Pastukhov Rocks: description. A
A week ago, I went to a wonderful place in the mountains - Arkhyz.
Arkhyz... What lies behind this name? In the wooded mountains of the Western Caucasus there is a fan of uniquely beautiful gorges leading to the snowy ridge of the Main Caucasus Range. Crystal streams and rivers flow from sky-high peaks and glaciers. Some of them are in no hurry: with the blue eyes of the lakes, they spend a long time looking at the broken world of wild rocks. Others, impatient, immediately hang in the gorge like ringing waterfalls. Having gathered below, without stopping, they run through alpine meadows, through forests and valleys, absorbing the purity of mountain air, the coldness of ice, the white boil of blooming rhododendrons, the smell of ripened strawberries and the thoughtfulness of seven-hundred-year-old giant fir trees. The tributaries merge into two already large rivers - Psysh and Kizgych, which then, near a small mountain village with the romantic name "Arkhyz", form Bolshoy Zelenchuk, rapidly carrying its extraordinary green-blue waters to the Kuban. Its length is about 170 km. 
Our journey begins along a stable, railed, 345-meter staircase of 526 steps. The staircase leads to the face of Christ placed on the rock.
A nun from the monastery accompanies us.
In May 1999, employees of the Nizhny Arkhyz Museum-Reserve received an interesting message: local residents Sergey and Anatoly Varchenko on the slope of the Matseshta ridge near the village of Nizhny Arkhyz (Bukovo) saw an image of Christ the Savior on one of the rocks - the Face of Christ. Soon a special expedition was organized to search for the mysterious rock icon. Two days later, in a small sandstone grotto, a drawing measuring 140 by 80 cm, half erased with time, was found. Jesus Christ wisely looks at people from a rock.
The Savior from the cliff looks exactly to the east, and if you draw a conventional line, it will pass right through the Northern Temple of the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement. It was here that the Alans underwent baptism at the beginning of the 10th century. By the way, ancient Christian churches have survived here to this day almost in their original form. How could the Face of Christ appear in the remote forested mountains of Karachay-Cherkessia, where Islam has always been considered the dominant religion? Historians have their own opinion on this matter. Most likely, the appearance of the face is associated with an ancient settlement located at the foot of the Mitsesht ridge on the other bank of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk River.
The fact is that the Great Silk Road ran in close proximity to the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement. Along with the trading people, missionaries also moved along it, carrying the banner of Christianity from Byzantium to neighboring states. The peak of missionary activity, according to numerous sources, was in the 8th-9th centuries AD. Thus, the Nizhne-Arkhyz settlement became the center of the Alan diocese, an outpost of Byzantine influence in the North Caucasus.
In the distance you can see the special astrophysical observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Here she is closer.
Autumn is beautiful as always.
Having finished the review at the face of Christ, we rise to a height of 2070 meters above sea level. Here it is - a unique research institute, the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAO RAS). This is one of the few domestic centers that conducts ground-based astronomical observations in the entire range of electromagnetic radiation, using the largest telescopes in the world.
Inside you can see a stained glass ceiling made from the signs of the Zodiac.
The Arkhyz Observatory was founded in 1966 to support the operation of the world's largest astronomical instruments: the optical Large Alt-Azimuth Telescope (BTA) with a mirror diameter of 6 meters and the Radio Telescope of the Academy of Sciences with a ring antenna of 600 meters in diameter (RATAN - 600). These telescopes were put into operation in 1976-1977 and still provide solutions to problems of fundamental science. They were created with the participation of leading institutes and enterprises of the country using advanced technical and scientific solutions. Thus, the BTA was the founder of a new class of optical instruments, and all modern large telescopes are now built in its likeness. From its inception until the early 90s, BTA was the world's largest optical telescope, and RATAN-600 is still unsurpassed in its class of antennas.
The BTA telescope is installed on one of the northern spurs of Mount Pastukhov at an altitude of 2070 m above sea level. The BTA optical mirror, which collects millions of times more light than human heads, in combination with recording equipment, makes it possible to detect and study extremely faint and distant objects in the Universe. The RATAN-600 radio telescope is located in the wide valley of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk River on the southern outskirts of the village of Zelenchukskaya, 25 km north of BTA. The main ring antenna consists of 895 aluminum shields, combined with high precision. This radio telescope studies radio emissions from the Sun, stars, nebulae, and distant galaxies. Not far from the observatory there is a small academic town - the village of Nizhny Arkhyz. The second name of the village is Bukovo, as it grew up among a beech forest on the right bank of Bolshoi Zelenchuk. In the village there are laboratories and workshops, multi-storey residential buildings and shops, a secondary school with a gym and a swimming pool, a cultural center, an art and music school, and a hotel.
The views from Mount Pastukhov are unforgettable.
We descend back to the Alan settlement.
The ancient settlement is the ruins of the city of Magas - a disappeared city. Scientists suggest that it was here that the capital and center of the patriarchate of ancient Alania was located. The area of the fort extends over four and a half kilometers.
Southern (Ilyinsky) Church
Of all the Christian Alanian churches preserved on the territory of Karachay-Cherkessia, the only research has shown that this church, when built in the 10th century, was dedicated to the holy prophet Elijah. Therefore, at the last consecration in 1991, its ancient name Ilyinskaya was preserved.
Middle Temple
The average Zelenchuk temple belongs to the cross-domed type of sacred buildings. The average Byzantine temple is smaller than the Northern one. It was apparently built earlier and at first was the main temple of the city. Monks at the end of the 19th century. They “restored” it - they plastered the walls with the remains of frescoes, which, judging by the old sketches, were very interesting. In general, the temple is well preserved thanks to the solid masonry of hewn stone blocks on lime mortar. In its appearance, as in the Northern Temple, the influence of Byzantium is visible.
Northern Temple
The first Lower Arkhyz temple was the majestic and monumental Northern Temple, the largest Christian church in Alanya. It was the cathedral of the Alan diocese, the center of its spiritual and cultural life in the 10th-13th centuries. ad.
During excavations inside the cathedral, in the narthex, archaeologist V.A. Kuznetsov discovered a baptismal chamber made of flat stone slabs. In this font one of the most sacraments of Christianity took place - the rite of baptism, initiation into the bosom of the Christian church. It was here that the Alans adopted Christianity at the beginning of the 10th century, and here a new page in their history opened. The walls of the Byzantine temple in the interior were covered with magnificent paintings, which, alas, have not survived to this day.
In 1940, under the floor of the temple, a rich female burial with many gold jewelry was discovered, which is now stored in the State Historical Museum. Particularly interesting is the inscription on the ring with the name of the Armenian king Ashot I, who ruled Armenia in 886-891. Perhaps the residence of the Alanian metropolitans was located here. And do you know what you found among these decorations? Clover jewels! Trefoil.
The formation is rocky; at the top you can see a perfect ball of stone. An explanation for this stone has not yet been found.
Spring. Here you can drink water. Thank you for the excursion. Duration of the trip 12 hours =)
Andre&769y Vasya&769lyevich Pastukho&769v(1858, village of Derkulsky, Kharkov province - 1899, Pyatigorsk). He is rightfully considered the first Russian climber. Surveyor, glaciologist, ethnographer, biologist, researcher of the Caucasus, class military topographer of the Corps of Military Topographers. Collegiate assessor since 1894. (Collegiate assessor - the rank of VIII class was valued very highly and was not easy to achieve, even for a nobleman - as a rule, a university or lyceum diploma was required, or passing the corresponding exam.“Between the titular adviser and the collegiate assessor,” Goncharovsky Oblomov reflected, “an abyss has opened up, and some kind of diploma serves as a bridge across it...”). Andrei Pastukhov’s father, Vasily Andreevich Pastukhov, served as a groom at the Derkul State Stud Farm. His mother, Domnikia Vasilyevna, was a housewife and died when the future topographer was only three years old. The family had four children: Nadezhda, Alexey, Andrey and Ksenia. All the Pastukhovs lived very modestly.
Andrei's father died in 1869 during a cholera epidemic. Andrei was forced to move to live with his older sister Nadezhda. At the age of 14, Andrei Pastukhov graduated from the horse breeding school and received the position of clerk at the factory office. Two years later, by order from the Main Directorate, he was sent to St. Petersburg to train as a clerk. After successfully completing the courses, he becomes a 2nd class clerk in the office of the State Horse Breeding Administration.
But Andrei Vasilyevich dreamed not so much of a military career as he wanted to become a full-fledged independent topographer. Therefore, on May 30, 1881, he resigned and again took the exams for admission to the Corps of Military Surveyors. It is known that in these exams he received a full mark in the subject, but he was denied admission “for lack of vacancies.”
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After failure to enroll, Pastukhov was assigned to serve in the Military Topographical Department of the Caucasian Military District, in the city of Tiflis (Tbilisi). With the assistance of the head of the department, I.I. Stebnitsky, in November 1881 he took exams for the first class rank at the Tiflis cadet school.
Only a year later, in September 1882, Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov was promoted to junior military topographer. During one of the stops, when the train was carrying Pastukhov to Tiflis, between passengers. a conversation arose. Pastukhov, without noticing it, was drawn into it. He was especially animated when touching nature. Pastukhov even somehow transformed at the same time. Pastukhov was tasked with mapping Dagestan in the area of the Shakhdag peak, up the Samur River. He was given a convoy under his command - eight Cossacks from the Ust-Khopersky regiment, who were supposed to be his assistants and guards. The work took all summer. Its results were highly appreciated, but Andrei Vasilyevich himself was dissatisfied with the fact that he never managed to reach the top of Shahdag. True, they had to work in poor conditions, practically without any equipment, and rarely did any of the topographers manage to rise above three and a half thousand meters.In 1887 Pastukhov climbs to the top of the Andean ridge.
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Andean ridge. View from the Haramlya pass.
(book by V. I. Markovin “Roads and Paths of Dagestan”)
It was after this ascent that people really started talking about A.V. Pastukhov as the first Russian climber.
His campaign against Kazbek was associated with a number of difficult and dangerous situations. So, after a five-hour strenuous hike on the hard ice of the glacier and increasing the steepness of the slopes, even tied to the feet of the so-called. “cats” (primitive homemade products) began to slide, then Pastukhov, who was walking first, had to cut down the steps. His main tools for this work were a bayonet and a sapper shovel (!).
View of Kazbek from the village of Kazbegi
“The decisive ascent began at half past two; at four o’clock in the afternoon Pastukhov and Tsarakhov reached the top of Kazbek. An amazing view opened up to the climbers on this clear evening: the setting sun flooded with its light the endless chains of peaks and ridges covered with eternal snow! After completing the necessary observations and measuring the peak, Pastukhov and Tsarakhov secured a red cloth on a high pole. The wind suddenly picked up the first flag raised over Kazbek. From neighboring villages the flag was clearly visible to the naked eye, and from Vladikavkaz (the future city of Ordzhonikidze) the flag could be seen through binoculars. Residents of Vladikavkaz gathered on the Terek embankment, looked at Kazbek through binoculars and lively discussed the reasons for the unusual event. This infuriated the city police chief. As soon as Pastukhov returned from Kazbek, the “guardian of order” called him and ordered him to immediately remove the “seditious” flag. Pastukhov explained the reason for planting the red flag by the fact that no other flag was visible against the background of white snow and blue sky. He categorically refused to remove the flag “due to lack of time” and advised the police chief to send police to Kazbek for this. The red flag fluttered in full view of the citizens of Vladikavkaz for a long time, until the winds frayed it.” In 1890 Pastukhov makes the first ascent of Elbrus. German mountaineering historian Egger called this ascent "the first true ascent without guides." A topographical survey was carried out, diagrams of glaciers were drawn up, and a collection of rock minerals was compiled.
Peak of Khalatsa in North Ossetia
Of the many events and adventures during his travels, the most extreme in Pastukhov’s life was climbing and spending the night on the top of Halats. In the evening, on the eve of a thunderstorm, the atmosphere was so electric that all protruding objects glowed with bluish lights: sticks, mustaches, hats, mittens. This brought fear to the Cossacks, who knew the legends about the fires of St. Elmo. Pastukhov had to work hard to calm and organize the Cossacks, remove all iron objects to the edge of the site, and lay down a large stone tour as a lightning rod. Then, when a thunderstorm began, they watched as ball lightning, like a flock of bumblebees, hissed towards the tour and disappeared into it. The balls touched people and bounced off them, being charged with charges of the same name. The blow had the force of a stone.
Pastukhov himself was pulled by the charge by the legs, turned over on his back, temporarily paralyzing his legs. It became obvious that staying at the top was dangerous. Everyone carefully walked past the tour, went down ten meters to the nearest cornice and sat there for the rest of the night. The concept of “Pastukhov Rocks” is directly related to the history of climbing Elbrus. On this rocky ridge, at an altitude of 4800 m, A.V. Pastukhov’s group spent the night during their ascent to Elbrus. Since then, this private name has firmly taken its place on geographical maps and the vocabulary of new climbers to Elbrus. In the attached photograph, the red line marks the path to the Western peak of Elbrus, which starts from the “Shelter of 11” and leads in the direction of the Eastern peak and from the “Pastukhov Rocks” turns towards the saddle and further to the Western peak. In 1897 Pastukhov was elected a full member of the Society of Lovers of Natural History, Anthropology and Ethnography, for which he was invited to Moscow to give a report on any topic. He chose Elbrus. The report was a resounding success. President of the society, famous scientist, professor D.N. Anuchin later said: “This peasant son has the same leaven as the famous Kholmogory peasant Mikhail Lomonosov...”. In 1897 The Niva magazine published an essay in which A. V. Pastukhov was noted for laying the foundations of modern mountaineering in the Caucasus, developing a system for training mountain climbers, selecting rational food products and equipment, and for the first time using steel soles on boots. spikes, the so-called “cats”. The description of the route he made, the collections he collected, drawings and sketches still retain their scientific value.
Fun fact: During the entire pre-revolutionary period, 29 human ascents were made to Kazbek. Simultaneously with his mountaineering exploits, Pastukhov studied the customs and morals of the inhabitants of high-mountain villages, their standard of living (to put it bluntly, low). After reports on such topics, representatives of the local administration made comments to him about the inadmissibility of politicized speeches in the geographical society, despite his statements about voicing only pure facts. In these cases, they also reminded him of the red banners on the peaks of Kazbek and Elbrus, hinting at the politicization of their color. Excessive physical activity negatively affected A.V.’s health. Pastukhova. In the summer of 1899, he was forced to interrupt the field season and go to Pyatigorsk for treatment. Upon examination, doctors discovered an old ulcer.
September 23, 1899, at the age of forty-one, Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov died in a hospital in the city of Pyatigorsk.
On September 26, according to his will, he was buried a few meters from the top of Mount Mashuk.
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Monument to A.V. Pastukhov on the Pyatigorsk peak Mashuk.
Memory of A.V.Pastukhov:- A monument to A.V. Pastukhov was erected in the Baksan Gorge in Kabardino-Balkaria. - A mountain in Antarctica is named after him.- The name of Pastukhov is borne by the rocks on the ice slope of Elbrus at an altitude of 4610 m. (“Pastukhov’s Shelter”) - A memorial plaque was installed on a house in the village of Danilovka, built on the site of the Pastukhovs’ house - The name of Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov was given to a secondary school in the village of Novoderkul - Belovodsky district of Lugansk areas. - There is a monument to him in the school yard.-An obelisk was installed above his grave on Mount Mashuk. - A street in the city of Pyatigorsk is named after him. Pastukhov wrote many informative essays about the life of animals, birds and insects in places where other researchers had not yet worked. Andrei Pastukhov refuted the opinion that birds cannot overcome the Caucasus ridge in their annual migrations. As a scientist and explorer, Pastukhov traveled hundreds of kilometers on horseback through wild gorges, inaccessible passes, glaciers and valleys. He visited Dagestan, Kabarda, Ossetia, Georgia, Armenia and gave detailed descriptions of them. Along the way, I became acquainted with the life, way of life, customs, and beliefs of small mountain tribes and nationalities. Pastukhov wrote many informative essays about the life of animals, birds, and insects in places where a researcher had almost never set foot before. Turning over the yellowed pages of the history of mountain climbing, it is clearly visible that military topographers occupy an honorable place among the pioneers of mountaineering in Russia. It was they who, due to their education, service and character, had to be the first to explore new areas, pave paths in unknown distances, and risk their own lives in their difficult field. Standing apart among these stern and courageous people is the military topographer Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov, a great lover of thrills and extreme sports. The poems of Pushkin and Lermontov, singers of the Caucasus, made an indelible impression on young Andryusha. They awakened in him dreams of a trip to the tall giants. Having matured and received the specialty of a topographer, he was able to fulfill his dream. P.P. Zakharov (using publications by A. Kruglikov, region15.ru/news/m, Kazbek Khamitsaev, “Ossetia Kvaisa”, R. Tavasiev, Elbrus - info, Risk.ru, Mountain. Ru, Alpclub of St. Petersburg. Photo: Photosidnt.ru Wikimapia, Yu. Nekhorosheva and Internet sources).A. V. Pastukhov
When you look at the physical map of the Caucasus, where peaks, ridges, glaciers, rivers and lakes are marked down to the nearest meter, it is hard to believe that the study of this unique and complex region of the earth began relatively recently
Some attempts were made in the 18th century, but until the 19th century, Europeans knew about the Caucasus from the ancient myth of Prometheus and from the Bible (as if Noah’s Ark dropped its anchor on Mount Ararat). There was also information from medieval sources about the Great Silk Road, winding through bizarre gorges and passes. And only as the colonization of the “country of mountains” by the Russian Empire began, planned studies of this region began.
In the glorious galaxy of pioneers of the Caucasus, military topographer Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov occupies a special place. He also owns the laurels of the first Russian climber. Pastukhov was born on the plain, in the village of Novo-Derkul, Kharkov province, on August 18, 1858. His father was a groom at a large stud farm, in whose office young Andrei also served as a clerk. From childhood he was inquisitive, he grasped everything on the fly. He was especially impressed by the stories of the old corporal Ivan Bolotin, who fought in the Caucasus.
Once a topographer came to Novo-Derkul. It was he who advised Pastukhov to go to St. Petersburg, where there was a military gymnasium. Andrei entered there, and then ended up in the training team of the topographer corps. In the spring of 1879 he was promoted to non-commissioned officer. But first he is sent to the Courland province. And only in 1882 the General Staff sent him to work in the topographic department of the Caucasian Military District.
He finds himself in the same carriage with the famous traveler and geographer P.P. Semenov-Tien-Shansky. On the advice of Pyotr Petrovich, Pastukhov spends several days in Pyatigorsk. He falls in love with the city immediately. He will hurry here for a short rest between ascents, and here, on the top of Mashuk, he will find his last refuge, so as not to be separated from the wonderful land of the blue mountains forever. Almost in the first hours of his stay in Pyatigorsk, he met the talented, world-famous photographer G. Raev. Grigory Ivanovich shows his new friend the picturesque surroundings of the resort and reveals the secrets of filming.
And then Andrei Pastukhov heads to Tiflis. He has been working in Dagestan for five years. But the impregnable Kazbek beckons. Even the indigenous inhabitants of these places - the Ossetians - consider the very desire to visit the top of the giant sinful. Andrei Vasilyevich carefully prepares for the ascent: he makes “crampons”, stocks up with sheepskin coats and cloaks. Finally, on one day in July 1889, at the level of 5033 meters, the Russian tricolor was hoisted under the howling of a furious blizzard. His elderly guide, who disdained the superstitions of the Ossetians Tepsarko Tsarakhov, also went down in history as a courageous and faithful companion of the explorer. Pastukhov sketched the peak and craters.
In 1890, together with a detachment of Cossacks, he stormed the most treacherous peak of the Caucasus, 4 thousand 700 meters high - Ushba. In the same year, he climbed Elbrus, where he also planted a flag and left a bottle with a note, which was found by Soviet climbers 50 years later. We read with excitement: “On July 31, 1890, military topographer Andrei Vasilyevich Pastukhov, accompanied by the Cossacks of the Khopersky regiment, ascended here at 9:20 am...”
In 1893, he studied Ararat and climbed to the top of this five-thousand-meter peak, which was only a few hundred meters higher than Elbrus.
In 1896, Pastukhov was again on Elbrus. He is the first of the climbers to climb the western peak of the mountain.
A. V. Pastukhov actively published both in Niva and in the Notes of the Caucasian Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, and he illustrated all his descriptions with photographs taken directly on expeditions (imagine how cumbersome the photographic equipment was at that time) and with his own hands plans and maps of the area.
...Andrei Vasilyevich suddenly fell ill in June 1899. Apparently, even, as it seemed to him, “his iron body” could not withstand such cruel tests. The best doctors in Pyatigorsk tried to save Pastukhov and heal his heart. But it stopped running on September 23, pointing the way to the last peak - Mashuk. True, friends, when installing the obelisk on the mountain, for some reason shortened the already short life of the brave climber by two more years, setting the date of birth as 1860. And this year appears in all encyclopedias and reference books. Although in the service record of the military topographer, the date of birth is written in the hand of Andrei Vasilyevich himself - 1858. But this is true, by the way. Another thing is more important - there is the name of the researcher on the map of the Caucasus - this is Mount Pastukhov, 2 thousand 100 meters high in the Zelenchuk Gorge of Karachay-Cherkessia. Andrei Vasilyevich also worked there, studying Arkhyz avalanches. At the top of Mount Pastukhov there is a tower with the largest telescope on the planet of the Special Astrophysical Observatory. It can also be considered a kind of monument to a tireless Caucasian scholar.
Irina SELUNSKAYA , "Arguments and Facts".
The highest not only in the Caucasus, but also in Europe. It is a cone of an extinct volcano with two peaks, the height of which is 5642 meters (western peak) and 5621 meters (eastern peak). Between them at an altitude of 5325 meters there is a deep saddle.
Climbing Elbrus attracts the attention of not only domestic climbers. Climbers from near and far come to test themselves and admire the views that open from the peaks.
Climbing routes
The dangers when climbing are snow-filled cracks in glaciers, strong winds, low temperatures and lack of oxygen when climbing to a height.
You can conquer the peak from the north side. During the ascent, magnificent views of snow-capped mountain ranges among green meadows open up. There are no lifts, shelters or cafes on the northern slopes, so climbers need to rely only on their own strength.
Climbing Elbrus from the western side is considered the most extreme. There are also no lifts or snowcats that take climbers to the required height, and there is no infrastructure. There are many steep cliffs and glaciers on the route, so only experienced climbers go here. When climbing to the top from the east from the Irik-Chat pass (height 3667 m), a beautiful view of the eastern peak opens. Here, on the glacier, they practice the technique of moving on ice, teach how to work with a rope and how to belay.
Climbing to the summit from the south
There are more than two hundred routes for climbing Elbrus, designed for both experienced climbers and beginners. Climbing to the top from the southern slopes is popular among beginner climbers. It starts from the Azau base (altitude 2200 meters). Here the first acclimatization to mountain conditions takes place. Further, the path leads to the high-mountain shelter “Bochki”, the Pastukhov rocks, after which the ascent to the top of Elbrus begins.
Experienced climbers can conquer the mountain on their own, while people with no experience can organize groups and climb accompanied by a guide. Due to difficult weather conditions on Elbrus, it is better to climb in the summer months and autumn no later than October.
What are "Pastukhov rocks"
This is a group of rocks located on the southern slope of Elbrus. The stone ridge was named in honor of the Russian climber and military topographer Andrei Pastukhov, who studied the Caucasus Mountains. When climbing to high altitudes, a person must undergo acclimatization and get used to the conditions of lack of oxygen high in the mountains.
According to established tradition, the Pastukhov rocks, whose height ranges from 4600 to 4800 meters, serve as a place for acclimatization before climbing to the top of Elbrus. Here the group spends the night in tents. People who are not sufficiently prepared for climbing to the top can climb to the rocks on a snowcat (a special vehicle for traveling on glaciers) and admire the mountain landscapes, and then descend on a snowboard or skis.
Some information about Andrei Pastukhov
Andrey Pastukhov was born in 1858 in the Kharkov province. He graduated from a military gymnasium in St. Petersburg, then was sent to the Corps of Military Topographers, and later was assigned to the Caucasian Military District. He compiled maps of mountain ranges in Dagestan, and in 1889 he conquered the eastern peak of Kazbek from the northern side. No one had made such an ascent before him.
A year later, a Russian climber climbed the western peak of Elbrus for the first time without guides. On this trip, he mapped glaciers and collected a large collection of mountain minerals. During 1890, the topographer made several climbs into the mountains, during which he laid out different routes. Only in 1896 did he make a second ascent to the eastern peak. During this, she who accompanied him spent the night on a rocky ridge, after which the name Pastukhov Rock was assigned to her.
Classic climbing route
The classic route to climb Elbrus is of difficulty 2A. Any physically healthy person who has experience walking in the mountains can make the climb. To complete the route you will need equipment and warm clothes, because the weather on Elbrus is unpredictable.
After a short acclimatization at the Azau station, the group with all the equipment is raised to an altitude of 3800 meters to the Bochki shelter. There are insulated trailers designed to accommodate 50 people at the base, as well as 2 kitchens and a dining room. The shelter has electric heating. To adapt to being in the mountains, you need to spend 2-3 nights at “Bochki”.
After this, the climbers move to the high-mountain “Shelter of Eleven” and from there make a training hike to the Pastukhov rocks. The trail runs along an ice floor covered with snow.
The climb to the top of Elbrus begins at night. From the shelter to the Pastukhov rocks you need to walk about 2 hours. After 300-400 meters up from the rocks, a straight ascent begins, after which the road turns to a saddle. After an hour's rest in the saddle, you can climb to any peak.
Equipment for climbing Elbrus
To climb the southern slope you need to have with you:
- wool or cotton thermal underwear;
- a couple of sets of underwear and warm socks;
- a sleeping bag that can withstand temperatures down to -5°C;
- thermal mask to protect the face from frostbite or protective cream;
- a windproof, warm jacket with a hood or windbreaker that can withstand temperatures of -2°C;
- high-altitude boots with hard soles and welts for attaching crampons, as well as replacement shoes.
In addition, you will need crampons, an ice ax, a first aid kit, toiletries, warm mittens, and a headlamp. Be sure to take a ski cap and sunglasses with UV filters.
Compliance with safety precautions when climbing
Before climbing, the group must register with the search and rescue group of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. When registering, indicate the number of people, the time of departure on the route, the control time of return, as well as the details of the group leader. During the ascent, you cannot leave the route indicated on the tour.
Be sure to check the availability of equipment, a first aid kit and a walkie-talkie or other means of communication. Properly selected equipment and clothing will make the climb enjoyable and will not turn it into a battle for survival.
Particular attention should be paid to acclimatization to mountain conditions. You can climb to the top only 3-4 days after staying at “Bochki” and a trial hike to the Pastukhov rocks. Elbrus does not forgive irresponsible preparation. Many people may experience oxygen starvation and severe headaches. Some, due to lack of oxygen, fall into an inadequate state and lose their sense of reality. If this happens, you need to go downstairs.
Food items you need to take with you include boiled meat, vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts. At the shelter, before setting out on the route, you can cook borscht, scrambled eggs, chicken cutlets, and porridge. It is not recommended to eat chocolate because it causes nausea and is bad for the liver.
Descent from the top of Elbrus
Many people come to the Elbrus Azau resort to ski. On the southern slope there are 7 ski slopes for experienced skiers and beginners. Their total length is 11 km. In fact, the entire descent is one track about 6 km wide, on which there are no signs or dividers, and there are protective nets only in some areas.
There are several stations along the ski slope to which ski lifts deliver skiers. The highest point to which you can take the ski lift is the Gara-Bashi station, which is located at an altitude of 3800 meters (a little higher than the Barrels shelter). Even higher, you can get to the “Shelter of Eleven” by snowcat. The section between “Shelter of Eleven” and “Gara-bashi” can only be mastered by experienced skiers. Some extreme skiers come to the Pastukhov rocks. Skiing in these places is very dangerous because you can fall into a crack or get caught in an avalanche.
The safety of skiing on the slopes of the Elbrus Azau complex is controlled by the rescue service; especially dangerous places are fenced off with a protective net, and video cameras are installed on each section of the route. Inexperienced skiers are better off skiing with an instructor, as the wild mountain slopes can be unpredictable.
For most of you, Arkhyz is primarily a winter resort, and this is not surprising - active involvement in the summer “charms” of Arkhyz began not so long ago. Hikes to the Dukkinsky lakes, to the Cossack, Baritov and Sofia waterfalls, and even difficult climbs to the Sofia lakes and Lake of Love - these routes have long been known, loved, and popular.
Without in any way detracting from the dignity of the most beautiful places in Arkhyz, we still dare to offer you 10 places where tourists usually don't go. Adventure seekers, lovers of short, intense hikes, connoisseurs of mountain beauty, these ten suggestions are for you!
1. Mount Korablik is a bizarrely shaped rock at the entrance to the village of Nizhny Arkhyz. The first third of the climb makes you sweat a lot: due to frequent landslides, there is almost no trail. Take water with you! Further the path is much simpler; the last part of it goes through a picturesque pine forest. The view from the “Ship” will more than repay the effort. From here there is a magnificent panorama of the Nizhnearkhyz settlement and temples, the town of astronomers and the Large Telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAO RAS). The monk's grave is hidden on a nearby rock and can be identified by a towering wooden cross.
2. Pastukhov Peak- a three-headed mountain, at its foot there is the SAO Large Telescope and several small autonomous objects. There is snow on the slopes until mid-June, and local “daredevils” organize spring-summer freeride here. Climbing to a height of 2800 meters is not very easy, especially in the scorching heat, but the landscape opening from the height will make you forget about the path you have traveled. You can admire the main Caucasian ridge, the picturesque valley of the Marukha River, and look at the telescope dome from above only from here! In unclear weather, the peak of Pastukhov is located above the clouds, similar to a huge white foaming sea. Experience this miracle - rise above the clouds and soar above the whole world!
3. Red Rocks is a mountain cliff on the way from Nizhny Arkhyz to Arkhyz, not far from the Bogoslovka trout lake. Climbing lovers, this place is just made for you! A magnificent natural climbing wall with a wide variety of route options will appeal to both experienced climbers and beginners just trying their hand. Add to this the most beautiful views of nature, under the rocks there is a wonderful place for a picnic - and you will understand why you can’t ignore the Red Rocks. Just don’t forget - after you, the place should remain, as Prutkov used to say, “accountable and clean”!
4. Ancient and almost modern cells- These are the dwellings of hermits and monks. In varying degrees of preservation, from almost complete stone buildings to ruins, they are literally “scattered” throughout the valley of the large Zelenchuk and Uzhum ridge. Not all cells are accessible, especially those located in deep gorges or caves, but you can walk along the slopes of the Camel and Korablik or Pastukhov mountains slowly and without supernatural efforts. Behind the St. George Church of the Nizhnearkhyz settlement on the rock there is a place “Three Pines”, where anyone can easily climb and enter the cell-chapel. The view of the temples from here is peaceful and invigorating to inner silence.
5. Valley of the Psysh River– it’s just a fabulously beautiful place. You can get here in any SUV, and dashing drivers get there in both crossovers and asphalt roads. The river here flows over a gentle area with sparkling, ringing streams; it seems that the pointed pyramidal peak of Przysz rises very close by. Fishing enthusiasts come here because the local backwaters are simply teeming with river trout. If you want to have a great day, even with small children, then go to Psysh!
6. Marukh Gorge is a picturesque valley of the Marukha River, located next to Arkhyz. There are practically no tourists here, and if you want to be in a small circle, alone, or in a close and only “your” company, this “secret” gorge is waiting for you. Waterfalls, clear rivers and streams, many fantastically beautiful, simply “cinema-like” and convenient places for picnics and small tent camps - this is the entire Marukhi gorge. You can go here for one day, stay overnight or several nights, if the beauty and virginity of nature simply won’t let you go, won’t let you leave.
7. Eagle Rocks- neighbor of the legendary Sofia. This place is much less famous, but in its unique beauty it is not inferior to the mountain giants. A circus of high gray rocks surrounds a cozy plateau where pine trees and rhododendron thickets grow. At the end of summer, Eaglet is a blueberry pantry. Usually people go here for one day, but it’s better to spend two: unlike most high-altitude hikes, this one will delight you with the opportunity to make a fire and sit warm at night under the starry sky. In the ring of rocks lies a tiny but very picturesque lake Orlyonok, and a twenty-minute walk away there is a larger lake, the sky blue of the water is a magnificent backdrop for photographs, the temperature allows you to swim, and the shores are so rich in blueberries!
8. Belkau-Kel and Fish Lakes- this is a whole scattering of picturesque lakes of different sizes at an altitude of 2265 meters on the Morg-Syrty ridge. A one-day trip to Lake Belkau-Kel can be made from Arkhyz, passing through Lake of Love. The lakes are located on the territory of the Teberdinsky Nature Reserve, and for the hike you need to purchase tickets - they are quite inexpensive. To explore all the lakes, you need to go on a tent trip with an overnight stay, or for those who like quiet walking, two. To avoid problems with rangers and questions from the reserve guards, you can start the journey from Mount Pastukhov: the elevation difference here is much smaller, the journey will only take 5-6 hours, and the trail is not difficult.
9. Lakes of the Abishira-Ahuba ridge– this is a whole lake region. To walk through it all, it will take from three to five days, because there are simply countless lakes there! The largest lake in Arkhyz is Kyafar, 800 meters long and 300 meters wide. The presence of the Romantika cable car greatly simplifies the climb to the Fedoseev Ridge; this is the most physically difficult part of the route. Next is the path down the northern side of the ridge, where in the upper spurs there are numerous snowfields, cirque glaciers and a series of lakes. These places are not at all as popular as Sofia, and at an altitude of 2800 and above not a single tree grows, so the feeling of “I am an alien!” does not leave during the entire trip. The views from the tops are as if from an airplane window: villages, cities, roads... And ahead are more mountains, mountains, mountains - empty and deserted, unearthly and simply beautiful!
10. Mount Jissa– a worthy conclusion to the Arkhyz Ten. A quaint mountain structure with a picturesque plateau at the top rises majestically above the village of Zelenchukskaya. You simply cannot find a better observation deck - the view of the main Caucasian ridge and the giant Elbrus is truly stunning! You can get here by SUV or on foot; during your walks, a careful look will reveal dolmens and ruins. The miracle of Jissa is meeting the sun, but in order to see the sunrise, you need to get up and leave at three hours after midnight. However, the work is worth the reward, and the unforgettable Engine from Romashkovo knew this for sure: “Every sunrise is unique in life!.. If we don’t see the sunrise, we may be late for the rest of our lives!”
In conclusion, it is simply necessary to add that all the described places are not for tourists in striped shorts, pink shorts and flip-flops, and even more so - not for those who like to “take it on the chest” before noon, these routes - for those who want to see and touch something “once in life”!