Elbrus: steep trails

Kabardino-Balkaria and one of its most amazing places - Elbrus - is rightly called a natural pearl. A minivan is the ideal vehicle for a family acquaintance with the unique landscape of this truly magical place. If an active vacation for you - a state of mind and pastimes on the beach does not fit your idea of ??a family vacation, you should consider Elbrus. For example, as a place of spring skiing and a variety of walking and even horse riding trails through the beautiful mountain landscape. Most wonderful edge of the highest mountains and surviving pines, where the radiance of the snowy peaks overshadows the flowering meadows, cut Blanker rivers and waterfalls, gleaming faces of cliffs ... All this Elbrus. A paradise for climbers, skiers and just having a rest: ski length of tens of kilometers of varying difficulty with large height differences, the routes to the glaciers and waterfalls, natural springs, the picturesque gorges, many of which do not require special training and equipment. Most faithful and efficient, in our view, a way to get to these fabulous places - a trip by car. Even though the length of the route Moscow - Mount Elbrus - Moscow is 3500 km. Preparing for the trip should begin well in advance, pre-select a hotel and book a room. Having examined the available supply, we stop at "Chyran-Azau", located approximately 150 m from glade Azau. Price is quite decent numbers in the spring of 1530 rubles per day in season (December-March), especially in the New Year holidays, the cost rises to 2,530 rubles. When choosing a hotel may be best to find it "direct" phone, as travel agencies charge for their services, 15-20%. After receiving confirmation of the hotel, quickly determined the choice of machines in favor of Volkswagen Multivan performed by United. The car, equipped with a 2.5-liter turbodiesel, working in tandem with 6-speed automatic transmission, is an ideal choice for long-distance travel in terms of comfort and efficiency. High seating, a wide range of driver seat adjustments and a 3-zone climate control allows fatigue-free travel long distances. In addition, he is capable of accommodating up to seven passengers and a large amount of luggage, including a few sets of skiing with boots, bags of clothes and other belongings road. If the space for luggage still is not enough, the rear row of seats can be moved forward, freeing up extra space. Deserves special attention shown by the manufacturer of child care. Two separate second-row seat in seconds converted into car seats by lifting cushions and the seats themselves can be easily moved in the longitudinal direction and rotated. Both adults and children are an excellent opportunity to sit around a table drawer, easily extracted from the left side of our Multivan. And, of course, pleases a large number of niches for storage in the form of drawers under the seats. Thus, about 18 hours to leave the track "Dawn" (M4), it is on this road we can drive a large part of our path. Almost in one breath, without stops and refueling, overcoming 670 km in 7 hours. Faster drive this segment of the path to Pavlovsk was not allowed to plug in the Moscow region, caused by a huge number of cars rushing by suburban villas, renovation work in the area Mikhnevo and a series of minor accidents. In Pavlovsk, Voronezh region decide to stay for a holiday in one of the numerous motels located in close proximity to the M4 highway and at some distance from it. The average price of rooms with shower is 1000 rubles. The next morning about six, had breakfast and refuel the fuel tank, keep moving. Until the evening we will have to pass more than 1000 km. Expensive by Russian standards, is quite decent. Just on the outskirts of Voronezh, and at the entrance to the Rostov Region trail disheartening abundance of potholes and repair work, where everywhere are placed signs prohibiting overtaking and the speed limit, even in places where the new asphalt is laid. In addition, these sites are generously strewn with ambushes DPS. Reaching the Krasnodar region, moving along the M29 in the direction of Tikhoretsk, Kropotkin, then drive in the Stavropol Territory and follow in the direction of Nevinnomyssk, mineral waters and Pyatigorsk. Federal Highway M29 from the Krasnodar region impresses good quality roads and low workload, allowing you to move at high speed. What is equally contributes to the diesel engine, equipped with a turbo. Inline 5-cylinder unit capacity of 131 liters. with. with a torque of 340 Nm available from 2000 rpm., operates with virtually no vibration, and offers the ultimate combination of temperament and cost. Pleases, and the fact that even when fully loaded it has quite enough power for steep climbs, and he does not feel at the same time the fuel thirst. Fuel consumption was 8.5 l/100 km. In this 6-speed automatic is a perfect combination with the motor, as gently and almost imperceptibly shifts gears, elegantly and without masking of the minor turboyamy engine. With cruise control, included in the staffing facilities, on the long straight spans expose the optimum rate, are not involved the deprivation of rights and fines, as in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territory in particular just a huge number of ambushes. And when measuring speed traffic police officers are very clever ways: it can be machine standing on the sidelines of an unmarked, fitted with a camera or a camera mounted on a tripod and standing in the bushes. In any case, after a couple of miles you are waiting with open arms. " Passing Pyatigorsk, thereby overcoming most of our route, with minor financial losses in the form of fines for traffic violations, calls in to refuel Lukoil to completely fill the tank, as gas stations that fuel the company's remaining portion of a missing. Desire to refuel at other gas stations we did not arise. In addition, local residents are strongly recommended to refuel with diesel fuel at other gas stations. Replenish stocks of diesel, enough to quickly get to the Baksan, Kabardino-Balkaria, where the leaves on the road A158, the home stretch to the foot of Mount Elbrus. The road begins with a turn in the Baksan valley towards the village Kyzburun. Left of the road rises mountain range with the same name. Following on the road - the village Zayukovo, the longest in the Kabardino-Balkaria, its length is 10 km away. On the right is visible ridge Hara-Howrah, which means "dog and pig, which received its name from the shape of its vertices. On leaving the village is a monument to "Mourning Highlander" - the memory of those killed during the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War. After passing several villages, we find ourselves in Tyrnyauz. A city with a population of just over 20 thousand people, situated at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level, is the administrative center of the Elbrus area. About 20 km from Tyrnyauz - Upper Baksan village, beyond which on either side of the road are monuments pervovoshoditelyam Elbrus, symbolizing another entry in the National Park "Elbrus". When driving on the Baksan canyon from Zayukovo and to the Upper Baksan should ride with extreme caution. At those sites, except Tyrnyauz, a large number of cows. They may be on the road, move it in the most unexpected places. Moreover, in the dark when it gets chilly, and the asphalt is still warm, some animals simply lie down on the road. Further, at a distance from each other in the 5-7 km followed by settlements Neutrinos and Elbrus. A few kilometers from the village of Elbrus road passes by the field Narzanov, where the surface there are several mineral springs. Climbing up the Baksan Gorge, pass the village Terskol where literally 2-3 miles before Polyana Azau, turn left into the parking lot. About six o'clock in the evening we reach the end point of our route. Stunning views, which we enjoyed in virtually every stretch of road through the Baksan Valley, contribute to creating a good mood. Anticipation of the week relaxing holiday with a daily riding on the slopes of Mount Elbrus helps get rid of fatigue accumulated during the trip. On the slopes of Mount Elbrus up booths modern cableway. The cost of day ski pass is 850 rubles. One-day ascent and descent for tourists - 600 rubles. To save a little, you can not buy a ticket, give 100 rubles in the hands of the inspector for each of the three transplants at rise. The first part of the cable car lift to the station "Azau (2350 m), located in a clearing Azau to" Old horizon "(3000 m). Further, after the transplant - until the station "Mir" (3500 m). In addition to the observation deck from which you can spend hours admiring the local beauties, here is the Museum of Defense of Elbrus. Various items in it a bit, but if you have time, for a purely nominal fee you can get a lot of useful and interesting information about the events that took place here during the Great Patriotic War. Nearby there is a cafe where you can eat. Even higher to the station "Gara-Bashi", another name for "Drums" (3780 m), has already raised chairlift. True, she worked for during our stay only three days, so it comes from the "World" to "snowcat". The cost of such pleasure was 300 rubles. person. During the ascent to the "Shelter 11" (4200 m) has already requested 700-800 rub. Plenty of rode, and enjoy the local beauty and climb down into the clearing Azau a bite to eat at one of the many cafes. Sufficiently dense meal of several courses, with brandy to stabilize the pressure, costs about 500 rubles. per person. You should definitely try the local dish hychiny: thin cakes, or rather, pancakes with different fillings. If you want diversity, you can go to the cafe, located at 500 m before reaching Polyana Cheget to the left of the road. There you can catch their own trout in the lake, and you cook it (price of 1000 rubles / kg). Alas, after a week of our stay in the Elbrus area of ??breathtaking view of mountain peaks and stunning ski slopes, where in some places you can ride all year round, we have to tear myself away to go way back ... Text: Alex boys photo: Alex Guy