DFA warns against travel to Elbrus region
With the warning against travelling to Caucasus region still live on 20th April, we are continuing to postpone any plans for a climb of Mt Elbrus in 2011
'Because of the volatile security situation in the North Caucasus, we strongly advise against all travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and to the eastern and southern parts of Stavropol Krai bordering Chechnya and Dagestan. We strongly advise against all but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria.
There is a high threat from terrorism in Russia, including suicide bombings in public places. Caution and vigilance in public places is advised. Attacks have occurred most frequently in Moscow and in the North Caucasus. As a result, the photographing of any military installation, establishment or site of strategic importance is prohibited; this includes airports and metro stations. People who do not observe this rule are likely to have their cameras confiscated, be detained for questioning and possibly arrested.
Recent examples of terrorist incidents include the following:
From 18-21 February 2011, three Russian tourists were killed in attacks on a ski lift and minibus in the Mt. Elbrus area in Kabarno-Balkaria. Mt. Elbrus has becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination in recent years. However, travel to the area is not advisable, given its proximity to insecure areas of the North Caucasus region
On 24 January 2011, a bomb exploded in the international arrivals section of Domodedevo Airport in Moscow. Over thirty people were killed and many more were injured.
On 19 October 2010, the Chechen Parliament building was attacked in Grozny, resulting in the deaths of six people and injuries to seventeen.
On 9 September 2010, a suicide bomber blew up a car in Vladikavkaz market square, in the North Caucasus republic of North Ossetia. Fifteen people were killed and over ninety inured.
On 29 March 2010, two suicide bombings on the Moscow metro resulted in the deaths of thirty nine people and many others were injured.
On 27 November 2009, an express train from Moscow to St. Petersburg was derailed. This is thought to been have been a deliberate act of terrorism. Twenty seven people died and it is estimated that a hundred others were injured'
Department of Foreign Affairs website 07th April 2011
Treks and Seven Summit Expeditions
Aconcagua, Argentina The highest peak on the South American Continent and a continental high point for those endeavoring to complete the Seven Summits Challenge. It is a trekking peak that can be completed by most fit people that can acclimatize to the altitude. Also get a chance to see Mendoza. High success rate. Grade: Intermediate/Experienced Date: January 04th-25th 2010
Price: All In 4950 euro (Flights - Transport - Accommodation - Guides - Food - Permits- Visa)
Land Only Options Available All Climbing Year
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa
Our trip will take us on an adventure of a life time to the highest mountain on the African Continent, Kilimanjaro. We can go on safari to see Africa’s wild life to Lake Manayara & Ngorongoro, the crater of the rain gods.+95% summit success
Grade: Beginner
Dates: 25th Jan - 09th Feb 2010
Price: 3300euro All in (Flights - Transport - Accommodation - Guides - Food - Visa- Permits)
Add Ons available- Safari, Zanzibar & Mt Meru
Land Only Options Available All Year
Everest Base Camp, Nepal
An exciting opportunity for walkers and adventurers to trek through the most amazing landscapes in the world. Each day's trek is more spectacular than the day before as we make our way deeper into the mountains to reach Everest Base Camp. High success rate
Grade: Beginner/ Intermediate
Date: 03rd- 22nd April 2010
Price: 3250euro (Flights - Transport - Accommodation - Guides - Food - Visa- Permits)
Add On Available Island Peak (4000euro)
Land Only Options Available All Trekking Year
Mt Elbrus, Russia
Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, we spend a few days in the valleys around this Mountain gaining height, acclimatising. The trip also includes a day discovering Moscow. The 2007 expedition saw all climbers summiting. 2008 team leave this week!! Small groups!
Grade: Intermediate w/t skills
Date: 29th Jul-13th Aug 2010
Price: 3950 euro (Flights - Transport - Accommodation - Guides - Food- Visa)
Land Only Options Available All Climbing Year
Peru- Traditional & Alternative Inca Trail
Sandwiched between the driest desert and the largest Rainforest in the world, the Andes of Peru contain some of the worlds most spectacular mountain scenery. Within these mountains ancient civilizations, of which the Incas are the most famous, built cities, temples and roadways (there are known to be more then 25 000km) using precision construction techniques that continue to baffle scientists today. Both our tours to Peru enable you to explore the impressive relics of these civilizations, while enjoying some magnificent walking through the diverse scenery in the mountains and valleys of the Eastern Cordillera. On this tour we offer you a little more than just the classic Inca Trail, with plenty of time to visit all the major Inca sites in the area.
Land Only options available
Contact us to custom build your trip. Also check out our section http://www.patfalvey.com/independent.htm and
Visit our gallery to see some great images of previous expeditions and training.
Elbrus
Expedition Leader: Pat Falvey
Grade:Trekking – Strenuous,
Prices: €2250 Land Only
Flight: €880 Ireland-Moscow-Mineral Ni Vody Central Caucasus & return.
Mount Elbrus
Elbrus belongs to a handful of mountains with a very special and irresistible kind of beauty which lies in their shape and setting. It stands 11km north from the main range and exceeds its neighbours in height by 1200-2000m. The views from both summits are breathtaking: to the north is a rolling carpet of pastures and all other sides there is a sea of snowy peaks. The Elbrus Region/ Prielbrusie- Located in the Central Caucasus, the highest part of the entire mountain range is an area where many valleys converge into the Baksan Valley.It's glaciers give rise to the Baksan, Kuban and Malkan Rivers. In this region we will see many famous peaks such as Mt.Shkhelda (4,320m), Mt. Chatin (4,369m), Mt. Ushba (4,710) and Mt. Elbrus itself (5,642m). Mount Elbrus dominates the Central Caucasus and has two seperate volcano vents: the western peak, Zapadnaya 5,642m, is the higher peak and the eastern peak, Vostochnaya, at 5,621m. The eastern peak has a crater 250m in diameter. The mountain is covered in a huge sheet of ice which covers some 145sq KM and is up to 400m thick. Often horrific weather surrounds the mountain and it is notorius for storms. From the col that divides the two peaks the snow slopes descend to the many tongues of ice and crevasses lying in the valleys. The ancients knew the mountain as Strobilus , Latin for ' pine cone', a direct loan from the ancient Greek Strobilos, meaning ' a twisted object' - a long established botanical term that describes the shape of the volcano's summit. A myth that is held here claims Zues had chained Prometheus, the Titan who had stolen fire from the Gods and given it to ancient man- likely a reference to historic volcanic activity. The average time to summit is approx 9hrs and approx 4 hrs for our descent. Crampons and ski poles are necessary for this climb and ice axes are useful for extra safety. Like all big mountains, the peaks of the Caucasus generate and attract thier own weather, making conditions unpredictable and ferocious at times. To be prepared for a wide range of tempatures it is important to bring everything on the recommended equipment list. Inclusions Fuly escorted with experienced guides and on site training All transfers Hotel Accommodation Park Fee's Accommodation while trekking Communal Equipment Exclusions * Visa fees Day 5: Hike to Adysul Valley City Tour Extension 4 passport photos-signed on reverse side. Tourist Voucher-available from us on request. Travel Insurance Certificate. Applications are made by post to your nearest Russian Embassy For more info please contact our office. # We have all you need at our new store located in the Gap of Dunloe, View our products online @ http://shop.patfalvey.com/ Clothing Light weight long underwear - Tops & Bottoms Expedition weight long underwear - Tops & Bottoms Briefs - For everyday wear while trekking Short Sleeved T-Shirts/Shirts - 2 x trekking Long Sleeved T-Shirts/Shirt - 2 x trekking Sofshell/Fleece x 2 Trekking Pants x 2/3 - one insulated pants is recommended Parka Jacket - Down or synthetic with hood- Expedition Type and needs to fit over all insulation layers (it can get as cold as -25 degrees celsius) Jacket - Waterproof & breatheable- storm proof mountaineering jacket Over Trousers - Waterproof & breatheable- storm proof mountaineering pants Footwear Shoes for travel and easy walking Sandals Lightweight Hiking Boots Climbing Boots - Plastic double boot-available for hire Gaitors - short simple gaitors are best Booties - optional luxury, down/synthetic Lightweight socks - 2/3 pairs Sock Liners Warm trekking socks - 2/3 pairs Foot Powder Head & Hand Wear Liner Gloves Windstopper fleece gloves Waterproof Mittens Bandana/Buff Sun Hat Warm Hat Balaclava/Face mask Accessories Sunglasses x 2 - Specific to High Altitude Mountaineering, UV & IR protection Ski Goggles Headtorch Spare batteries Climbing Equipment Ice Axe - Available for hire Crampons - Available for hire Ski Poles - 1 pair collapsible spring bound ski poles Harness - lightweight web waist with all leg loops opening Carabiners- 2 x screw gates, 2 x snapgates Backpack - at least 75 litre with ice axe haul loops and crampon attachment point Daypack - 25 - 35 litre Waterproof pack cover Sleeping Equipment Sleeping Bag - Expedition quality to at least -25, down preferred and must pack small Sleeping Mat - Thermorest preferred for extra warmth Pocket-Knife - leatherman or similar Water Bottles - 1/ 2 Pee Bottle/Funnel for women Travel Items Large Duffel Bag Travel clothes for days in we are in transit Travel towel Swim shorts/suit Padlocks for bags while in transport Toiletrie bag Camera Book/Journal Miscellaneous Items Travel Insurance Certificate Passport, Visa and document copies Money in US Dollars / Euros Sun Block - important Towel and wash kit Spare batteries for all electronic equipment Medical & Personal Lip Screen Personal First Aid Kit Personal Medication - seek advice from your doctor Babywipes/handwipes Hand Gel Ear Plugs Water Purification TabletsOverview
Undoubtedly, the best known and most alluring mountain in Russia, and the largest in Europe, Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano, one of the 'Seven Summits'. The fact that it is the highest in Europe suffices for many to go and climb it.Route
By the normal route it is a long climb over a medium incline that requires good acclimatisation but has no real technical difficulty. By this stage we will have spent many days in the surrounding hills and valleys acclimatising and preparing for our climb. The simplicity of this climb is not to be under estimated, it is a dangerous route. Apart from the altitude , the highly variable weather and freqeunt violent storms combined with low tempatures, as low as -25 degrees, means that this ascent is a real high altitude adventure!Grade
Prices
Itinerary
Preparation
Gear
Update from Elbrus - Caucasus Russia
Thursday- chetverg 10.08.06 Russia
our last day of hiking! We got the bus up to the Adylsu valley. We walked into the valley along by another river. It was good fun because we had to scramble over rocks for a while and we crossed the river twice on rickity bridges made out of trees. We came to the Green Hotel, which is actually only a green flat space where people can camp! We ate our lunch here then walked along a ridge to the Jankuat glacier, pat said it has melted a lot even since last year. Coming back along the ridge Ruth stumbled somehow and flipped down the side about a meter, she was ok though just a few cuts and twists. we had to walk all the way back to the hotel, so we were very tired by the time we got there. Just time for a clean up then off to Cheget for dinner.
Well tomorrow we head back for Moscow and spend a few days visiting markets and some of Pat’s friends before going home to Ireland. I’m really looking forward to going home and to sleep in my own bed. I Will let you know how I get on when I get back to Ireland. So for now Slán from the Elbrus region in Russia. We all had a great time, climbed a big mountain and I made lots of new friends.
Wednesday - sreda 09.08.06 Russia
We had bleeni which means pancakes for breakfast. At last a rest day! Well some of the group went for a stroll but we just chilled out all day. It was much needed! We did go for a little walk through the wood beside the hotel, it would be a great place for hide and seek! Had a nice swim and Jacuzzi. There has to be one day of relaxation when you're on holiday's!
Tuesday-vtornic 08.08.06 Russia
Another promise of a rest day, but not for us all! Pat stayed at the hotel to do some writing and Tony was too sunburnt to face the heat again, but the rest of us think they were just being lazy!! Natasha took Killian, Peter, Ruth and I for a walk. We set of from the hotel so we didn't even have a bus journey to wake us up! We stayed on the road for a long time then took a turn in by some buildings, which are used as a type of camp for children. I would have liked to just stay there to play with them, but that wouldn't give much training, so on I had to plod with the adults! We walked through a wood along by the raging river. It was nice and cool in the shade. We sat on some rocks and watched the river for a while. It flows so fast and bubbly! After the wood we walked through high grass and over lots of rocks. It was so so hot, I thought i'd melt away! We came to a place in the valley where soldiers guard the border into Georgia. Natasha said there was a nice little lake a bit further on so she spoke to the soldier and he said if we gave him our passports we could go to the lake and he'd give them back to us on the way out. So on we went, it was a very shallow lake so we went paddling in it. The water wasn't all that warm but it was nice on our hot feet. On the way back to the hotel we stopped for ice-creams and watermelon-arbooz in Russian. It was just what we needed after a very hot hike!
Monday - ponedelnik 07.08.06 Russia
Today we were meant to have a rest day-we planned on going to Cheget then taking the chair lift up and getting a good view of Elbrus. Well we did go to Cheget but we only got the lift up to the first station, then Pat got a burst of energy and we hiked up to the top of Cheget mountain-3461m! But it was worth the climb, we had a cool view and it was really sunny up there. Back to the hotel then for some swimming and a dip in the jaccuzi! Ice-cream means marozhena-ye in Russian, very good to know especially on long hikes!
Sunday - vaskryesyen'ye 06.08.06 Russia
We woke up still feeling tired and a bit woosey! We packed up and headed back to civilization! luckily we got the snow machine to bring us back to the top of the chair lift. It was cool going down hill in it. From there we got the chair lift then two gondola's back down into the valley. We were very glad to get back to our nice hotel and have a good wash! My Russian word today is zavtrak meaning breakfast.
Saturday - Suhhota 05.08.06
Awake at 3.30 am! We had our breakfast then got the snow machine to the bottom of the pastukhov rocks, then we set off walking. It was still dark so we had our head torches on. It wasn't all that cold but we were wrapped up well! We saw the sun rise, the sky was beautiful, but we were to busy walking to take pictures of it! We firstly came up through the rocks, then up to a path which ran along the side of the smaller peak. This path was quite narrow with a big drop down on one side so we had to be very careful. it was up hill all the time with no break. Then we came around the side of the mountain and had a little less of a climb into the col, this is a flattish space between the two peaks. Here we had a little rest and got a drink. The sun was really getting hot so we didn't sit for long. From here it was another 2 hours to the summit. After our rest we had another steep dangerous climb. We were all really tired by now and getting hotter and hotter! The next section was through more rocks, there were lots of people going up and down and there was almost a traffic jam! We sat on the rocks for a few minutes trying to get enough energy to go on! i've never felt so tired as I did then! But somehow we managed to struggle on. After the rocks we had another steep narrow bit to get along. It was quite scary but I had the team with me to help me. At last we got onto a safer path, it was still steep but it was a wide area. Then we got our first view of the very summit! I nearly ran to it I was so happy to see it! We got to the summit at 12am. We all had our photos taken with our Irish flag. It was amazing to be so high up again, right at the roof of Europe! There were big groups heading for the summit after us so we left it and began to make our way down. We were so tired it took us a long time to get down and a lot of sliding! I tried sliding on my bum to save my legs but the snow was too soft and just matted up my fur! Eventually we got back to the huts, very tired, hot and thirsty. We all had a nap then got up for dinner around 8pm, we didn't really feel like eating but we had to get our strength back up. Straight after dinner we collapsed into bed again! Vnizu meaning down.
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