elbrus

ALPINE CLUB TRIPOLIS

EXPEDITION ELBRUS 5642m. SUMMER 2005

PHOTO GALLERY

ELBRUS 5642 m.

Climbers all over the world disagree for the tallest summit of Europe. Some of them support that it is the Mont Blank but others believe that it is the Elbrus. Before two years we climbed to the Mont Blanc. This year we decided to climb to the Elbrus too, as according to the international mountaineering sites it belongs to the seven highest summits of all continents.
       Below we will not narrate a story that begins with the known stereotype   <once upon a time>, but we will present you the real events we experienced in the mountain.
          Initially we ensured our attendance in the high mountain mission that was organised by the <Base Camp> of Panagiotis Kotronaros with the goal of the summit Elbrus 5642m of Caucasus. The Base Camp had undertaken all the requirements of travel that this include the tickets, visas, our staying in the cities and the shelters and the Russian guides who would escort us.
         Our travel began from the “Eleftherios Venizelos” airport at 13: 40 a.m. We took the flight of Aeroflot to our destination, Moscow. At 18:00a.m. we were to the capital of Russia. There we took the bus which was waiting for us and transported us to the hotel “Izmailovo”, the centre of hotels in the Olympic Games of Moscow.  
         The next morning with other flight we travelled to the Mineralnye Vody. After a three hours journey we landed there. From Mineralnye Vody we continued by bus to Trescol and the Baksan valley, approaching Caucasus. Russian safety measures made their presence so much intense in the airports and in the road that seemed exaggeration. However let us tell you that we are directed to Tsetsenia and Georgia.
        During our journey by bus, we observe the landscape as it gradually changes from plain in mountainous landscape. As we cross several villages poverty and abandonment unfold beyond us. We watch a country that collapses, villages with enormous buildings and persons who leave the one above the other.  In the past everything was arranged by the status quo. However, now after the fall of communism, the direct freedom had the opposite results contrary to the expected. We are in the <Lada> country with everything that this means. Time passes and we reach our destination, at Itcol hotel which is at 2000m.
       The next day we are going up to 3050m with a cable car and walk slow to the summit Mt Cheget 3461m for acclimation. The weather is wonderful, we see the Elbrus and the Russian guides show us the ascent route we are going to follow the next days. Around us innumerable summits declare their presence. More impressive is the Seven which has taken its name from a glacier with that form. We return to the hotel to rest.
      The next morning finds us to go up with the cable cars from 2000m up to 3750m to Gara-bashi shelters or commonly barrels.  We are not staying there as it had initially been programmed but we walk up to the Priyut Hut shelter to 4200m. This make is unfavorable for the members of the team for acclimation reasons. We begin to walk under bad weather conditions. We are going up with snowfall separated in two lines. We are 24 individuals and 3 Russian guides. The weather argues more and more and the mountain is trembling from the lightings and thunders. Everybody worry and the Russian guides change the ascent program. The ascent rhythm becomes faster until the shelter, without stops for safety reasons as we have metal objects like ice axe, trekking poles etc. As we reach the shelter we are being arranged to the rooms, one for four individuals. We eat a powerful dinner and pass the rest of the day drawing the ascent and saying mountaineering stories. We already know some of the members of the team as we have been met again to other high mountain missions.
          The morning holds us a splendid day. The mountain is clear of clouds and we admire it. We begin the programmed ascent acclimation up to the Pastukhov Rocks at 4700m. We are separated to many teams. Some of us áre in a hurry. However the mountain does not forgive anyone or nothing. It wants prudence and patience.  The rule says “in order for a climber to reach a high peak he should go up in a slow ambling”. Indeed our rhythm is nervously slow with many stops. This attitude has as a result five or six of us to ascent up to 5000m exceeding Pastukhov Rocks 4700m making thus a better acclimation. It follows a slow descent to the shelter where we stay. The Russian guides insist that the next day we should descent to the village for rest. Anyway we have reached the altitude we wanted. So we are again down to the village for rest.
      After an evening feasting, the next day we go up to Priut Hut where we stay for our final ascent.
      The daybreak of the next day we are preparing ourselves for the ascent. We have been separated to two teams. The one constituted from five individuals begins at 2: 00 p.m. from the shelter with leader P.Kotronaros. The others begin at 4:00 p.m. with the Russian guides in order to be promoted with ratrak a little below the Pastukhof rocks 4700m. From there we go up with first objective the traversa. It is dawning and we put our glasses on as the sun radiation is intense. We cross the traversa and follow the col. In the end of it we stop for water etc. We are between the two summits of Elbrus. The ascent henceforth is abrupt. We hold our ice axe for safety reasons. We are reaching the top. Before it there is a saddle we should cross. Ten minutes remain and we are in the top of Europe. WE DID IT! We are taking photos and admire around the imposing summits. At the top there is a dedication to the Russian people that died there during the Second World War, when it was needed to reoccupy the summit from the Nazi lowering the Hitler’s flag. I place a picture of Saint Elias, the protector of climbers, in the monument. Its 21rst of July 2005. 
      We begin the descent one by one long and tiring, but with great satisfaction. The next day we go down the mountain. The mission is over. I turn and look the mountain for the last time. I want to remember clearly all the times I shared with my brother Kosta. The banner of our association SAOO has gone up in another high peak afterwards the Mont Blanc. Going down I shout “EVEN HIGHER”.