How many kilometers from the Pastukhov rocks to the top? Independent ascent to Mont Blanc, route description. What are "Pastukhov rocks"

Mount Elbrus (Caucasus, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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Since school age, each of us remembers the majestic two-headed Elbrus, if not from geography textbooks, then from literature textbooks. After all, the great Lermontov, having arrived in the Caucasus against his will, was truly fascinated by it, fell in love with all his heart and sang it not only in poetry, but also in paint. His paintings depicting Elbrus, Beshtau, gorges and mountain ranges of the Caucasus perfectly convey the beauty and special, harsh, ancient and breathtaking poetics of these places.

Elbrus occupies a special place in the Greater Caucasus system. This is the highest mountain range of the Side Range of the Caucasus Mountains. Geologists have determined that Elbrus is the cone of an extinct volcano. Its western peak reaches a height of 5642 m, and its eastern one - 5621 m; they are separated by a deep saddle, which is also a five-thousander, its height is 5325 m.

Since Elbrus is very high, it is always covered with a cap of firn and ice, from which 54 glaciers descend in different directions, the largest of which are Bolshoy Azau, Irik and Terskol.

Climbing Elbrus

Naturally, even in those days when mountains were the focus of sporting interests only for climbers, and not at all for skiers and snowboarders, attempts were made to conquer Elbrus. The eastern peak in 1829 was first reached by the Kabardian K. Khashirov, a guide of the Russian scientific expedition, and the western peak in 1874 by English athletes led by F. Grove and the Kabardian guide A. Sottaev, a participant, by the way, in the first ascent of the Russian expedition.

In the years Soviet power Climbing in the Elbrus region became very popular, they turned into massive “alpiniads”, the largest of which in 1967 involved no less than 2,400 climbers.

At an altitude of 4600-4700 m there are the rocks of Pastukhov, a Russian military topographer who was the first to conquer both the Eastern and Western peaks of Elbrus. Above these rocks in winter there is an ice field. From a height of 5000 m, the “oblique shelf” begins, as climbers call it, a fairly gently sloping plane rising upward. Traditionally, the route to climb any of the peaks of Elbrus passes through its saddle. From there it is about 300 m to both peaks.

On the northern side of the mountain range, the infrastructure is still poorly developed; there are only a few huts for climbers, which are used by both tourists and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a rule, ascents to the Eastern peak are made from the northern side; the route passes through the Lenz rocks (from 4600 to 5200 m).

During the years of Soviet power, ascents in the Elbrus region became very popular; they turned into massive “alpiniads”, the largest of which in 1967 involved 2,400 climbers.

Skiing

In our country, the Elbrus region has always been and remains one of the most popular centers of skiing and tourism. The most visited slope of the Elbrus region is Mount Cheget, which is well equipped with both chairlifts and cable-pendulum lifts. The trails here are of varying degrees of difficulty; anyone, from aces to beginners, will find a trail on Cheget that suits their abilities. Cheget also has a fairly attractive selection of entertainment for tourists. There are cafes and restaurants on the slope, and there are equipment rental centers. From the top of the mountain there is a wonderful view of the double-headed Elbrus.

Elbrus clones

Camp sites

As for Elbrus itself, for all its severity and external inaccessibility, which seemingly does not imply the presence of a person, there is also a certain tourist infrastructure here. It is concentrated mainly on the southern slopes of the mountain range, where the pendulum chairlift is located, the height of which is 3750 m. Here you will be greeted by the Barrels shelter, which houses more than ten six-seater insulated residential trailers and a kitchen. This place serves as a launching pad for modern athletes climbing Elbrus. There is a new, more modern, shelter “Liprus”, opened in 2013. It accommodates 48 people and is located at an altitude of 3912 m. The highest mountain hotel in the Elbrus region is the “Shelter of Eleven”, its main building burned down in the 90s of the 20th century, but in Currently, a new building has been built on the basis of the boiler room of the former hotel. In addition, the shelter has several 12-person trailers and a kitchen. In the evenings, a diesel generator is organized to supply electricity to the trailers.

The saddle of Elbrus, as a starting point for all climbers, no matter which peak they strive to reach, has long needed its own shelter, since the higher the climbers rise, the more difficult it is for them to go every centimeter of the way. Therefore, a shelter at an altitude of 5300 m is really necessary. Since 2007, work has been underway on its construction. The shelter will be a hemisphere with a diameter of 6.7 m, installed on a foundation. By 2009, the dome structures were made and construction work began. However, it was not possible to open the shelter as planned - 2010; work is currently ongoing.

How to get there: by plane to Kislovodsk, Nalchik or Cherkessk, then by bus, taxi or rented car.

The next day after moving into the Maria shelter (4100), around lunchtime we went on an acclimatization hike to the Pastukhov rocks (4600-4800). The body must be accustomed to heights, as well as to the slow monotonous movement of the lower extremities, because this cannot be called even combat. We walked to the upper border of the Pastukhov rocks for three hours. It was easy going, but very, very boring. For three hours I spoke in obscene language, restraining myself from outright swearing. In general, the training outing made it clear that there was nothing fun about climbing... Finally, when we finally climbed up, sat down, took out the camera and turned back, we didn’t notice any special changes in the landscape; it was even somehow more comfortable to look at the mountains from the Shelter.

View of Elbrus from the Pastukhov rocks. From here to the eastern peak is only 1500 meters

The main Caucasian ridge west of Elbrus. There are very strange mountains there...

Adyl-Su Gorge. Five thousand meters of Bezengi rise in the distance.

Right over the ridge, freedom and democracy begin, there is no bloody KGB and Putin, but there is a cool guy chewing his tie. But home is somehow better.

Somehow, no special rocks were noticed, there were only stones, and they didn’t smell very good. Although the stream is flowing, the water has been poured out of it and there is a lot of garbage, especially of organic origin.

The path from the Mir station to the Pastukhov rocks in the palm of your hand.

Climbers are descending. In sequence. Like in the forest in winter ski trip.

The cloud hovered

Adilsu. Glaciers of Bashkar and Gumachi. To the left is the Koyavganaush pass, which I passed three years ago

Caucasus...

Irikchat gorge and our first overnight stay - the last island of the forest on the left bank

The lower part of the Terskol village is visible through the Terskol gorge. Somewhere there among the roofs and EMBS, from the window of the room in which Elbrus is also visible

Mountain junction with peaks Chatkara, Irikchat, Kezgen, Mukal - a popular place

Climbers descend along a path from an oblique shelf

Oleg walked a little above the rocks and went east, towards the Achkeryal lava flow. but he didn’t go far - the ice here was no longer the same, cracks were felt in it, you can’t walk here alone.

Irikchat pass, Chatkara peak, Subashi pass...

Under the blue sky

It's hard to go down too

Couple on a walk

Halt. Why do the stones smell so strongly of poop? Apparently people prefer to shit in the rocks than on the glacier.

We sat, rested and went home. No ringing in the ears, nausea, etc. Just tiredness and slight shortness of breath, I even stopped coughing and spitting.

The cloud remained hanging.

Vadim was the first to go down from the cliffs, because he took his beloved with him, and he rode down on her. I forgot the ice pack, and it was difficult to ride on the seat in the melted snow. Vadim met him on the porch of the shelter and came out to warn that Russians had moved into the next room and there was no need to swear. He didn’t swear loudly anymore, only very quietly, and then, when Vadim fed him delicious porridge, he stopped altogether.

What is your Elbrus like?

For some it’s the cable car, for others Shelter 11, for others the Pastukhov Rocks, for me the saddle, for others the summit, both or the traverse. For some it is like a home, for some it is a space for excursions, and for others it is their last refuge. Who he will be for you is not up to you to decide, but you should try to influence this decision for the better with your actions.

Rice. 1. Crossing snow bridges through cracks without ligaments - is this correct?

Beta version of a memo for “conquerors” and lovers of mountain landscapes about the dangers of the Mountain, as well as about its southern slope as a relatively reasonable option for visiting on your own. Working on the routes already contains serious risks, even if you don’t think so at all, so you need to have experience of spending many days in the mountains before Elbrus appears on the ice. Consult with professionals personally to find out the details you are interested in, but the scope of your skills may not be enough to bring what you hear to life.

The correct answer to the question below the picture is use transport.

Preliminary mountain experience: hiking. Relief hazards - the presence of areas where it is difficult to move (moving stones, wet ground, etc.) or stay (steep slope, ford across a mountain river, etc.). Sudden natural hazards - rockfalls, mudflows, thunderstorms, flooding of mountain rivers after rains, fog in an unfamiliar place, unpleasant hail. You have to live somewhere in the mountains.
Option to spend the night in a tent. You can try to live in the upper reaches of the Baksan River (by going up to the gorges of Syltran, Mukal, and with passes to the border zone - Adyl-Su, Adyr-su). Choosing a place for a tent is a whole science; look for previously used campsites while hiking. A fire is possible in tents, you can suffocate: from carbon monoxide when the lamp/burner in the tent is running, and also if the entrance is covered with snow and you yourself use up the air... Spend 5 days or more on hikes, ten days is already enough. It is advisable that on the 3rd day of the hike you have overnight stays at an altitude of 3000 m. Study the issue of travel carefully, both regarding hiking tactics and information on routes. There are books, various forums, detailed reports on hikes are useful and interesting, and there is something on Risk. It is better to walk with at least one partner.
Option with hotels or rental housing. The simplest and at the same time boring thing is to live in the Terskol area, take walks to Cheget, or along the route along the cable car from Azau to Krugozor or Mir, also to the ice base, in the Irik-chat gorge. It is interesting to spend a few nights on the northern side of Elbrus in the houses of travel agencies involved in climbing. From there you can walk to the Djily-su springs, climb on foot along the paths to an altitude of 3400 m (moon glade) and return down past the “mushrooms”. It’s not worth going higher to the camps at 3800 m, since there aren’t very many trails there, you can get lost, in bad weather it’s harder to escape from there, it’s easier to spend the night there and go down in the morning, but there may not be any places. The area of ​​Elbrus from the north is dangerous for thunderstorms, once in the Moonlight Glade a risk-taker was struck by lightning, and cows grazing much lower, in the vicinity of Emmanuel's glade, leave the ridges on the eve of a thunderstorm, and people should do the same. And for tent campers, Elbrus from the north is a good option - spend the night at the “Aerodrome”, about 2800 m. Be careful when climbing there, both paths along the river have some oddities.
Take care of your clothing and equipment for traveling in the mountains and spending the night at altitudes up to the “shelter” on Elbrus on your own. In the mountains at an altitude of 3000+ meters you will find yourself in late autumn in the summer and even snow/hail, taking into account temperatures and wind strength; above 4000+ (Elbrus) winter can seem harsh at times, the time to return to warmth can be arbitrarily long. To spend the night at altitude, where there is almost no heating anywhere, you need a sleeping bag. Study the issue of cooking in places where you live.

Visiting the slopes of Elbrus. SUMMER, that is June August.

Stage one: arrival at the place, beginning of acclimatization. The starting altitude of the “barrel” is 3800 m. You can also climb there on foot, and after spending the night on the “barrels” or “Mira” you can climb to the height of the “shelter” of 4100 m. It is correct to go to the “shelter” from the “barrels” on a snowcat or snowmobile , due to closed cracks (see paragraph A) and the danger of bad weather (paragraph B). After climbing to the “shelter”, a parking place is chosen - overnight in buildings or in a tent. From the “shelter” you can walk to an altitude of 4300-4400 m (the upper edge of the double stone ridge). Nearby there are hotels and a parking lot for the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Do not go beyond the edges of the stone ridge, do not go in the middle of the ridge in a snowstorm, otherwise you may not notice when it ends, stick to the stones, moving along the ridge is in some sense safer, since there are no dips and gullies from streams, although there are moving stones . If you feel unwell, or if a fast pulse appears, it is advisable to decide to descend to the “barrels”, or better yet to the “Mir” cable car station, while going to the “barrels” by snowcat/snowmobile (see paragraphs A, B, D to understand why).

Rice. 2. Simplified route map, top view. Green shows the ascent from 4100 to 4350 m, blue from 4350 m to 4700 m, red from 4800 m to 5000 m. Travel time depends on many factors, so there is no distance scale on the map. Black arrows indicate erroneous directions of descent from the route.

Below are the dangers that await the climber on the route and important notes. They are divided into paragraphs, numbered according to the letters of the alphabet from “A” to “I”.

A. Cracks in the glacier. By this meat grinder with refrigerator a whole chapter has been typed. The cracks begin 150m from the “barrels” and are located further along the route; they are present in large numbers when going sideways from the well-trodden path. Cracks can be open or closed with “snow bridges”; they can be of any profile, up to several meters wide and as deep as a skyscraper. The consequences of falling into cracks are almost always injuries, less often disability, and death. The insidiousness of closed cracks lies in their invisibility, because not only can snow bridges collapse unpredictably when loaded, it is also unclear when you are on the bridge. Negative factors: the relief of the crack, the inability to leave the crack if injured, or without equipment, low temperatures, drowning in some cases. There is no panacea for cracks, they can be crossed by snowcats and, with a little less guarantee, by snowmobiles at speed. However, there are rumors about a snowcat falling into a crack on Elbrus. Climbers know how to move in ropes, but there are many stories about serious injuries to a climber who walked in ropes (usually the rope was not taut). What will happen without a rope... use the services of YouTube, crack in English crevasse, fall - fall. Singles and beginners should use snowcats/snowmobiles between the "barrels" and the "shelter". Letting an unprepared person near a crack is the same as letting a child with a nail near a socket. Normal people they will stop reading at this point, but for the rest - long reflections on the topic of crossing snow bridges in a paragraph with the eloquent note “F”)).

B. Sudden change of weather and loss of orientation due to it or the change of time of day, after which you come to cracks (see above) or cliffs above the cracks. The weather forecast from snowforecast usually comes true, but a fresh forecast is needed. The correct forecast is one of the most important things for areas like Elbrus. Going up can only be done with a fresh, reliable good weather forecast for the near future (4-6 hours at least). Getting to the top with a bad forecast is a step towards force majeure. There is a danger of freezing when the weather changes; it is useful to know how frostbite occurs, what its signs are, what the consequences are; the temperature can drop below zero for hours, and in the sun it sometimes feels like you can walk around in a T-shirt. The toes are the first to freeze with a bang. A snowstorm makes it impossible to travel safely along the route because visibility is too low. The weather changes very quickly, the typical time is half an hour, sometimes faster. In a strong snowstorm, due to the lack of landmarks, a person may be unaccustomed to meandering; a navigator with a loaded map will help against this. There is a danger of failure of the navigation equipment, especially if it is a GPS program on a smartphone (it can run out of power, and even when charged, it is not very useful - due to a weak receiver, the smartphone can lie 100 meters, this is the path to a crack). Also, some navigators do not see satellites in snowfall; these are old devices. The navigator must be turned on immediately upon entering the route! In some modes, the navigator's batteries may run out, and the track you've completed may be forgotten, but a set of spare batteries will at least help you find out your location. Please read the navigation manual in advance. The navigator needs to be configured so that the coordinate system is then clear to the rescuers and they come to the right place when you call.

B. Sunlight will make the walker's skin peeling and his eyes blind. Special sunglasses and a mask that does not interfere with breathing are required; a good sunscreen (SPF 30-50) will do.

Stage two. Climbing to the Pastukhov rocks. Exit to the top after spending the night at 3800-4100 is carried out at least once, and preferably two or three times, and before that with fresh experience mountain hike. The route goes from an altitude of 4350 m to 4700-4800 m, but the safety rules also include the option of climbing at the stage for “maniacs” - up to 5000 m, because it is impossible to cope with more paragraphs. Accordingly, you need to clearly work out the second stage and go down without an accident. If a person has not been on a hike before or does not have several years of mountain experience, it will be enough for him to climb to an altitude of 4350 m; the second stage already risks ending up on dangerous ice fields. A typical mistake when descending is 2 (see map Fig. 2), and from the error 1 can warn the characteristic relief if you give a slight drift to the right without enthusiasm.

Dangers - paragraphs A-D (“HELL”!), We also read recommendations E-I.

D. Bad weather and its consequences. Additions to the orientation problems described in "B". On the upper part of the route to the beginning of the Oblique Shelf, avalanches are possible after snowfalls. Gusts of wind can knock you down. Thunderstorms are possible, although at these altitudes they are more likely from the north, there is a danger of lightning striking metal objects and through them into the owner of these objects. There is a danger of freezing when the weather changes, the temperature can drop to -10 for sure (at 5000 you can get even more severe frost), do not forget about the cooling force of the wind in an open area. We don’t go upstairs without checked warm clothes. Everything should be in order with the navigator, the batteries should be fully charged. On the trail, while the weather is good, evaluate the accuracy of the navigator's readings; you need to be able to go at least 50 (preferably 100-200) meters along the recorded track to the mark on the snow with an accuracy of at least 10 meters. If this doesn’t work out, be more careful about the idea of ​​returning to camp using the navigator. In bad weather, even modern navigators may experience poor reading accuracy. It's not good if you become separated from other people, but it can happen. A reliable option for orienteering is using poles. The poles are not placed everywhere and not equally evenly. You can lose the nearest pole in a strong snowstorm, even if the poles are placed carefully. Check in advance on the way up to see if there are markers everywhere. By the way, you can grab small poles of at least 40 centimeters, with red flags, and put them yourself where there are no poles. The poles can be driven into the snow by a snowcat, so you shouldn’t rely on them too much and neglect other safety measures. Further, a snowcat is a rather large machine and its driver can easily cut off part of the path along a crack, so the snowcat’s track is less reliable than the markers. Don’t try to take shortcuts in any weather, it’s crooked for a reason. On the descent, the shooting principle works: the more close range you shoot, the less you will “miss” for the same angular error. The further you wander up, the more you will be pulled sideways on the descent in bad weather. A severe snowstorm at an altitude of about 5000 m should happen on average at least once during your visit to the Mountain. Next we will talk about a cold day at altitude when the trail is lost, see the paragraph with the eloquent mark “F”.

D. Health problems. From 4000 m (possibly much lower), in addition to freezing in bad weather, due to lack of oxygen, symptoms of mountain sickness may appear, accompanied by headaches, lethargy, clouding of consciousness, inadequacy, rapid pulse, etc. Study the topic in more detail, it is not presented here. You can reduce the symptoms of mountain sickness and even avoid their occurrence up to a certain altitude (for each individual) through acclimatization - altitude adaptation, i.e. gradual increase in altitude of visited places. You need to walk along well-trodden paths, in the presence of people. Euphoria is a common occurrence, do not give in to the impulse to linger, take a walk off the trail, or go upstairs. Self-satisfaction, increased against the backdrop of mountain beauty in good weather during a successful walk, is very intoxicating in itself, and the head, weakened due to hypoxia, is forced to resist it. Euphoria is followed by fatigue and lethargy of the body. If you continue to overload your body with altitude, you may develop cerebral edema or pulmonary edema - read what it is, although you are unlikely to encounter these animals on the proposed route; their development time is on average about a day. Some occasionally experience something like “delirium tremens” with hallucinations, and some become violent. Mountain sickness always affects you more than it seems to the observer. The dangers of altitude sickness also include the expression “to push yourself.” Only in the mountains you can not only get tired, but even harm your cardiovascular system, so in case of any danger you should not accelerate more than you can for a significant period of time. A more serious development of altitude sickness can happen to anyone; it does not particularly depend on playing sports on the plain, although it is usually easier for athletes if there are no injuries and they do not overexert themselves at altitude. The only cure for hypoxia is oxygen. Those. urgent descent down at least a kilometer. If in the city, after getting into an emergency, you can end up in the hospital within an hour, then on Elbrus, at best, on the same day, and usually the next. Do not go out on the route in damp shoes, you will get not frostbite, but a cold, but a cold cannot be cured at altitude, you will need to go down. Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations do not have the right to provide assistance to the victim medical care, for this you need a doctor.

E. Daily schedule. In the morning, in good weather and a fresh, good forecast, an exit is made to the top. Try to go out after those who are going to the top and it is better so that it is already light on the route. For example, you can go to the Pastukhov rocks at 5-6 in the morning, to Kosaya at 4-5. Despite the short period of darkness (use a bright flashlight during this time), you have the advantage of stronger snow bridges over cracks that have frozen overnight, which slightly increases your chances of a successful return. The tracks of the snowcat along which you can climb are also clear. Departure at 2-3 nights on a snowcat with the conquerors of Elbrus and subsequent descent in the dark is undesirable, since on an unfamiliar route it is important to have good review terrain. After 12 noon you should not climb the route; stop climbing, take a break, have a snack and go down to the parking lot. This should become a strict rule. Usually until 15-16 (occasionally 17) hours there is still a chance to meet people returning from above, so do not despair if something goes wrong on the descent. Since it rarely happens that the weather is bad in the morning and the sun is shining in the evening, some days that do not fit into the proposed scheme fall out of the schedule. On a cloudy day, you can practice physical work - for example, building a wall of stones around a tent site, or digging snow. High-altitude athletes recommend exercising at altitude to improve acclimatization, but don’t get too carried away and overtired on the eve of the trip, and also avoid colds.

Rice. 3. The apparent proximity of objects in the mountains - a dangerous illusion of mountains, like closed glaciers. Only a champion can run such a distance in half an hour; ordinary people need several hours. Below the Pastukhov rocks there is a noticeable flattening, where you can get lost without feeling that you are going downhill in the same direction. There will probably be communication failures at this site. In bad weather, even an experienced climber can feel insecure in such areas.

J. - Extreme situation:))))
Cracks from “Barrels” to “Shelter”, and a few general phrases about other places. We will talk about the area below the “shelter”, where people often walk without restraints (see the main photo in Fig. 1), despite the knowledge of the depravity and consequences of such a practice. By the way, the snow on this trail is in the warmest conditions and the bridges are less durable than at higher altitudes. Use the following information 0 times, maximum 1 time if required. They cross bridges, stepping softly so as not to hit their feet, but without hesitating so as not to linger. Jumping over a closed crack risks underestimating the size of the snow bridge and causing it to collapse if overloaded. A bridge is clearly unsafe if it can be easily pierced with a stick without a ring (especially with a ring!), but the required thickness of the bridge cannot be reliably estimated by you. It is customary to cross cracks where the path is laid and directly along the path. On the one hand, each person develops the resource of the bridge, on the other hand, at least the bridge did not collapse under the previous person. It is unclear to the author whether, during the season of minimal snow, it is worth stepping onto the bridge exactly in a footstep, or half a foot to the side. When testing to poke a stick through an existing bridge on a trail, you may be compromising its strength. There are cases when a person remained on the surface when falling through the edge of a crack, falling on the ice (usually the bridge breaks in the middle), or spreading his arms to the sides when the bridge collapsed incompletely. These miracles bring tears to the eyes (after studying a lot of information about the more typical outcomes of incidents with bridge collapses), and those hoping to be saved in this way have a mixed reaction. In the event of an accident near a group of climbers (there is no point in walking along cracks with amateurs!), it is possible to call rescuers, although not everyone has telephone numbers for the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Climbers try to build trails along the least dangerous path. When leaving the trail, you usually come across cracks more often; the condition of the bridges over them is more difficult to assess. This is relevant, first of all, on the route above 4350 m. The zone of giant cracks under the Oblique Shelf is called the “corpse collector” because people often end up there during a fall, but our route is almost always separated from it by a decrease in relief like a cliff, although after returning from climb of 5000 m, theoretically you can wander there if you deviate too much to the right (error 1 ). The section on the descent (on the left hand) is more dangerous, since the jump in the relief is not pronounced and you can go out onto a flat ice field, the cracks in which are not very noticeable from afar, but there are enough of them (error 2 ). From the path from the “barrels” to the “shelter” you can also turn right, and there will be a field of cracks there. People who deliberately leave the route to the side after reading this towel are equated to wanting to commit suicide, which is much more painful in terms of pain than the well-known hara-kiri (the agony can last for hours). More or less regular rescue in the event of a bridge collapse occurs with properly organized insurance, which is not a secret, but requires detailed study and many repetitions. This article does not belong to the category of educational materials, and it is very advisable to study such a technique under the guidance of a mountaineering instructor; if you cannot find one, contact an experienced guide for money, you will also have to fork out for numerous accessories. The minimum time for serious training is a week, unless you are a genius. All the same, when the bridge collapses, you will hurt yourself and possibly get a fracture. And recently, in a group on another mountain, the high-altitude guide fell first and died. Is it worth it?
A cold day with unreliable orientation. It makes sense to save half a thermos of hot tea for such occasions on the descent. The most advantageous stopping point for protection from the wind is behind the stones of the Pastukhov rocks, the most accurate for an accelerated descent is at the last discovered pole; when the weather clears, you can go down, and a snowcat can also drive past you and pick you up. There is no point in wandering along the slope alone; having warm clothes is a priority. You will be able to successfully fight the cold longer than the consequences of falling into a crack. If you wander into a crack zone, there is no need to overcome them, trying to close the distance to the finish point. From this moment on, moving back from the cracks becomes dangerous for the lost person - he could have already crossed several snow bridges. It’s time to consult with the Ministry of Emergency Situations by phone, while the navigator’s readings will shorten the search by many hours. A kebab skewer or a stick without a ring, inserted under the snow next to you, will help make sure that you sit down to wait out the bad weather not on a snow bridge (the rod will rest against the ice). If there is no ice, carefully crawl back to where you came from. To stop on a slope, you need warm things in your backpack, such as a sleeping bag and a small rug. While waiting, a backpack can cover the lumbar area from the wind so as not to freeze the kidneys. In the absence of a sleeping bag, cooling under the influence of the wind weakens even wrapping in polyethylene, which does not grow on the mountain (at least grab thick, large bags from the supermarket). Several layers of polyethylene will reduce convective heat transfer, which is dangerous in the wind. Don't create resistance to the wind by sitting with your back at full height, but don't fall asleep either, you need to move your limbs. There is a chance of slipping after being wrapped in a windproof cocoon - stick something below your sliding path, for example, sticks without rings. Get at least 6-7 hours of sleep before going out. Periodically check the availability of communication, set alarms on your mobile so as not to pass out from monotonous impressions (it is better to have an indestructible Nokia with a brand new battery in the kit, in addition to your favorite smartphones).

H. Basic rules of movement. If you feel short of breath, take a break. The best pace of movement is uniform, slow, so as not to stop before an hour later. Above Pastukhov, the ascent is slow and zigzag; at least trekking poles are required; shoes with slippery soles are not allowed. Crampons will come in handy here; they are even necessary for comfortable movement, but if you fall and brake with them on a slope, you can easily twist your ankle joint, and you need to slow down with trekking poles in your hands or ice axes. Cats are available for rental in the village. Terskol. Advice on using cats can be found at the library or on the Internet, and later obtained on the mountain. You need to practice for several days. to learn how to walk in them. On the descent below Pastukhov, it will be possible to remove the crampons. Never rush to go up, always hurry, if the conditions exist, to go back down. The likelihood of failure when repeating mistakes accumulates. If you did not follow a safety rule once, follow it the second time, do not think that you are smarter than the authors of these rules. Walking between "Barrels" and "shelter", for example, is playing the lottery in one sense or another, even if losses are rare.

I. People. Interaction with them. No one guarantees that you will meet the right people, rely on yourself and your strengths. Don't count on anyone's help. A person can easily be left alone on the route, even if there is an agreement to travel together (therefore, from the very beginning, do not let yourself be “driven” and keep your pace, this will make it easier to manage on your own if necessary). Notwithstanding the above, It is most safe to be close to other people, because then rescuers can be called for you. Therefore, you should not go out to the mountain in the evening, knowing that there will obviously be no one there, even in good weather. Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations live near the “shelter” on a stone ridge. Check in with the Emergencies Ministry employees and talk to them before the walk to Pastukhov and to the beginning of Kosoy (just don’t break into the guys at night, do you need sleep-deprived rescuers later?). Carry a means of communication with fully charged batteries and filled-in Ministry of Emergency Situations numbers, areas of stable mobile communication operation must be clarified in advance. A phone with 2 SIM cards from different operators, or a couple of handsets, wouldn’t hurt; find out in advance what you can catch on the trail. Since you may find yourself without communication in some area, check where else you can call from while you walk - look at the base station connection indicator on your mobile. A delicate moment - clouds and snowfall can weaken the radio signal. It’s time to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations if more than half an hour has passed or when you begin to freeze and you cannot make a decision on your own. Don't be shy about asking people passing by, especially those going down. Do not expect that anyone will necessarily report your disaster to the Ministry of Emergency Situations instead of you. Be attentive to the events happening around you and to the state of your body (this requires some constant effort, usually a person gets stuck in one of the extremes). A bad attitude often leads to mistakes, and this almost does not depend on previous mountain experience; it’s just that a more experienced person will have his own problems on a more difficult route.

Stage 3 is for “maniacs”. Climbing to the beginning of the oblique shelf at 5000 m. Initially you do option 2, before it you need to do option 1, spending the night both times. List of important information: paragraphs from A to I. Under no circumstances, and is highly not recommended, without at least spending the night on the “barrels,” immediately starting with the Oblique, the unlucky climber will be “led away” from the high-altitude effects on health. Also on the route there are added difficulties with orientation - you can gradually move towards cracks as if drifting to the left (error 2 rice. 2), and when drifting immediately to the right (error 1 ), in contrast to the Pastukhov rocks. The path you have to follow is more difficult to read in bad weather: snowcats come here less often. This option is already quite risky. The decision to leave should be made after studying the information about the presence of markers. The forecast should be very good, fresh, 3 hours before departure, the Internet is available from the Shelter. It is highly advisable to study the route to the Pastukhov rocks the day before, climb them, evaluate your pace, and look around. On the third day, this route is for the really impatient. You can go first a couple of times to Pastukhov, and then go higher. If before this you spent the night in a tent at the end of the rescue cliffs (4350 m), here is an even more reasonable option for acclimatization.

Stage 4 – “I’m furious, I’m fast to the top!” Above the beginning of the Oblique Shelf, everything is much less predictable and more risky. Possible breakdowns, loss of landmarks, frostbite/freezing, exacerbation of the development of mountain sickness (you need to understand your vulnerability to the possibility of spending the night on a col in a snowstorm or in case of injury), loss of strength, will and motivation; in case of breakdowns - injuries with the possibility of losing the ability to descend independently and even with restrictions on waiting time for help, poisoning by volcanic gases, lightning strikes, rarely avalanches. A typical technically difficult place is the pre-summit “key” on the terrain, which is especially difficult for beginners when descending. In case of strong gusts of wind, mountaineering experience of the leader and the fruits of preliminary training of the participants may be required. An inexperienced climber may struggle to climb to the top, and then have to descend at high risk without skills and an adviser. The outcome of almost any accident at the top is frostbite/injury/altitude sickness (gradually progressing) and loss of ability to move independently. Once you set foot on Oblique, you cannot escape from severe bad weather due to the need to confidently overcome the same Oblique and higher located difficult sections that have already been climbed up in the reverse order, but in uncomfortable or even very uncomfortable conditions. People in a snowstorm will pass by the climber lying down 10 (and even 5) meters away and simply won’t notice him, and he won’t hear them because of the wind, and he’ll rip his throat out long before their visit, and that’s if he’s still conscious. Apart from the EMERCOM employees, few people will help him, and a group of EMERCOM workers sometimes lives on the saddle, but not always; amateur climbers cannot count on this. As a result, independent attempts to climb Elbrus without competent guidance are not recommended, they are strictly not recommended without warning the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees, the height of stupidity is to do it all at once without equipment or preliminary multi-day training. You can try to hire a guide/instructor after hiking to the beginning of Kosoi and descending if you still want to get to the top. It will be cheaper than a multi-day paid program from the same guides, and even cheaper than the costs of clearing up the troubles that have befallen you in the event of an accident. Study the issue of additional insurance for extreme sports (mountaineering) and the history of payments to the company in the event of an insured event - paid policy will not be superfluous.

Stage 5. Closer interaction with the mountain. The climber seems to have passed all the tests, he is healthy, cheerful, he seems to be not a miner and he is drawn to the top. Alternatively, spend the night at an altitude of 4700-4800 m? The option is more stringent than in the Shelter area. You need at least a couple of years of preliminary mountain experience, with camping in tents for two weeks. The dangers of parking are suffocation from the tent being covered with snow or carbon monoxide when the lamp/burner is working, as well as freezing and altitude sickness. It is possible that the cold will become severely worse; even with mild symptoms, overnight stays are prohibited. Well, there remains the danger of straying towards the cracks of stupidity. You need a partner and a tent that can accommodate two. Don’t forget to cover warm sleeping bags with a light one so that it takes care of condensation. Two people are already a relatively reliable team. Accordingly, a partner should not be ballast, but have equal opportunities. Advance study of the issue of acclimatization is required; it is highly advisable to do this before the trip. Previous overnight stays - at least one on the upper edge of the stone ridge (4350 m) with excellent health in the morning. Mandatory requirement - good weather forecast, charged mobile phones, registration with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, consultations on the advisability of heroism - in the same place. There is no need to pitch a tent at the expected place of arrival of the snowcat at night. To dig out a platform near the stones, you will need a strong shovel. You will also need to securely secure the tent guy ropes. The tent needs to be strong, otherwise the wind can easily tear it. If the overnight stay goes well, start the descent no later than 12 noon. If the miner is in trouble, and the forecast is good, you will leave on a snowcat at 2-3 am, when the next conquerors will be brought to the rocks, unless you pass out or freeze, so spending the night there alone is risky. It would be better to crumple up the tent and take it away right before boarding the snowcat, because every 5 minutes in the cold if you feel unwell is unfavorable for your health. Agree in advance that one will watch the other and do not rebel, do not go for a walk alone from the tent more than a few meters. If you want to climb the Mountain after a well-spent night, you can negotiate with a guide; you will already have decent acclimatization. You just need to go down to Terskol and unload your body for a day, and then climb back up to the “barrels”. There are doubts that it is generally worth going to the top “for show.” “Oblitting” is already stressful, there for two hours you have to check every step so as not to roll down, and this is all against the backdrop of lack of sleep. These are the feelings of a person who spent two winters happily practicing walking in crampons on ice slides, frozen rivers and waterfalls with top rope. The oncoming bad weather will reveal the shortcomings that seemed easy without that labor-intensive route.

A bit of turbidity and mining fog. Just on Pastukhov, three and a half years ago, a nice young couple was going to spend the night for the purpose of acclimatization before the Mountain, according to our own plan, we exchanged smiles and a couple of kind words with them. According to my recollections, on the same visit someone could have been dug up there from rumors, it is possible that two of them, and maybe I later met them alive, the latter is doubtful due to my schedule. Most likely, they dug up someone else, and I wondered if it was the same, but instead of checking, I made up my mind about the fact that we were seeing each other again. Is that normal?)) Therefore Walking into people's sight won't necessarily save you. What if, while someone is playing in the box, those around him will put their observations of him on hold? At the bottom we act semi-automatically, but our automatism fits better into the reality created by people, and at the top we come with the same skills pedestrian, while we are required to be more conscious at every step both towards ourselves and the world around us.

The article contains the minimum necessary information. The article describes walking on dangerous snow and ice terrain. Warnings are not enough; the authors (me and those who commented on the creation of this opus) disclaim all responsibility for your actions. The reader's mindset may require a thorough study of the subject with practical examples, then the format of an article of several pages is contraindicated for him. Someone’s health will fail, or they will have little ability to navigate the terrain, will have no experience of long-term walking along the intersection, and finally, the winter conditions that are familiar to fishermen and skiers may be confusing. Forecasts sometimes do not come true. A strong storm can put a person on a slope or fall down. Below is a list of mistakes made in the absence of experienced leadership. The desire to get a mountain with a minimum of effort leads to making decisions with a lot of shortcomings. Stubbornness based on high self-esteem can lead to a dead end and help you become exhausted. A surge of curiosity combined with enthusiasm is just as dangerous as the previous vices. No article or dissertation can replace an experienced companion. Try to remember the seriousness of all mountain misfortunes and control yourself. Even those who follow all the rules are sometimes unlucky.

The area on the southern slope of Elbrus is not fundamentally inaccessible to intelligent beginners, but this text is compiled not as instructions (talmuds will be required), but as a reminder, What do you need to start studying when entering the high mountains? In feature films, frozen people against a background of snow can look quite funny, thanks to Jack Nicholson for this shot:


Rice. 4. Still from the film "The Shining". The end that overtook the distraught citizen. The picture was taken in the morning.

In reality, those who die, as a rule, are wonderful, pleasant, strong people who are capable of sports. The mountain produces about 10 dead bodies a year, and it is not a fact that there are not several more missing in the cracks. There are many who were maimed on the Mountain, with amputations and the like. Respect this Mountain with its beauties, heady air and dangers. Take with you everything you brought to the Mountain.

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So, on the 9th day of our journey, we were scheduled to go to Shelter 11.

We returned to Itkol the day before, so we had time to purchase additional magnets and rent equipment - the trek leader rented crampons for everyone, but we got everything we needed for ourselves.

I bought a cool headlamp, a softshell jacket and two compression bags - everything for future hikes. I saw such a jacket in Prague, but then there was not enough money, and I was ashamed to ask my mother. So I didn’t miss this opportunity here)

The whole evening was spent packing backpacks: thick jackets stubbornly refused to fit into the backpack.

I immediately appreciated the compression bags: they contained not only a jacket and pants, but also a puffy vest, all the fleeces, T-shirts, and various small items - which, of course, came in handy along the way, but which I packed so securely that I was amazed later.

We needed to get a good night's sleep, so we put our phones on charge and got ready to go to bed. It so happened that I ended up in a double room with a girl who had never gone hiking, but turned out to be strong like our guys, so I had no doubt that she would make it. For her, the most difficult thing at the beginning of the hike was socializing. But already on the third day she relaxed when she realized that the team was extremely friendly. So, about the girl... When she saw my prayer book, she asked me to definitely read my prayers at night and out loud, saying that she fell asleep better this way. The girl adheres to a different religion, but this is not the first time I have seen this not just tolerance, but even respect for someone else’s religion. Not everyone is like this, but so far I’ve been lucky with such people. I read prayers every night while we spent the night in the hotel and she and I slept like babies. The same cannot be said about the boys: they had nightmares in the hotel and often woke up.

By the way, I completely missed the description of the team. IN 24 people went on the hike: 4 girls, the rest guys. To be honest, I always liked this arrangement: the fewer girls, the better for me. Firstly, girls with character, and if we have difficult days, then whims begin, which are difficult to put up with in extreme situations. And in general, I love basking in male attention and caring for all our boys when they are hungry, sick or tired. They are all “my boys” if they come under my care and care)) It’s funny, of course, but sometimes I just become “Chole’s mom.”

…In the morning we leave Itkol with all our things. We load them onto our long-suffering bus. The leader of the trip decided to save money for us for a festive dinner and a bath upon our return, so only the team of drivers, the girl who accompanied them and one of the boys who managed to fall in love with her remain at the hotel. He went through the acclimatization session perfectly and could have easily ascended. But I stayed at the call of love))

Therefore, in the morning, only 23 people, loaded to the very top, went to the Terskol cable car. The leader of the hike again took pity on us girls: in our backpacks we only had whips for ourselves. The boys were loaded like little donkeys.

On the cable car there are two large red booths with MTS advertising. Before us is a large team of foreigners. Among them I notice a red-haired Irishman who amazed me the day before at the market: he looked like a typical mountaineer and looked a little like a sea captain with his bright red hair and small beard. And in general, I have a soft spot for redheads. Next to him is a very young blonde. So thin, thinner than me. He looks about 20 years old. However, he behaves confidently.

We pile into the cabin and begin a fairly rapid ascent. While we are rising, one is strong elderly woman with a stick she begins to tell how many decades ago she worked here as an instructor, and while there was no cable car, she and her teams climbed from the Azau Valley on foot with backpacks. It is a pleasure to look at her.

We get to some station, from there we climb again to the Mir station, where we change into warmer clothes. It's getting pretty chilly. Things are packed in such a way that everything that was previously stuffed into a compression bag suddenly became necessary now. It’s a hassle to open the compression bag and cover it. finally, having more or less changed clothes, we transfer to another cable car - a chairlift - where you ride on your own and hug your backpack, and at the same time try not to slide down backwards and fly away along with your valuable cargo onto the rocks below. I don’t have the strength to hold the camera - I press it with my chin to my backpack and read prayers all the way. I don't like such a fast rise, because I know how it will respond to me. Below is an area that a friend described as “completely alien.” We get to “Gora-Bashi”, colloquially “Bochki”, which foreigners call “Containers”, and we get there quite quickly.
1. Chairlift to "Barrels"

To “Shelter-11” it is a 40-minute walk along a path through snow fields in a northerly direction. At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to leave the trail, because The glacier along which the trail is laid is covered in abundance with cracks hidden under the snow. But the leader of the trip explains to us that he included in the budget the rental of a snowcat. So part of the team rides on a snowcat to Shelter 11, while others wait below. I ended up in the second part and witnessed the Meeting. A very old man started talking to us. Or we started talking. There is, of course, another question here. He is 87 years old and is once again planning to climb Elbrus.

- If you can’t climb, don’t cry, - he told us. I just shook my head angrily. I have heard this phrase for many weeks and now it has no use for me either. But he continued: - The mountain has stood for millions of years and will still stand. And in your life, if anything else happens, you will have the opportunity to return and ascend. It's not worth risking your life at all.

I do not know why. Until now I had not listened to anyone, I stubbornly walked forward like an ant, and then his words stopped me. The reason for this was probably the rather difficult acclimatization hike, which came as a surprise. Rather, it was a combination of events and incoming information. And so the child became, probably, the first person whose words I really heard.

I took a photo of him, but with the team, I won’t post it here.
While we are waiting for the snowcat, it starts to snow. Elbrus shows us his character for the first time. And this is unexpected: raincoats, of course, are at the bottom of the backpack, although within reach, but getting them out is troublesome. We girls, as always, are the very first to find fundamentally important strategic objects with the inscription “EmZho”. Our bodies are different from those of boys, so when someone wants to go to the toilet, they can safely ask the girls about it - the tender eyes of girls, especially tourists, have learned to detect such a thing.

After 30 minutes the snowcat returned for us. A very strange vehicle, I’ll tell you: it has special tracks, it takes up large area, therefore, apparently it doesn’t fall into cracks, it rushes forward like a tank, and if it can’t and rolls back a little, then it doesn’t slide, but presses tightly into the snow with its tracks and, rumbling, moves on.
2. Ice expanses over which the snowcat rides

Arriving at "Shelter 11" We quickly check into the trailers.
3. “Shelter 11” existed as a normal hotel until 1998, I have already talked about this. After the fire, booths were set up here for living and cooking, and somehow everything got better.

I get a shelf with one of our “ringleaders” - a tall blond man who gets sick more, but also bares his teeth the most. With an unkillable sense of humor. At least this is good: if things get bad at night, instead of crying, you can laugh. In general, our cabin was the most restless: we laughed even at night, having difficulty falling asleep at night. It was so difficult to sleep at altitude. But only one of the guys decided to drink the sleeping pills that I took with me. It was he who slept the best and was healthy, strong and cheerful. And we are suckers, we were sick all night and suffered from insomnia. This whole prejudice against sleeping pills worked and the fear of not waking up when needed.

The leader of the trip gives us an hour and a half to eat and tells us to prepare for the acclimatization trip. The attendants have difficulty boiling water: at altitude, by the way, it is very difficult to boil water in its normal form, it reaches 90 degrees and does not even boil, but simply blows bubbles. The boys brought water from a stream that flows along the surface of the mountain: the snow melts and creates a path for itself - as if a spring was flowing somewhere. The water there is transparent blue, clean, beautiful.

We eat whips again, fill up on someone’s dried meat - either the neighbors gave it to us, or the boys stocked up, we get ready, put on crampons, take some telescopes, some ski poles, and go to the Pastukhov rocks.

I'm making a few mistakes. Firstly, I’m one of the last to leave and end up paired with that girl of ours who always trails at the end. We have to wait for herwhich, of course, doesn’t make me happy. I'm slowly catching up with the other guys. A strong wind is picking up, there is still a long way to go, but at the chosen pace, resting often, often, you can go.
Secondly, I hang the camera on my neck and it puts pressure on it.
Thirdly, that piece of dried pork, which I don’t eat at all in the world, but then I fell for the offer of this cute blond.
I feel bad. The fourth reason for this is the sharp climb, but I couldn’t change anything here. It’s bad when you feel nauseous, dizzy, you stagger and wobble like a child, and it seems like you could lie down and die, just not have to endure this condition.

There's tea in someone's backpack ahead. I note to myself that I will take tea for the climb myself, I will not rely on anyone, everything I need - tea, medicine, some clothes, gloves - everything will be with me.

We are barely hanging on with one of the team members. He also doesn’t feel well; the part of his face protruding from the mask turns gray. As “experienced” tourists later explained to us, when such grayness appears on the face, the person urgently needs to be taken down.

I'm not going to the Pastukhov rocks - I'm going to tea. That's my short term goal.Suddenly I notice an incomprehensible movement ahead: the guys are quickly moving back and forth, huddled together, consulting about something. After some time we see that they are dragging someone by the arms. Judging by the color of the jacket, it’s not ours. That’s right: the boys helped lower some Cypriot who had made the climb. but he broke down from the mining on the Sedlovina.
4. Rescue operation. The photo was taken when rescuers arrived. They lowered it themselves to "Barrels". A snowcat should have been waiting for them there.

It's hard to go down. We met a Czech and a Ukrainian who treated me to water with diluted ascorbic acid. I feel a little better, but I still almost fall from the headache and nausea.
- When do you go to the top? - the Czech asks our leader with a wild accent.
Hearing that tomorrow, he shakes his head.
- This young woman needs two more days. The acclimatization is too short for her,” he says.
I'm silent. and I myself know that everything is so. But the team has people with different backgrounds. You can’t delay your ascent because of me alone. And we no longer have free days. Due to delays with the bus, we lost two days, which we could have used for additional acclimatization and taken reserves for the ascent.
“Scoundrels!” I hiss inside myself with annoyance, remembering the amoebic drivers and the broken-down bus.

I can barely crawl to the shelter. I just want the pain to stop and nothing more.

This situation with the Cypriot greatly shook our self-confidence: both mine and the guys. And this meeting changed something in me: I would not want to return to the shelter in SUCH a state. And I thought that I would not allow them to mess with me in the same way. And yet I hoped, hoped to the last, that everything would work out and I could do everything.

The leader analyzes our condition and decides that we will spend the night in a shelter and will not go to the top. In the evening, terrible snow begins, we, slightly frozen, warm ourselves against each other, laugh, although we are writhing in pain, and go to bed happy. At night I start to choke, the blond makes me get dressed and takes me outside to breathe.
Returning to the cockpit, we hear someone vomiting all night. And every time this unfortunate man goes out into the street, it resonates in our stomachs and heads with unimaginable pain. Only then do I understand how easily my mining proceeds, and how

We're all lucky.