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Posts for Elbrus Northside from 08/2009

Elbrus Northside Climbers Arrive in Base Camp

Posted by: | August 31, 2009
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Northside
Elevation: 7,200'

Prvyet from Elbrus Northside Basecamp,

We got an early start from Kislovodsk this morning. With our backpacks packed and our street clothes stored away, we piled into the back of an old Soviet-era off road vehicle and headed into the Caucasus. The pavement quickly disappeared only a few minutes outside of town and we began the long, twisting dirt road to Base Camp. The enormous 36” wheels of the former military truck handled the rocks and ruts of the road with ease and we made good progress through the lower slopes of the mountains. Rising gradually from the fertile fields in the heart of Russia, the northern Caucasus steppe is a stunning landscape. The farms and fields slowly give way to grand rolling grasslands, cut by deep canyons, hemmed in by rocky plateaus, and framed by jagged, snow capped peaks. Herds of sheep, cows, and goats wander slowly, feasting on the alpine grass before autumn sets in. And rising above it all stands Mt. Elbrus, it’s twin summits literally shimmering in the clear morning air. The view of the mountain this morning was fantastic and we were thrilled to watch the mountain grow larger as we bounced our way towards it.

After five hours of gradually making our way higher into the mountains on increasingly narrow and eroded roads, we reached Basecamp - a cluster of brightly colored tents at the foot of Elbrus’ flanks. We set up camp, unpacking our climbing gear, taking stock of our food supplies, and keeping an eye on the curious bovines wandering about. Before the afternoon slipped by we headed out on a short walk above Basecamp to stretch our legs.

Back at camp we sat down to a hearty minestrone feast before crawling into the tents for the evening. After days and days of travel from our homes almost a dozen time zones away, it feels great to finally be on the mountain. The team is excited and eager to start our ascent. Tomorrow we are planning to go on an acclimatization hike and cache some of our gear higher up near our next camp. It is an excellent opportunity to get out on the trail and give our legs a shake out while positioning us for a move to the next camp. We will check-in tomorrow night and let you know how it goes.

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Elbrus Northside Team Leaves Moscow

Posted by: | August 30, 2009
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Northside

This morning we drove to Moscow’s domestic airport and caught a morning flight 600km to the south to Mineralnye Vody, the airport used to access the Caucasus. An hour’s drive finally brought us to Kislovodsk, our point of departure for Elbrus. We spent the afternoon sorting, repacking, and making our final preparations for the mountain. The team is doing well and in fine spirits. All are ready to get into the mountains after the days of travel and preparation.

We have an early start tomorrow morning as we head across the lower slopes of the Caucasus and finally reach Basecamp on the north side of Elbrus.

Hope all is well at home

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Elbrus Northside Team Visits Moscow

Posted by: | August 29, 2009
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Northside

Dobry vecher from Moscow,

By seven last night the entire team - including all bags and gear! - reached our hotel in Moscow to kick off the 2009 RMI Elbrus Northside Expedition! The team was tired from the hours of traveling from halfway around the world, but excited to be here as we shared a drink with the sun setting over the buildings and illuminating the Moscow River. We found a little cafe down the street from the hotel where, with two English menus amongst the ten of us, we managed to order a delicious dinner through a mix of broken English and phrasebook Russian. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for a well deserved rest.

This morning we made the short walk from our hotel across the Moscow River and along the red walls of the Kremlin to Red Square. We arrived early enough to beat the crowds of tourists and admired the stunning architecture of the GUM (the Soviet State Department Store), St. Basil’s Cathedral with it’s unmistakable brightly colored onion-shaped domes, and the dark red walls of the Kremlin, the seat of Soviet and now Russian government. After visiting Lenin’s tomb, walking through the dark and somber marble building, we met our local Muscovite, Nina, who led us on a tour of this famous area. We walked through the shops of the GUM whose shelves used to stock basic provisions and now houses luxury brands like Dior, then explored the dozens of small, beautifully painted chapels that make up St. Basil’s Cathedral, before watching the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We ended our tour by making our way through the gates of the Kremlin and exploring it’s beautiful churches, gardens, and monuments - such as the largest bell and cannon in the world.

After a full day of sightseeing we relaxed for a few hours in the afternoon, taking some time to explore Moscow on our own. We are headed to a fantastic Georgian restaurant tonight to sample cuisine straight from the Caucasus before we head down there ourselves tomorrow. We are catching a morning flight to Mineralyne-Vody, the gateway to the northern Caucasus. We will check-in tomorrow night from the town of Kislovodsk, our launching point for our climb of Elbrus’ wild northside.

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Elbrus Northside Team Meets in Moscow

Posted by: | August 28, 2009
Categories: *Expedition Dispatches *Elbrus Northside

Hi from Russia! The whole team and luggage has arrived in Moscow. We just finished a great dinner and are getting to bed so we can enjoy our city tour tomorrow.

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