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7 fact you didn’t know about Elbrus

Darren Elbrus #adventureseeker, #adventuretravel, #Kilimanjaro #Adventure #Hiking #Trekking, #mountainscape, 7 summits, bucket list, Caucasus mountains, elbrus, Elbrus expedition, highest mountain in Europe, Highest peak in Europe, mount elbrus, mount kilimanjaro, russia, seven summiots, seven summits, Tallest mountain in Europe

7 facts about Elbrus

Whether you are looking to climb the tallest mountain in Europe or are intrigued about Elbrus, these 7 facts about Elbrus will help.

Stay a while, check out all 7 facts and if there’s some detail not listed and you’d to like to find out how to climb?

Why not reach out and we’d be only too happy to help with your next adventure.

1. Europes tallest mountain

Elbrus is the tallest mountain in Europe at 5,642m (18,510ft) and has two very distinct summits. The east summit is 5,621 metres (18,442 ft) in height and the higher west summit is 5,642 metres (18,510 ft).

2. Dormant volcano

Mount Elbrus is a dormant volcano, much like Kilimanjaro and was formed over 2.5 million years ago. The two summits were once active volcanic domes, which last erupted around 2,00 years ago. You can still see signs of volcanic activity, including hot springs. The longest flow extends 24 kilometres (15 mi) down the northeast summit.

3. In Asia and Europe

Elbrus is situated in the Caucuses mountains, southern Russia and borders with Georgia. The range straddles Europe and Asia, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Balck Sea.

4. Fifth highest mountain

Elbrus is the fifth highest mountain of the seven summits, which are the highest mountain on each continent. The current list stands below, due to political and region changes some mountains have fallen off the list, notably Mont Blanc, France 5,771’/4807m and Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia – 7,310’/2228m

Everest, Nepal/Tibet- 29,035ft/8850m
Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902’/6960m
Denali, Alaska – 20,320’/6194m
Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340’/5896m
Elbrus, Russia – 18,513’/5642m
Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067’/4897m
Carstensz Pyramid, New Guinea – 16,023’/4884m

5. Glaciers x 22

Elbrus glacials move at around 25cm per day, so glaciers do “creep” downwards towards the glacial rivers below. Therefore it will take around 100 – 200 years for a snowflake which fell on the top of Elbrus to reach the foot of the mountain, resulting in fresh, clean water.

6. No technical skills

Everest, Nepal/Tibet- 29,035ft/8850m
Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,902’/6960m
Denali, Alaska – 20,320’/6194m
Kilimanjaro, Africa – 19,340’/5896m
Elbrus, Russia – 18,513’/5642m
Vinson, Antarctica – 16,067’/4897m
Carstensz Pyramid, New Guinea – 16,023’/4884m

7. The climate

The climate on Elbrus can be extreme and the weather can change in an instant. Therefore the mountain is renowned for its high winds, which can delay or cancel summit attempts. As a result, most expedition companies building a contingency day to help increase the chances of success. The reason for the extreme weather is the location of the mountain, which is between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. As a consequence, these two large bodies of water have an impact on wind and precipitation, which makes Elbrus one of the windiest in Europe.

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5 Novels about Kilimanjaro

Clare Kilimanjaro Tips #Kilimanjaro #Adventure #Hiking #Trekking

There are plenty of guidebooks out there to buy and read about Kilimanjaro but fancy something different? Looking for a contrast, these novels provide a different genre and an interesting insight!

This short story is praised as one of Hemigway’s greatest books. A film was released in 1952 starring Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck. The book tells the story of a writer who is at the end of his life after he contracts gangrene from a scratch on his leg. The writer sees his life flash before his eyes and how he reflects on the choices he has made in life.

The Amazon summary states this is “a Fast-paced novel relating the adventures of an ex-patriate American trying to con his way through politically explosive Tanzania”

This book tells the story of a Swedish couple who travel to the Great Rift Valley in East Africa in the late 1970’s. It explores the development and evolution of humankind in Africa.

This book is a non-fiction novel and was posthumously published from an unfinished manuscript. It is based on Hemingway’s diaries that he wrote on his last safari.

This is described as a spectacular photographic book. The author takes the reader on a journey into Africa to look for the elusive unicorn living on Kilimanjaro.

How to cope with the altitude on your trek

Clare BLOG, Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro Tips, Nepal #Kilimanjaro #Adventure #Hiking #Trekking, adventure, altitude sickness, Coping with altitude, everest base camp, mount kilimanjaro, trekking

Coping with the altitude can make or break any expedition to a mountainous area at higher altitudes. There is no rhyme nor reason why some people cope better with the altitude than others. One thing for certain is that everyone needs to acclimatise well. Follow the tips below to help you understand the reasoning and to develop your strategy.

At sea level, the air is more dense due to the air pressure. As you ascend you often hear the phrase that the air is ‘thinner’, this is because as you climb up a mountain the air pressure decreases and becomes less dense. The thinner air means that there is less oxygen molecules in the atmosphere to breathe at altitude, although the percentage of oxygen remains static at 21%.

Altitude sickness or AMS (acute mountain sickness) can effect individuals differently and the research indicates there is no particular pattern related to gender, age or fitness as to who will be more susceptible.

Altitude sickness can develop when you travel to a high altitude too quickly. Certain individuals may feel the effect of altitude at around 2500m. However, it’s usually above 3000m when symptoms start to develop. Early on you may feel a little more breathless than normal as you are ascending. As you get higher the signs and symptoms to look out for are a persistent headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, disturbed sleep, weird dreams and fatigue.

That’s why when you are trekking it’s extremely important to acclimatise slowly and properly. Acclimatisation is the process in which your body adjusts to the change in altitude and the thinner air. Generally, on treks you ‘climb high, sleep low’ whereby you climb higher during the day then descend to a lower altitude for the overnight stop, which helps with the acclimatisation. It’s important than you drink plenty of water, little and often, as keeping hydrated helps with acclimatisation.

When trekking, it may feel very slow, sometimes too slow, to begin with but there’s a reason for this as it helps your body to adjust. On treks such as Kilimanjaro or Everest Base Camp, the guides will employ tactics to ensure that you don’t set off too fast. It’s all too easy when you have lots of energy at the beginning of the trek to go like a rocket. Howver, this may lead to failure higher up on the trek. Did you know the demographics for the highest failure rate on Kilimanjaro is men under 30! Push your egos to one side 😉 It’s not a competition!

On Kilimanjaro, we take an extra day of acclimatisation on the trek as this increases the summit rate success. It makes it a more enjoyable experience for yourself as you can stop to take in the panoramic views, and to enjoy the nature and your surroundings.

The guides will monitor your health for the effects of altitude sickness and if your symptoms persist, will ensure that you retreat to a safer altitude.

There are drugs, such as, Acetazolamide or commonly known as Diamox, which can be obtained from your doctor. It can help you adjust and acclimatise quicker, but it will not reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness completely. If you still feel unwell, it’s important that you mention it to the guides so that they can keep you under assessment. The only only way to relieve the symptoms of altitude sickness and the guides will make a decision on whether it would be safer to descend.

Success! 🙂

6 reasons for not reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro

Darren Kilimanjaro Tips #Kilimanjaro #Adventure #Hiking #Trekking, africa

Climbing Kilimanjaro is on many people’s bucket list but do you know what it entails before you commit yourself? There are many reasons why people fail and we have provided the six main reasons below:

Not having the correct equipment.

At Mountains in Mind we’ll provide advice and guidance on what gear you will need for the ascent. You’ll be provided with a kit list and we have produced You Tube videos so that you can see for yourself what is required. As you’ll be climbing through 5 climatic zones you will require a range of clothing from shorts and t-shirts on the lower slopes to duvet jackets and thermal underwear for the summit. You’ll also need comfortable boots that you have worn-in prior to the ascent and a descent sleeping bag. The effects of altitude can affect your sleep so the last thing you need is being cold and kept awake as your sleeping bag isn’t warm enough!

Not eating and drinking enough on the trek.

As you increase the altitude on the trek, you may not feel like eating or drinking much. It’s important to sustain your energy levels and that you eat little and often. Altitude sickness is also made worse through dehydration so you need to ensure you take regular sips of your drink to stay effectively hydrated. A camelbak or bladder are recommended for ease. There is plenty to eat and the variety of food is surprisingly good on the trek. You will be provided with high carbohydrate meals on the climb which are normally rice or potato based. Taking some of your own favourite high calorie snacks and haribos are also recommended.

Not having trained properly or having enough fitness.

The underfoot terrain can be technical in places so it is advised that you familiarise yourself with mountainous terrain in the UK beforehand. As the trek to the summit is over 6 days with a further day for descending back to the gate, you’ll need to have a certain level of fitness and endurance to be able to sustain the trek and reach the summit. Multiple day hikes of 6-7 hours on mountainous terrain are advised as good preparation for your ascent. The summit push is particularly strenuous and you are likely to take 14 hours to get to the summit and return to camp. We are happy to provide further guidance on how to prepare and provide you with a training plan.

Going too quick.

You’ll get to hear pole pole alot from your guides, which means slowly slowly in Tanzanian. You may feel good and that the pace is too slow on the lower slopes but there is a genuine reason for going very slow at the beginning so that you acclimatise effectively. The lowest success rate is for males in the 20 to 30 age bracket, who have more of a tendency to go off too fast!

Suffering with altitude.

At Mountains in Mind we have a 100% summit success record. The quicker you take it with a shorter ascent, the less likely you are to reach the summit. On our trips we take 6 days or longer to reach the summit rather than 5 days. This increases the success rate and improves your experience. The adage of climb high, sleep low is certainly true and will help with acclimatisation. We will ensure you are supported on your ascent by a fantastic team of Tanzanian guides and porters who will help and monitor your progress.

Finally, determination.

You’ve got to want to make it to the summit! There will be some low points on the climb where you may be feeling the effects of the altitude but there will also be many highs. The pleasure and excitement, not to mention the kudos, of reaching the summit and the endorphins that you will feel afterwards will be amazing! It’s not the altitude, it’s your attitude!

Mountains in Mind offers support in the lead up to your trek through webinars, blogs, social media and we are happy to respond to any questions you may have. We also offer a Kilimanjaro training weekend in the UK. The aim of the weekend is to discuss your training, familiarise yourself with mountainous terrain (if it’s a new experience), identify kit requirements and to answer any questions you may have about the trek.