Entries from Elbrus Northside
5:52 a.m. PST voicemail
Hey guys, it's Jeff. It's 5:00 (p.m.) our time. Calling to let you know that about 2:00 today we all went to the top of Mt. Elbrus. A beautiful day- No clouds, warm temperatures, no wind, total bluebird day on the summit. All are safe and well. We'll be in touch later today
Hello from high camp!
The clear skies that formed yesterday held throughout the night and we woke to a perfectly bluebird day. Eager to take advantage of the weather, we wolfed down breakfast, broke down camp, packed our backpacks and headed out onto the glacier. Despite spending yesterday off of our feet in camp waiting out the winds we quickly found our climbing rhythm again and made great time as we ascended. By noon we reached our previous high point where we cached on Friday. There we found our gear, covered in a thin layer of ice from yesterday's winds, still lashed down amongst the rocks. A falcon, doubtlessly lured by our treats saved for summit day, was curiously snooping about when we arrived but took off after catching site of our band of Gore-Tex clad climbers. Thankfully the duffel bag that held everything kept the raptor at bay and we loaded the last of our gear into our packs for the final hour's climb into high camp.
As we reached camp the low valley clouds, fueled by the midday heat, swirled up about us, at times blanketing us in a calm fog, other times parting to reveal the rest of the mountain looming above us. High camp sits at 15,200' perched amongst a band of black volcanic rocks running down from the east summit known as Lenz Rocks. Camp is quite exposed to Elbrus' infamous winds so we devoted a good amount of energy to establishing camp. As the clouds danced around us we went to work, chopping the ice out of the tent platforms, bolstering rock walls, and securely anchoring the tents. By mid-afternoon we were comfortably settled in our tents, sipping on water and doing our best to enjoy the rarified air of 15,200' and we had a couple of hours to rest and recover before dinner. As the evening shadows grew long off of the rock pinnacles standing guard above our tents we shared a hearty meal of vegetable lasagna before retiring to the sleeping bags for the night.
Tomorrow we are planning to make our summit bid for Elbrus, leaving camp around first light. We will traverse below the east summit to the saddle at over 17,500' and then climb to the west summit. We are hoping to be standing on the highest point in Russia and all of Europe by around noon local time, about 1 am (Pacific) Monday morning. The team is feeling strong and excited about tomorrow's endeavor. Keep your fingers crossed that our perfect weather holds!
Prvyet from Camp 1 -
The team is doing great. It was our third night here at Camp 1 and our bodies are adjusting well to the altitude. The winds that started blowing last evening remained constant throughout the night, with gusts up to 25 mph. Our hope was that the winds would die down by morning, but there was no noticeable change when the alarm went off at 7:00. We decided to postpone our wake up call for an hour to see if it might improve, but no such luck. Just as the winds would let up 15 minutes later they would return to full force. Since establishing Camp 2 in these conditions would be very difficult we chose to take a weather day instead. Although it can be difficult to wait out a rest day knowing our summit push is approaching, the down time will certainly benefit us as we move higher. The plan is now to move up to Camp 2 tomorrow and then make our attempt for Elbrus' summit on Monday, weather permitting. The forecast is calling for improving conditions, and all we need is a 24 hour window of good weather.
We had an early dinner and as we crawled into the tents the cloud cap on the upper mountain began to break apart. Within minutes the twin summits were in full view and the West Summit was showing all the colors of a beautiful sunset. A very good sign.
Hello from Elbrus -
The almost full moon shone brightly last night, transforming the rock morraine in which we are camped into a vague silvery landscape of shapes and shadows. By the time we awoke they were all gone, replaced by long morning shadows and the warmth of the early light. After breakfast, we packed up our packs, donned our crampons and harnesses and headed out onto the glacier.
The climbing out of Camp 1 is a long, gradually steepening ascent straight towards Elbrus' East Summit. We climbed well, the team falling immediately into the rhythm of climbing as a rope team. By midday we had navigated our way through a small series of crevasses, switchbacked up the broad northeastern shoulder of the mountain, and reached a small outcropping of rocks at an elevation of about 14,200'. From there we were witness to impressive views of the eastern Caucasus, catching glimpses of jagged snowcapped peaks that straddle the border with Georgia. Above us, the clouds and winds that scoured the upper reaches of the mountain all day held their distance and we were treated to a calm break. Amongst the rocks we cached the food and fuel we will need for our upcoming summit bid before heading back down the mountain, chased by the clouds and wind from above that just nipped at our heels, never fully engulfing us.
Back at camp, we relaxed in the warm sun for the rest of the afternoon, watching the fascinating cloud cap on Elbrus appear over the mountain's twin summits. With the weather coming straight out of the south today the wind was splitting when it hit Elbrus, pushing clouds down both the east and west sides of the mountain. From our perspective on the north side the clouds appeared to literally boil out of Elbrus' top before flowing down the sides of the mountain and dissolving. It was an incredible sight.
The winds picked up a bit in the evening as we wrapped up dinner and headed for the tents. As we turn in for the evening the tent walls rattle and shake, making the warmth of a down sleeping bag that much more inviting. Tomorrow we are planning to move to high camp in preparation for a hopeful summit bid the following day. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather!
Hello from 12,300'
We slept in this morning and did not get up until the sun hit the tents - the morning's rays always bringing so much warmth. After breakfast, we dropped back down to our cache, and picked up the last of our remaining gear. We are now completely established at Camp 1!
It was a perfectly clear morning to start but the clouds starting rolling in a little early today and the threat of an afternoon snow storm loomed in distance. Fortunately, the storm never came and the clouds merely played over Elbrus' peaks, at times spreading downward in wind shaped whisps only to retreat again a few minutes later.
The team spent the rest of the afternoon training on the lower glacier, reviewing our ice axe and cramponing skills. We are headed to dinner to plan out and fuel up for our carry to Camp 2 tomorrrow.
Checking in from Camp 1 -
We made our move today from Basecamp to Camp 1. We got an early start this morning, and left camp at 8:45 am. Even though we had hiked most of the trail yesterday, the landscape is amazing. Looking out over the green foothills of Elbrus, with the ever changing light is a real treat. And the weather cooperated for us all day, with a few sprinkels as we finished the last stretch to camp. But just as we got moved into the tents, it began snowing very hard with some thunderstorms in the valley below. We are now resting, waiting for the storm to pass, and will begin dinner soon. Tomorrow we need to go back down about 800 feet to retrieve our cache that we left yesterday, and then back up to camp.
The group did an excellent job today, and everyone is healthy.
We slept contently last night, enjoying the stillness of the mountains after several nights in the city. We awoke to another beautiful day without a cloud to be found in the morning sky. We shouldered our packs and set out of Basecamp. The small climbers trail immediately plunges into a steep gorge, picking its way along the side above the numerous small waterfalls and pools carved by the flowing water. Emerging from the narrow, grassy canyon, we wound our way amongst large, rocky outcroppings. The volcanic rock, jutting out of the rolling landscape, is covered in varying hues of orange, yellow, and green lichen and is quite reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings.
We gradually gained elevation, leaving the grasses and flowers behind. By early afternoon we reached our day's destination: the rocky morraine about 800' below Camp 1 on Elbrus. There we cached our loads amongst the rocks. We will retrieve this gear in two days time after we have established ourselves at Camp 1. By "carrying" today to drop our cache, not only did we lighten our packs for tomorrow but we also gave our bodies important exposure to higher elevations before we move up there to sleep - following the climbers' saying "climb high, sleep low".
After emptying our packs and resting for a bit we retraced our steps back to Base Camp, returning just as the shepherds brought their flocks of black and white sheep in from the other side of the valley for the evening. Only minutes after we reached the tents the skies, which had grown gradually more imposing throughout the day, finally broke loose in an impressive rain and hail storm. Lucky for us, we relaxed in our tents after a successful day as we listened to the rain patter against the fly.
Tomorrow we are packing up Base Camp and moving up to Camp 1 at over 12,000'. We will check in tomorrow night.
Prvyet from Elbrus Northside Basecamp,
We got an early start from Kislovodsk this morning. With our backpacks packed and our street clothes stored away, we piled into the back of an old Soviet-era off road vehicle and headed into the Caucasus. The pavement quickly disappeared only a few minutes outside of town and we began the long, twisting dirt road to Base Camp. The enormous 36" wheels of the former military truck handled the rocks and ruts of the road with ease and we made good progress through the lower slopes of the mountains. Rising gradually from the fertile fields in the heart of Russia, the northern Caucasus steppe is a stunning landscape. The farms and fields slowly give way to grand rolling grasslands, cut by deep canyons, hemmed in by rocky plateaus, and framed by jagged, snow capped peaks. Herds of sheep, cows, and goats wander slowly, feasting on the alpine grass before autumn sets in. And rising above it all stands Mt. Elbrus, it's twin summits literally shimmering in the clear morning air. The view of the mountain this morning was fantastic and we were thrilled to watch the mountain grow larger as we bounced our way towards it.
After five hours of gradually making our way higher into the mountains on increasingly narrow and eroded roads, we reached Basecamp - a cluster of brightly colored tents at the foot of Elbrus' flanks. We set up camp, unpacking our climbing gear, taking stock of our food supplies, and keeping an eye on the curious bovines wandering about. Before the afternoon slipped by we headed out on a short walk above Basecamp to stretch our legs.
Back at camp we sat down to a hearty minestrone feast before crawling into the tents for the evening. After days and days of travel from our homes almost a dozen time zones away, it feels great to finally be on the mountain. The team is excited and eager to start our ascent. Tomorrow we are planning to go on an acclimatization hike and cache some of our gear higher up near our next camp. It is an excellent opportunity to get out on the trail and give our legs a shake out while positioning us for a move to the next camp. We will check-in tomorrow night and let you know how it goes.
This morning we drove to Moscow's domestic airport and caught a morning flight 600km to the south to Mineralnye Vody, the airport used to access the Caucasus. An hour's drive finally brought us to Kislovodsk, our point of departure for Elbrus. We spent the afternoon sorting, repacking, and making our final preparations for the mountain. The team is doing well and in fine spirits. All are ready to get into the mountains after the days of travel and preparation.
We have an early start tomorrow morning as we head across the lower slopes of the Caucasus and finally reach Basecamp on the north side of Elbrus.
Hope all is well at home
Dobry vecher from Moscow,
By seven last night the entire team - including all bags and gear! - reached our hotel in Moscow to kick off the 2009 RMI Elbrus Northside Expedition! The team was tired from the hours of traveling from halfway around the world, but excited to be here as we shared a drink with the sun setting over the buildings and illuminating the Moscow River. We found a little cafe down the street from the hotel where, with two English menus amongst the ten of us, we managed to order a delicious dinner through a mix of broken English and phrasebook Russian. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for a well deserved rest.
This morning we made the short walk from our hotel across the Moscow River and along the red walls of the Kremlin to Red Square. We arrived early enough to beat the crowds of tourists and admired the stunning architecture of the GUM (the Soviet State Department Store), St. Basil's Cathedral with it's unmistakable brightly colored onion-shaped domes, and the dark red walls of the Kremlin, the seat of Soviet and now Russian government. After visiting Lenin's tomb, walking through the dark and somber marble building, we met our local Muscovite, Nina, who led us on a tour of this famous area. We walked through the shops of the GUM whose shelves used to stock basic provisions and now houses luxury brands like Dior, then explored the dozens of small, beautifully painted chapels that make up St. Basil's Cathedral, before watching the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We ended our tour by making our way through the gates of the Kremlin and exploring it's beautiful churches, gardens, and monuments - such as the largest bell and cannon in the world.
After a full day of sightseeing we relaxed for a few hours in the afternoon, taking some time to explore Moscow on our own. We are headed to a fantastic Georgian restaurant tonight to sample cuisine straight from the Caucasus before we head down there ourselves tomorrow. We are catching a morning flight to Mineralyne-Vody, the gateway to the northern Caucasus. We will check-in tomorrow night from the town of Kislovodsk, our launching point for our climb of Elbrus' wild northside.
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