Explore 7 summits takes us up the peaks, alongside the climbers, and into the cultures on our journey to the top of the 7 summits. From Everest to Vinson, Aconcagua to Denali, as well as Carstensz, Elbrus and Kilimanjaro.
Elbrus – worlds’ slowest avalanche? And two ascents best left unrepeated
If you are quick, you will travel all the way to Mt Elbrus and your climb will be over by noon the day of your climb – a very long journey for very little climbing.
Don’t let that fool you, there have been some real adventures on Elbrus – just check out what must be one of the worlds’ slowest moving avalanches. Not a great thing to be in front of, as it pushes a mass of cars in its path, but certainly something to watch out for.
And as you struggle those final steps to the top, just think of those charged with (and undoubtedly paid heaps) to winch the Land Rover to the summit. It did get up, but sadly, Land Rovers not known for their ability to self arrest, came down rather quickly and slid off rather too quickly down the mountain and crashed in a heap.
Atop Europe. Sadly the trip up was very slow and the trip down far to fast.
Of course if an SUV is a bit much, you can always downsize your ambitions to an ATV.
Of course Elbrus does have some real adventures, and combining ski mountaineering along with a visit to the northern side of the peak as recounted here in the FT on a Jagged-Globe led expedition will put some real adventure back into the climb.
If the weather proves really bad, you can just hide in the new Leaprus Hut, a dash of Italy set high on the slopes of Elbrus.