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     Political situation and safety
     Visas, Rules, Permits
     Getting there around and back
     Weather, seasons equipment etc

     Climbing itself
     Do's and don'ts
     Miscellaneous

Political situation and safety

     Is Mt. Elbrus Russian territory? My friend says that they are going to climb Mt. Elbrus from Georgian Republic.

     Is Mt. Elbrus Russian territory? My friend says that they are going to climb Mt. Elbrus from Georgian Republic.

Yes. It's Russian Federation territory. Some people go to Mt. Elbrus via Georgia but anyway they must fly or drive to Russia to climb Elbrus and must have Russian visa.

     What does this mean "Kabardino-Balkaria republic" where Mt. Elbrus is situated? Is that still Russia?

Yes it's Russia. Mt. Elbrus is in Kabardino-Balkaria republic and this republic is a part of Russian Federation.

     Ok. Chechnia or Chechen republic is also considered to be a part of Russian Federation but it is not safe to go there. What's the difference?
Is that region safe enough? Does this war in Chechnia have an effect on local safety?

As there are many questions about safety and crimes in Russia and the Caucasus we have to answer more complete way. Here you are:
Russia is a huge country and we can not say about criminal situation in common - every region has its own problems. Generally it may well be that economic crimes are more common than, to say, in US, but ordinary crimes seems to be equal to Mediterranean area.
However we have Chechnia region with very different situation and very different crimes. For the last years they have almost complete independence from federal government and they have built they own way of state. This state is based on the right of power like hundreds years ago. Slavery is common and kidnapping is almost legal. In this case these crimes considered to be just economic activity! Do you think that it is possible to hide dozens of kidnapped people
from neighbors in a small mountain village for months? For sure - not. In a few words Chechnia is not a region with criminals but a region-state with feudal society. No fault of ordinary people but the fault of leaders.

What for are all these words? I say - in regions of Russia almost everything depends of local authorities and leaders. Elbrus region has concerned leaders as it is the only profitable tourist area there.

Chechen doings do not affect Elbrus area. Hundreds of thousands people went there to ski or to climb last years - they saw no danger. This valley is strictly ruled by concerned local authorities who prefer to invite tourists not to kidnap them. Also Elbrus area is far away (400 km) from Chechnia and separated by mountain ranges. Now it's even more safer because criminals have problems on their own territory.

However "normal" crimes exist - unattended belongings may be stolen. Also poor herders from Georgia can rob you if you approach very close to easy passes to Georgian border. But once again these are "normal" crimes, you just have a chance to lose your belongings. You will not be killed just because you are an alien or kidnapped or taken to slavery. If you travel in a group and take normal precautions there will be no problems. If you have a guide - safety is 100%.

     Is there any danger during my way to Elbrus area because of war in Chechnia?

There are three points of arrival by ground transport and two by airlines. Ground transport - train to Piatigorsk (or Mineralnie Vody), train to Nalchik, car road from Georgia via Vladikavkaz to Nalchik.
Chechnia war has no effect more then 100 km round range. So you can go via Bielorus or Ukraine or Russia by train or plane. The nearest point to war spot is Baksan (between Nalchik and Mineralnie Vody)  if you go via Piatigorsk or Mineralnie Vody - it's about 200 km away. If you go via Nalchik it's 30 km closer. No problem.
There is a car route from Georgia via Mt. Kazbek area and Vladikavkaz  but it takes time and not very safe for individuals as it is not a tourist region and Chechnia seems to be pretty close ( 50 km).
The road Mineralnie Vody - Nalchik controled by police and military posts. I never heard about any problems on that way.
It seems that airports to be the most dangerous places. Some years ago some people were captured by terrorists and the criminals went to Mineralnie Vody airport trying to fly abroad. Possibility of terrorism is common for any airport, I believe.

     What are the ethnic groups there. What language do they speak?

There are three main ethnic groups in Kabardino-Balkaria. Kabardin people (Kabardin language), Balkarian people (Balkarian language) and Russian (Russian language). Kabardin people live mostly in the foothills, Balkarian people populate high valleys. Russians live everywhere. 
During the World War 2 (Patriotic War for Russians) German troops controlled the North Caucasus for some months. Balkarian people supported Nazy troops that time and therefore were deported to Kazakhstan  when the WW2 was over. They were allowed to return home only in 60th. Generally speaking Kabardin and Balkarian people do not like each other, tolerant towards Russians and seem friendly to foreigners..

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 Visas, rules, permits

     Do I need a visa to go to Russia?

     How can I get Russian visa?

     What is OVIR registration? Is it possible not to register?

     Can I avoid the registration?

     I have Russian visa with "Moscow" only. Can I go to the Caucasus?

     What is the border guard permission (registration)?

     How can I get border guard permission to visit border zone?

     Can I go without border permission?

     My friends visited Caucasus without any registration and everything was ok. Why should I do this fancy work?

     Are any climbing permits necessary?

     Does police check the registrations?

    Do I need a visa to go to Russia?

Yes, almost all foreigners must have entry visa to visit Russia.

To apply for visa you need an invitation from a Russian company or from a Russian citizen. These invitations have strict rules to write and register but then they may be sent to you by fax. As soon as you have an invitation you can apply for Russian visa in the Consulate. It takes up to 2 weeks (ordinary way) but if you pay more you can have it in a few hours (express way).

OVIR registration is a must. They put a stamp on your visa. Generally hotel provides registration, you just leave your passport and visa at the reception desk for a night. You must register  at every place you visit. If you are in Moscow for some days - you must register there, if you go to St.Petersburg then - you must register in St.Petersburg etc. This is a rule. If you have a private invitation an inviting person must register you.
Note: OVIR registration requires a fee. Officially OVIR registration is less than US$5 per person but in some regions there are local rules and add-ons. For example in Elbrus area official cost was  US$15 - (when the official were asked about it they say that actually there are two fees - OVIR fee itself and fee for visiting Elbrus region reserve).

You need at least 1 registration, to be sure that you will leave Russia without problems. It is possible not to register in every region but if a policeman stops you to check your papers you may have a problem and may be fined if you have no registration in that region. Last season (summer 2000) almost every person was checked for OVIR registration at Mineralnye Vody airport (police post at the entrance to the departure hall). Penalty depends of an officer, if he lets the process go official way or not. Minimal official penalty is about US$ 25. Anyway it will be not pleasant and rather long procedure at a police office.

Yes, you can. Since 1999 year if you have a visa you can go everywhere except military and border zones. No other cities must be mentioned in your visa.

     What is the border guard permission (registration)?

Officially you must have a border zone registration just to go to Elbrus region, irrespective of climbing Elbrus or other mountains, as Elbrus region considered to be a border zone (border with Georgia). No problems with this registration. You need just a list of people with names, passport details, dates of birth. Registration is a signature of an officer on this list plus a small notice paper.

You or those people who invite you have to go to the nearest Border Guard office with the list of people going to go to that zone. However they can forbid you to go without any explanations (but did not do it yet, as far as I know). In Elbrus region border guard office is in Nalchik.

It is possible to go without permission but if a border guard officer stops you to check your papers you will be taken to the border guard office and fined. Risk to meet an officer is not high but exists. 

That is just a a law. You can obey a law or violate it. To present day it was not controlled thoroughly, but the conditions may change for the worse at any time. Even in a week.

No, no papers for climbing. However you can register in a local rescue service (it's free) to raise your safety in case of emergency.

This season 2000 local police started to check registrations thoroughly. To be protected from any problems with authorities you must have:
-  OVIR registration. (this is a registration must be made in every region you stay more then some days). This registration is a stamp on your visa.
-  Border guard (border zone) registration. Elbrus region is a border zone. This registration is a page where all the group member names are mentioned along with the guide name. If you have a guide he must be mentioned too.

That is really necessary especially OVIR registration. I just have returned from the Caucasus (June 28, 2000) and our group was checked for the registration 3 times during our drive back to Mineral Vody.
Last season (summer 2000) almost every person was checked for OVIR registration at Mineralnie Vody airport (police post at the entrance to the departure hall). Penalties depend of an officer, if he let the process go official way or not. Minimal official penalty is about US$ 25.

 Getting there, around and back

     How to get to the Caucasus?

     How to get from airport to Elbrus?

     How to move along Elbrus (Baksan) valley?

     How to get to Mineralnie Vody from Sochi (sea terminal, connection with Trabzon, Istanbul (Turkey), Odessa (Ukraine), Batumi (Georgia)) 

     Can I get to the Caucasus via Ukraine, Georgia? What are the visa restrictions?

     Are there international flights from/to Mineralnye Vody?

     Is it possible to climb Mt. Kazbek after or before Mt. Elbrus?

      How to get to the Caucasus?

Most of people come to Russia via Moscow or St. Petersburg. Then you can fly to Mineralnie Vody or Nalchik (2 hours). (See flight timetable) There are  4 hour drive from Mineralnie Vody and 2,5 hour drive from Nalchik to Elbrus area. Mineralnie Vody airport is better and better aircrafts go there. Also you can go by train (36 hours). In that case Nalchik is preferable. 
Moscow has 7 airports and 8 train terminals. Generally flights from other countries go to Sheremetievo-2, flights to the Caucasus go from Vnukovo or Domodedovo airports. In St. Petersburg flights go to same airport Pulkovo both internal and external.
Also there are some international flights t/from Mineralnye Vody. See my answer below.

     How to get from airport to Elbrus?

Public transport (bus) sometimes available sometimes not. Bus timetable is subject to change without advance notification. If there are 4-5 people in your group you can hire a private minibus (or a car) for a reasonable price (negotiable, must be set before you start). If you are alone try to join a group of Russian travelers.
Public transport:
From Nalchik: Buses from city bus station go to Tyrnyauz and Terskol. From Tyrnyauz you can  try hitchhiking. Generally speaking you can try to stop any car or bus going right way  to negotiate accompanying transfer.
From Mineralnie Vody (MinVody): Buses go to Baksan, sometimes to Turnyauz. You can change a bus in Baksan for further drive to Tyrnyauz.

     How to move along Elbrus (Baksan) valley?

You can try to stop any car or bus going right way  to negotiate accompanying transfer. There is no point to wait for a regular transport. In Russia any car you stop may be used as a taxi if your price negotiations are successful.

     How to get to Mineralnie Vody from Sochi (sea terminal, connection with Trabzon, Istanbul (Turkey), Odessa (Ukraine), Batumi (Georgia))?

There are three ways - by bus, by rail, by air.
Summer traffic schedule will be available in mid March. There were two evening flights per week (Wednesday, Friday, about US$50 one way) , one direct evening-to-night daily train (about US$20 per person in 2 bed compartment) and some local bus lines (not direct).

     Can I get to the Caucasus via Ukraine, Georgia? What are the visa restrictions?

Via Ukraine:  Ukraine is pretty independent country and not a part of Russia. That's why you need separate visa (Ukrainian) in your passport. Moreover, if you are going to go via Ukraine on your way back be sure you have two entry Ukrainian visa.
Via Georgia: Ground transportation from Georgia is not very good. There is a road directly through the mountains from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Vladikavkaz (Russia). However this region is unstable and pretty close to Chechnia. I'm not sure about public transportation (bus) there as well. Other way is by train around the Caucasus via Mackhachkala (Dagestan). Better way is airplane.
Visa restrictions are same everywhere. If you are going to enter a country twice you need two entry visa - that's the rule.

     Are there international flights from/to Mineralnye Vody?

Yes. There are flights from/to:
Within the former USSR countries -  Baku (Azerbadzhan), Erevan (Armenia), Kiev (Ukraine), Tbilisi (Georgia), Kishinev (Moldavia)
Western countries direct flights - Larnaka (Cyprus), Munich (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), Saloniki (Greece),  Tel-Aviv (Israel), Shardzha (UAE).
Most of these flights are charter flights so check the timetable thoroughly to be sure that your flight will go.

    Is it possible to climb Mt. Kazbek before or after Mt. Elbrus?

Yes. Generally speaking it is possible. Political situation in Kazbek region is much worse than in Elbrus area but not too bad. Mt. Kazbek is on the border between Russia and Georgia. The easiest route is from Georgia from Kazbegi village. In summer you can climb from both sides but in winter ways from Russia are virtually inaccessible (to far, lot of snow on the snowfalls). If you want to climb via Georgia you need Georgian visa as well. Moreover if you are going to return back to Russia then you need 2-entry Russian visa.

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Weather, seasons, equipment etc

     What is the best and worst time to climb Mt Elbrus?

     What about weather and equipment?

     What equipment is necessary?

     What is the best and worst time to climb Mt Elbrus?

It means best or worst weather season.
Best season: from Mid July to Mid August.
Normal season: from May to September.
Not good season: April, Mid September to Mid October.
Worst season: November.
Winter season: from December to April.

However there are some abnormal but permanent phenomena. For example, generally  there are some perfect (even best) weeks in September-October. 

     What about weather and equipment?

The weather on Prielbrusie is changeable, and conditions can deteriorate rapidly in case of a storm. Be prepared for temperatures between 20 and 70 degrees F ( -7C +21C )  with a chance of snow. Temperatures could fall to -5F (-20C) higher up on the mountain and you may encounter severe winds. Like any large mountain, Mt. Elbrus creates its own weather. That means that no good forecast is available for exactly this point. There can be serious storms on the mountain, while the next valley is in bright sunshine.
    Test your equipment before you come to climb Mt. Elbrus, making sure your crampons fit your boots and that you can put them on and take them off quickly and efficiently. Test your clothing systems and determine what works best for you. There is no one right way to dress, but layering is essential. Bring only wool or synthetic clothing. When cotton gets wet it will not keep you warm. Make sure your clothes fit and that they are roomy enough for strenuous activity.
    Although Mt. Elbrus is not a technical climb, it may require you to use your ice axe for self-arrest (just some spots in summer, and up to 1/4 part of the route in winter ). You should be comfortable enough with this technique to stop yourself in the event that you fall during the climb. Those people who go with a guided group can relax - a guide will make necessary precautions and will provide a belay if necessary, so no real need of ice axe for guided groups. Likewise, be comfortable walking and climbing in crampons. The steep upper slopes of the mountain usually have hard-packed snow. If conditions are dangerous, you may have to rope up for sections of the climb. Familiarity with your equipment and with snow climbing techniques can make the difference on a successful summit climb.

     What equipment is necessary?

This is not a FULL list but just some items to give you an idea...

- Parka for rain and wind (must fit over bulky clothing)
- Wool mittens (or pile or polypropylene)
- Plastic double boots. It is possible to use a heavy leather mountaineering boot and supergaiter combination, but this is not recommended unless you are comfortable with this combination in extreme cold conditions. Cool feet could force you to turn back, or result in frostbite.
- Gaiters (Supergaiters, which cover the whole boot, are excellent)
- Sleeping bag with temperature rating of -5C to 10C (+20F to +50F)
- Crampons (Hinged crampons are preferable to rigid ones. Please have these fitted perfectly to your boots. It is a good idea to have protectors for ice axe and crampons; when you ride the chairlifts, they will often be crowded and an unprotected axe or crampons can do damage.
- High-altitude sunglasses or goggles. 
- Headlamp with spare batteries and bulb.
- Sun-blocking lotion (sunscreen).

Ski poles are not necessary but very, very useful. 
Ice axe is not necessary in summer but sometimes may be useful. However you must be familiar with this equipment otherwise it will be just additional weight.

You can use GPS devices (very recommended, for GPS measurements table see page "Maps") and Two-way radios in the Elbrus area. These are prohibited without special permission throughout the country, but in Russia strict rules compensates  by optional conforming to these rules. :)  However use these  devices in the mountains only and keep them deep in your luggage (not hand luggage) while traveling by train or aircraft.
You can rent official band radios from local rescue service for a pretty high fee.

Stove. Petrol stove (liquid fuel) is preferable. Reason: It is prohibited to bring white gas in the aircraft and generally no white gas for sale at the valley. Petrol is available in most cases.
Inexperienced people may have problems with a stove because of cold and high altitude.
No need to bring special cans for petrol. Ordinary plastic bottles (from soft drinks or water) are good and available everywhere along the valley.

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