Description of Mount Elbrus according to the Korotkov map. The seven highest mountain peaks of the six continents of the earth. About modes of transportation

Better than the mountains There can only be mountains - Vysotsky sang and he was right. Mountains have always attracted people. Brave people, despite the cold, lack of oxygen, dangers and difficulties, stubbornly “climbed” to the top. What attracted them there? Curiosity? Want to test yourself? Thirst for fame? The desire to prove to yourself and others your superiority? Thirst for knowledge? It is difficult to find any logic in the inexplicable craving of people for the mountains.
Let us remember the events of past years, when during the Great Patriotic War the German mountain rifle division "Edelweiss" with fierce battles broke through to the very high mountain Europe - Elbrus to install Nazi flags on its top. Why did the pragmatic Germans need to waste energy conquering this peak? Did Hitler really need even such proof of his own greatness?
Mountains are the greatest creation of mother nature. They are great, powerful and eternal. Representatives of the species Homo sapience lack these qualities. Rising to the sky they try to join great secret the universe, and having reached the top they begin to see clearly. Against the backdrop of the cold, gigantic peaks, everything they lived with before seems petty and insignificant.
Let's commit virtual trip and we will climb to the tops of the highest mountains of all continents of the Earth and enjoy the fantastic landscapes that open before the eyes of brave climbers. Maybe we will be able to comprehend the secret of these natural monuments.

The Main Caucasian Ridge, “under the command” of the mighty Elbrus, “cuts through” the dense veil of clouds (Photo source:).

Everest (Asia) - Height: 8848 meters Chomolungma) is the highest peak of our planet, part mountain system Himalayas. For many climbers, this mountain is the most coveted trophy. But not everyone can climb this mountain. Therefore, climbers “climbing” a mountain are sometimes forced to make cynical decisions about whether to rescue those in distress or continue on their way. Often the rescue of climbers in distress on high altitude It’s simply not possible, since every step here is given with incredible difficulty. Therefore, on the slopes of the mountains you can find the bodies of dead climbers. You can familiarize yourself with very “unsightly” stories and photographs.

Photo on the left: the road to Everest, photo on the right: base camp at an altitude of 8300 meters (Photo source:).

Aconcagua (South America) - Height: 6962 meters
- highest peak mountain range Andes in South America. Aconcagua is also the tallest extinct volcano in the world.

In the photo, climbers the size of ants are moving forward towards the top. A giant whirlwind of snow is circling above them (Photo source:).

Dawn over Aconcagua. The majestic panorama of the Andes appears in all its guise before brave climbers (Photo source:).

McKinley ( North America) — Height: 6194 meters
The peak of Alaska takes an honorable third place among the highest peaks of the continents in our ranking.

Giant McKinley against the background of coniferous forests of Alaska (Photo source:).

View from McKinley Heights. A dense blanket of clouds “crawls” onto the peaks (Photo source:).

Kilimanjaro (Africa) - Height: 5895 meters
The highest point in Africa, the mountain is located in the northeastern part of Tanzania. It is a very unusual sight to see a snowy peak in the sultry African savannah. Recently, scientists have been sounding the alarm that the Kilimanjaro ice cap is rapidly decreasing in volume. Over the past decades, 80% of the ice on this mountain has already melted. Climate scientists name the main culprit in this process.

African elephants against the backdrop of the snowy peaks of Kilimanjaro are a very unusual sight (Photo source:).

On the way to Kilimanjaro. The landscape is fantastic (Photo source:).

View of the veil of clouds from the highest point of the African continent (Photo source:).

Elbrus (Europe) - Height: 5642 meters
Russia also has a record-breaking mountain - this is the highest peak in Europe - . Elbrus is part of the Main Caucasian Ridge and is located on the border of the two Russian republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. In the past (around 50 AD) Elbrus was an active volcano.

Handsome Elbrus (Photo source:).

Camp on the spurs of Elbrus (Photo source:).

Panorama of the mountains that opens to climbers from the top of Elbrus (Photo source:).

The silent and mysterious land of snow and clouds of Elbrus (Photo source:).

An unusual atmospheric phenomenon. The shadow of the peak of Elbrus in the morning haze (Photo source:).

The beauty of the Elbrus region. The edge of all seasons. Green alpine meadows and spurs of Elbrus, covered with snow (Photo source:).

On the top of Elbrus - a fantastic world of white snow and clouds (Photo source:).

Vinson Massif (Antarctica) - Altitude: 4892 meters
The coldest continent on the planet, Antarctica, also has its own mountains. The highest of them were discovered relatively recently, at the end of the 50s of the last century. The Vinson Massif is part of the Ellsworth Mountains and is located 1,200 kilometers from the southern point planets.

This is what the Vinson Massif looks like from space (Photo source:

Elbrus is the most big mountain Russia and Europe! One of the “magnificent seven” of the highest peaks of our planet, from which you can even see the Black Sea and the Turkish coast..

Elbrus is located just north of the Main Caucasus Ridge on the border of the republics Karachay-Cherkessia And Kabardino-Balkaria.

Elbrus(Mount Elbrus) is a two-headed volcano in the north of the Caucasus mountain system.
The height of the Western peak is 5642 m.
The height of the Eastern peak is 5621 m.
The height of the saddle is 5300 m.

The white two-headed volcanic cone of Elbrus is noticeably different from the entire mountain landscape of the Caucasus and can be seen in good weather a hundred kilometers away. Nearest town - village Terskol (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria) in the Baksan Gorge at the foot of the mountain itself.

Elbrus coordinates on maps:
43°21’11″ N 42°26’13″ E

Peaks of Elbrus.

Due to its status as the highest point in Europe, climbing to the top of Elbrus is popular among climbers all over the world and is considered one of the “steps” to conquering the “seven peaks”.

Despite the ease of the routes, Mount Elbrus annually takes dozens of human lives. To a greater extent, the lethality of the mountain is determined by the difficult climate with changeable weather, as well as the poor training of climbers without experience. Visually, the peaks of Elbrus seem easily accessible, which instantly excites the hearts and minds of many people to “conquer the mountain” and even those who have never climbed before... In fact, this simplicity is deceptive and in reality, a person without preparation finds himself in difficult conditions in which he cannot always manages to survive...

Climbing Elbrus.

The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East composed a large number of songs and legends about Elbrus.

One of the legends says that used to be a mountain was one-humped. At its top lived the magical bird Simurg, who bestowed happiness and prosperity on the mountain people who inhabited the valleys of the mountain gorges. This idyll lasted for many centuries, until the desire to seize the bird’s heavenly throne led to its possession by two greedy people. Their fierce struggle was stopped higher powers: blinding lightning cut the sky, terrible thunder erupted and Elbrus split in two, spewing streams of fire that incinerated everything in its path. After such a terrible fight, the magical bird Simurgh hid deep underground, upset by the ingratitude and greed of people.

According to research by scientists, Elbrus has not reminded of itself for quite a long time, but despite this, the current level of activity does not give specialists a reason to attribute it to extinct volcanoes, now he has the status of “sleeping”. The volcano is indeed quite active in external and internal activities. In its depths there are still hot masses that heat the local “Hot Narzans” - springs saturated with mineral salts and carbon dioxide, the temperature of which reaches +52°C and +60ºC. The life of many famous springs begins in the depths of the volcano. health resorts Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk and the entire Caucasian Mineral Waters region.

Flowers on mountain peaks ah Caucasus mountains.

The climate on Elbrus is characterized by severity, making it similar to the Arctic regions. average temperature in the warmest month of the year it does not rise above -1.4°C. There is quite a lot of precipitation here, but it is mainly represented only in the form of snow.

Around the two-headed giant are located the most beautiful peaks Caucasus: Nakra-Tau, Ushba, Donguz-Orun .

Panorama.

Made his first ascent Kilar Khashirov - conductor of the Russian scientific expedition, Kabardian by nationality July 22, 1829 on Eastern peak Elbrus.

The western peak of Elbrus was conquered by a team of climbers led by Florence Grove in 1874.

The first to reach both peaks was a Balkar hunter and shepherd Ahiya Sottaev . During the period of his long life, he conquered Elbrus nine times: he made his first ascent at the age of over forty, and the last in 1909, when he was 121 years old.

The study of Elbrus by Russian scientists began actively in the 19th century. Academician V.K. Vishnevsky in 1913 he was the first to determine the height and location of the volcano. In addition to the status of a unique natural attraction, the famous Caucasian peak is also an important scientific base. Even before the war, the first experiments with cosmic rays in the Soviet Union were carried out here, and today it houses the highest geophysical laboratory.

Territory of the Elbrus region - major center tourism and skiing. The majority of guests are fans winter species sports, including extreme sports, which are very popular in these mountains. In addition to the usual snowboards, sleds and freeride for hunters thrills a new entertainment was organized, which was a climb to the top of Elbrus by helicopter and subsequent descent from the mountain on skis. For more conservative skiers, there are cable cars with an average capacity of 2,400 people per hour.

On the slopes of Elbrus.

How to get to Elbrus?

By plane fly to the nearest airport in Mineralnye Vody. There are many regular flights to Mineralnye Vody from Moscow from airlines: Aeroflot, Sky Express, Kavminvodyavia, S7 Airlines, UTair, Don Avia.

By train you can get to Pyatigorsk or Nalchik - these are the closest settlements from which it will be faster to get there by minibus or taxi. Already from these places they are opening up beautiful views on Caucasus Mountains, which you can admire all the way.

It will be most convenient to get from the airport or train station by taxi, it will be cheaper to use the services private cab drivers. The best and cheap option- this is to find on the Internet the phone numbers of private “bombs” from the village of Terskol and arrange in advance a meeting upon arrival and the price. The journey to Elbrus will take about four hours. You need to get to the city of Baksan, then turn into the Baksan Gorge and to the end along the Baksan River, where the road will lead to the very foot of Elbrus.

You can also get there regular buses And minibuses. Only this method is less convenient and will take longer, since there are no direct flights to Terskol. First you will need to get to the city of Baksan and change to minibus to the village of Terskol. The road in the Baksan Gorge passes through the settlements: Tyrnauz, Upper Baksan, the village of Elbrus and Tegenekli.

Based on materials from the sites: pro-planet.ru, udivitelno.com

March 24, 2015

highest mountain Europe, the highest volcanic peak in Eurasia and simply one of the “7 Wonders of Russia” - meet Elbrus.

The first scientific studies of this peak began in the 19th century, although the exact height and location were determined only in 1913 after calculations by Academician Vishnevsky. The first expedition, the goal of which was to reach the top of this volcano, was organized in 1829. It included several eminent scientists, for example, the founder of the St. Petersburg geophysical laboratory Adolf Kupfer, physicist Emilius Lenz, and the famous zoologist Eduard Minetrier.

The expedition was accompanied by a thousand-strong detachment of Cossacks led by General George Emmanuel. It was he who became the author of the memorial inscription carved on a rock at an altitude of 2400m. The general himself chose to remain at this height and watched the ascent from the camp.

Continuing the ascent, the expedition spent the night at an altitude of 3000. Only part of the group, continuing the ascent, reached the mark of 4800 m, where a memorial sign and the number 1829 were carved. This mark was subsequently discovered during the Soviet expedition of 1949. Only five people rose above it, and three reached the saddle - academician Lenz, Cossack Lysenkov and Kabardian Killar. Look what Mount Elbrus looks like in the photo - two peaks with an impressive saddle between them. This is where the most persistent members of the expedition arrived.

Further ascent was impossible due to the heavily softened snow. However, the Kabardian, being adapted to mountain conditions, continued to climb and was able to reach the top. It was he who became the first person to climb Elbrus. More precisely, to one of the almost equal (the difference is only 21 m) peaks.

The first person to conquer both peaks was the Balkarian guide Ahiya Sottaev. He made his first ascent when he was over forty. After that, he climbed Elbrus eight more times, and the last time he did it at the age of one hundred and twenty-one! Here it is, the famous Caucasian health and longevity. Among other things, Sottaev twice served as a guide for English expeditions to Elbrus.

Where is Elbrus

The Caucasus is the center of a large number of peaks, whose heights reach far beyond 3000 meters above sea level. But when the Caucasus Mountains are remembered, Elbrus comes to mind first. And How interesting object for exploration, both as the highest point in Europe and as a place of pilgrimage for climbers from all over the world. Where Elbrus is located, that is, between Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, many peoples live, and each of them has created many beautiful legends about it. There is also no consensus on the answer to the question of where his current name came from. There are several theories about the origin of the name Elbrus:

From the Iranian word Aitbares - high Mountain.
From the Georgian name of Mount Yalbuz, which in turn comes from the Turkic words “storm” and “ice”.
Another theory suggests that the name was formed from three words of the Karachay-Balkar language: El - settlement; Drill - to tighten; Us is character. That is, the name can be translated as having the disposition to send a snowstorm. Apparently, we are talking here not so much about snowstorms, but about volcanic eruptions. There are references to eruptions in folk legends.

Elbrus is a giant dormant volcano

At 5642 meters, Mount Elbrus is the fifth highest volcano in the world. It, like most similar volcanoes, consists of two parts: the base and the cone, which was formed during eruptions. The height of the base in the case of Elbrus is 3700 meters. Thus, during the eruptions, the mountain grew by almost 2000 meters. The characteristic outlines of the double-headed peak, which changes its color depending on the lighting, are visible from almost any corner of the Stavropol Territory. Glaciers, of which there are 23, feed such large rivers like Kuban and Terek.

In its structure, Elbrus is a typical stratovolcano. It has a clearly defined conical shape. The cone itself is composed of numerous layers of lava, ash and volcanic tuff, in which the entire history of eruptions is recorded. The base of Elbrus began to form in the Neogene, when the Caucasian ridge was actively forming. According to scientists, the volcanic eruptions resembled the eruptions of Vesuvius, but were much stronger.

Its strength can be judged by the fact that its ashes are today found almost 100 kilometers from the volcano itself. It is noteworthy that periods of violent activity and intensive growth of the cone were followed by periods of “hibernation”, during which the glaciers wore down the cone almost completely. According to volcanologists, there have been at least ten such cycles throughout the history of the volcano. The oldest crater, or rather its remains, can be observed in the form of the rocky formation of Khotyu-Tau-Azau on the southwestern slope.

The vigorous activity of Elbrus ended 2500 years ago, although geographers of the 16th century. the volcano was considered active and was depicted on maps as a fire-breathing mountain. The last time the volcano showed its tough temper was in the first decades of our era. Interestingly, the active eruptions of Elbrus and Kazbek became the main reason for the exodus of Neanderthals from Caucasus region 40-45 thousand years ago. Currently, volcanologists are in no hurry to classify the volcano as extinct. It is rather a dying volcano and the probability of activation (albeit very small) still remains. The mountain is also the center of minor earthquakes in the region.

Today, the main wealth of these places is their numerous springs. The Narzan Valley near the source of the Malki River is the product of a dying volcano. This place should soon become a resort, which is neither in quantity of sources nor in quality mineral waters will not yield to Kislovodsk.

The weather on the slopes is more than harsh, and at times comparable to the Arctic. The average July temperature is only -1.4 C, and even daytime temperatures rarely rise above +8 C. There is a lot of precipitation here, many times more than at the foot of the ridge, but it can only be seen in the form of snow. The weather station at 4250 meters, having worked for three years, has not recorded a single rain.
Having great importance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus attracted the attention of German troops during World War II.

Hitler wanted to rename the mountain after himself. The famous Edelweiss division, trained in mountain warfare, took part in local hostilities. In August 1942, soldiers of the Third Reich first captured two way stations, and on August 21 they raised the Nazi German flag over the western peak. The division's soldiers didn't last long - winter and the Red Army soldiers did their job. Already in February 1943, the red flags of the Land of the Soviets were already flying over the snow-white peak of the mountain.

Historically, all infrastructure was located on the south side of the mountain. This is where it was built cable car, which takes tourists to a height of 3750 meters. The ascent to Elbrus consists of several intermediate points:

Cable car;
Shelter “Bochki” at an altitude of 3750 m (this is where the ascent begins);
Hotel "Shelter of Eleven" (4200m);
Pastukhov Rocks (4700m)
Station EG5300, which was built recently. It is located in the saddle between two peaks at an altitude of 5300 meters.

It is station EG5300 that is the last point of the route on the way to one of the peaks. After this there is about 500 meters of ascent left.

The northern slopes are more than modestly equipped. There are only a few huts here at an altitude of 3800 meters, which are more often used by rescuers than climbers. The northern route is usually used when climbing the eastern peak. In this case, the Lenz rocks, which stretch at altitudes from 4600 to 5200 meters, serve as a reliable reference point.

Elbrus phenomenon

And finally a few interesting facts O highest point Russia, and at the same time all of Europe:

The Balkars themselves even today prefer to call the mountain “Mingi-tau”, which in their native language means "Mountain of Thousands", which emphasizes its exceptional size and height.
The distance between the peaks in a straight line is 1500 meters. But you will have to cover about 3 km on foot.
The next highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc, is almost eight hundred meters lower than the Caucasian giant. In other words, even having climbed to the saddle between the peaks, you will already be “above everyone else” in Europe.
Despite the relatively well-developed and well-trodden routes, climbing Elbrus is unlikely to be an easy walk. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, every year from 15 to 20 people die on the slopes. Getting up in the winter months is considered suicide. The nominal temperature here easily drops to -30C, and the perceived temperature, thanks to strong winds, is even lower.
Elbrus is not only mentioned in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, but also participates in Greek myths. It was here that Zeus decided to chain Prometheus, for his gift to people - fire.

By the way, the habitat of the Greek gods, Mount Olympus, is simply a dwarf in comparison with Elbrus - only 2917 meters.

I don’t know how to describe it more correctly - sclerosis or deja vu? I remember exactly what I wrote about this. But today I spent the whole morning rummaging through my computer archive (large and confusing, I must say) and found nothing. I tried to find it on the Internet - also useless. Maybe it was in the letters that I accidentally deleted during the next cleaning of my computer? Or maybe he didn’t write anything, but just wanted to write, talking about this topic to himself many times?

Early in the morning (!), while drawing up a plan for the next “cleaning” of accumulated photographs, I came across an entry about a flight trip to Terskol, and there the phrase “which mountain is the highest in Europe?” A traditional question on knowledge of geography for those coming to Terskol... I wrote about this, but not where? I couldn’t find it, I started looking for information on the Internet - I was completely confused.

In short, you need to clearly record what you remember and add what you found today.

What is the highest mountain in Europe?

Answer: unknown! Some sources say Elbrus in the Caucasus, others say Mont Blanc (Alps).

There is a fairly clear definiteness with the heights of the peaks.

Elbrus- 5642 m (Western peak) and 5621 (East). Although some sources also use other values (for example, 5633 - similar to the arithmetic mean of two vertices). The mountain is located in Russia. On the edge of the short Side Range, a few km north of the Main Caucasian Range. Undeniably the most high peak Caucasus and Russia.

Mont Blanc.There are differences here. In Russian Wikipedia it is written - 4808 m.
In the English WikiPedia - 4010, it is clarified that this is the data of the latest measurements made in 2002. Before that, it was believed that its height was 4807 m (I remember exactly this value from childhood). The peak is located in France, the border between France and Italy runs along the Mont Blanc mountain range slightly south of the peak.

Regarding “most”, here’s what they say:
Wikipedia:
Mt. Elbrus (west) stands at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft) and it is the highest mountain in Europe. Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco (French and Italian- "White Mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and in Western Europe.

Three additional boundary lines on the map demonstrate alternative, mostly non-geographical, definitions of boundaries:
Line A - runs along the vertices Ural mountains and further along the Ural River
Line B - runs along Kuma-Manych depression and further along the Sea of Azov
Line C - follows the watershed of the Caucasus Mountains

Note! Wikipedia believes that almost the entire Caucasus belongs to Europe (border along the Araks).

So, what happens: there is no clear answer to the question “Is Elbrus located in Europe or in Asia?” Those. everyone can choose the one they like, referring to an appropriate authoritative source.

But here it should be noted: all sources admit that there is no scientific substantiation of this or that version of the border between Asia and Europe based on geological or geographical concepts (climate, tectonics, etc.). From this point of view, we need to talk about a single continent of Eurasia.

By the way, here we need to remind you of the difference between the concepts of “continent” and “part of the world”. The division into continents is made on the basis of separation by water from other continents, and parts of the world are rather a historical and cultural concept. So, With this point of view, North Caucasus(and maybe the entire Caucasus) most likely still belongs to Europe.

OK. Geographical boundary- the concept is controversial. But elevation marks are quite measurable quantities.

As we noted above, there is no particular discrepancy regarding the heights of the peaks. But for some other points of Elbrus there are.

At what altitude is Shelter 11? I always thought - at an altitude of 4200 m (Wikipedia also says). But in some Internet publications I found - 4100 (maybe these are typos).

But regarding the Pastukhov rocks there is complete confusion. I always believed (according to various sources) that their height is 4810 m. This was fundamental: it was believed that reaching the rocks could be equated to climbing Mont Blanc (although conquering Mont Blanc is an order of magnitude more difficult).

Wikipedia (and a number of other sources) says differently - 4700 m (and in some places I found even lower - 4600 m.)

It also says that the Elbrus Saddle is located at an altitude of 5200, although I remember the figure 5300 m.

That's probably all.

This one shows 4 photos: Elbrus from the side of Cheget (this is my photo) and from Kislovodstvo (below), as well as Mont Blanc - view from France (above) and from Italy.

It might be useful to read: