Relative height of Elbrus. Elbrus - where is it located, in which country? Mount Elbrus: coordinates, description, height

Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russian Federation. Its height is 5642m. It is located on the territories of two republics: Karachay-Cherkess and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Elbrus is a layered volcano, dormant, has a conical shape and is composed of a large number of layers, hardened lava and ash. The last eruption on Elbrus was more than 1500 years ago. Modern scientists debate whether Mt. active volcano or extinguished.

At the top and near the mountain there are glaciers, 23 of them. The most famous: Irik, Bolshoi Azau. There are also glaciers on the mountain that form avalanches of ice, Terskol, for example. When melting, the purest glacial water flows from Elbrus and feeds rivers such as the Kuban, Baksan, etc. Due to climate change, glaciers are gradually disappearing.

The weather near the mountain is very changeable and unstable. During the day it can change several times, from sunny to rainy, a stormy wind suddenly appears, and suddenly subsides to complete calm. Winter is harsh and frosty, with heavy snow and blizzards. At the foot of the mountain, the average winter temperature is -10 0 C÷-25 0 C. At the top it is below -35 0 C. In summer, the air heats up slightly above +15 0 C. Climbers and tourists should not forget about this variability when climbing.

Elbrus has attracted amateurs and athletes since ancient times. The first ascent of the mountain was at the beginning of the 19th century. Climbers compete in skill and professionalism, conquering Elbrus, receiving a master of sports and a world-class specialist. Numerous timed climbing competitions are held, so numerous devices, cable cars, etc. have been built on its slopes.

The area around Elbrus is very diverse. Here you can see: gorges, accumulations of large stones, glaciers, streams with melt water, waterfalls formed by these streams. At an altitude of more than 3000 m, glacial deposits and lakes of ice open up to the eye.

The flora of Elbrus is very diverse and has more than 3,000 varieties. Mint, sea buckthorn, coltsfoot, etc. grow here. Among the animals you can find mountain goat, raccoon dog, wild boar, jackal, roe deer, lynx, fox, wolf, squirrel and bear. The sky has been mastered by such birds as the eagle, vulture, kite, golden eagle, balaban, etc.

Option 2

Mount Elbrus is located in the Caucasus, in the past it was an active volcano, now it is listed as one of the largest extinct volcanoes. The last volcanic eruption was recorded about 2000 years ago.

Elbrus is also called “double-headed”, because it has two peaks that are completely covered with centuries-old glaciers. The area of ​​the glacial part is 139 square kilometers. The eastern part of the mountain has a height of 5,621 meters, the western part is 5,642 meters. When glaciers melt, very powerful streams are formed, which flow down with rapid force, filling with their waters the most important rivers that are located in that region: Kuban, Baksan and Malku. Thanks to the melting of glaciers, the mountain supplies water to almost the entire part of the North Caucasus.

The study of Elbrus began in the 19th century by Russian researchers. The first expedition set out to study it in 1829. The slopes of the mountain are considered the highest in all of Russia; they are the favorite places for athletes. Many athletes dream of conquering the top of Elbrus. You can reach the middle of the mountain using cable car.

At an altitude of about 3,600 meters there is a very unusual hotel, which is called Barrels." The houses of this hotel are completely reminiscent of barrels, only larger. The hotel was specially built at this altitude so that tourists could bide their time, because the human body necessarily needs a little adaptation to the high-mountain climate, because at high altitudes in the mountains the percentage of oxygen in the air is very small than below.

At high altitudes, a person needs to breathe more often, taking in deeper air. Further, when climbing up after 510 meters, there is the next hotel, called “Shelter of the Eleven”. It is called so because many years ago eleven conquerors of the mountain made a halt there, they really liked this place that they soon built a small hut there, and over time they built a wonderful hotel on this place, for the same conquerors of this wonderful mountains. In the “Shelter of Eleven” climbers gain strength for further conquest of heights. After all, you can’t be unprepared; in order to get to the very top, you need to train long and very hard before the very first climb, and always remember the technique of bladeless behavior on the mountain. All the difficulties that a traveler experiences when climbing Elbrus are completely justified.

2, 4, 8 grade

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Once upon a time, Elbrus was an active volcano, and now it is included in the group of the largest extinct volcanoes on the planet. The height of Elbrus is 5642 meters

The scientific study of Elbrus by Russian researchers began in the 19th century. In 1913, astronomer Academician V.K. Vishnevsky was the first to accurately determine the location and height of Elbrus. In 1829, Elbrus was visited by the first Russian scientific expedition. It included the famous Russian academician Lenz, the botanist Meyer, the architect of Pyatigorsk Bernardazzi and others. The expedition was accompanied by the head of the Caucasian line, General Emmanuel, with a detachment of 1000 Cossacks. The detachment stopped at the northern foot of Elbrus at an altitude of 2400 meters. The general did not go further, preferring to observe the actions of the scientists through a telescope. The inscription was carved on the stones at the site of the camp: “1829, from July 8 to July 11, camp under the command of General Cavalier Emmanuel.”

Having begun the ascent, the expedition, after spending the night at an altitude of 3000 meters, continued its ascent. Part of the expedition reached only a height of 4800 meters. Here the St. George's cross and the number 1829 were carved on the stones. This inscription was discovered in 1949 by a group of Soviet climbers from the Nauka society. Only Lenz, two Cossacks and two Kabardian guides continued their journey. Lentz and the Cossack Lysenkov managed to reach the saddle; it was impossible to go further, since the snow had softened greatly. Only one Kabardian, Killar, went higher. He managed to reach the top because his body was better adapted to mountain conditions and he went out earlier on hard snow. Emmanuel saw Killar through his telescope near the eastern peak. The scientists greeted the guide who returned in the evening as the first climber to Elbrus. To commemorate the work of the expedition and the achievement of the summit, two cast-iron boards were cast with an inscription detailing this event, which were later installed in Pyatigorsk near the Grotto of Diana and are currently stored in the museum. The photo shows the entrance to Diana's grotto


According to one version, the name Elbrus comes from the Iranian Aitibares - “high Mountain”, more likely - the Iranian “sparkling, brilliant” (like Elborz in Iran). The Georgian name Yalbuz is from the Turkic yal - “storm” and buz - “ice”. The Armenian Alberis is probably a phonetic version of the Georgian name, but the possibility of a connection with the pan-Indo-European basis to which the toponym “Alps” goes back is not excluded. According to another version, Elbrus is translated from the Karachay-Balkarian language as follows: El is a village, people, state; Bur is a twist, a gate, and is the same root as the word Buran; Us means character, behavior, disposition. Having the temperament to create a snowstorm or a volcano that twisted, turned over villages and people. Now Elbrus is an extinct volcano, but local residents of Karachay-Balkarians have preserved in their folk memory the times when Elbrus was still an active volcano.


Elbrus height– 5642 meters. Few volcanic mountains on the globe exceed Elbrus in height. Only the extinct volcano Aconcagua (6960 m) and the active fire-breathing Mount Llullaillaco (6723 m), located in South America, exceed Elbrus by a little more than one kilometer. The largest volcano in Africa, Kilimanjaro, is almost equal to Elbrus, surpassing it by only 253 meters, the same can be said about the largest volcano in North America, Orizaba (5700 m), surpassing Elbrus by 58 meters. Among the mountains of Asia, Elbrus is the highest volcanic peak, next to it, Mount Damavand is inferior to Elbrus in height by 38 meters

Elbrus, like many other volcanoes, is divided into two parts: a pedestal of rocks, and a bulk cone formed as a result of eruptions. The pedestal of Elbrus reaches approximately 3700 meters. This means that the “growth” of Elbrus due to its eruptions is approximately 2000 meters.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka has the largest cone in height among all volcanoes. The bulk cone of this volcano reaches 4572 meters and exceeds the cone of Elbrus by almost three kilometers


The outlines of the double-headed, sometimes blue, sometimes pink - depending on the lighting - cone of Elbrus are well known to Stavropol residents. Elbrus is visible from all, even the most northern points of the region, where the horizon is not blocked by other, closer hills. The interest in Elbrus among Stavropol residents is also explained by the fact that the waters of its glaciers feed the most big rivers our region - the beautiful Kuban and the stormy Terek


Elbrus is a classic volcanic mountain. In its vast cone, formed during numerous eruptions, the history of the volcano is written; it is successfully read by Soviet geologists on layers of lava, ash and volcanic tuff


Elbrus arose at the end of the Neogene during the rise of the Caucasus Range. The eruptions of Elbrus were probably similar to the eruptions of modern Vesuvius, but were more violent. From the craters of the volcano at the beginning of the eruption, powerful clouds of vapors and gases, saturated with black ash, rose many kilometers upward, covering the entire sky, turning day into night. The earth shook from powerful underground explosions. The air was torn by incessant lightning and streaks of fire from thousands of volcanic bombs flying out of the crater. Streams of ash mud rushed along the slopes of the mountain, sweeping away vegetation and stones in their path. Each eruption ended with the release of hot lava, which quickly solidified on the surface. Layers of ash, lava, and stones, layered on top of each other, expanded the slopes of the volcano and increased its height. The volcano had colossal power; its ashes are found in the area of ​​Nalchik, on the slopes of Mount Mashuk, located 90 kilometers from Elbrus. Elbrus probably belongs to the ash deposits discovered in the north of our region near the city of Novoaleksandrovsk. But eras of eruptions were followed by periods of calm, during which rivers and glaciers energetically destroyed the previously filled volcanic cone almost to the ground. The volcanic rocks were overlain by thick moraines and river deposits. From the birth of Elbrus to the present, periods of erosion and revival of the cone have been repeated up to ten times


The activity of Elbrus continued during the Ice Age of the Quaternary period, when people already lived in the Caucasus, and ceased about 2500 years ago. When ice advanced, its slopes were repeatedly covered with a powerful ice shell; during subsequent eruptions, they were washed away by stormy streams of water. The Elbrus eruption site has been moved several times. Both domes currently crowning Elbrus are the youngest. In the southwestern part of the mountain, the remains of the most ancient crater are preserved in the form of the Khotyu-Tau-Azau rocks. This is where glaciers originate, feeding the Baksan River and tributaries of the Kuban. The eastern and western peaks of Elbrus seem to be embedded in the upper part of the ancient crater. The work of Elbrus had to be completed by the youngest crater - the eastern peak of the mountain. It is possible that both cones sometimes worked simultaneously


Geographers of the 16th century considered Elbrus an active volcano. In books and on maps it was depicted as a fire-breathing mountain, and is described in the same way in many folk legends. Rumors sometimes spread among the inhabitants of the mountains and foothills that Elbrus had begun to operate again or that Elbrus was expected to be revived in the near future. These stories are not justified in any way. Elbrus, perhaps, can be called not an extinct, but a fading volcano. It is sometimes the center of small earthquakes that spread throughout the Ciscaucasia. In the depths of the batholith, which previously fed Elbrus, magma cools, it supplies mineral springs carbon dioxide, turning them into narzans, of which there are a lot at the foot of Elbrus. In some places on the slopes of Elbrus, sulfur dioxide gases emerge from cracks, which gives rise to other scientists to claim that:

"The results of many years of research... clearly indicate the activity of the volcanic processes proper on Elbrus in the Holocene, including historical time. Elbrus is a modern volcano, at a stage of relative rest. The absence of eruptions over the last millennium cannot serve as a sign of the end volcanic activity. The roof of the magma chamber is apparently located at a depth of 6 - 7 kilometers from the surface. Based on geological data, we come to the conclusion that Elbrus volcano is on an ascending branch of development."

The two-headed giant Elbrus stores inexhaustible riches in its depths. At its foot there are healing springs: the famous “Valley of Narzans” near the source of the Malka River - the brainchild of Elbrus. This is a future resort, not inferior to Kislovodsk in terms of the number of springs and the quality of the Narzans. Internal heat and various mineral resources of Elbrus are waiting to be used.


Elbrus has a harsh climate, making it similar to the Arctic region. The average temperature of the warmest month is -1.4°. There is a lot of precipitation on Elbrus, two to three times more than on the Stavropol plains, but it only falls in the form of snow. At the Elbrus meteorological station at an altitude of 4250 meters, during three years of observations, no rain was ever recorded. Elbrus is sometimes compared to a piece of ice 6 kilometers in size, thrown far south from the Arctic regions. Naturally, warm air masses coming from Atlantic Ocean, encountering this obstacle, rising and cooling, they are forced to give up part of their moisture to the slopes on the approaches to this mountain. As a result, Elbrus changes the weather in vast areas of neighboring areas, which is noted by the sign of local residents: “When Elbrus puts on a cloudy cap on a clear day, there will be bad weather.” The coldest month on Elbrus is February. The average air temperature in February is 15° lower than in Stavropol. In the warmest month, July, average temperature air is approximately equal to December temperatures in the Stavropol region, and the highest daytime temperature this month reaches only eight degrees Celsius. August is the most best month for climbing Elbrus, at this time the snow melts, all the cracks in the ice open, even where they are usually not visible.


The glory of Elbrus as the highest and the most beautiful mountain The Caucasus has been going on since time immemorial. Even before our era, Herodotus wrote about him. The peoples of the Caucasus and the Middle East have songs and legends about Elbrus. A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, and many Caucasian poets dedicated inspired lines to him.

Conquered Giant
...In the depths of your gorges
The ax will rattle.
And an iron shovel
Into the stone chest,
Mining copper and gold
It will hit you in a terrible way.
The caravans are already passing by
Through those rocks
Where there were only fogs
Yes, the kings are eagles.

M.Yu. Lermontov.

Due to its symbolic significance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus became the scene of fierce confrontation during the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War, in which units of the German mountain rifle division “Edelweiss” also participated. During the Battle of the Caucasus on August 21, 1942, after the lesson mountain bases“Krugozor” and “Shelter of the Eleven”, Hitler’s Alpine riflemen managed to install Nazi banners on the western peak of Elbrus. By the middle of the winter of 1942-1943, fascist troops were driven out from the slopes of Elbrus, and on February 13 and 17, 1943, Soviet climbers climbed the western and eastern peaks of Elbrus, respectively, where red flags were hoisted.


The entire infrastructure is mainly concentrated on the southern slopes of Elbrus, where there is a pendulum and chairlift leading to a height of 3750 meters to the Barrels shelter, which consists of twelve six-seater insulated residential trailers and a kitchen. Currently, this is the main starting point for those climbing Elbrus. Below is a map of the cable car

At an altitude of 4200 m is located the highest mountain hotel “Shelter of Eleven”, which burned down at the end of the 20th century, on the basis of which the boiler room in given time A new building was rebuilt, also actively used by climbers. At an altitude of 4700 m the Pastukhov rocks are located. Above them there is an ice field (in winter) and an oblique shelf. Further, the route to the Western summit passes through the saddle. From the saddle the peaks rise to a height of about 500 m.


More detailed map-scheme of Elbrus and the Elbrus region (click on the map to enlarge)

This photo shows Elbrus from a bird's eye view


Since 2007, work has been underway to build a rescue shelter (“Station EG 5300”) on the saddle of the mountain (height 5300 m). The shelter will be a geodesic dome hemisphere with a diameter of 6.7 m, installed on a gabion foundation. In 2008, a reconnaissance of the area was carried out, base camp, the design of the shelter began. In 2009, the dome structures were made, construction work began: gabions were erected by the expedition members, and the dome elements were transported to the construction site (including using a helicopter). Completion of construction is planned for 2010


On the northern side, the infrastructure is poorly developed and is represented by several huts on one of the moraines (at an altitude of about 3800 m), which are used by tourists and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a rule, this point is used for ascents to the Eastern peak, the path to which passes through the Lenz rocks (from 4600 to 5200 m), which serve as a good reference point for all climbers

Snow giant's cap
And in their circle there is a two-headed colossus.
Shining in an icy crown,
Elbrus is huge, majestic
White in the blue sky.

A.S. Pushkin.

In 2008, Elbrus was recognized as one of the seven wonders of Russia, according to voting results

Geographical description

Name

Infrastructure

Climbing history

Elbrus(Karach-Balk. Mingi Tau) - a mountain in the Caucasus, on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Elbrus is located north of the Main Caucasus Range and is the highest peak in Russia. Considering that the boundaries of the European part of the world are ambiguous, Elbrus is often also called the highest European mountain peak.

Geographical description

Elbrus is a double-peaked volcanic cone. The Western peak has a height of 5642 m, the Eastern one - 5621 m. They are separated by a saddle - 5200 m and are approximately 3 km apart from each other. The last eruption dates back to 50 AD. e. ± 50 years.

According to the mountaineering classification, Elbrus is rated as 2A snow-ice, the passage of both peaks is 2B. There are other, more difficult routes, for example Elbrus (W) along the NW edge 3A.

Name

According to one version, the name Elbrus comes from the Iranian Aitibares - “high Mountain”, more likely - the Iranian “sparkling, brilliant” (like Elburs in Iran). The Georgian name Yalbuz is from the Turkic yal - “storm” and buz - “ice”. The Armenian Alberis is probably a phonetic version of the Georgian name, but the possibility of a connection with the pan-Indo-European basis to which the toponym “Alps” goes back is not excluded.

Other names:

• Mingi Tau - eternal mountain (Karachay-Balkar).
• Elburus - wind guide (Nogai).
• Askhartau - snowy mountain of the Ases (Kumyk).
• Jin Padishah - king of mountain spirits (Turkic).
• Albar (Albors) - tall; high mountain (Iranian).
• Yalbuz - mane of snow (Georgian).
• Oshkhamakho - mountain of happiness (Kabardian).
• Uryušglyumos - mountain of the day.
• Kuskamaf is a mountain that brings happiness.
• Shat, Shat-mountain - Old Russian name (from Karach.-Balk. chat, chat- ledge, hollow, that is "mountain with a hollow")

Gorges

The gorges of Adylsu, Shheldy, Adyrsu, the Donguz-Orun and Ushba massifs are very popular among climbers and mountain tourists. Elbrus region - the most popular ski resort Russia.

Glaciers

Total area Elbrus glaciers 134.5 km²; the most famous of them: Big and Small Azau, Terskol.

Infrastructure

Mainly concentrated on the southern slopes, where the pendulum and chairlift are located. The lifting height of the cable car is 3750 meters; here is the Barrels shelter, which consists of more than ten six-seater insulated residential trailers and a kitchen. Currently, this is the main starting point for those climbing Elbrus. At an altitude of 4000 m there is the highest mountain hotel “Shelter of the Eleven”, which burned down at the end of the 20th century, on the basis of which the boiler room is now a new building, also actively used by climbers. A number of residential 12-seater trailers and a kitchen have been installed. In the evenings, a diesel generator is organized to supply electricity to the trailers. At an altitude of 4600-4700 m the Pastukhov rocks are located. Above the Pastukhov rocks in winter there is an ice field. From an altitude of 5000, the so-called oblique shelf begins - a trail with a smooth climb. The standard route to the Western and Eastern peaks passes through the saddle. From the saddle, both peaks rise to a height of about 300 m.

Since 2007, work has been underway to build a rescue shelter (“Station EG 5300”) on the saddle of the mountain (height 5300 m). The shelter will be a geodesic dome hemisphere with a diameter of 6.7 m, installed on a gabion foundation. In 2008, a reconnaissance of the area was carried out, a base camp was prepared, and the design of the shelter began. In 2009, the dome structures were made, construction work began: gabions were erected by the expedition members, and the dome elements were transported to the construction site (including using a helicopter). Completion of construction is planned for 2010.

On the northern side, the infrastructure is poorly developed and is represented by several huts on one of the moraines (at an altitude of about 3800 m), which are used by tourists and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. As a rule, this point is used for ascents to the Eastern peak, the path to which passes through the Lenz rocks (from 4600 to 5200 m), which serve as a good reference point for all climbers.

Climbing history

In 1813, Russian academician V.K. Vishnevsky first determined the height of Elbrus (5421 m).

The first successful ascent to one of the peaks of Elbrus was made in 1829 during an expedition led by General G. A. Emmanuel, head of the Caucasian fortified line. The expedition was of a scientific nature (the Elbrus expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences was organized from Pyatigorsk, which is recorded in Diana’s grotto; see also Mountaineering in pre-revolutionary Russia), its participants were: academician Adolf Kupfer - geophysicist, geologist, founder of the Main Physical Observatory in St. Petersburg , physicist Emilius Lenz, zoologist Eduard Minetrier, founder of the Russian Entomological Society, botanist Karl Meyer, who later became an academician and director botanical garden Russian Academy of Sciences, artist-architect Joseph (Giuseppe–Marco) Bernardazzi, Hungarian scientist Janos Besse. The auxiliary service of Emmanuel's expedition consisted of 650 soldiers and 350 line Cossacks, as well as local guides.

Kupfer, Lenz, Meyer, Minetrier, Bernardazzi, 20 Cossacks and guides took part directly in the ascent. However, lack of experience and poor quality of climbing equipment forced most of the participants to turn back. Only four continued the further ascent: Emilius Lenz, Cossack Lysenkov and two people from the group of guides - Hilar Khachirov and Akhiya Sottaev. At an altitude of about 5300 m, due to lack of strength, Lenz and his two accompanying men were forced to stop. The first to climb the eastern peak at about 11 a.m. on July 10, 1829 was the Karachay (according to other sources, Kabardian) guide Hilar Khachirov. This event was marked by a rifle salute in the camp, where General Emmanuel watched the ascent through a powerful telescope.

At the location of the camp, a memorial inscription was carved on one of the stones ( below and in Fig.), the location of which was lost over time. It was discovered by Soviet climbers already in the 20th century (by chance, 103 years later - it was hidden under centuries-old layers of lichens).

The first successful ascent to the western, highest peak was made in 1874 by a group of English climbers led by F. Grove and Balkar guide A. Sottaev, who participated in the first ascent.

The first person to climb both peaks of Elbrus is considered to be the Russian military topographer A.V. Pastukhov. In 1890, accompanied by four Cossacks of the Khopersky regiment, he climbed its western peak, and six years later, in 1896, he conquered the eastern one. Pastukhov was also the first to map the peaks of Elbrus.

In August 1974, three completely standard (without winches and traction chains) UAZ-469 vehicles reached a glacier on Mount Elbrus at an altitude of 4000 meters during a test run.

Now Elbrus is very popular for climbing, both in mountaineering and mountain tourism.

Elbrus during the Great Patriotic War

Due to its symbolic significance as the highest point in Europe, Elbrus became the scene of a fierce confrontation during the Great Patriotic War, in which units of the German mountain rifle division “Edelweiss” also participated. During the Battle of the Caucasus on August 21, 1942, after occupying the Krugozor and Shelter of the Eleven mountain bases, German alpine riflemen managed to install German banners on the western peak of Elbrus. By the middle of the winter of 1942-1943, the Wehrmacht was knocked out from the slopes of Elbrus, and on February 13 and 17, 1943, Soviet climbers climbed the western and eastern peaks of Elbrus, respectively, where Soviet flags were hoisted.

The report about Mount Elbrus will tell you what Mount Elbrus is known for and where it is located.

Message about Mount Elbrus

Elbrus- stratovolcano in the Caucasus - the highest mountain peak in Russia and Europe, included in the list highest peaks parts of the world "Seven Peaks".

In the 19th century, scientific exploration of the peak began. The exact height and location were determined only in 1913. The goal of the first expedition in 1829 was to reach the top of the Elbrus volcano. Its members included such great scientists as Kupfer, Lenz, Minetrier. Having reached an altitude of 2400m, the group moved on. Only 5 people reached above 4800 m, and only three reached the Elbrus saddle. They could not go further because the snow had become very soft.

The first person to conquer the peaks of Elbrus was Ahiya Sottaev, when he was already over 40 years old. After his first ascent, he climbed the mountain 8 more times. Moreover, Sottayev made his last ascent at the age of 121.

Elbrus mountain where is it located?

Elbrus is not only the highest point in Europe, but also a place of pilgrimage. It is located between Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria, and the peoples living there have created many legends. For example, about the origin of the name. From Iranian "Aitbares" means high Mountain, from Georgian "Yalbuz" means ice and storm. According to another theory, the name of the mountain is made up of three words: “El” - settlement, “Bur” - twist, “Us” - character.

Mount Elbrus description

Elbrus height above sea level is 5642 m. Moreover, the height of the western peak is 5642 m, and the eastern one is 5621 m. Between them there is a saddle, inferior in height to only 300 m. There are more than 80 glaciers on the mountain, the largest are Bolshoi Azau, Irik and Terskol . They give rise to many rivers Malka, Terek, Baksan and Kuban.

Below the glaciers there are alpine meadows and coniferous forests. The slopes themselves are rocky. Mountains formed more than a million years ago, and at first Elbrus was an active volcano. Today, scientists are still arguing about whether the volcano is dormant or extinct. The benefit of the “sleeping” version is that hot masses are preserved in its depths, which heat the local thermal springs to +60°C.

The mountain itself is made up of layers of tuff, ash and lava. The last eruption was recorded in 50 AD.

Climate

The climatic conditions near the slopes are mild. The humidity here is low, so frosts are tolerated quite easily. But higher up on the volcano the climate is already harsh, similar to the Arctic. At the foot of the mountain the average winter temperature ranges from 10 0 C to – 25 0 C, and at the top up to -40 ° C. On Elbrus, precipitation is abundant and frequent, mainly in the form of snow. The air warms up in summer to +10°C at an altitude of 2500 m, and higher even in July the temperature barely reaches -14°C. The weather is characterized by instability - a calm, clear day can give way to snowy storms with strong wind gusts.

Relief

The climate at the foot of the mountain is varied: many gorges and rocky areas. And on the slopes even in summer you can see melting snowflakes. On the surface of Elbrus there are glaciers with an ice thickness of 400 m. Glacial water forms streams that fall down as waterfalls. Starting from an altitude of 3500 m, moraines, cirques, and glacial lakes are common.

Flora and fauna

Velvet greenery, pine forests, and trees and shrubs grow in the meadows of Elbrus. The flora has 3000 species. It includes pine, alder, mint, celandine, sea buckthorn, thyme, fennel, wormwood, rose hips, St. John's wort and coltsfoot.

The fauna is represented by aurochs, mountain goats, ground squirrels, raccoon dogs, wild boars, chamois, jackals, roe deer, foxes, wolves, wild cats, lynxes, squirrels and bears.

The heavenly expanses were conquered by vultures, eagles and kites, golden eagles, saker falcons, titmice, bullfinches, blackbirds, and woodpeckers.

• The local population calls Elbrus “Mingi-tau”, which means “Mountain of Thousands”. The name emphasizes its height and size.
• This is a very difficult mountain to climb. In winter it is generally forbidden to climb it.
• Elbrus is mentioned in the works of Herodotus. The ancient Greek historian pointed out that the god Zeus chained Prometheus to it because he gave fire to people.

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