today is an acclimatization hike to the Pastukhov rocks (4600 - 4800 meters). If the weather permits and the health of the participants, it is recommended to climb as high as possible - approximately up to 5000 meters. The decision on the height of the ascent for acclimatization is made by your mountain guide.

If necessary, railings (fixed ropes to ensure safety during ascent and descent) are hung above the Pastukhov rocks.

Classes on the technique of movement on snow and ice: walking in "cats" with an ice ax. Practicing self-holding technique in the snow.

Sightseeing tour of the region.

During the acclimatization walks, we refresh our strength with a light lunch (lunch bags with sandwiches, biscuits, etc.) and hot tea from thermoses.

Descent and return to the shelter. Dinner. Overnight at our lodge.

Day 5 - Day of rest.

Breakfast. Today is a day of rest and a day of preparation for climbing Elbrus. Also, this day can already be used to climb to the top if the group feels good and has sufficient acclimatization.

If this day is used for additional acclimatization and rest - a recommendation: go down from the shelter to one of the stations of the cable car "Mir" (3500 meters) or "Krugozor" (3000 meters) or "Azau" (2500 meters), take a walk 2-3 hours below and again climb to the shelter.

Those who wish can go skiing or snowboarding.

Preparing to climb Elbrus. In the evening we recommend to pack a backpack, "adjust" the equipment.

Dinner. Early break. Overnight at the shelter.

Day 6 - Climbing Elbrus (5642 meters).

Early rise at 2.00 am. Today is the day of climbing to the top of Elbrus. Climbing to the top of Elbrus at 3.00 (weather permitting, visibility and route conditions). In the morning we fill the thermos with hot tea, take a “pocket snack” and a lunch package with us.

Those who wish can use the ascent on a snowcat to a height of 4600 meters (Pastukhov rocks) to save time and effort (3-4 hours of time are saved on the ascent). The choice of peak (Eastern or Western) the day before - depending on the state of the group, weather, route. The decision is made by the guide in agreement with the group. The decision is binding on all members of the group.

The path to the top of Elbrus, under favorable conditions, takes 8-10 hours. If necessary, use the railings hung earlier. The deadline for reaching the summit is 13 hours. After this period, the whole group must go down. The descent takes 5-6 hours.

Dinner. Overnight at the shelter.

Day 7 - Descent to Terskol village or Reserve day for ascent.

In case of bad weather on the previous day, we can use this day as a reserve day for climbing Elbrus. In case of climbing on the previous day, we descend to the Terskol village for rest.

Breakfast. Descent on the Elbrus pendulum cable car to the Azau station. Transfer station "Azau" - settlement Terskol. Accommodation in a hotel in the village of Terskol. Rest. For those who wish, after the descent, you can order a sauna.

Festive dinner in a cafe with national cuisine. Presentation of certificates of climbing Elbrus.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 - Departure home.

Breakfast. Transfer Terskol village - Mineralnye Vody at 9 am. Departure home.

Tour cost: 38 500 rubles.

The tour price includes:

• Meeting of the group in the city of Mineralnye Vody;
• Group transfer Airport Mineralnye Vody - hotel in the village of Terskol and back. You can use the transfer if you arrive at Mineralnye Vody Airport no later than 14:30;
• Transfer from Terskol settlement to Azau station and back;
• Accompanying the group by a mountain guide throughout the program (one attempt to climb) - 1 guide for 4 people, 2 guides for 5-8 people, 3 guides for 8-12 people;
• Accommodation in a hotel in 2, 3, 4-bed rooms in Terskol settlement or Elbrus settlement - 3 days;
• Breakfast at the hotel in Terskol village - 3 breakfasts;
• Accommodation in the mountain shelter "Gara-Bashi" ("Barrels") or equivalent in terms of service level - 4 days;
• Food while staying at the mountain shelter "Gara-Bashi" for cooking;
• Cooking services, cooking 3 meals a day while staying at the shelter;
• Security (registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, communication on the route, GPS-navigator, pharmacy);
• Payment for ascent and descent on the Elbrus cable car;
• Group special equipment for ensuring safety on the route (ropes, ice screws, carabiners for organizing railings, etc.) and kitchen equipment (gas burners and cylinders, kitchen utensils, etc.);
• Elbrus climbing certificate for each participant;