Elbrus to Kentucky Last post from Elbrus15

Gorgeous sunrise coming up over one shoulder and disgusting outhouse over the other

I had 3 contingency days for weather or illness that I didn't use so the last last few days in Russia were spent looking around I had a day in Moscow, Mineralnyye Vody and the town at the base of the mountain. I finally got real food I was with my friends Eugene from Portugal and Monique from India that followed me down the mountain both very sick from the altitude.  They were able to make it through Kilimanjaro sick and had a lot of help.  Not the case here we had 2 guides for 8 people and they couldn't keep up with the group when they became scattered. It is also very dangerous we saw the weather go from clear and comfortable to blizzard conditions and poor visibility in hours.  If you go straight down and end up off the normal route your will die the other faces were full of deep crevasses hidden by deep snow. I was glad for their company we were suppose to stay on the mountain another night, I hated leaving the group but I had done everything I had come here to do and the kabobs and beer, hot shower, bed and full night sleep were worth the extra pain to continue walking with my full pack to catch the last lift.  My legs were shot, Eugene helped with my heavy bag loading the 3 lifts to get to the bottom then a short walk to the hotel that was empty with no elevator they give us rooms on the 5 floor again and climbed the five flights with my 56 lb bag and pack.  5 people stayed in the barrel an extra night the three that submitted with me, and Fred and Tony that on the next day they reached the summit with the snow cat.  Eugene and Monique were relieved to be down and a little disappointed it was over and no summit.  I told them the stories about Aconcagua where groups of friends were pushed by their peers to their death. They both had families and I told them my definition of a successful climb is to go as high and hard as you can and then getting back to their families, that is exactly what they did.  

I say goodbye to the cook which beside Sultan was the only person that got a tip.  I thought about the day and what I would do different.  I am getting better each mountain I climb this trip I used everything in my pack nothing wasted. I didn't bring enough snacks but we had a good kitchen on the mountain and were able to get my favorite mountain food cookies and lemon tea.  I had a frost bite on my uvula caused by breathing hard without my mask my throat started swelling wasn’t painful but made me sound like my pug after it runs 100 yards.

I started my zpack and steroids and was fine in a few days, I am in much better shape than the other to post summit days with only a slight high alt hack and small spots of wind burn on my face.  

Elbrus fell in the middle of Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua on difficulty level. Crampons and Ice ax were easy to get use to.  Training in Colorado before the trip paid dividends thanks to my training partners Lisa, Jurgen and Andee.  Only thing I forgot about was a flag or something to leave on top.  I saw others pulling flags and signs from their packs and I felt bad I had not dedicated this to anyone or anything but me.  I thought about it a few minutes thanked god he got me here and thought about the last summit day in South America and thought about Maddie S so I carved her initials into the ice with my ax and that was the only thing I left up there. 

I leave the next morning at 8am and have an 8pm flight to Moscow so I download trip advisers top 10 things to see in each town.  I was looking forward to the drive it was dark when I arrived and saw nothing.

I went to a Russian orthodox cathedral that had the remains of St. Theodosius the Greater Caucasus miracle worker that was canonized in 1995. Unlike most of the people I met on this trip the people at the churches were very nice and helpful, thanks for Google translate.  I ran across a fur market bought some gifts that luckily made it through customs arrived in Moscow at 10pm with my next flight departing 12 hours later my plans were to use Uber to visit the Kremlin and see the city.  I get access to a club room and choose to make a bed in a dark corner and get some sleep on a pile of my dirty clothes.  My sleeping bag and pad were in my big bag that I checked and may never see again.  I also had a visa expert that played games with my visa listing Moscow as my destination due to a travel warning this is the reason for the overnight.  I didn't want close inspection of my paperwork so I stayed inside the international terminal in the club room where I made a nest, found potato chips and red wine got some sleep.  This climb unlike other climbs I had very little down time so I used the time to write my notes and consolidate my pictures.  Plus everything will be closed but the bars and so far the people I met were not very welcoming.  The rest of the trip was uneventful and to my surprise my bags made it to Evansville Indiana on my flight.

Life cycle reset

I was at a conference with a group of programmers and heard someone ask a panelist if it was time for a "life cycle reset"  which is a term used when you evaluate the effectiveness of your systems, and make a decision, do I start a painful process of change or leave things as they are.  I am sure it is part of the reason I have been successful in the technology driven business it is constant change and reevaluation.  Sometime I wish for a simpler life and calm, but that only lasts a few days.  I hit 58 this year and maybe it’s made me more impatient. 

I am still intrigued by why now that I have thought of every reason possible I have asked other climbers.  They all have a quick answer to “Why".  

Heidi turned 50 her husband left her for a younger woman, she did it to restore her self esteem.

Monique said his example he leaves for his kids and how he wants them to remember him.  

Tony preparing to get married and looking for time to think.  

Illian 3 weeks from having his first child wanting to do one last adventure.  

Christian was a downhill ski racer that had a bad accident and couldn't compete any longer 

I understand their reasons completely and at the end of the day I leave Russia with 8 new friends that most likely will never see again but will be remembered forever.  

What’s next???  
Everest16.blogspot

April 7th 2016 

Summit Day

Summit route from base camp.
My last post was how wonderful I was feeling when I got up at 5:30 am and chopped Ice from our steps in my underwear and flip flops so no one would fall.  Eugene from Portugal  got a picture don't think it will make the blog.  Speaking of Eugene, 30 minutes after I sent the last update 10pm, just 5 hour before our summit attempt, he throws up.  Its bad enough he is sick even worse he is in the bunk above me and my summit gear is laid out for a quick change at 1am. He and his friends are all sick they made the 5000 meter climb today and will make a summit attempt tomorrow night. Ferahad (Fred) which is the first to get out of bed to help his friend he is not ill he has to go slow but is doing well with the altitude.  Gortex repels everything.

 The group that will be making the attempt in a few hours are feeling well and looking forward to our last night sleeping in a oil tank.  I get up and start getting dressed which at altitude is a chore.  Heidi, Christian, Illian and myself get our cold gear on and go to the kitchen for tea and porage.  I explain to Lisa that we had no sleep and not using the snow cat to get us there isn't a good Idea.  She said if we would pay extra 1000 euros she would rent one.  She has two snowmobiles that can get to Pastukov rocks at 4700 meters it will take us an extra two hours making our way up the 1000 ft to the snow cat drop on foot steep with a 50mph wind. The team chooses not to spend the money, we get separated on our way up the snow mobiles stop and takes us up one at a time Christian and myself start up my pack and poles are on the snow mobile that was to take us to 4700 pastukov rocks, all I have is a Ice ax which slows me down.  It is dark I am on the busy part of the mountain snow cats and snow mobiles are hauling ass almost out of control up and down the mountain.  You have to dodge them they are worse than the mules in Aconcagua.

Christian and Illian outside the Kitchen preparing for the snowmobile ride up.  Christian with skis planing to ski from the Summit.

I end up with a guide Sultan, a guide I have never met or climbed with Lisa and Amjahd are in the other group with Christian, Illian, and Heidi. Christian is carrying his skis and boots and plans to ski from the summit. Lisa said her or her guides couldn't carry either too heavy.  I saw him ski from the snow cat pad at 5000 meters yesterday he is a x ski racer and is very good and fit for 51.  He said he would carry them so pack the load.

5am I make it to the snow cat pad very winded and very cold, not feeling great, pissed that not able to take a nice ride in a heated cab and worried that the last 2 hours have taken too much out of my legs to make it to the top.  I start up with just me and Sultan loosing the others, glad to be off the busy trail dodging snow cats and snowmobiles.  I look behind me and see the sun lighting up the mountain tops to the east.  Thought about trying to get a camera but too cold to remove mittens and a long way in front of me hope someone gets a picture it is amazing.

We have about 1000 meters, 3000 ft to get to the summit consisting of 3 parts climb from the rocks up the east mountain very steep at then traverses along the east mountain 2nd part drop into the saddle between the two mountains loosing some of the altitude you gained on the traverse that you will climb on the way out, and the final summit push up the west mountain this is very steep and you use your harness and climb belayed with fix ropes until the ridge and then a gentle up hill to a small bump on the top with a blue flag. Not to dangerous if you fall you just slide back to the valley.

The fixed ropes saddle below me east mountain behind me climbing to the ridge and summit.

The route is now marked with red stakes every 100 ft all the way to the summit the wind is blowing snow so hard I can't see the next pole I follow Sultan stepping in his track the wind covers his tracks quickly so I stay close.  

Poor visibility and cold early light

The sun is coming up behind me I look back thinking I would love to get a photo but don't want to stop and afraid to take off my artic mitts.

Sunrise morning before closest thing to what I say while on my way up.

Lisa warned us you feel bad when you drop into the saddle you finally get to go down hill less wind but your heart rate drops and I actually did feel bad I started up the west slope i felt better.  we stopped half way up the fixed ropes and dropped my pack in a patch of rocks I knew the summit was getting close. 

Summit just ahead dropping pack and heavy coat for final push

First sight of summit following the red stakes mark the ridge.

We climb to the ridge of the west mountain and can see the peak about 400 yards away a big blue flag stands on the top.  It is bright and sunny I walk to the flag tearing up we take a few picks now that I look at them I should have taken of my hood and mask.  Sultan walked around the small mound away from the group that was on top I followed and find him saying his daily prayers I join him thanking God he got me here, then we start down. 

I meet the rest of the group just above the fixed lines I thought they were ahead of me I find our they took a different route no one told me about a short cut. They look good and as I continue to descend I see Christian sking down the mountain.  

Like all climbing most people die on the way down.  Elbrus is the most deadly mountain in the world leading Everest in deaths many years, this year 11 have died.  Most are under prepared and the weather can change instantly making it easy to go down the wrong path.  We took the normal route If you go straight down the mountain there are snow covered craves that will eat you. Afternoon storms also bring lightning last year a climber got struck on the summit celebrating with his Ice ax in hand.  

The group catches up dropping down to where we left the snow mobiles it is about noon and I am very tired I was first up and last down glad to finally be in the Oil tank.  I pack and hurrying to go to the ski lifts that close at 4pm.  Haven't had much sleep in 2 nights and want to sleep in a hotel room with a bathroom and shower.  Monique and Eugene join me down the altitude sickness end their attempt Tony and Fred will stay one more night and later make the summit. We make the last lift down and are eating kabobs at the bottom of the slopes by 6pm.  Making first summit window will get me home 2 days earlier.

Sultan and I on the summit.

Looking down the mountain. My ugly boots did well, no lost toes.

Carring my 50lbs of gear I caught the lasts lift down at the base of the mountain looking back at the twin peaks. Two more gonadal s and I am at the hotel.

Pre Summit

As with any event, you prepare for the day before is full of doubt.  This climb is unlike Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua because I go into it healthy with no injury and no sickness.  It is 9 PM and we get ready at 1 AM. It will take an hour since we have to rig harness for the top and we will be climbing with fixed ropes along a steep ridge. We are on the glacier all day. The picture sent yesterday at 5000 meters was not the same today. 

Christian and Illian skiing down in the storm

We took a snowmobile up and it was a blizzard poor visibility with hard blowing snow. Christian and Illian brought skis and skied down I spent time to get a little more climitization in. It was a rest day and the weather was making it a hard to rest. We retuned to camp for The group has been split into 2, 4 person climbing teams since we made 5000 meters in the time limit we were cleared to go first tonight.  The bad part we will have to take snowmobiles to the start instead of the snowcat which will drop us at 4700 meters. 1000 feet lower and two hours more to a already hard day.

The 4 friends from everywhere go the next day in the snow cat and they are still sick, all but Fred from Oman he is not as conditioned and had problems on lower climbs, but altitude hasn't had the effect on him as the rest and he is doing well, he helps us get water today which is a chore no one likes, most are too sick to help he freezes his fingers while filling the bottles.  The group is funny to watch the are very smart, speak multiple languages and constantly making fun of one another.  Their friendship is a beautiful thing.

Fred, Illian, and guide getting drinking water from the glacier.

The plan tomorrow is to summit and get to the ski lift before 4 PM it will get me out of this can and home 2 days sooner.  Hope for good weather

Stay tuned

Same spot yesterday just 40 degrees colder.

r

Climb - Day Three

In bed in a oil tank another storm hitting with 8 stinking people I am one . Today's training climb went good I was in the group of 4 to make it to 5100 meters up and back. 4 guys sick from altitude sickness, tomorrow take snowcat to 5100 and hang out. we leave for summit 2 AM Wednesday. If everything goes well be off the mountain Wednesday night.

Oil Barrels Outside storm coming in

Oil barrels inside

Climb - Day One

 Arriving at Mineralnye Vody (mineral water in Russian)

Its actually day 3 not an easy place to get to.  Not sure about Russian men yesterday in Moscow on a 6 hour layover I had time to watch people and for the most part the men are pushy, rude, and arrogant.  I hate to make a broad statement like that, but I have also made the same statement when in New York city.  They cut lines, stand in the way when you ask them to move, they scoff and when they hear english especially from an American. They become more rude, in New York its a southern accent, all other traits still the same.  The cab driver parked outside the gates of the airprort almost a mile so he wouldn't have to pay a fee and didn't offer to help with my 56 pounds of gear and 3 hours in a pos car no conversation also simular to NYC, no tip.  Finally got to the Azur hotel at the bottom of the mountain and the people here revived my faith and my blanket statements are wrong still waiting on my faith to be revived about NYC.

Russian lady that got up to cook for me. She also lets me in the kitchen 2 hours early and fixes me coffee and cheese and toast.

I hadnt had anything to eat and ask where to get food and they told me to wait soon a lady showed up at 11pm to fix me soup and eggs and there was a limb from an animal not sure what but she ask if I wanted some when I started looking at it.  I felt bad I thought they would bring me a piece of fruit or breakfast bar so I ask her to go home and went to bed starving.

I met the team at breakfast 1 German lady Heidi with her Austrian boyfriend Christian, a Russian from Siberia Illian very fit, 4 friends from UAE, India, Oman and Portugal work together at Dell and recently did Kilimanjaro together. Our plans were to climb to a observatory overlooking the Caucasus mountain range 9am start no one had equipment to go high we climbed to 12000 ft good trails not too steep beautiful scenery waterfall.

Waterfall on our way down. Refilled water bottles and some climbed into the falls.

We didn't finish until 5 because the Dell guys were slow and struggled in the heat. Tonight they are drinking beer and smoking which I have no problems with either vice, but not good for altitude.

They were having headaches, signes of alt sickness, and had to start taking diamox.
Training hike to 12,000 and back.

Today was a 9 mile up and back with beautiful weather the road will get much harder starting tomorrrow. 

I am with a young guide Mohamed that was very good on telling us the history of the area.  90% muslim but inhabited by so many different groups in the 19th century it was an independent country until Russia took it over.  The reason they lost control was the Caucasus people were made from Turks, Serbs, Arminians, Georgian and many other groups separated  by both race and religion. They fought between themselves and couldn't fend off the overthrow of Russia.  The summit of Elbrus looks very cold today was sunny tonight covered in clouds.  Tonight we met the lead guide a lady named Lisa.  Got my Ice axe, harness and extra layer for the cold that we start at tomorrow.  May have internet short days slowly going up may be able too send another in a few days.

Me and Elbrus over my head. Fred and Mohamed over my shoulders.

Hitler took over this are and upon a visit the army tried to blast a swastika. It came out looking like the number 7 and that's what the locals call this mountain.

Hotel Azau. The next 7 days in oil barrels on the ridge behind.

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus July 2015

Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe, and one of the Seven Summits. It's located just in Russia, though it is only a few miles/kilometers from the border of Georgia. The mountain is in the Caucasus Mountains, which is one of the most rugged mountain ranges in the world. Elbrus may not be that rugged of a mountain, but that is not the case with all the surrounding peaks! The standard route up Elbrus is long and strenuous but not technically difficult. The biggest danger is the weather which can be particularly nasty on this mountain. Besides the standard route and the northern route, there are many much more difficult routes on the mountain, though they are very seldom climbed, and little information is available.

Summit route from base camp.