Mount Kazbek | Caucasus

16,512-foot peak in the wilderness of Georgia

0 ft

Elevation

Georgia

Country

Days

2B

Difficulty

Early July

Start

Late Aug

End

About the Mountain

WHY CLIMB IT?

Mount Kazbek (16,512 ft) is a mountain on the border of Georgia and Russia, in the heart of the Caucasus. As a beautiful, accessible yet challenging mountain, Mount Kazbek is popular with local mountaineers and tourists alike. While the most popular time to climb is in the summer months, experienced ski mountaineers enjoy it year-round. Most climbers access the mountain from the Georgian side, thanks to the easier ascent and less complicated access (visas are often required for travel through Russia).

“The mountain isn’t a particularly technical climb but it can be very dangerous one with hidden crevasses and huge amounts of rock fall.”

- Katy Parrott

While there are several routes up Mount Kazbek, the most common route is largely non-technical (Rated PD, or slightly difficult). However, as much of the climb involves glacier travel, you should be comfortable moving as part of a roped team. Mountain guides can teach you this skill, but it is best learned and practiced before the climb in a low-risk environment. You should also be comfortable on steep, icy slopes, as the final 300 feet before the summit is an often icy slope of 25 to 40 degrees.