Mount Elbrus | Caucasus

Highest mountain in Europe, at 18,540 feet

0 ft

Elevation

Russia

Country

Days

2C

Difficulty

Mid June

Start

Early Aug

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Mount Elbrus (18,540 ft) is an excellent mountain to put on your adventure bucket list if you like unique cultures, remote environments, and rugged natural beauty. Just reaching Base Camp requires flying to the small town of Mineralnye Vody and traveling several hours on often rough roads. The payoff is an ‘off the beaten track’ experience through picturesque Baksan Valley, culminating in your arrival at one of the world’s Seven Summits, the highest mountain in Europe.

“The excitement and anticipation in the air were clearly palpable. We were all here to fulfill a lifetime ambition.”

- Fergal Hingerty

While Mount Elbrus requires basic alpine skills, as it is heavily glaciated, its gentle slopes make it accessible to those early in their mountaineering careers. Even a short, 3-day mountaineering course will prepare you sufficiently, so long as you are physically fit and go with an experienced guide. On the other hand, if you have some ski mountaineering experience, Mount Elbrus is an ideal place to earns some turns. There’s even a ski race up to the summit and back down again each year, the Red Fox Elbrus Race. For runners, there’s a comparable race on foot, the Adidas x Alpindustria Elbrus Race, including races of 7 distances ranging from 5 to 105 miles.