Where is Elbrus located geographically? Russia

Better than the mountains There can only be mountains - Vysotsky sang and he was right. Mountains have always attracted people. Brave people, despite the cold, lack of oxygen, dangers and difficulties, stubbornly “climbed” to the top. What attracted them there? Curiosity? Want to test yourself? Thirst for fame? The desire to prove to yourself and others your superiority? Thirst for knowledge? It is difficult to find any logic in the inexplicable attraction of people to the mountains.
Let us remember the events of past years, when during the Great Patriotic War the German mountain rifle division "Edelweiss" with fierce battles broke through to the very high mountain Europe - Elbrus to install Nazi flags on its top. Why did the pragmatic Germans need to waste energy conquering this peak? Did Hitler really need even such proof of his own greatness?
Mountains are the greatest creation of mother nature. They are great, powerful and eternal. Representatives of the species Homo sapiens lack these qualities. Rising to the sky, they try to join the great mystery of the universe, and upon reaching the top they begin to see clearly. Against the backdrop of the cold, gigantic peaks, everything they lived with before seems petty and insignificant.
Let's commit virtual trip and rise to the heights of the most high mountains all continents of the Earth and enjoy the fantastic landscapes that open before the eyes of brave climbers. Maybe we will be able to comprehend the secret of these natural monuments.

The Main Caucasian Ridge, “under the command” of the mighty Elbrus, “cuts through” the dense veil of clouds (Photo source:).

Everest (Asia) - Height: 8848 meters Chomolungma) is the highest peak of our planet, part mountain system Himalayas. For many climbers, this mountain is the most coveted trophy. But not everyone can climb this mountain. Therefore, climbers “climbing” a mountain are sometimes forced to make cynical decisions about whether to rescue those in distress or continue on their way. Often, rescuing climbers in distress at high altitude is simply not possible, since every step here is taken with incredible difficulty. Therefore, on the slopes of the mountains you can find the bodies of dead climbers. You can familiarize yourself with very “unsightly” stories and photographs.

Photo on the left: the road to Everest, photo on the right: base camp at an altitude of 8300 meters (Photo source:).

Aconcagua (South America) - Height: 6962 meters
- the highest peak of the Andes mountain range in South America. Aconcagua is also the tallest extinct volcano in the world.

In the photo, climbers the size of ants are moving forward towards the top. A giant whirlwind of snow is circling above them (Photo source:).

Dawn over Aconcagua. The majestic panorama of the Andes appears in all its guise before brave climbers (Photo source:).

McKinley ( North America) — Height: 6194 meters
The peak of Alaska takes an honorable third place among the highest peaks of the continents in our ranking.

The giant McKinley against the backdrop of coniferous forests of Alaska (Photo source:).

View from McKinley Heights. A dense blanket of clouds “crawls” onto the peaks (Photo source:).

Kilimanjaro (Africa) - Height: 5895 meters
The highest point in Africa, the mountain is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania. It is a very unusual sight to see a snowy peak in the sultry African savannah. IN Lately Scientists are sounding the alarm; the Kilimanjaro ice cap is rapidly decreasing in volume. Over the past decades, 80% of the ice on this mountain has already melted. Climate scientists name the main culprit in this process.

African elephants against the backdrop of the snowy peaks of Kilimanjaro are a very unusual sight (Photo source:).

On the way to Kilimanjaro. The landscape is fantastic (Photo source:).

View of the veil of clouds from the highest point of the African continent (Photo source:).

Elbrus (Europe) - Height: 5642 meters
Russia also has a record-breaking mountain - this is the highest peak in Europe - . Elbrus is part of the Main Caucasus Range and is located on the border of the two Russian republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. In the past (around 50 AD) Elbrus was active volcano.

Handsome Elbrus (Photo source:).

Camp on the spurs of Elbrus (Photo source:).

Panorama of the mountains that opens to climbers from the top of Elbrus (Photo source:).

The silent and mysterious land of snow and clouds of Elbrus (Photo source:).

An unusual atmospheric phenomenon. The shadow of the peak of Elbrus in the morning haze (Photo source:).

The beauty of the Elbrus region. The edge of all seasons. Green alpine meadows and spurs of Elbrus, covered with snow (Photo source:).

On the top of Elbrus - a fantastic world of white snow and clouds (Photo source:).

Vinson Massif (Antarctica) - Altitude: 4892 meters
The coldest continent on the planet, Antarctica, also has its own mountains. The highest of them were discovered relatively recently, at the end of the 50s of the last century. The Vinson Massif is part of the Ellsworth Mountains and is located 1,200 kilometers from the southern point planets.

This is what the Vinson Massif looks like from space (Photo source:

They say that Prometheus was chained to one of the rocks of this particular mountain because he gave fire to people. It was here, according to Homer, that Jason went for the Golden Fleece. There are also legends that it was Elbrus that was the first piece of Earth that Noah encountered after the Flood, and his ship literally hit the peak and split it.

The Elbrus stratovolcano is located some distance from the Greater Caucasus Range (20 km to the north) and is the highest point in Russia. Since there is no clearly defined border between Asia and Europe, many believe that it is the highest mountain peak on the European continent, with an altitude of 5642 meters.

Elbrus was formed somewhat differently than the others Caucasus Mountains, of which it is a part: they appeared earlier, about 5 million years ago, and are folded in nature. And the volcano was formed later, about 1 million years ago, as a result of complex and long-term geological processes: first the western peak appeared, and then, on the eastern side of the side crater, a second cone began to form. Nowadays, the volcano is not active, but it cannot be called extinct either: manifestations of volcanic activity are still observed here.

What Elbrus looks like

The nature here is diverse: mountain meadows, rare plants and animals, coniferous forests, stormy rivers leave no one indifferent, and some time ago a volcano was created in the area national park“Elbrus region”, and therefore you can’t hunt, cut down forests, or do construction here.

At the foot of Elbrus there is a huge number of extremely beautiful gorges, and on the northern side there is the famous Dzhyly-Su tract with mineral thermal springs and the most beautiful waterfalls height from 20 to 40 meters, among which the Sultan waterfall located in the upper reaches of the Malki River stands out.

On the slope of the mountain, at an altitude of about three hundred meters, there is a huge ice lake, Jikaugenköz. In its middle part rises a reminiscent medieval castle Kalitsky Peak, whose height exceeds 3.5 km, where there is a site with religious sanctuaries, which were created from large stones.

The volcano itself looks like this:

• Elbrus has two peaks, each of which represents two independent volcanoes, connected by a saddle, the height of which is 5.3 km. The distance between the peaks is about three kilometers;
• The eastern, younger cone is slightly lower than the western one, and its height is 5621 m. It has a clearly defined crater with a diameter of 200 meters and a depth of about 80 m;
• The height of the western peak of the almost extinct volcano is 5642 meters, the diameter of the crater is 600 meters, the depth is 300 m, and the upper part of the volcano is partially destroyed;
• The slopes of the mountain are mostly gentle, but closer to the top, starting at 4 thousand km, the angle of inclination increases to 35 degrees;
• On the northern and western side of Elbrus there is a huge number of sheer cliffs about 700 meters high;
• Starting from a height of 3.5 km, the volcano is covered with rocks and glaciers; in total, there are about 70 glaciers on Elbrus, the area of ​​which exceeds 130 km². The water flowing from the glaciers of Elbrus creates three main streams that feed the main rivers of this region - Baksan, Kuban and Malka;
• The surface of the volcano, free of glaciers, is covered with loose rocks;
• Snow cover remains on the top of Elbrus throughout the whole year.

On the northern slope of the mountain, at an altitude of about 3 km, there is a Birjal lava tract with a huge number of remains of melted sand, which, under the influence of precipitation, weathering, and soil erosion, collapsed and created numerous piles of bizarre shapes, forming grottoes and caves. They hang over each other, forming bridges, arches, consoles and, diverging in different directions, taking on various bizarre shapes.

Volcano activity

It is believed that over the entire period of its existence, the active volcano has exhibited volcanic activity about four times, and the age of the oldest volcanic rocks of this mountain is about three million years.

The volcano showed its greatest volcanic activity about 225 thousand years ago, then its activity gradually subsided, and in last time it erupted about two thousand years ago (according to scientists, it was around 50 AD). Despite the fact that this eruption was not recorded anywhere, lava flows up to 24 km and 260 km long dating back to this period were discovered on the mountain. sq. volcanic debris, indicating that the emissions were quite strong.

Although the volcano has not been reminiscent of itself for an extremely long time, volcanologists consider it not extinct, but dormant (active), since it demonstrates active external and internal activity - primarily this is manifested in the release of sulfuric acid and chloride gases on the eastern slopes, as well as in the presence world famous minerals thermal springs“Hot Narzan”, the temperature of which reaches +52° C and +60º C (apparently, the magma chamber of the volcano is located at a depth of 6-7 km from the earth’s surface).

Many scientists agree that the volcano is unlikely to awaken in the next two or three centuries.

Some scientists believe that Elbrus may well become active as early as this century (although not earlier than in fifty years), arguing their conclusions not only by the manifestation of fumarolic activity by the volcano, but also because of the colony of green mosses discovered on the western peak of the mountain. The ground temperature in this place was +21ºС, while ambient temperature indicators showed sub-zero temperatures (-20ºС).

Elbrus weather

Not everyone who starts climbing Elbrus will be able to conquer it, especially if he decides to do it in the off-season - in spring or autumn. Closer to the top, even well-prepared climbers can be stopped not only by the severe cold, but also by the terrifying strength of the wind, which knocks them down, gusts reaching 100 km/h.

The most stubborn can, despite the bad weather, reach a height of 4 thousand km, but such weather will stop anyone - snow, storm and temperature of minus thirty degrees; in these conditions, going up is extremely dangerous for life.

Since warm and humid Mediterranean and Black Sea cyclones meet cold Antarctic ones near Elbrus, the climate of Elbrus is extremely changeable: summer heat quickly gives way to bitter cold, and clouds in a few minutes can cover an entire mountain, hiding absolutely all landmarks - and the traveler will have to rely only on his instincts .

Moist air currents coming from the Black Sea cause numerous precipitation on Elbrus, mainly in the form of snow, which at high altitudes can fall at both sub-zero and positive temperatures.

The most dangerous period for climbing the volcano is the spring or autumn months: the weather at this time is bad and unstable, and the temperature at the peaks even in May can drop to -50 degrees Celsius. So, several years ago, a group of twelve climbers attempted to climb the volcano at the end of spring. But due to a sharp deterioration in the weather and loss of visibility, the climbers got lost, and then completely froze to death - only one person was able to go down.

Elbrus rescue station

To avoid such situations, it was decided to create a rescue shelter on Elbrus - work began in 2007 and was completed five years later. Construction was not easy, since materials and fastening systems had to be delivered to great heights, which was done using a helicopter. The shelter was first opened in 2010, but a month later a hurricane completely destroyed the building.

Considering the need for such a structure, it was decided to restore the shelter, but make it smaller and more wind-resistant - and by August 2012, the highest rescue shelter on the European continent was built on the saddle of Elbrus (5300 above sea level).

Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe and Russia in particular. It is included in the catalog of the seven tallest objects on planet Earth. But this is not the only characteristic of this point in the Caucasus Mountains. It is a stratovolcano or, in other words, a layered volcano, which is formed by multi-layered solidification of lava, ash and tephra.

Such peaks are characterized by high altitude and steep slopes. This is due to the properties of lava masses, which have a viscous and thick consistency. And eruptions from stratovolcanoes are explosive in nature, while the lava quickly hardens and does not spread over long distances over the terrain.

Height of Mount Elbrus

This volcano has two peaks with different heights. The western one is 5642 m, and the eastern one is slightly lower - 5621 m. The distance between them is 3 km, and if measured along the mountainside - 5200 meters. On this saddle between the peaks of the volcano, the highest alpine shelter in Europe was built for climbers and lovers of conquering peaks. And there are more than enough people willing to climb to such a height, starting with the first ascent to the eastern peak on July 22, 1829 by Hilar Khachirov. This is a local guide, a resident of Kabardino-Balkaria, who knows these places well. The western peak was conquered a little later, in 1874, by English climbers F. Grove, F. Gardner, H. Walker, P. Knubel and local guide A. Sottaev. After this, thousands of people from all over the world try to climb to the height of Mount Elbrus, coming to the Elbrus region every year.

Controversial issues

Often on the pages of the World Wide Web you can see controversial dialogues about Elbrus, where it is located, in what country. The mountain is located on the border of several territorial units, although most of it is still located on the territory of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, which occupies the northern slope of the Caucasus Mountains.

But the mountain itself is located at the junction of Kabardino-Balkaria and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, its image is on the coats of arms of both of these regions. However, North Ossetia, Georgia, and the Stavropol Territory are very close. Therefore, in the Elbrus region there is a whole complex of resorts belonging to different republics of Russia and Georgia.

Also, disputes on the issue of Elbrus (where it is located, in which country) are also being conducted by geographers who cannot agree on a common opinion. Doubts are raised by assumptions that this volcano is located in Europe. Some argue that this is already the territory of Asia. The border between the continents runs right through the middle of the Main Caucasus Range.

Mountain name

Depending on the location of Elbrus (where it is located, in which country) local residents The volcano is called differently. In Iran it is called Aitibares, which means "sparkling or brilliant." This name is very consistent with the appearance of the peak, when the eternal snow reflects the bright rays of the sun.

In Georgia they call the mountain Yalbuz, which translated means: yal - “storm”, buz - “ice”. Apparently, the inhabitants of this country have repeatedly witnessed the raging elements on the slopes of the mountain.

The Armenian name is closely phonetically related to the Georgian version. Sounds like Alberis. Many believe that this name comes from the word Alps.

The name of the mountain, invented by the Alans, sounds very beautiful. These are residents of Karachaevo-Balkaria. "Mingi-Tau" is translated as "eternal mountain of consciousness and wisdom."

The name of the volcano, known throughout the world - Elbrus - also has local origin. Consists of several words. “El” is translated as a settlement or nationality, but “bur” is a word familiar to Russian-speaking people, meaning to twist, turn back. The last part of the word “us” is translated as disposition, behavior.

Based on the meaning of the word Elbrus (where it is located, in what country, we found out), the name was invented, you can understand the nature and properties of this famous volcano, which in sunny weather reflects the sun's rays with a bright shine, in bad weather threatens travelers with a strong storm with freezing rain and snow swirling in the wind. Climbers who want to conquer the peak always remember the dangers of such a hike.

Glaciers of the Caucasus Mountains

Elbrus last erupted more than two thousand years ago. Since then, the temperature at the top has always been very low, which even in the summer heat does not rise above 0 degrees. The glaciers that cover the mountain cover 134.5 km, which is 10% of all such formations in the Caucasus Mountains. There are only 23 glaciers on Elbrus.

The largest and most famous are Big and Small Azau, Irik, Kokurtly, which occupy vast areas of valleys and slopes. But there are also very picturesque ice ones hanging from cliffs. These are blocks of glaciers such as Kogutai, Terskol, Garabashi. Especially a lot eternal ice located on the northern slope of Mount Elbrus at an altitude of 3850 meters.

The water formed after the melting and fall of these ice accumulations fills the river flows of the mountain rivers of the Stavropol region, such as the Kuban, Malku and Baksan.

Climate on the mountain

The mountain range always has changeable weather. Likewise, in Kabardino-Balkaria, Elbrus is characterized by a frequent change of good warm weather to bad weather, with precipitation and winds. This is due to the mountainous terrain, which forms the circulation of air masses according to the seasons.

Summer in the Elbrus region is cool, with high humidity. There is no good weather to be seen for more than a week. The thermometer showed a maximum of + 35 degrees at an altitude of 2 km, even higher, at around 3 km, and even less, a maximum of + 25.

After this mark, winter weather begins in October. There is a lot of precipitation. The height of the snow cover on average reaches 50-80 cm. The higher you go to the top, the deeper the snow. More snow covers are located on the north side. The south cannot boast of snow thickness.

Spring comes to the territory of Elbrus only in early May. The top is covered with snow all year round. Due to them, the mass of ice in glaciers is constantly growing.

Winter lasts a long time, and at an altitude of 3 km the temperature drops to -12 degrees, the lowest temperature recorded at this point was -27 degrees.

Ski resort

The largest ski complex "Elbrus Azau" was built in 1969 on the Azau clearing, which is located at the foot of majestic mountain. For the convenience of skiers, there are two cable cars: the old pendulum with 20-seat cabins and the new gondola, which takes 8 people on board. Lift tickets can be purchased either one-time or for the whole day. They also sell passes for the entire skiing period (from 2 to 8 days). The cost also varies depending on the season. One ascent costs 550 rubles, descent costs 500. The most expensive 8-day pass will cost 12,700.

Ski slopes

Elbrus has 11 slopes for skiers of all levels: from beginners to professionals. Blue trails are wider and flatter. The red and black ones are for experienced riders, but they also gradually transition into the blue, gentle slopes. A ski pass will cost from 500 to 850 rubles for one day.

Excellent recreation for children. For them there is a separate rope tow of 300 meters. An experienced instructor conducts classes for beginners, and fun competitions and competitions are often organized. Works ski school, where the child will be taught all the intricacies of proper and safe descent.

Complex infrastructure

On the territory of the complex there are 38 hotels, cafes, restaurants, baths and saunas, ski equipment rental. There are shops and even a club. You can pay either in cash or bank cards. Everything is done for the convenience of vacationers.

For mountain climbers there is an interesting complex called “Bochki”. There, climbers can acclimatize, warm up, rest after a hard climb, have a snack and sleep.

It is located at an altitude of 3750 meters, at the final station of the Garabashi chairlift. Each "barrel" is designed to accommodate 6 people. There is everything you need: toiletries, bedding, warm blankets.

How to get there?

The best and closest way to get to the mountain is from Nalchik. There is an airport there, so you can fly from different places. Further from the city you can get to the Elbrus region by taxi or minibus No. 17. Then you also need to go to Terskol by minibus.

In your car, you need to drive from Rostov-on-Don along the M-4 highway, and before reaching Nalchik, turn onto A-158. The coordinates of Elbrus, the description of which is given in the article, on the navigator are 43°18"56"N, 42°27"42"E.

Come any time of the year. You can go skiing in the middle of summer.

Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russian Federation. Its height is 5642m. It is located on the territories of two republics: Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Elbrus is a layered volcano, dormant, has a conical shape and is composed of a large number of layers, hardened lava and ash. The last eruption on Elbrus was more than 1500 years ago. Modern scientists debate whether the mountain is an active volcano or an extinct one.

At the top and near the mountain there are glaciers, 23 of them. The most famous: Irik, Bolshoi Azau. There are also glaciers on the mountain that form avalanches of ice, Terskol, for example. When melting, the purest glacial water flows from Elbrus and feeds rivers such as the Kuban, Baksan, etc. Due to climate change, glaciers are gradually disappearing.

The weather near the mountain is very changeable and unstable. During the day it can change several times, from sunny to rainy, a stormy wind suddenly appears, and suddenly subsides to complete calm. Winter is harsh and frosty, with heavy snow and blizzards. At the foot of the mountain, the average winter temperature is -10 0 C÷-25 0 C. At the top it is below -35 0 C. In summer, the air heats up slightly above +15 0 C. Climbers and tourists should not forget about this variability when climbing.

Elbrus has attracted amateurs and athletes since ancient times. The first ascent of the mountain was at the beginning of the 19th century. Climbers compete in skill and professionalism, conquering Elbrus, receiving a master of sports and a world-class specialist. Numerous timed climbing competitions are held, so numerous devices have been built on its slopes, cable cars and so on.

The area around Elbrus is very diverse. Here you can see: gorges, accumulations of large stones, glaciers, streams with melt water, waterfalls formed by these streams. At an altitude of more than 3000 m, glacial deposits and lakes of ice open up to the eye.

The flora of Elbrus is very diverse and has more than 3,000 species. Mint, sea buckthorn, coltsfoot, etc. grow here. Among the animals you can find mountain goat, raccoon dog, wild boar, jackal, roe deer, lynx, fox, wolf, squirrel and bear. The sky has been mastered by birds such as the eagle, vulture, kite, golden eagle, balaban, etc.

Option 2

Mount Elbrus is located in the Caucasus, in the past it was an active volcano, now it is listed as one of the largest extinct volcanoes. The last volcanic eruption was recorded about 2000 years ago.

Elbrus is also called “double-headed”, because it has two peaks that are completely covered with centuries-old glaciers. The area of ​​the glacial part is 139 square kilometers. East End the mountain has a height of 5,621 meters, the western one is 5,642 meters. When glaciers melt, very powerful streams are formed, which flow down with rapid force, filling with their waters the most important rivers that are located in that region: Kuban, Baksan and Malku. Thanks to the melting of glaciers, the mountain supplies water to almost the entire part of the North Caucasus.

The study of Elbrus began in the 19th century by Russian researchers. The first expedition set out to study it in 1829. The slopes of the mountain are considered the highest in all of Russia; they are the favorite places for athletes. Many athletes dream of conquering the top of Elbrus. The middle of the mountain can be reached by cable car.

At an altitude of about 3,600 meters there is a very unusual hotel, which is called Barrels." The houses of this hotel are completely reminiscent of barrels, only larger in size. The hotel was specially built at this altitude so that tourists could bide their time, because the human body necessarily needs a little adaptation to the high-mountain climate, because at high altitudes in the mountains the percentage of oxygen in the air is very small than below.

At high altitudes, a person needs to breathe more often, taking in deeper air. Further, when climbing up after 510 meters, there is the next hotel, called “Shelter of the Eleven”. It is called so because many years ago eleven conquerors of the mountain made a halt there, they really liked this place that they soon built a small hut there, and over time they built a wonderful hotel on this place, for the same conquerors of this wonderful mountains. In the Shelter of the Eleven, climbers gain strength to further conquer heights. After all, you can’t be unprepared; in order to get to the very top, you need to train long and very hard before the very first climb, and always remember the technique of bladeless behavior on the mountain. All the difficulties that a traveler experiences when climbing Elbrus are completely justified.

2, 4, 8 grade

The only city in the Moscow region, included in 1969. V a tourist route « Golden ring"is the city of Sergiev Posad. The city is located in the northeastern part of the region, 52 km

Let's start with the fact that gymnastics is one of the popular sports associated with physical exercise and has Greek roots. The main direction of gymnastics is to develop and strengthen the human body.

Elbrus is the largest mountain in Russia and Europe! One of the "Magnificent Seven" highest peaks our planet, from which you can even see the Black Sea and the Turkish coast...

Elbrus is located just north of the Main Caucasus Ridge on the border of the republics Karachay-Cherkessia And Kabardino-Balkaria.

Elbrus(Mount Elbrus) is a two-headed volcano in the north of the Caucasus mountain system.
The height of the Western peak is 5642 m.
The height of the Eastern peak is 5621 m.
The height of the saddle is 5300 m.

The white two-headed volcanic cone of Elbrus is noticeably different from the entire mountain landscape of the Caucasus and can be seen hundreds of kilometers away in good weather. Nearest town - village Terskol (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria) in the Baksan Gorge at the foot of the mountain itself.

Elbrus coordinates on maps:
43°21’11″ N 42°26’13″ E

Peaks of Elbrus.

Thanks to the status highest point Europe, climbing to the top of Elbrus is popular among climbers all over the world and is assessed as one of the “steps” to conquering the “seven peaks”.

Despite the ease of the routes, Mount Elbrus annually takes dozens of human lives. To a greater extent, the lethality of the mountain is determined by the difficult climate with changeable weather, as well as the poor training of climbers without experience. Visually, the peaks of Elbrus seem easily accessible, which instantly excites the hearts and minds of many people to “conquer the mountain” and even those who have never climbed before... In fact, this simplicity is deceptive and in reality a person without preparation finds himself in difficult conditions in which he cannot always manages to survive...

Climbing Elbrus.

The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East made up their minds about Elbrus a large number of songs and legends.

One of the legends tells that the mountain used to have one hump. At its top lived the magical bird Simurgh, who gave gifts to the mountaineers who inhabited the valleys mountain gorges, happiness and prosperity. This idyll lasted for many centuries, until the desire to seize the bird’s heavenly throne led to its possession by two greedy people. Their fierce struggle was stopped by higher powers: blinding lightning cut the sky, terrible thunder erupted and Elbrus split in two, spewing out streams of fire that incinerated everything in its path. After such a terrible fight, the magical bird Simurgh hid deep underground, upset by the ingratitude and greed of people.

According to research by scientists, Elbrus has not reminded of itself for quite a long time, but despite this, the current level of activity does not give specialists a reason to attribute it to extinct volcanoes, now he has the status of “sleeping”. The volcano is indeed quite active in external and internal activities. In its depths there are still hot masses that heat the local “Hot Narzans” - springs saturated with mineral salts and carbon dioxide, the temperature of which reaches +52°С and +60ºС. The life of many famous springs begins in the depths of the volcano health resorts Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk and the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region.

Flowers on mountain peaks Caucasus mountains.

The climate on Elbrus is characterized by severity, making it similar to the Arctic regions. The average temperature in the warmest month of the year does not rise above -1.4°C. There is quite a lot of precipitation here, but it is mainly represented only in the form of snow.

The most beautiful peaks of the Caucasus are located around the two-headed giant: Nakra-Tau, Ushba, Donguz-Orun .

Panorama.

• Made his first ascent Kilar Khashirov - Russian guide scientific expedition, Kabardian by nationality July 22, 1829 to the Eastern peak of Elbrus.
• The western peak of Elbrus was conquered by a team of climbers led by Florence Grove in 1874.
• The first to reach both peaks was a Balkar hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev . During the period of his long life, he conquered Elbrus nine times: he made his first ascent at the age of over forty, and the last in 1909, when he was 121 years old.

The study of Elbrus by Russian scientists began actively in the 19th century. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky in 1913 he was the first to determine the height and location of the volcano. In addition to its status as a unique natural attraction, the famous Caucasian peak is also an important scientific base. Even before the war, the first experiments with cosmic rays in the Soviet Union were carried out here, and today it houses the highest geophysical laboratory.

Territory of the Elbrus region - major center tourism and skiing . The bulk of the guests are fans of winter sports, including extreme sports, which are very popular in these mountains. In addition to the usual snowboards, sleds and freeride for hunters thrills a new entertainment was organized, which was a climb to the top of Elbrus by helicopter and subsequent descent from the mountain on skis. For more conservative skiers, there are cable cars with an average capacity of 2,400 people per hour.

On the slopes of Elbrus.

How to get to Elbrus?

• By plane fly to the nearest airport in Mineral water. There are many regular flights to Mineralnye Vody from Moscow from airlines: Aeroflot, Sky Express, Kavminvodyavia, S7 Airlines, UTair, Don Avia.

• By train you can get to Pyatigorsk or Nalchik - these are the closest settlements from which it will be faster to get there by minibus or taxi. Already from these places they are opening up beautiful views to the Caucasus Mountains, which you can admire all the way.

It will be most convenient to get from the airport or train station by taxi, it will be cheaper to use the services private cab drivers. The best and cheap option- this is to find on the Internet the phone numbers of private “bombs” from the village of Terskol and arrange in advance a meeting upon arrival and the price. The journey to Elbrus will take about four hours. You need to get to the city of Baksan, then turn into the Baksan Gorge and to the end along the Baksan River, where the road will lead to the very foot of Elbrus.

You can also get there regular buses And minibuses. Only this method is less convenient and will take longer, since there are no direct flights to Terskol. First you will need to get to the city of Baksan and change to minibus to the village of Terskol. The road in the Baksan Gorge passes through the settlements: Tyrnauz, Upper Baksan, the village of Elbrus and Tegenekli.

• Based on materials from the sites: pro-planet.ru, udivitelno.com

• March 24, 2015