news archive

July 10, 2005:
23- point coordinates sheet (Datum "WGS-84", Degrees/minutes, thousands), published on Maps, page. Most recent measures, 2005 season.

May  19, 2005:
Now not enough snow to ski down the first legs of both Cheget and Elbrus skilifts. Not many Russian people in the valley but many foreigners. It seems the area becomes popular.
On the May 13 there was the first avalanche on the slopes of Elbrus for the last 40 years. It fell down from about 5000 m (slopes above Pastuckhov Rocks) jumped from the Pastuckov rocks over some groups of climbers and landed under the rocks on the plateau at about 4400 m. Some people were wounded by air-blast.

May  02, 2005:
It's ok with electricity and phones now. However it is not ok with weather. Snowfall is continuing and it looks like winter comes back.

May  01, 2005:
April weather was bad with just some reasonable good days and May starts same. Yesterday it was nearly good but today snowfall again. Because of constant snowfalls and  warm weather there is NO ice on Elbrus at the moment. Some group managed to climb the top during some good days and the skied from the Barrels  to the top and back without a problem. The situation may change in a week but at the moment ski-touring on Elbrus is good (besides the weather of course). Helicopter is here but can not fly because of bad weather.
Today May holidays (1-10) begin. Hotels are full although not too many people on the slopes.
- Oops, a problem. No electricity. They say that it is everywhere in the valley and may last until tomorrow. Bad news, mobile phone service will fall in some hours without normal electric power.

April  26, 2005:
Summer flights/trains timetable is updated for the summer season 2005. Page Flights.

April  20, 2005:
After some days of good and cold weather (several groups have succesfully climbed the top)  the weather was bad for for about 10 days. It is possible to ski but not good for climbing. Lifts are functioning and there are  not many skiers. Helicopter was here for about a week and left again. Probably it comes on 28th before the May holidays start.
About May holidays. May holidays (from May 1 to May 10) are the main holidays in Russia. Most people in Russia have days off that time and go for vacations somewhere. There will e crowds of people in the Elbrus region, many buses from nearby cities. All facilities in the valley are booked, prices go high. In case you have choice we do not recommend to come on these dates. There will be 2 hours lines for lifts, crowds of people in cafes and lodges. Too many strangers  make this area not enough safe concerning thefts.

April  05, 2005:
The weather was really bad for some days but now it is becoming better. However climbers were forced to return today from 4300 m because of strong wind and very low temperature ( -40 Celsius ). Recent snowfalls covered slopes with snow but today's wind blew it away and now there are icy fields again. Photo (April 5, 2005).

Lifts are functioning. The third leg of Cheget lifts was launched  today. Hotels and lodges are half empty but lines at the lift stations are for about 30 minutes.

March 27, 2005:
Mr. Eduardo Perez Errea from Spain has died on Elbrus.
March 26 at about 19:00 a representative of Pilgrim Tours company in Azau received a call form the Barrels huts keeper. A group descending from Elbrus  has noticed a motionless red dot on the Pastuckhov rocks. It seemed like it was Eduardo because he had red clothes and that day he attempted Elbrus starting from the Diesel hut (Priut-11). There was no connection with rescue service that time that is why the rep (Mr. Andrew Leontiev) made a decision to organize rescue operation himself and arranged cable lift and a snowcat (ratrak) to get up as fast as possible. At 20:30 Andrew, Eduardo's friend and 2 people from Norway (all are living at Azau lodge) started from Azau. At about 23:00 they reached Diesel hut (Priut-11) and one more person was added to the team - a climber from Sweden. That guy climbed the top that day and saw Eduardo on the summit. At about 01:00 on March 27th they reached the top of Pastuckov rocks and found Eduardo's dead body there. Obviously he slid down while descending 200-300 meters above Pastuckhov rocks and died immediately (for sure). The team took the body down and reached Azau back at about 03:00.
The team have made great deed but unfortunately they could not rescue Eduardo. Sincere respect to Petter Berland and Erik Ramstad (Norway), Martin Letzter (Sweden), Fernando Ferrer (Spain).

Eduardo was one of two people from Spain group, they had no guide (Lite Package from Pligrims). His friend felt sick and did not come higher than Azau. Eduardo got up to Diesel hut saying he is going just to get an acclimatization. Finally he decided to make a try because the weather was good enough and some other people were going to climb on that day. Last time he was seen on the top. He went down alone so nobody accompanied him and saw the accident.

Photo

March 24, 2005:
The weather is not bad but not enough good for comfortable climbing. Some groups are waiting for the better weather at the  Barrels.
Lifts are functioning , lines to wait reduced down to 10-30 minutes.
About helicopter. Most recent information is that it probably comes after 29th of March and will stay in the valley. This is not for sure but there are negotiations between tour companies and airline.
We were talking about ice on Elbrus many times. Here is a photo (March 23, 2005) with icy fields marked. They have bit more dark blue color than snow fields.

March 22, 2005:
After some days of bad weather it's ok again. For several days it was possible to reach Azau only by a 4x4 car but now it's ok again.
Lifts are functioning again (during bad weather second legs were closed because of strong wind), lines to wait are about 40 minutes in the morning and almost no lines after 2pm.

March 16, 2005:
The helicopter will NOT come back. It sounds like there will be no helicopter in Elbrus region this spring. Tour companies which offer heli-ski touring will be forced to cancel their tours.
Weather is sometimes good - sometimes not, nothing special.
Lifts are ok but lines to wait are about 50 minutes. Lifts capacity is the sensitive point in the region. There are much more accommodation places than lifts can transport.
Problems with new GPRS service: sometimes it works for a day but next day it does not work. Next day it may work again and so on. Reason is unknown.

March 15, 2005:
Helicopter returned back to Nalchik because of a malfunction. Forecast for the nearest days is negative.

March 14, 2005:
Weather is good and sunny for the last 3 days. However it looks like it will change soon.
Second (higher) legs of lifts were not functioning for 3 days but now are ok again. Waiting in line is about 30 minutes on weekends. 
Ski runs are ok and completely covered with snow, it's a bit cold in the morning but good after 11 am.
Estimated load of accommodation facilities - 50%
Helicopter just has arrived but is working for one group which was waiting for it for some days (see recent Forum postings about heliski).
Elbrus is still icy higher then Pastuckhov rocks. Barrels huts are completely under snow.

March 07, 2005:
Weather is good and sunny, temperature up to 10 Celsius. Electricity  in Azau  is repaired and Azau lifts line is ok. Avalanche damaged "Megafon" cellular  phone station antenna and at the moment mobile phone coverage is not good. Roads are enough ok to reach all villages..

March 04, 2005:
Snowfalls and rains. Avalanches damaged electric station and at the moment there is no electricity higher Terskol, Azau lift line does  not work. Authorities promise to fix this by tomorrow but there is no certainty.
Although there is a lot of snow it is possible to reach Azau, however police tries do not let non-local cars go higher than Tyrnyauz. .

March 03, 2005:
The weather became bad but this gives a lot of snow on the runs for skiers.  
Lifts are ok. After a big snowfall it sometimes takes a couple of hours to launch them again.
High season started,  a lot of people in the valley and one can wait in lifts line for 1 hour.
Estimated load of accomodation facilities - 90%.
Elbrus is still same icy, because of strong winds..

February 13, 2005:
The weather was rather sunny, but very windy and cold (down to -23 Celsius).
Ski runs are pretty icy. Runs on Cheget and lower Elbrus slopes are not good because of rocks under snow.
Recently a small lodge (named - "Kogutai") in Cheget  was destroyed by fire. Now under reconstruction.
Lifts are ok except the 3rd leg on Elbrus line - it may be closed because of lack of clients.. No lines, no crowds of people. Estimated load of accomodation facilities - 30%.
Elbrus is icy, there is a kind of thin snow cover up to 4500 but after this there is still ice up to 4900.

January 24, 2005:
The weather was sunny and warm.
Ski runs suffer from lack of snow, lowest ski runs are almost unusable (ice and rocks).
Lifts are ok. No lines, no crowds of people. Estimated load of accomodation facilities - 30%.
Elbrus is same icy.

January 17, 2005:
Weather was rather warm and still.
Lifts are ok. THe New Year holidays are over and less people in the valey. About 50% of hotels/lodges capacity is vacant. Next high period will start from the end of January(real high season in the region).
Some prices: One leg of lifts - 80 Rubles, day skipass - 400 Rubles. Snowcat from Mir station to the Priut 11 (daytime) - 250 per person, snowcat at night (for climbing) - 200 Euro but it can go from the Barrels up to 4200 m only because of ice.
Elbrus: Clear ice between 4200 m and 4900 m. Still no known deadly accidents but some people were rescued from crevasses.

January 08, 2005:
It's windy and cold. Temperature at the Barrels elevation was -23 Celsius.
All lifts are functionning. Ski runs are icy. Still many people in the valley and all hotels and lodges are full.
Elbrus is icy on the elevation from 4000 to 5000 meters.

December 26, 2004:
Good weather this week and it's rather warm. No big snowfalls and ski runs become bit rocky but skiing is still more than possible.
Not very many visitors in the valley - most people will come on December 29-30 to spend New Year here. About 60% of hotels/lodges capacity is vacant at the moment but all is fully reserved for the New Year period.
Ski lifts are ok.
Elbrus is very icy. There is absolutely clean 'bottle glass' ice from 4000 m to 5200 m.

December 20, 2004:
We refreshed News page a bit. "Old news" were sent to archive. You still can find them there.

December 19, 2004:
Forum page became too big so we split it into the Current forum and Forum Archive. Do not forget that searches in Current Forum page, Forum Archive and web site are different. Use proper Search forms.