Elbrus to Kentucky

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Elbrus to Kentucky Last post from Elbrus15

Gorgeous sunrise coming up over one shoulder and disgusting outhouse over the other.

I had three contingency days for weather or illness that I didn't use, so the last few days in Russia were spent looking around. I had a day in Moscow, Mineralnye Vody, and the town at the base of the mountain. I finally got real food. I was with my friends, Eugene from Portugal and Monique from India, that followed me down the mountain. Both were very sick from the altitude. They were able to make it through Kilimanjaro sick and had a lot of help. Not the case here. We had two guides for eight people and they couldn't keep up with the group when they became scattered. It is also very dangerous. We saw the weather go from clear and comfortable to blizzard conditions and poor visibility in hours. If you go straight down and end up off the normal route, you will die. The other faces were full of deep crevasses hidden by deep snow. I was glad for their company. We were supposed to stay on the mountain another night. I hated leaving the group, but I had done everything I had come here to do, and the kabobs and beer, hot shower, bed and a full night sleep were worth the extra pain to continue walking with my full pack to catch the last lift. My legs were shot. Eugene helped with my heavy bag, loading the three lifts to get to the bottom, then a short walk to the hotel that was empty with no elevator. They give us rooms on the fifth floor again, so I climbed the five flights with my 56-pound bag and pack. Five people stayed in the barrel an extra night; the three that summited with me, and Fred and Tony. On the next day, they reached the summit with the SnowCat. Eugene and Monique were relieved to be down and a little disappointed it was over and no summit. I told them the stories about Aconcagua where groups of friends were pushed by their peers to their death. They both had families, and I told them my definition of a successful climb is to go as high and hard as you can, and then getting back to your family. That is exactly what they did.

I say goodbye to the cook, who besides Sultan, was the only person that got a tip. I thought about the day and what I would do different. I am getting better each mountain I climb. This trip, I used everything in my pack and nothing was wasted. I didn't bring enough snacks, but we had a good kitchen on the mountain and were able to get my favorite mountain food, cookies, and lemon tea. I had a frostbite on my uvula caused by breathing hard without my mask. My throat started swelling. It wasn’t painful, but made me sound like my pug after it runs a hundred yards.

I started my Z-pack and steroids, and was fine in a few days. I am in much better shape than the other two post summit days, with only a slight high altitude hack and small spots of windburn on my face.

Elbrus fell in the middle of Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua on difficulty level. Crampons and ice ax were easy to get use to using. Training in Colorado before the trip paid dividends, thanks to my training partners Lisa, Jurgen, and Andee. Only thing I forgot about was a flag or something to leave on top. I saw others pulling flags and signs from their packs, and I felt bad I had not dedicated this to anyone or anything but me. I thought about it a few minutes and thanked God he got me here, and thought about the last summit day in South America and about Maddie S, so I carved her initials into the ice with my ax and that was the only thing I left up there.

I leave the next morning at 8 a.m., and have an 8 p.m., flight to Moscow, so I download Tripadvisor's Top 10 things to see in each town. I was looking forward to the drive, but it was dark when I arrived and saw nothing.

I went to a Russian Orthodox cathedral that had the remains of St. Theodosius the Greater, a Caucasus miracle worker that was canonized in 1995. Unlike most of the people I met on this trip, the people at the churches were very nice and helpful. Thanks for Google translate. I ran across a fur market and bought some gifts, which luckily made it through customs. I arrived in Moscow at 10 p.m., with my next flight departing twelve hours later. My plans were to use Uber to visit the Kremlin and see the city. I get access to a clubroom and choose to make a bed in a dark corner and get some sleep on a pile of my dirty clothes. My sleeping bag and pad were in my big bag that I checked and may never see again. I also had a visa expert that played games with my visa; listing Moscow as my destination. Due to a travel warning, this is the reason for the overnight. I didn't want close inspection of my paperwork, so I stayed inside the international terminal in the club room where I made a nest, found potato chips, red wine, and got some sleep. This climb unlike other climbs - I had very little down time so I used the time to write my notes and consolidate my pictures. Plus, everything will be closed but the bars, and so far the people I met were not very welcoming. The rest of the trip was uneventful, and to my surprise my bags made it to Evansville, Indiana on my flight.

Life cycle reset.

I was at a conference with a group of programmers, and heard someone ask a panelist if it was time for a "life cycle reset" . This is a term used when you evaluate the effectiveness of your systems, and make a decision of changing or leaving things as they are. I am sure it is part of the reason I have been successful in the technology driven business. It is constant change and reevaluation. Sometimes, I wish for a simpler life and calm, but that wish only lasts a few days. I hit 58 this year, and maybe it’s made me more impatient.

I am still intrigued by my why now that I have thought of every reason possible. I have asked other climbers. They all have a quick answer to “Why?".

• Heidi turned 50, her husband left her for a younger woman, and she did it to restore her self-esteem.
• Monique said his why is the example he leaves for his kids, and how he wants them to remember him.
• Tony preparing to get married and looking for time to think.
• Illian was 3 weeks from having his first child and wanted do one last adventure.
• Christian was a downhill ski racer that had a bad accident and could no longer compete.
• I understand their reasons completely, and at the end of the day I leave Russia with eight new friends that I will most likely never see again, but will be remembered forever.

What’s next?

Aconcagua 2016

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Summit Day

Summit Day

Summit route from base camp.

Elbrus route. My last post was how wonderful I was feeling when I got up at 5:30 a.m. and chopped Ice from our steps in my underwear and flip-flops so no one would fall. Eugene from Portugal got a picture of it that I don't think it will make the blog. Speaking of Eugene, thirty minutes after I sent the last update 10 p.m., just five hours before our summit attempt, he throws up. It is bad enough that he is sick and even worse he is in the bunk above me. My summit gear is laid out for a quick change at 1 a.m. He and his friends are all sick. They made the 5000 meter climb today and will make a summit attempt tomorrow night. Ferahad (Fred), is the first to get out of bed to help his friend. He is not ill and he has to go slow, but is doing well with the altitude. Goretex really does repel everything.

The group that will be making the attempt in a few hours is feeling well and I am looking forward to our last night sleeping in a oil tank. I get up and start getting dressed - which at altitude is a chore. Heidi, Christian, Illian, and myself get our cold gear on and go to the kitchen for tea and porridge. I explain to Lisa that we had no sleep, and not using the SnowCat to get us there isn't a good Idea. She said if we would pay extra 1000 Euros she would rent one. She has two snowmobiles that can get to Pastukhov Rocks at 4700 meters. It will take us an extra two hours making our way up the 1000 ft. to the SnowCat drop on foot. A trip that is steep with a 50 mph wind. The team chooses not to spend the money. We get separated on our way up so the snowmobiles stop and take us up one at a time. Christian and myself start up. My pack and poles are on the snowmobile that was to take us to 4700 Pastukhov Rocks, so all I have is an ice ax, which slows me down. It is dark and I am on the busy part of the mountain. SnowCats and snowmobiles are hauling ass almost out of control up and down the mountain. You have to dodge them. They are worse than the mules in Aconcagua.

I end up with a guide, Sultan. who I have never met before or climbed with. Lisa and Amjahd are in the other group with Christian, Illian, and Heidi. Christian is carrying his skis and boots and plans to ski from the summit. Lisa said her or her guides couldn't carry either of these items because they were too heavy. I saw him ski from the Snowcat pad at 5000 meters yesterday. He is a former ski racer, and is very good and fit for 51. He said he would carry them, so he packed the load.

5 a.m. I make it to the SnowCat pad very winded and very cold. I’m not feeling great, pissed that I was not able to take a nice ride in a heated cab, and worried that the last two hours have taken too much out of my legs to make it to the top. I start up with just me and Sultan losing the others, glad to be off the busy trail dodging SnowCat and snowmobiles. I look behind me and see the sun lighting up the mountaintops to the east. Thought about trying to get a camera but I’m too cold to remove mittens and a long way in front of me. I hope someone gets a picture because the view is amazing.

We have about 1000 meters, or 3000 ft., to get to the summit. Our trip consists of three parts: climb from the rocks, up the east mountain very steep, and then traverse along the east mountain. Second part we drop into the saddle between the two mountains, losing some of the altitude you gained on the traverse that you will climb on the way out. Then the final summit push up the west mountain. This is very steep, and you use your harness and climb belayed with fix ropes until the ridge and then a gentle up hill to a small bump on the top with a blue flag. Not too dangerous - if you fall you just slide back to the valley.

The route is now marked with red stakes every 100 ft. all the way to the summit. The wind is blowing snow so hard that I can't see the next pole. I follow Sultan, stepping in his tracks. The wind covers his tracks quickly so I stay close.

The sun is coming up behind me and I look back thinking that I would love to get a photo, but don't want to stop and afraid to take off my Arctic mitts.

Lisa warned us you will feel bad when you drop into the saddle. You finally get to go downhill and there is less wind, but your heart rate drops. I actually did feel bad. I started up the west slope and I felt better. We stopped halfway up the fixed ropes, and I dropped my pack in a patch of rocks. I knew the summit was getting close.

We climb to the ridge of the west mountain, and can see the peak about 400 yards away. A big blue flag stands on the top. It is bright and sunny. I walk to the flag, tearing up. We take a few pictures. Now that I look at them, I should have taken off my hood and mask. Sultan walked around the small mound, away from the group that was on top. I followed and found him saying his daily prayers. I join him, thanking God he got me here, then we start down.

I meet the rest of the group just above the fixed lines. I thought they were ahead of me. I find out they took a different route. No one told me about a short cut! They look good, and as I continue to descend I see Christian skiing down the mountain.

Like all climbing, most people die on the way down. Elbrus is the most deadly mountain in the world, leading Everest in deaths many years. This year 11 have died. Most are underprepared, and the weather can change instantly making it easy to go down the wrong path. We took the normal route. If you go straight down the mountain, there are snow-covered crevasses that will eat you. Afternoon storms also bring lightning. Last year, a climber got struck on the summit while celebrating with his ice ax in hand.

The group catches up, dropping down to where we left the snowmobiles. It is about noon, and I am very tired. I was first up and last down. I’m actually glad to finally be in the oil tank. I pack and hurry to go to the ski lifts that close at 4 p.m. Haven't had much sleep in two nights and want to sleep in a hotel room with a bathroom and shower. Monique and Eugene join me down. The altitude sickness ended their attempt. Tony and Fred will stay one more night, and later make the summit. We make the last lift down and are eating kabobs at the bottom of the slopes by 6 p.m. Making first summit window will get me home two days earlier.

Carrying my 50lbs of gear I caught the last lift down at the base of the mountain looking back at the twin peaks. Two more gondolas and I am at the hotel.

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Pre Summit

Pre Summit

As with any event you prepare for, the day before is full of doubt. This climb is unlike Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua because I go into it healthy and with no injury or sickness. It is 9 p.m. and we get ready to leave at 1 a.m. It will take an hour since we have to rig harnesses for the top, and we will be climbing with fixed ropes along a steep ridge. We are on the glacier all day. The picture sent yesterday at 5000 meters was not the same today.

We took a snowmobile up and it was a blizzard, with poor visibility because of hard blowing snow. Christian and Illian brought skis and skied down. I spent time to get a little more acclimatization in. It was a rest day, but the weather was making it hard to rest. We returned to camp. The group has been split into two 4-person climbing teams. Since we made 5000 meters within the time limit we were cleared to go first tonight. The bad part is that we will have to take snowmobiles to the start instead of the SnowCat, which will drop us at 4700 meters. 1000 feet lower and two hours more into an already hard day.

The four friends from everywhere go the next day in the SnowCat, and they are still sick except for Fred from Oman. He is not as conditioned and had problems on lower climbs, but the altitude hasn't had the effect on him like the rest of his companions and he is doing well. He helps us get water today, which is a chore that no one likes. Most are too sick to help. He freezes his fingers while filling the bottles. The group is fun to watch. They are very smart, speak multiple languages, and constantly making fun of one another. Their friendship is a beautiful thing.

The plan tomorrow is to summit and get to the ski lift before 4 p.m. It will get me out of this can and home two days sooner. Hope for good weather.

Stay tuned.

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Climb - Day Three

Climb - Day Three

In bed in an oil tank. Another storm hitting with eight stinky people staying together and I am one of them. Today's training climb went well, I was in the group of four that made it to 5100 meters up and back. Four guys got sick from altitude sickness. Tomorrow we will take the SnowCat to 5100 and hang out. We leave for summit at 2 a.m., Wednesday. If everything goes well, we will be off the mountain on Wednesday night.

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Climb - Day One

Climb - Day One

It’s actually Day 3. This is not an easy place to get to. Not sure about Russian men. Yesterday in Moscow on a 6-hour layover, I had time to watch people and for the most part the men are pushy, rude, and arrogant. I hate to make a broad statement like that, but I have also made the same statement when in New York City. They cut lines, stand in the way when you ask them to move, they scoff at you, and when they hear English especially from an American, they become even more rude. In New York, it is a southern accent, all other traits still the same.

The cab driver parked outside the gates of the airport almost a mile, so he wouldn't have to pay a fee. He didn't offer to help with my 56 pounds of gear, and the journey was 3 hours in a junky car. No conversation (also similar to NYC). I left no tip. Finally got to the Azur Hotel at the bottom of the mountain, and the people here revived my faith and my blanket statements are wrong. Needless to say, I’m still waiting on my faith to be revived about NYC.

I hadn't had anything to eat, and ask where to get food. They told me to wait. Soon a lady showed up at 11 p.m. to fix me soup and eggs, and there was a limb from an animal (not sure what animal exactly), but she asked if I wanted some when I started looking at it. I felt bad; I thought they would bring me a piece of fruit or breakfast bar so I asked her to go home and went to bed starving.

I met the team at breakfast. One German lady, Heidi, with her Austrian boyfriend, Christian; a Russian from Siberia, Illian, very fit, four friends from the UAE, India, Oman and Portugal who work together at Dell and recently did Kilimanjaro together. Our plans were to climb to a observatory overlooking the Caucasus mountain range at 9 a.m. No one had equipment to go high. We climbed to 12000 ft. Good trails, not too steep, beautiful scenery and a waterfall.

We didn't finish until 5 because the Dell guys were slow and struggled in the heat. Tonight they are drinking beer and smoking. I have no problems with either vice, but not good for altitude.

They were having headaches, signs of altitude sickness, and had to start taking Diamox.

Today was 9 miles up and back with beautiful weather. The road will get much harder starting tomorrow.

I am with a young guide, Mohammed that was very good at telling us the history of the area. Ninety percent Muslim, but inhabited by so many different groups. In the 19th century, it was an independent country until Russia took it over. The reason they lost control was the Caucasus people were made up of Turks, Serbs, Armenians, Georgians, and many other groups separated by both race and religion. They fought between themselves and couldn't fend off the takeover of Russia. The summit of Elbrus looks very cold, today was sunny and tonight it was covered in clouds. Tonight we met the lead guide, a woman named Lisa. Got my ice ax, harness, and extra layers ready for the cold that we start on tomorrow. May have short internet days going up but may be able to send another message in a few days.

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Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe, and one of the Seven Summits. It's located in Russia, though it is only a few miles/kilometers from the border of Georgia. The mountain is in the Caucasus Mountains, which is one of the most rugged mountain ranges in the world. Elbrus may not be that rugged of a mountain, but that is not the case with all the surrounding peaks!

The standard route up Elbrus is long and strenuous, but not technically too difficult. The biggest danger is the weather, which can be particularly nasty. Besides the standard route and the northern route, there are many much more difficult routes on the mountain, though they are very seldom climbed, and little information about them is available.

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