Climbing Elbrus from the West
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Maximum altitude: 5642 m
Program category: Mountain Climbing
Difficulty: advanced (SPECIAL SKILLS ARE REQUIRED)
Duration: 9 days
Season: June - September
Program price from: 1250 Euro
Optimal format: mini group 4 participants / 1 guide
Contact the organizer via WhatsApp or Telegram +44 7727 445099
Climbing Mount Elbrus from the West - along the most interesting route!
Detailed FAQ section on preparation, equipment, and routes to Mount Elbrus
The Mount Elbrus route from the west side, from Karachay-Cherkessia, is also called the "Route via Utyug (the iron)" or via the Western Plateau.
This is the longest and most technically challenging of the classic routes to Mount Elbrus.
The Mount Elbrus route from the west was first climbed during the large-scale expedition of the German geographer Gottfried Merzbacher in 1891 and long remained one of the most inaccessible and challenging alpine routes on the northern side of the Caucasus Mountains.
Today, the route to Mount Elbrus from the west stands out in terms of difficulty among other classic routes to the highest mountain in the Caucasus.
Ascent of Mount Elbrus from the west requires organizing a completely autonomous expedition, including setting up three intermediate camps along the way to the summit, not counting the West Dzhaly-Su Base Camp. Only well-equipped off-road vehicles can reach it.
The climbing route to Mount Elbrus from the west is 12 kilometres long and has an elevation gain of 2,950 meters. There is no infrastructure along the route to Mount Elbrus from the west; the ascent only can be organized as a completely autonomous expedition.
Furthermore, the Mount Elbrus west route has no terrain markings and requires confident mountain navigation skills.
The Mount Elbrus route from the west is visited by climbers significantly less often than other classic routes to Mount Elbrus.
The reason for this route's low popularity lies in logistical difficulties, as well as the technical complexity of the section between camps 3900 m and 4600 m.
To overcome the steep ice slope south of the Utyug Gendarme, mountaineering equipment is required. The steepness of the snow and ice slope reaches 50°-70° over approximately 200 vertical meters.
The advantages of the Mount Elbrus route from the West include its pristine condition, low tourist traffic, and, as a result, the purity of the terrain, untouched by any human activity.
The route to Elbrus from the West is an obvious choice for true connoisseurs of the pristine beauty of the mountains.
For climbers, ascending Mount Elbrus from the west is a serious and challenging task, which requires preparation and a number of specialized skills—rope handling, belaying a partner, roped climbing, crevasse rescue, ice axe climbing, and field navigation.
Climbing Elbrus from the west is not recommended for those without previous experience or in poor physical condition.
Important! To maximize the positive experience of this route and reduce the risk of injury to your health, we strongly recommend adding one of two acclimatization modules to this mountain tour:
Acclimatization program in Adyl Su
Acclimatization program in Irik Chat
The ascent of Western Elbrus from the west can be combined with the ascent of Mount Kazbek – in this case, the first part of the program serves as acclimatization.
Guided ascent of West Elbrus (5648 m) from the West program schedule
Day 1 - Arrive to MRV, hotel accommodation City business Hotel ***, dinner in the restaurant
Day 2 - Transfer 4x4 from Mineralnye vody to Khurzuk village and further up the valley. Overnight stay in the West Elbrus BC 2700 m (West Jaly Su) in the tents. Breakfast in the hotel, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 3 - Walking up to the camp 1 on the moraine of the glacier, 3300 m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 4 - Walking up to the Camp 2 on the upper morain, 3900 m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 5 - Climbing the steep snow (ice) gorge to the upper glacier plateau, setting the altitude Camp 3, 4600m, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 6 - Climbing West Elbrus 5648 m, descent to the Camp 2, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 7 - Spare summit day, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 8 - Spare summit day, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 9 - Descent to the camp 1, overnight in the tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner - outdoor rations
Day 10 - Descent the the starting point of the route, 4x4 pick up and transfer to MRV. Hotel accommodation, overnight in the hotel, breakfast, lunch - outdoor rations, dinner in the restaurant
The price of the "Climbing West Elbrus from the West 2026":
1250 Euro* - mini-group 3-4 participants / 1 guide
3200 Euro - private program for 1-2 participants 1 / guide
* price per person
You have to be ready for:
- 8 days of camping life in the field conditions;
- Cooking your meals by yourself while climbing mountains;
- Carrying a 20-25 kg backpack;
- Air temperature can be down to -10°C on the altitude higher than 3000 m;
Conditions: acclimatization module is highly recommended
The price includes: Professional mountain guide services, rent of the communal equipment (ropes, belaying and navigation equipment, cooking gear), hotel accommodation, transfers from the point of the beginning of the program to its end (Mineralnye vody MRV), using the communal basic medical kit, local registering and climbing permits, food for outdoor part of the program.
The price does not include: Russian visa charges*, International and domestic flight expenses** to and from the point of the beginning of the program (Mineralnye Vody MRV), obligatory climbing insurance, rent of the personal equipment, food and drinks while being in cities.
MCS EDIT 2025