Entries from Elbrus Northside
Around midnight last night the winds began to pick up here at Camp 1. Sweeping down off of the mountain's scoured glaciers, they would come barreling through camp, howling as they relentlessly shook the tents. Needless to say, sleep was intermittent as the tents shook and flapped throughout the night. Although the winds had yet to abate by morning it was clear and the sun soon found us, warming us quickly.
Because of the wind we dragged our feet a bit during breakfast before departing, escaping the gusts by retreating to a nearby hut used by our outfitter where we could enjoy our hot drinks with a little more protection. Thankfully, the deterioration in the weather didn't affect us much since we descended back below camp to our cache where the morraine deflected most of the winds coming down off of the mountain.
We made a quick descent to our cache carrying only light packs, reloading them with all of the gear we stashed there on Tuesday. Our improving acclimatization and growing comfort with the trail was evidenced by how efficiently we climbed back up to Camp 1 through the loose rock and scree, everyone clearly showing their strength as we made good time through the difficult terrain. Back at camp the winds had lessened but continued to blow as clouds began to settle in. As we traded stories over lunch a wet groppel began to come down, lightly at first and then in sheets, covering the rocks around us in an uneven dusting of white. We retreated back to the tents in the afternoon to relax and rest and escape the weather outside.
The groppel has since stopped and the storm seems to be lessening at the moment. As we head off for dinner the occasional sun beam breaks through the clouds and illuminates the tent walls. Our plan tomorrow is to make an acclimatization climb towards Camp 2, hopefully leaving another small cache up there in preparation for our summit bid. We will check in tomorrow and let you know if the weather cooperates.
A patchwork of clouds hung over the Caucasus this morning, diffusing the sunlight and hiding the morning sun. The almost sullen atmosphere didn't hold us back and we eagerly broke camp and hit the trail. The clouds kept the temperatures cool and we made great time, reaching our previous day's highpoint where we cached our gear by midday.
The final 800' of climbing above the cache took us off of the well worn climber's trail below and into the continually shifting slopes of scree - small, loose rock - that makes up the glacial morraine. It is full attention walking as each step must be chosen with care to avoid slipping back down in the loose rock and we carefully picked our way upwards, soon gaining the plateau where Camp 1 resides.
Perched amongst the rocky morraine alongside the Ullmalgender Glacier, Camp 1 sits at the base of the broad sweeping slopes of ice and snow that rise up to form Elbrus' twin summits and offers stunning views of the entire north side of the mountain. Off in the other direction we can gaze out across the rolling green plateaus, occasionally cut by the small dirt road that we drove along to reach the mountain. The sun had been gradually fighting its way back throughout the morning and by the time we reached camp it was another clear afternoon, interrupted every so often by gusts of wind sweeping down off of the mountain. After a solid day of climbing we set up camp and then crawled into the tents to relax for a bit before dinner.
The team climbed strongly today, making it to camp in just over six and a half hours. We are tired but happy to be here at the glacier's edge. Tomorrow we will descend back to our cache to retrieve our gear in the morning and then spend some time in the afternoon brushing up on our glacier travel skills.
A calm and warm night gaveway to another gorgeous morning here at Base Camp. After breakfast we shouldered our packs and set out. The first stretch of walking brought us through a series of steep valleys and rolls just above Elbrus Base Camp that are blanketed in lush green grass and wildflowers. Picking our way amongst the giant protrusions of volcanic rock from the mountain's formation we made our way higher, leaving the vegetation behind and entering the alpine zone of rock and dirt.
By midday we reached our goal for the day - a flat plateau at just over 11,000' below the morraine leading to Camp 1. There we unloaded our packs and cached our gear amongst the rocks. This strategy of caching our gear higher on the mountain and then descending back to camp serves a twofold purpose: it allows us to move a portion of our gear ahead of us, making packs lighter tomorrow when we move camp, and also gives us a jumpstart on acclimatization by exposing our bodies to a higher altitude before descending back lower to recover. This strategy of "climb high, sleep low" is an important part of any climbing expedition to high altitudes and will greatly benefit us tomorrow when we move to Camp 1.
After caching our gear and resting for a bit in the sun, we retraced our steps back to Base Camp, reaching our tents just before a small sprinkling of afternoon rain swept through the valley. Thankfully the rain blew through and the evening is beautiful. We have just wrapped up dinner and are getting ready to turn in for the night. The setting sun has lit up Elbrus' west side in a pink alpenglow as well as the small clouds hanging near the summit. It is a gorgeous night to be out in the mountains.
We will check in tomorrow after moving up to Camp 1.
August 30, 2010
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: Kislovodsk, Russia
The rain continued to spit down on Moscow last night, although not enough to deter a few Muscovites from singing in the street outside our hotel on their way back from the bars. We left the hotel before dawn, watching daylight break over a damp and sleepy city on our way to the airport. Soon, without much trouble despite our loaded bags that far exceeded the 20 kg./passenger limit, we were checked in and boarding the aircraft. Perhaps it was due to the dreary weather but the boarding process was smooth and orderly - a far cry from the normal mad jostling of bodies that typically occurs as every Russian vies for the right to be first on the plane.
Departing Moscow we quickly broke free of the grey cloud cover and the blue skies above stayed with us all the way to Mineralnye Vody - our gateway to the Caucasus. As we approached the runway Elbrus' twin summits were shining clearly in the distance, breaking the horizon and dwarfing the hills around.
Again, all of our bags successfully navigated the Russian baggage check system and arrived with us so we were soon on the road, driving through rolling hills of wheat fields and recently harvested sunflowers to the city of Kislovodsk. A small city by most standards, Kislovodsk is a famous destination known for its natural mineral springs and it remains a popular retreat for many of Russia's well-to-do. Its main streets have recently been repaved and sidewalks widened, we are told partly in the regional preparations for the 2014 Winter Games, although Sochi remains several hours drive from here. We checked into our small hotel located across the street from the town's busy farmer's market that runs from sun up to sun down every day of the week. Taking the rest of the afternoon to explore our immediate neighborhood, pick up some groceries from the nearby store, and resort our gear again, we are at last ready to depart for the mountain tomorrow. There are still several hours of navigating the twisting dirt roads deep into the Caucasus Steppe to reach Elbrus. Assuming the good weather holds and the road are in passable condition we should reach Base Camp by early tomorrow afternoon.
The team is eager to complete our last leg of the long journey to Elbrus and we are looking forward to beginning the climb. Everyone is in good spirits and passes on their best to folks at home. We will check in tomorrow after setting up our Base Camp on the north side of Elbrus!
Another early morning saw us loading our gear and climbing into the backs of a couple of grey Russian four wheel drive vans and heading south out of Kislovodsk. Within a couple of minutes we left the city's edge and were driving through the rolling expanse of the Caucasus foothills. Intercut by deep valleys and crossed by bands of white limestone cliffs, the vast plateaus that gradually ascend to the mountains themselves are a glimpse back in time from the hustle of Moscow. Small clusterings of buildings can be found at the valley floors, lonely communities of a couple of cinder block homes surrounded by vegetable patches and fruit trees. Above, shepherds wander the plateaus keeping a careful watch over their flock's of sheep.
It was another beautiful day and above this landscape, growing ever taller as we approached, stood Elbrus. By late morning we reached the valley where Base Camp sits, alongside a couple of shepherd's huts near the edge of the vegetation. We unloaded our gear and carried all of our supplies the final couple hundred of meters across the creek and into camp. The majority of the day was spent setting up camp and repacking our gear into portable loads for the mountain. In the afternoon we went for a short hike above Base Camp, enjoying the opportunity to stretch our legs after so many days of travel. At ~8,400', the air felt cool and refreshing especially after Moscow's subway stations the other day.
Everyone is absolutely jazzed to be here, we are feeling strong and excited about the climb ahead. Tomorrow we will carry a portion of gear to our cache just below Camp 1. We will check in tomorrow after returning to Base Camp.
August 29, 2010
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: Moscow, Russia
After sleeping soundly last night we were greeted to grey skies hanging low over Moscow this morning. Despite international attention for the heat suffocating Moscow this summer, we found ourselves walking down the street buttoning up our jackets against the chill. Leaving the hotel we walked a few minutes to the north, crossing the broad sweeping bridge over the Moscow River and directly into Alexander's Gardens - a long park that runs along the Kremlin Wall. It was a quiet morning in Moscow with few people in the Gardens. We reached the end of the Gardens and crossed underneath Resurrection Gate into Red Square. The giant expanse of cobblestones between the Kremlin and the former Soviet State Department Store turned high-end shopping center is arresting, the place of so many momentous events in recent history. Today large scaffolding was erected on the Square in preparation for an upcoming holiday, the modern metal tubing standing awkwardly amongst the old stone buildings surrounding. Due to an event celebrating the recent discovery of an unknown fresco above an entrance to the Kremlin visitation to Lenin's tomb was closed so instead we crossed to the Bolshoy Theater where renovations were recently completed before stopping for coffee on Tverskaya Prospekt, Moscow's Broadway.
We met our Russian guide, an energetic and knowledgeable local named Nina, around 10:30 and as the ominous skies began to spit rain we dove underground into Moscow's famous subways. We spent the better part of two hours bouncing from one station to the next, admiring the stunning murals, frescos, stained glass panels, mosaics, and statues that decorate the stations. It is truly incredible to see the work, attention to detail, and pride that went into these stations and they are an under recognized gem of Moscow.
Emerging into the downpour that developed as we zipped across the city far below it's streets, we crossed underneath the imposing red walls of the Kremlin and into the seat of Russian and Soviet power. A living history of the city itself, with buildings of every era, the Kremlin is a sprawling compound of office buildings and churches, each laced with bits of history. We spent several hours in the Kremlin admiring the churches and watching the Saturday parade of soldiers and cavalry before retreating to a nearby underground shopping complex to escape the rain and cold.
With the day drawing to a close and with tired feet to show for our hours spent visiting about Moscow, we returned to our hotel to catch some rest and get our gear ready for the morning.
We have an early departure tomorrow to make our morning flight south to Mineralnye Vody, our gateway to Elbrus and the Caucasus. We will spend tomorrow night in the town of Kislovodsk before reaching Base Camp the following day. We will check in tomorrow night from the south of Russia.
August 27, 2010
Posted by:
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Elbrus Northside
Elevation: Moscow, Russia
Dobrey Vecher from Moscow,
Our Elbrus North Side Climbing Team congregated from across the world today, everyone arriving from various destinations into Moscow by late afternoon. Despite the many flights and thousands of miles travelled arrivals were smooth. There is always a moment of great anxiety when arriving at your destination on an international climbing expedition occurring immediately upon arrival: standing at the luggage carousel as unfamiliar bags sweep past waiting to see if all of your climbing gear arrived with you. Thankfully, all bags and climbing equipment appeared one by one to our relief.
After each person's transfer navigated the infamous Moscow traffic after their flights, we at last met up at our hotel. Moscow is a vibrant, chaotic melting pot that never ceases to surprise. With only twenty years since the end of the USSR, the city is a mix of old and new, of history and progress, and of dilapidation and glamour. All of this is apparent within the drive across town and it continues to present itself around every corner. We gathered as a team this evening, getting to know our fellow climbers over a few pints of local Russian beer and excellent steaks sitting on the terrace of our restaurant overshadowed by the colorful bell towers of the neighboring Russian Orthodox Church. Despite the 11 hour time difference between Moscow and the West Coast everyone seemed to be in good spirits and holding up well from the jet lag and talk quickly turned to the climb as we laid out our game plan for our time in Moscow and subsequent departure for the mountain.
With night settled in we wrapped up dinner and headed back to our hotel, situated right on the southern banks of the Moscow River across from Alexander's Gardens and the red walls of the Kremlin. We are ready for a good night's rest before heading out to visit the famous sites of Moscow tomorrow.
Hi from St. Petersburg,
We finished our adventures in Russia by exploring the wonderful city of St. Petersburg. We began the morning by walking along the Mokya Canal, one of the city's many canals, to St. Isaac's Cathedral. Then we climbed the 211 steps to the rotunda where we were afforded fantastic views of the city's skyline, from the spires of the Admiralty and the original churches of the city to the cranes of the busy port city. Afterwards, we ventured across the historic center to the Church of the Savior of Spilled Blood, whose magnificent mosaic frescos are built around the very cobblestones upon which Tsar Alexander II was murdered. We wrapped up our city tour at the Hermitage Museum. Containing over three million pieces of artwork, the museum's size is daunting. But the building's incredible beauty, with its ornately decorated rooms, is enough motivation to explore all of its halls.
After a delicious dinner at a traditional Russian restaurant we ended our day by boarding a canal boat and navigating the city's waterways as the setting sun lit up the sky in a fiery red. It has been a memorable two weeks of adventures in Russia, from the cobblestones of Red Square to the snowy reaches of Elbrus, Europe's highest point, to the canals of St. Petersburg, we have had a trip to remember. Tomorrow we board our flights bound for home and look forward to sharing our stories with you in person.
Hello from St. Petersburg,
What a whirlwind of a day, going from Elbrus and the northern Caucasus to the edge of the North Sea! We slept soundly last night, enjoying the luxury of a simple bed after so many nights on our inflatable pads. In the morning we gathered for breakfast, eager to see what our efforts at placing an order the night before produced. Our drawings and hand gesturing of a couple of fried eggs and toast missed their mark because we ended up with hard boiled eggs, french fries, and 19 chicken breasts. It was not exactly what we expected but delicious nonetheless.
The rest of the morning was spent packing up and exploring the maze of aisles and stalls of the Kislovodsk central market where honey, pickled tomatoes, and electronics are all sold alongside each other. Afterwards we loaded up our gear and headed back to the airport where we caught an afternoon flight north across Russia to St. Petersburg. The change in landscape was striking, leaving from a small airport in an overlooked corner of Russia and arriving in St. Petersburg where Russian and European influences have merged, creating a beautiful city on the banks of the Neva River. We reached the hotel well into the evening and immediately walked down the canal running just in front to a small cafe where we sat down to another fantastic meal.
Tomorrow is the last day of our adventures in Russia. We will explore some of St. Petersburg's famous sites before our celebration dinner and evening boat ride through the city's many canals. We will check-in with our last dispatch tomorrow.
A big hello from Kislovodsk -
Wow! What an amazing 36 hours it has been. After leaving Camp 2 yesterday at 8:00 am, we reached the summit of Elbrus at 2:00 pm. Despite a slight wind delay in the morning, the weather cooperated with us all day, and we had clear views from the highest point in Europe. The team did an amazing job climbing the nearly 3000' from camp, and all the hard work really paid off.
After celebrating our success, we began the descent down the mountain. We first made our way back to Camp 2, packed up all of our gear, and then make the final descent to Camp 1. We established camp once again at the toe of the glacier and got a good night's rest at this lower elevation. We got up early for the last day of climbing and retraced our steps to Basecamp, where our ride was waiting for us. It was slow going back to Kislovodsk, but made it in time for a big meal and some much needed hot showers. After nine days on the mountain, we are back to sleeping in a real bed. Life is good!
Previous Page
Next Page
