Elbrus via Kukurtliu

Mount Elbrus

via Kukurtliu Dome

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Elbrus Tour Map
Normal Route Map
Elbrus East Map
Diesel Hut
Garabashi Barrels
Elbrus Tour
Elbrus via Kupol
East Summit
West Summit
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Trekking
Mountaineering

Mount Elbrus, East Summit, 5621m.
The highest point on the East Summit is located on the south side of a small crater some 250m wide. The most common route to the summit is via the Saddle Hut (as for the West Summit). From here ascend eastwards for about 300m, now bear right over snow slopes passing rock islands to reach the summit plateau and hence the summit (2A/2B, 1-2 hours from the Saddle, 6-8 hours from the Diesel Hut.

Another more adventurous route approaches the mountain by the Iryk or Irykchat valley, these beautiful valleys provide a magnificent and gentle approach to Elbrus with good many campsites in the valleys and at the edge of the Elbrus icefields. The Jikaugenkioz snow plateau is crossed aiming for the Askeryakolski Lava flow. There are several good bivouac sites on this easy ridge ranging from about 3800m to 4500m. From one of these the summit can be approached by following the ridge then the snow / ice slopes above (2B, allow two days to the summit from the heads of either of the aforementioned valleys). Descent can be by reversing the ascent route or in an emergency it would be safest to descend via the Saddle to the well marked and safe route leading to the Diesel Hut.

The Diesel Hut can be reached from the Jikaugenkioz snow plateau by a gentle rising traverse. A fast party could achieve this in one day. In bad visibility and soft snow this can be a serious route on account of the numerous crevasses.

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