Day 1
Check-in at the Kuban Hotel in Nevinnomyssk. Acquaintance with the guide. Getting food, group equipment. Excursion to the historical museum of the city: acquaintance with the region and the Cossacks.
Day 2
Breakfast. Departure to Dombay. On the way we admire the beauties of the Caucasus Mountains and the blue sky. Accommodation in a guest house. Dinner. Walk around the village of Dombay. We rise on the cable car, admire the peaks of the Main Caucasus Range! Safety briefing. Last preparations for the campaign.
Day 3
Moving Dombay - Gonachkhir River Valley. We walk through alpine meadows, admire bees, flowers, tall grasses to the waist and waterfalls. We set up a camp not far from the saddle of the Kichi-Muruju pass (Central). Total walking hike 5 km. Cooking dinner on gas burners - mmm-mmm - a delicious borshchik.
Day 4
We take the Kichi-Muruju Central Pass (1A, 3144 m). Lunch on the shores of Blue Lake. White ice floes in the expanse of water, the most courageous tourists take a bath in the icy waters. Down, down, down. River valleys successively replace each other: Nahar, Mahar, Gondarai, Jalpakol. A total of 20 km to go. We taste narzans and spend the night on the banks of a mountain river under the canopy of centuries-old pines.
Day 5
The hanging valley of Dzhalpakol. We collect mushrooms, strawberries and raspberries; enjoy blueberries. Watch out! The goblin is hiding in the bushes! We go to the pass Dzhalpakol Severny (1A, 3400 m). Total run 10 km.
Day 6
The saddle of the Dzhalpakol pass North (1A, 3400 m), the valley of the Myrdy river. Lumps of stone and lakes with invigorating water. Border guards and curious caresses are watching us from the forest. Milky rivers with sweet and sour banks. Descent to Uzunkol climbing camp, almost civilization: cafes, showers and small shops. We install a bivouac in the camp. Day trip 18 km.
Day 7
Day !!! We do nothing. We devastate local cafes: hot huts, shurpa, barbecue, ayran. Beer! Drinks ... Sunbathe and swim in the river.
Day 8
Jokes aside - 1B. Getting ready physically and mentally. Pass North Dolomites (1B, 3450 m). Rocks, hanging glacier, lakes. Valley of the Chirikkol River. Flocks of sheep, herds of horses. Shepherd booths and delicious Ayran. Only 16 km of daylight crossing.
Day 9
Hard physical work. The Chirinkol and Ullukam river valleys. 20 km of mountain trails and roads. Border formalities and ford across a mountain river. We are approaching the source of the Kuban River!
Day 10
The trail leads us to the legendary Hotu-Tau pass (1B, 3546 m), a day trip of 18 km. Pamir yaks and small gophers. The cold breath of the glaciers of Elbrus. The harsh appearance of a giant. Ligaments, cats, ice drills ... Night on the slope of the volcano.
Day 11
Traverse of the ice fields of Elbrus: blue ice, cracks, frozen waterfalls and thawed lakes. Tuff crunches underfoot. Funicular!!! Famous barrels (small mountain houses)! We hurry down ↓ to the Baksan valley. People!!! Every now and then foreigners come across - there is the opportunity to practice the language. Elbrus region! - a large tourist center. Civilization! Hotel. Festive dinner! - control yourself.
Day 12
Breakfast. Parting. Parting. Bitter regrets over the rest.