Elbrus, Kazbek and other mountains. Is it dangerous?
Certainly, nobody says that it is absolutely safe. Also nobody will tell that is safe to live in the city, especially in the large city. Risk is possible everywhere. There are a lot of factors which trap climbers on the way to the top. For example:- objective factors which not depends on us, and subjective - directly depends on our actions and actions of people which are around us. And these factors are directly connected with each other. We can't influence danger which is possible at high altitude but we can reduce its influence by means of good acclimatization training. We can't influence on weather or cracks on a route, but we can correctly choose time of start walking and choose safer route to bypass cracks. Our guests usually have lack of experience or experience is absent in climbing or trekking, so the most important for safety is experience and skills of the guide. The right choice of tactics of an ascension and safety of all participants depends on this experience and, finally, achievement of the aim. The statistics of the last years shows that accidents on Elbrus happened to amateur and single tourists. And practically never it happened in commercial groups. And if it happened, that because of participants of group who roughly violated instructions of the guide or on a state of health, especially tourists aged.
I have no mountaineering skills and climbing equipment.
Our tours are counted on the people who don't have mountaineering skills. Elbrus technically is simple mountain, but requires using of special climbing equipment. By climbing classification it is a route 2A of category of difficulty. And it is given because of altitude . Minimum of knowledge and the skills necessary trekking along snow ice slope you will receive during short courses of preparation for an ascent and during acclimatization exits.
The successful ascent, of course, can't be made without using of the good equipment such as: footwear, crampons, ice axes, storm suits. Some recommendations about selection of clothes can be seen here. The special equipment can be taken in points of hire which a lot of in Prielbrusye.
I am afraid that I have low level of physical form.
Ascent of Elbrus and Kazbek quite suitable to people with average physical form. However it concerns the summer period. In the winter, and also in the spring, good physical form is necessary. At least, you have to be able to run cross about of 10-15 kilometers, to ride bicycle about of 25-30 kilometers.
How to prepare for participation in the program?
Of course, it is better to consult with the sports doctor. The purpose of such preparation - improvement of the general endurance of an organism. If there is no possibility of consultation at the doctor you can follow some recommendations:
To improve the physical form, it is necessary, to start doing daily jogs for 30 minutes not later than 2-3 months before departure. Once a week it is desirable to arrange bicycle cross with a good speed on 10-15 kilometers or trips on the long distance.
Avalanche danger.
Avalanches are the extremely unusual case on the slopes of Elbrus. The last time it happened a few years ago after long snowfall near Pastukhov's rocks. Local old residents claim that such accident hasn't happened for more than 40 years. However below the station “Mir” after snowfalls avalanches can happen often. Generally at the present time this part of slope is closed by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and people climbing or skiing on Elbrus go over dangerous place by the ropeway.
The most favorable period for ascent.
They consider that optimum period is the second half of July to the first half of August. Statistically the weather is steady at this time in Prielbrusye. However on the other hand this time is of mass visiting of tourists, both Russians, and foreigners, so hotels and shelters can be overflowed and also there can be problems with absence of guides, especially qualified.
But we can’t be sure that the weather will be good at this time. Every season situation with weather can be different. It is a lot of good days both in May, and in June. In September the area is almost empty. There are a lot of places for booking, there are no turns and the prices fall dawn both for hotels and for transport. Therefore we consider that the period from June up to September approximately identical to an ascents.
