Elbrus climbing gear
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Selection of climbing equipment for climbing Mount Elbrus - depending on the route
In this article, I would like to invite you to read some of my recommendations for using special technical climbing and camping equipment for Mount Elbrus expeditions. The material presented below is based on my more than 20 years experience of climbing Mount Elbrus. This text does not concern issues of clothing and footwear - these issues are discussed in another article.
Let me start with the fact that all the classic routes for climbing Mount Elbrus - from the south, north, east and west - are these routes are of low (initial) climbing category of difficulty, which do not present serious technical obstacles.
The main difficulty of climbing Mount Elbrus lies in its serious altitude, difficult weather conditions and the length of the routes, which require good physical preparation and acclimatization.
Also, regardless of the route, an important condition for your safety and success in Mount Elbrus climb is the correctly chosen climbing tactics. Climbing tactics include a properly selected set of equipment - your mobility on the route and the level of physical load directly depend on the weight and volume of your gear.
Optimizing your equipment and eliminating all unimportant or unnecessary elements allows you to reduce the weight of your backpack - this is very important in order to maintain your energy and performance at the critical altitudes.
The set of alpine equipment for climbing Mount Elbrus depends on the chosen route and the tactical plan for the ascent. For example, if you plan to climb Mount Elbrus during the summer season along the most popular route from the south. If you plan to use all the infrastructure available - cable car, hotels, snowcat for getting to level 4800 - then you will need a minimum set of equipment. Most likely only light climbing crampons and telescopic trekking poles will be enough.
On the other hand, if you choose the most difficult of the classic Mount Elbrus routes - from the west, then you will need the entire set of technical alpine equipment to organize belay on the steep sections and the entire set of camping gear for an autonomous expedition - tents, sleeping bags, mats, cooking equipment.
As a rule, in order to prepare well for Elbrus climb, you need to have an accurate understanding of all the obstacles that you will encounter on the route. The more accurately you understand the task, the easier it will be to draw up a tactical plan and select the necessary set of equipment, eliminating all unnecessary items. To do this, it is recommended to read carefully all the available route descriptions and find information about recent climbs and its current condition.
I bring to your attention a brief description of the technical features of all main Mount Elbrus routes and according specifics of using of the special equipment for each of them:
Features: Availability of refuges and transportation (snowcats, snowmobiles) up to a level of 4800 m, in normal weather conditions - a continuous marked trail to the summit. There is a possibility of a small icy section (of the length of 30-40 m) at an altitude of 5400 m - the fixed rope can be found there.
Hazards: adverse weather conditions, difficulties with route finding in case of bad weather
Required climbing equipment: sleeping bag, light mountaineering crampons, trekking poles
Features: Small (compared to the southern route) number of refuges, lack of transportation options. Under normal conditions there is a continuous marked trail to the summit. The upper part of the route to the West summit of Mount Elbrus coincides with the South route.
Hazards: adverse weather conditions, difficulties with route finding
Necessary climbing gear: tent, sleeping bag, mat, light mountaineering crampons, trekking poles
Features: no refuges nor marked trail, route duration 3-4 days
Hazards: unfavorable weather conditions, difficulties with route finding, crevasse danger when crossing the Jinkau-Ginköz plateau, possible icy pitch before reaching the summit dome.
Necessary climbing equipment: tent, sleeping bag, mat, light mountaineering crampons, trekking poles, ice axe, rope, harness, ice screws and carabiners. Emergency kit for crevasse rescue + practiced skill of using it
Features: no refuges nor marked trail, duration of the route is 5-6 days, rather steep ice section at an altitude of 4400 m (screw belay is required for climbing)
Hazards: adverse weather conditions, difficulties with route finding, crevasse danger on the glacier plateau above Utyug Rock, possibility of rockfall, risk of falling on a steep ice section
Necessary climbing equipment: tent, sleeping bag, mat, light mountaineering crampons, trekking poles, helmet, ice axe, rope, harness, carabiners, ice screws
In accordance with the above brief overview of the Elbrus climbing routes, the dependence of the equipment set on the technical features of the route is visible.
I am often asked why many companies that organize commercial climbs of Mount Elbrus along the easiest route from the south, load their clients with all the possible climbing equipment - harnesses, helmets, ice axes, etc.?
The answer is obvious - that it looks cooler and sells more expensive. As a rule, the audience of such programs is not expected to have mountaineering experience. An ordinary participant (client) of Mount Elbrus climb cannot independently figure out whether he needs this equipment or not.
So what is given should be taken.
The second reason for this may well be the insufficient experience and lack of qualification of the organizers and guides of such ascents. Many people think that the principle works in the mountains - more equipment - safer climb. Even if no one knows how to use that equipment.
If on the Mount Elbrus routes from the east and west there is indeed a possibility of encountering technical climbing obstacles, which require special climbing equipment to overcome, then two other routes - South and North are accessible for climbing with a minimum set of equipment.
Using the example of the South and North Mount Elbrus routes, I propose to understand the feasibility of using individual parts of climbing equipment.
It is important to understand that these recommendations apply only to the Mount Elbrus ascents that are organized during the summer season under the leadership of a professional guide. These recommendations are not supposed for preparing an independent or unsupported expedition.
Ø Let's start with the rope and harness. By getting roped on a difficult climbing route, climbers protect themselves against falls on a steep section or falling into a crevasse. (I have a separate text regarding illusions of safety when using a rope)
1. The first danger - a fall - is unlikely while climbing Mount Elbrus under standard conditions due to the low steepness of the slopes. In the summer, if there is snow cover, it is almost impossible to fall or slide down climbing Mount Elbrus.
2. The second danger, more typical for Mount Elbrus, is numerous crevasses. The slopes of this mountain - that is a body of a mighty glacier, covered with snow and containing numerous crevasses of varying widths and depths, often masked by snow and therefore very dangerous.
However, the possibility of falling into a crevasse arises only if you deviate from the line of the marked trail (which is a clear prerequisite for a serious accident).
In this case, a rope most unlikely will help you (read this), since its use requires professional crevasse rescue skills.
The main safety requirement for climbing Mount Elbrus is that you should never leave the safe trail. As long as you are on the trail, there is no point to use a rope. At an altitude of 5400 meters, slightly above the Saddle close to the approach to the Western Summit, there is a short section that requires caution when passing or some basic belay.
A stationary fixed rope usually hangs in this place, which you can hold or fasten yourself to by a sliding carabiner - if necessary.
Neither the steepness nor the danger of this section create the need to use any additional equipment.
If you absolutely want to protect yourself and use the fixed rope, you can take with you a sling with a carabiner - such a device can be tied around your waist and be fastened into the fixed rope.
Otherwise climbing the entire Mount Elbrus route in a harness for the sake of using self-belay on a fixed rope for 20-30 meters is far from the optimal solution.
Some guides choose the tactic of moving roped when climbing the South slope of Mount Elbrus. On a generally flat slope of slight steepness this decision has no real basis.
On a well-trodden trail, on a very low-steep slope, moving roped leads to the creation of additional difficulties. In addition to increasing the weight of the equipment, participants of the climb are getting very uncomfortable by tugging and stepping on the rope, the pace of group is considerable slowed down.
Regarding of this I should remind, that your ability to maintain your own rhythm is very important while climbing Mount Elbrus to save energy.
Here it is necessary to recall an important climbing axiom - a rope that is not secured to the terrain creates the risk of a general fall. In this regard - the rope - kills. That you should keep in mind in case you have to pass a dangerous icy pitch roped - if the rope is not secured, it is better to go without it.
Ø Using an ice ax. It is difficult to imagine for what purposes an ice ax can be used on a gentle snow slope while walking up a marked path. Despite this, you often can see that climbing the South slope of Mount Elbrus, they attach the ice ax on the back of their backpack. So hanging there is does not perform any functions apart from creating the additional load.
I'll say more. Even when climbing Mount Elbrus in the totally different winter conditions, when progressing on the open, smooth and very dangerous "bottle" ice, the benefit of an ice ax is very doubtful. In case of fall, it will be almost impossible to do self arrest with at ice ax on a smooth and extremely dense ice surface.
Ø Using of a helmet while climbing Mount Elbrus. The purpose of this part of equipment is, first of all, to protect your head from the objects falling from above. Wearing a helmet in order to protect yourself from falling headfirst - on a gentle slope with a good trail - that looks as ridiculous as if you wore a helmet to the theater, fearing that a chandelier would fall on you...
Using helmet is relevant and obligatory climbing the rock or mixed routes with a risk of rockfall. Or on the steep ice pitches when there is a possibility of falling of the fragments of ice.
Neither one nor the other danger exist if you are climbing Mount Elbrus in the summer season along the popular South or North routes. As the probability of a rockfall is close to zero (snow cover reliably holds the rocks on the slopes),. As for the fall - you can only do it on a trail because of fatigue, and even then, for sure not your upside down.
But the helmet definitely provides extra weight and inconvenience for all the length of the climb - do not forget that the route is very long - even the slight discomfort, after 8-10 hours of continuous walking uphill, can turn into a serious problem.
When preparing all my expeditions to Mount Elbrus, I pay maximum attention to the technical and tactical training of the participants, explaining to them all the features and specifics of the routes. Climbing tactics are chosen depending on the route, physical fitness and level of training of the participants.
The author of the texts and photographs Alex Trubachev
Your professional mountain guide for Mount Elbrus and other mountains in Caucasus
MCS EDIT 2024