Challenge #3: Mount Elbrus November 1st-30th, 2023
About:
Mount Elbrus is part of the great Caucasus Mountains in Russia. A dormant volcano, it rises above sea level at an elevation of 18,510 ft. Located in Southern Russia, Elbrus actually as two summits that are dormant volcanic domains, with the western summit being the tallest. The mountain range where it resides marks the border of Georgia. Elbrus was formed about 10 million years ago and was active for 700,000 years. Since Mount Elbrus is located in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer is often the most favorable time to climb it. An average of 50% of sunny days from June to mid-September help; however, the winds are very dominating and often turn violent to 100 km/h and temperatures drop. At the top, rain and snow become a factor with a temperature of d-50 degrees at the peak.
Historical Background:
The western summit of Mount Elbrus was first ascended in 1874 by F. Crauford Grove, a British expeditioner. There have been several special ascents including, a story where Hitler called for the Nazi Swastika Flag to be put on top of the summit in 1942. By 1943, USSR army mountaineers removed the flag, calling it a “stunt.”