Have You Ever Skied on Elbrus?
March 23rd, 2009Skiing & SnowboardingMount Elbrus is the highest mountain in the Caucasus on the border of Asia and Europe, it is a volcano that has lain dormant for about 2,000 years. Mount Elbrus (west summit) stands at 5,642 metres it is also the highest point of Russia and the highest mountain in Europe. The east summit is a little bit lower: 5,621 metres.
Photo: Alex Zacharov
Ski and snowboard season is open the whole year, but in May – August you’ll find snow only higher 3500, other time you can start from Azau – 2000m (see slopes schema). The best time I think is end of February – beginning of April, you’ll catch sunny or snowy days, depends how lucky you are =) And don’t forget sunglasses and sun protection cream.
Ski and chair lifts on Mount Elbrus and on Mount Cheget serve about 35 km of marked and groomed trails. A ski cat tow is offered to 4700 metres in winter and 5100 metres in summer, it can be an alternative way when fixed lifts are closed, but also opens impressive and wide options for skiers and snowboarders.
The Cheget lift station is located in the village of Cheget and rises steeply for 1500m to two separate stations. Slopes here offer good vertical drops and impressive off-piste skiing with widely spaced birch forests. Mount Cheget has the most extreme slopes in Europe.
Elbrus and Cheget offer the huge opportunity for free ride and heli-skiing. The only two problems here are avalanches and lack of people speaking English.
Mt. Elbrus and Mt. Cheget Slopes
2 Responses to “Have You Ever Skied on Elbrus?”
Would you like to comment "Have You Ever Skied on Elbrus?"?
March 24th, 2009 at 1:49 am
how much were the lift tickets? do you know anything about local outfitters for climbing the mountain?
March 24th, 2009 at 3:14 am
This year one day lift ticket was about $25 (or unofficial 100 rubles for one way up). About local climbing I have no info.