Travel to the North Caucasus. Great trip through the Caucasus Automobile route through the Caucasus

The title sounds almost unreal, doesn't it?
Well, for those who dare and plan such trips, we are ready to share our experience.

We love to travel, but due to the addition to the family we had to refrain from doing so for a while. Summer was coming to an end and, like a breath of air, I wanted to get out somewhere, not just for a weekend in the village, but on a trip.

So, we went to Pyatigorsk. On the first day of the journey, I reached Rostov and spent the night in the stunning guest house Southern Express, for 1000 or 1500 rubles. I don’t remember what, the apartment was for 4 people, with a kitchen, shower, and refrigerator. Everything was clean and carpeted, my daughter could crawl as much as she wanted.

The next day we reached Pyatigorsk, the navigator led us around the Mineralnye Vody district in circles, and checked into the Zhit Simply hostel. The hostel does not allow children to stay, but the administration accommodated us. Of course, we agreed in advance. We were even given oilcloth for a mattress for the child! It's funny. But the place is simply amazing, cozy, and the owners are friendly. They talk about the city, where you can go, what to see. And a lot of people live. Someone met the sunrise on Elbrus the day before, shared their impressions, we listened with our mouths open. We again had a room for 4 at our hostel. Kitchen is separate. There is a toilet and shower nearby, shared by two rooms, but no one lived in the next room. Here we spend 2 nights.
So, it’s evening, having settled in, we go for a walk around the city. The first place we rush to is Mount Mashuk. We find the cable car quite quickly. There is a strong wind above, blowing through the open space, the city lights are burning below, the sun is rapidly setting. We have time to take a walk at the top and walk a little along the tourist trail with signs for the city panorama. Elbrus is visible in the distance.

The next day, in the morning, we walk through the mineral water pump rooms and try narzans. Then we move to the famous Proval - a cave with a mineral lake. We get around the city by car, but we are very lazy. Then we bathe in shameless baths. I liked this action the most in Pyatigorsk and was very impressed! Imagine, on the slope of the mountain on which Pyatigorsk is located, a stream of white limestone hot mineral water flows, forming a cascade of baths. The higher the bath, the hotter the water. She is so hot that it is difficult to even put her hand in there. But the lower, the more comfortable. And there are people sitting in the bathtubs. We climbed into one of the spacious recesses, we all settled down there together and lay around and played. It was a lot of fun. Then we went to try the hottest containers. I managed to lie in one of them when my body got used to the degrees. It is very nice.

Mineral lake in Proval

We are going to have lunch at the hostel and after lunch we plan to explore some of the sights of neighboring resort towns.

Essentuki

We examine the Statue of Christ in the Temple complex.

And the Drinking Gallery was closed for a break. But we walked around the sanatorium park.

Kislovodsk

We arrive in the evening and walk around the park. Oh, how big and dark it is, perennial trees, damp evenings on the paths, a lot of people. We also go to the drinking gallery and try different types of water.

And in the evening of the same day, my brother and I decided to wander around Pyatigorsk. In the light of the lanterns, the city is completely different, it is difficult to recognize it and easy to get lost, especially in the resort area, where there are many parks and paths. But the city seems very cozy and inviting. The paths are lined with lanterns, but not the mountains around or the buildings; it’s difficult to imagine the whole picture surrounding you. We wandered somewhere with a crazy view of the city. And when you looked up you saw the rotunda in the evening illumination.

Now I’m wondering how it was possible to visit and see all this in one day, and even with a 10-month-old baby?
Yes, we need to tell you that traveling with a child is a difficult choice, not everyone will decide to make it. But we are a traveling family, we are used to doing everything clearly and smoothly regarding trips. I looked a lot for information about traveling with kids, but everyone has their own tricks. We are now looking at photos from this trip with her, and she is very happy to see herself in dark glasses on the slopes of Elbrus. And we are all proud that we were able, decided and went all the way together.

The next day in the morning, after the second night in Pyatigorsk, we visited the shameless baths again, they were too good! Next, according to the plan, is a daring journey, first to the Chegem waterfalls, and then along the “not very drawn” road on the maps to arrive straight to Terskol. We learned about the road from the forums during preparation; it leads along mountain passes, and not along the highway, and at the same time allows you to save about an hour of travel and is passable for cars. But the main thing is that you can see the beauty of the mountains. We weren’t driving along it alone, some family with two children was walking ahead, we saw them on the Chegemskiye, and now they were traveling along our route, just like us, to Elbrus.
Cheremsky waterfalls, despite their popularity and pop appeal, impressed us. So much water is pouring from above, it splashes you, the river is seething below, two steps away. You can also go up to the observation platform.

The seething river Chegem

Chegem Gorge. The walls fit very close to each other.

Mountain road.

Elbrus

By the time the cable car opens, we are already ready at the first line of cabins. Let's go up. I'm scared! Unusual, high! The booths are still closed, protected from ultraviolet radiation, so there’s nothing to be afraid of yet, but it’s still scary. And the scale of the mountains is impressive. Having reached the station, when the chairlifts begin, we dress in jackets and dress our daughter in a snowsuit. We are all already wearing black glasses, including our daughter. The glasses were secured under her hat, she didn’t even try to take them off, she smiled at us. And the worst thing is ahead - a single chairlift. At first I thought of staying downstairs. But the cable car workers said that everything was fine. Yes, everyone around said there was nothing to be afraid of. The child was secured in our carrier very securely, I myself sewed the shoulder straps at home with an additional strap, just to make sure everything was secure. Let's go. Mountain wind, you can feel the height, the heaviness of your body, your breathing. It's an unreal feeling at the top. We climbed to an altitude of about 4800-5000 m.

In the evening we return to Kislovodsk.
Our journey through the North Caucasus is like the sun with rays. The center is the KVM, and there are many rays - branches: Elbrus, Dombay, Arkhyz, Djily-su, you always need to return to the center to go somewhere else.
In Kislovodsk we again have two nights in a guest house.

Let's go to Djily-su

This phrase means warm water. Mineral springs, including healing ones, at the northern foot of Elbrus. Crowds of locals and tourists come here, a large tent camp has been set up. In recent years, the difficult-to-pass dirt road has been turned into asphalt; for entering the territory they charge 100 rubles per car and 50 rubles per person. The road is difficult in terms of serpentines, ascents and descents. You get tired more than you enjoy.

Here he is gray-headed Elbrus

We stop to rest and pose

Here are the difficult sections of the road

On a picnic, relaxing

When we arrived, we had a picnic, fried chicken with pasta, ate watermelon and went... And there is plenty of walking here... We went to the silver spring, which flows only a few weeks a year in August, the water is considered healing. It cannot be said that the path was long, it was very long, it led through ups and downs, we crossed the river, climbed to the pass. We gazed at the shine of Elbrus. We thought we were almost there, but the scale of the valley that opened did not fit into the usual calculations on flat terrain. But overall it was amazing. This place is far from civilization; there is nothing here except trails. There is a special smell of grass, water, delicious air, indescribable sky and mountains around. Here gophers run underfoot and bask in the sun.

We cross the river ford.

That same spring flows down there. The UAZ of the medical service fills 5-liter bottles with water; they probably have 50 bottles.

People swim in the Silver Spring, the water is icy.

We return to the main camp.

There is a scary bridge ahead, this time we did not take a shortcut, we followed the well-known path.

I couldn’t walk across the bridge standing, it was scary.

Sultan Waterfall.

Returning from the silver spring to the tent camp, we still walked to the largest waterfall here, it was located in the abyss. Then we went back to Kislovodsk.

Dombay, Teberda

We leave for Dombay.
Climbing Mussa-Achitara. And our mistake was that we arrived late, when the cable car was closed. We only walked for about 10 minutes at the very top.
We could put it off until the morning. But in the morning an even more daring journey awaited us. On foot. To the Alibek waterfall.
I remember and am actually surprised how and with what strength we overcame all this, but I so wanted to go and move forward, not to sit idle for a minute!
We need to tell you about the place where we stayed in Teberda. Ski hotel Rostovchanka. In summer it is deserted here, we were the only guests. But it’s a very pleasant atmosphere. In winter, it’s probably very soulful here among fellow skiers.

The next day there was trekking. It was, of course, physically difficult, but actually very cool and interesting. We were even stopped by border guards in the border zone. But we issued passes from the forester at the start of the route. Don't forget your passports, gentlemen!

This is the view from the ski lift. The landscapes are very different from the Elbrus region. There were steppes, and here there were dense forests.

And we climbed Mussa-Achitara.

The baby is tightly strapped to me.

The next day we went to Alibek waterfall.

Against the backdrop of a waterfall.

Valley of the Alibek River.

After spending the second night in Rostovchanka, we headed towards Tuapse, along the way we saw a couple of sights along the highway route. The Shaonin temple was very impressive.

And the Shaumyan Pass, white with dust, on which the Sword stands. The Inch of the Earth monument also evokes a storm of emotions. Each capsule contains a piece of Russian land, on which Soviet soldiers stood to the death, defending our land from the Nazis and not allowing the enemy to reach the Black Sea.

An inch of the Earth.

Shaumyan pass.

Tuapse

At every step there is a reminder that fierce battles were once fought here and heroic places are everywhere.
Well, in general, if we had known in advance, we would have stayed in Dombay, there are so many paths untrodden by us. But the sea is boring and there are a lot of people.

We spent three nights here, one in Tuapse and two in the village of Lermontovo, instead of the four planned, and went home, arriving unexpectedly quickly, without even getting up for the night. At 6 we left Lermontovo near Dzhubga, at 23-30 we were home.
Yes, I was impressed by the fogging of the glass outside on the way! When we emerged from behind the hills separating the Black Sea from the plain, and the sun shone on us, the air temperature changed in a split second, the glass fogged up instantly until visibility completely disappeared. But the wipers coped with it. At first, out of habit, it seemed that the glass was sweating from the inside.

Separately, it is necessary to say about traveling with a baby. For many, it is difficult to even imagine a multi-hour trip, let alone imagine multi-day trips.
Therefore, not much information and useful tips were found during preparation.
The main thing is that we had planned overnight stays, where we could calmly cook food, wash ourselves, relax, and wash things. Secondly, we had all the food with us, we didn’t waste time on shopping, well, of course we went, but much less often than we could have. We had plenty of drinking water with us. There are also medications for any occasion, but, thank God, they were not needed. Also, each member of the expedition did his job clearly. It was very good that my brother was with us, he helped a lot. Either you need to run to the car to get something, or you need to look after the baby. Also, ergonomically stowed luggage is a big plus. Snacks, water, children's things and a children's snack were in the cabin, and the rest of the things were in boxes and containers in the trunk in their places.
The route was also clearly worked out, the approximate travel time, getting to the objects, the inspection time was calculated in advance, thought out several times, laid out - in general, the trip plan was drawn up long and meticulously, thanks to which we received a lot of pleasant impressions and memories.

Autoexpedition "Caucasus Unknown"

On the slope of Mount Elbrus

This trip cannot be called anything other than a crazy adventure. A few months ago, in the fall of 2017, I went as part of the crew on the “Unknown Caucasus” automobile expedition to the southern regions of our country. Why is the journey crazy? What else can you call a thirty-day car trip with two small children so far away?! Not a pleasure ride, but a real trip in rally mode - eight thousand kilometers, a whole month on the road.

Already on the road, I asked myself the same question more than once: why did I do this? An intense research expedition, full of risk and uncertainty, in a wild rhythm, when you only have time to unpack your bags and children at night, and the next morning you are on the road again. Only flashing road signs, steppes, sunrises, sunsets and new mountains...

And the answer is on the surface. Six years on maternity leave is like seven in Tibet! Perhaps this expedition is the only opportunity to escape from the monotonous life of the capital’s metropolis, to see unusual Russia, such regions as Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia. Finally, just spend time with the kids and husband, combining racing with work.

Start of the road expedition "Unknown Caucasus". Moscow, Vorobyovy Gory. 09.21.2017

The second crew consisted of a married couple of Muscovites, beginning pensioners with a cheerful disposition, Andrey and Alla. The start of the road expedition was postponed for a long time and eventually took place on September 21, the day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The entire trip took place under Her protection. Surprisingly, during the entire time there was not a single car breakdown (not counting the second tire that was broken twice), no poisoning (which often accompanies travel), no colds in children, and not even a single serious quarrel.

City of Five Mountains

After two days of tiring travel, we found ourselves in the Stavropol Territory. Pyatigorsk is the most attractive city of the Caucasian Mineral Waters. We arrived at the hotel long after midnight, and first thing in the morning we started looking out of the windows for the famous mountains Mashuk and Beshtau. By the way, Beshtau is translated from Turkic as “five mountains” (or “five peaks”) - hence the name of the city.

At the foot of Mount Beshtau

Having rested slightly after the two-day race and only having upset the children with the catchphrase of the entire expedition “we will not return to this house,” we went to the city. Our guide was Larisa Logvinenko, head of the “Caucasian Pilgrim” service of the Pyatigorsk and Circassian diocese.

I wanted to leisurely wander through the old streets of Pyatigorsk, as Griboedov, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Glinka, Lermontov, Chaliapin once walked along them. Try to imagine the era of the 19th century, the former townspeople and numerous vacationers, drink mineral water, admire nature. But, unfortunately, only one day was allocated to this piece of paradise in our schedule.

Ostap Bender, the hero of the novel by Ilf and Petrov, while chasing twelve chairs, made an excellent advertisement for one of the local attractions. Lake Proval and the cave of the same name inside Mount Mashuk. At Proval, the great schemer took money from Soviet workers for entry - so that “Proval would not fail too much.” But today you can see the cave lake completely free of charge; in front of the entrance, visitors are greeted by a chair and a sculpture of Ostap Bender.

Lake Proval in Pyatigorsk

Having traveled around Mount Mashuk, we found the place of the duel and death of M.Yu. Lermontov. Walking near the brick church to the old cemetery, Larisa Logvinenko showed the poet’s original burial. Later his grandmother E.A. Arsenyeva insisted that the ashes of her grandson be transported to the Penza region - to the family estate of the Lermontov family in the village of Tarkhany.

When his life was cut short, Mikhail Yuryevich was only 27 years old - quite a mature age at that time to have already written dozens of poetic masterpieces and entered the history of world literature. I'm 28 now. What have I managed to do over the years? The feeling that life is just beginning...

Place of the duel M.Yu. Lermontov. Pyatigorsk

The children whining from fatigue in the back seat suddenly quickly returned from thoughts about the meaning of life to reality. Without having time to enjoy Pyatigorsk and without even tasting the water from the famous mineral springs, we rushed on - to meet Elbrus!

To the top of Europe

Mount Elbrus is the highest point in Europe (height 5642 meters) - located on the border of Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. Several years ago, my husband Sasha “fell ill” with the mountains, and the dream of climbing to the top settled in his heart. And the route of our road expedition just passed through Kabardino-Balkaria, near Elbrus.

Turning right near Nalchik from the main highway, the cars in the evening twilight went deeper into the gorge of the Baksan River. The river itself could not be seen in the darkness, only somewhere nearby one could hear the menacing roar of a stream running from the mountains. The unfamiliar night road was fraught with many dangers: either a cow or a horse would run out of the darkness, or at a turn in the mountain serpentine the roadway would suddenly disappear, ending in a cliff... Where until recently there had been asphalt pavement, now there were temporary fences, behind which water seethed among the stones and rubble . Warning signs indicating road works are in progress and a detour sign.

I immediately remembered that a few days before our start, a natural disaster occurred in Kabardino Balkaria: a mudflow came down from the mountains in the Baksan Gorge, bridges were flooded, several sections of the only highway were demolished and destroyed. But we were able to see the consequences of the disaster only in the light of the next day.

Consequences of a mudflow. Kabardino-Balkaria

On the Baksan River. Consequences of the mudflow

Consequences of a mudflow in the Baksan Gorge

We arrived for the night, as always, in deep darkness, and in the morning we were awakened by the same noise of the Baksan River and the mooing of cows. Mountains were looking at us from the hotel windows!

Do you know Edvard Grieg's "Morning" suite? It was this melody that sounded in my head when I went out onto the balcony. The majesty of the mountains and green meadows, horses and cows grazing in the distance, the music of nature, unusual for a city dweller - fatigue gave way to delight.

Baksan River. Kabardino-Balkaria, Cheget.

The second crew (our friends Alla and Andrey), in order to get away from the grueling race, went to wander along the picturesque banks of Baksan, and the children and I went to the village of Azau. Here the road ends and the mountain of dreams - Elbrus - begins. Having found a cable car station in Azau, while the weather permitted, we jumped into the lift cabin without hesitation.

A spacious cable car car takes everyone up to an altitude of 3200. There were impressionable tourists with cameras, and tough, athletic people with large backpacks with ice axes peeking out of them. You immediately feel respect for such daredevils, and even envy - these guys are not here for a picnic, but to conquer the peak.

After walking at an altitude of 3200, we saw the second chair lift. Then there are no more cabins; you can climb to an altitude of 3800 only on single chairs. Having distributed the children among us in our arms, we drove up, even closer to the sun. Those 10 minutes of the final climb were very intense. You are flying above the clouds, volcanic rocks and an abyss are under your feet, and the life of your child is in your hands.

And here it is Elbrus, two snow-white heads! We are on its southern slope, altitude 3800 meters. It seems that the closest peak to us - the Eastern - is just a stone's throw away, you can take an easy walk, it can be reached on foot in an hour. But you soon begin to feel that there is much less oxygen here, and every 10 meters at this altitude require completely different efforts.

Western and Eastern peaks of Elbrus. View from the southern slope

The children immediately began to feel sleepy - we were warned that this was the first sign of altitude sickness. If you notice drowsiness, children should be taken downstairs immediately - this is not something to joke about! After quickly drinking hot tea with chocolate above the clouds in the only cafe-trailer (to cheer up) and admiring the breathtaking views of the Caucasus Range and the double-headed Elbrus, we quickly went down.

Elbrus tea party. 3600 meters

“A smart person won’t get ahead”

According to the proverb, “a smart person can walk around a mountain.” But we do not claim this title. Having seen Elbrus, my husband and I decided to climb. Without training or mountaineering skills, just enthusiasm. If you don’t climb to the top itself, then at least try...

Leaving the children with Alla and Andrey from the second crew, Sasha and I went on an acclimatization hike to the Maiden Spit waterfall and the Elbrus observatory "Terskol Peak" (3100 meters).

What am I doing, where am I going, why? To be honest, I went on this risky adventure not at all out of love for the mountains, but rather because it was a super-unusual date! In Moscow there is somehow no time for this: work, obligations, five children. And here - just the two of us, among the clouds and harsh mountains, and even testing ourselves and our strengths. In a word, romance.

After the first acclimatization hike (these training climbs are required to adapt the body to the lack of oxygen at altitude), having rented backpacks, warm clothes and climbing equipment, we again climbed the cable car to a height of 3800, and did not descend.

Here the romance ended and the harsh mountaineering life began. A modest bed in a cool trailer, a high-altitude “country” toilet (a wooden cabin, drafty from all sides and hovering on the edge of an abyss above a thousand-year-old glacier), heavy felt boots with metal crampons, a ski mask from the blinding sun, an awkward down jacket and oversized trousers.

“You won’t wear them to a disco,” they explained at the rental office, “just to stay warm; there can be a very strong wind on the Elbrus Col.”

Here you no longer look around, enjoying the beauty of the universe, you don’t hear the birds singing (and they are no longer at this height) - here you only hear the beating of your heart. Or rather, you feel tachycardia, shortness of breath and other symptoms of approaching mountain sickness.

The next acclimatization climb was to an altitude of 4200, past the Shelter of Eleven (burnt down in 1998) to the Emergency Ministry station (orange trailer) and the monument to the dead climbers (a rock above a cliff, to which many signs with names, photographs and dates are nailed).

Emergency Ministry station on the southern slope of Elbrus

Rock monument to fallen climbers. Shelter of Eleven

Apparently, this time we took the pace too hard... After such a load, my body groaned: “Come to your senses, you’re a mother, turn back! Here you have a pulse of 120 and wild pain in your stomach.”

This was the end of my ascent to Elbrus - which, by the way, made the rest of our expedition members very happy. Still, physically I was absolutely not ready for such an ascent and my body needed much more time to acclimatize.

However, I didn’t have a dream to conquer the mountain, I just wanted adventure - and I got it. But my husband, Alexander Egortsev, stayed on the mountain and, despite the difficulties, still climbed to the top. He strived for this, dreamed of the peak for many months - and he visited there, saw the world from Elbrus, from a height of 5642. Probably, for him this was his own feat.

This, of course, is not Everest, but our great Caucasian “five-thousander” cannot be underestimated either. Every year people die on Elbrus: someone leaves the path and falls into ice cracks, someone, caught in crampons, stumbles and flies down the icy slope into the local “corpse dump”, someone lacks oxygen, has an attack of altitude sickness, fainting or the body simply cannot withstand the load - but help does not have time. But anyone who has visited such mountains at least once will never be able to remain indifferent to them. Even with the passage of time, these mountains cannot be forgotten!

Eastern peak and Saddle of Elbrus. View from the slope of the Western Peak

Alexander Egortsev on the top of Elbrus. 5642 meters

On the Western peak of Elbrus

While some people stormed the top, our children managed to climb all the stones and rocks around the hotel in a few days. “We conquered Mount Elbrus!” - the six-year-old daughter screamed, climbing onto another rock. A two-year-old son, climbing a pile of human-sized boulders, proudly repeated after his sister: “Mount Babus!”
And now, looking at these photographs, I again and again return in my memory to those days on the highest mountain in Europe...

"We conquered Mount Babus!.."

Descent from the top of Elbrus. Oblique shelf, height 5200

Dagestan

After such a storm of emotions, I wanted to rest, turn back to Moscow, and put the final point on our trip. But it was not there. Directly from Elbrus we go to Dagestan. Again the road, hundreds of kilometers in the car, we arrive in Makhachkala at the place of spending the night, as usual, late at night.

“Mom, we live in a palace,” my daughter marvels in the morning, waking up. Yes, indeed, the building of the Spiritual and Educational Center at the Assumption Cathedral looks more like a palace inside. This will be our home for the next week.

In the first days, I admit, it was scary to leave the church walls in a Muslim city. But one of the tasks of a road expedition is not to sit in comfort and warmth, but to get out of your comfort zone and explore new places, the atmosphere of unfamiliar republics.

Assumption Cathedral of Makhachkala. Dagestan

The next morning, leaving us in Makhachkala, my husband left at dawn alone by car for Kizlyar - the consecration of the new Holy Cross Church was to take place there. Meanwhile, I, taking the children in my arms, went to the bus stop to try to get to the city center and the Caspian Sea embankment by public transport.

I’m standing on the highway and don’t know which minibus to take or who to ask. A girl passes by with two children, dressed in traditional Muslim clothing, and I address her. The young mother willingly and kindly explains how to get there, specially waits with me for our minibus, having boarded us, asks the driver not to forget to drop off the tourists at the right point. There are no seats on the minibus, only women sit; To pay for the fare, you need to take off your backpack, but both hands are occupied with children.

“Let me hold the children,” “oh, give me the backpack, it’s heavy,” - before I had time to realize how my children were taken from hand to hand. “You should go out now, we have such a beautiful park, the sea is nearby, the kids will love it.” Here we are. And even if October is “off-season”, the sea and sand are always relevant!

The whole day passed in an unusually joyful and complacent mood. “And what a hospitable city it turned out to be,” I told my husband about our adventures in the evening, while simultaneously checking messages on social networks... And only then, among the mail, I saw either advice or a threat from some unfamiliar Makhachkala Russophobe: “Leave while It's not too late! Here's to you, grandma, and St. George's Day...

The mood, of course, instantly deteriorated. I became especially worried about the children - after all, we are here in full view of everyone... Of course, I immediately wanted to drop everything and leave as quickly as possible.

But there is no need to panic. Tomorrow we already have a task from Archbishop Varlaam of Makhachkala and Grozny - early in the morning they are waiting for us in Kizlyar at the annual religious procession.

Procession of the Cross in Kizlyar

From Makhachkala to Kizlyar it is 150 kilometers, we leave at 6 am with the first rays of sun. Kizlyar is considered the most Russian city in Dagestan, and the Orthodox religious procession is a unique and large-scale event for the entire republic. Several thousand people take part in the procession, many with children and strollers, Russian grandmothers with sticks, but also many young people.

Along with everyone else, I and my children are walking in a two-kilometer-long column, looking at the local townspeople with interest. At first you somehow want to get lost in the crowd, hunch over and close yourself off from the many eyes. “What are we, Orthodox Christians, doing here, surrounded by Muslims? They simply reek of hostility,” anxious thoughts rush through my head in a swarm. “We need to pray, harder, we can’t show our fear,” I decide. “Why am I so slouched, why am I afraid to be myself?” - the initial mental confusion gradually goes away somewhere, peace and joy appear from the solemnity of the event. I straighten my back, start smiling - and suddenly I notice that there is no hostility in the eyes of passers-by and spectators!

Local Dagestanis, Muslims, along with their children, poured out into the streets, looking at the Orthodox religious procession with interest and curiosity, some even waving their hands and greeting their acquaintances. It’s amazing how sometimes we project our own feelings and fears onto the surrounding reality, behind our “blinders” without noticing the really friendly attitude towards us from other people. As they say, all problems are in our heads.

Our religious procession ends at St. George's Church. The children sit on a hill near the church, near the eight-pointed Orthodox cross, and have a well-deserved rest. Festive tables are set near the temple, and everyone who comes is treated to porridge, pies and tea.

Probably, somewhere among hundreds of these people, Vera, Nadezhda, Lyudmila, Vera and the strange beggar Irina stood next to us - we did not yet know them by sight. Then it was difficult to even imagine that literally a few months later, on Forgiveness Sunday, a terrorist attack would be carried out near this very church in Kizlyar, five women leaving the service would be shot point-blank with a gun by a young non-human who burst into the church yard. Surely, we walked in this procession with them, then drank tea and pies on the church steps... And then we saw their faces in the obituary. They will be buried near their native temple, for whose loyalty they suffered.

After Kizlyar there was also ancient Derbent (a city more than two thousand years old) and the beautiful Sulak Canyon with the Chirkey hydroelectric power station. Having traveled a lot around Dagestan, I realized that we still know very little about this amazing republic, and television does not give any objective picture at all.

We were leaving Dagestan. The children clung to the car windows, saying goodbye to the seaside city they loved so much. “Mukhachkala!” said the daughter.

Ingushetia
On October 14 we arrived in the city of Sunzha. In the New Sinai Monastery on this day there was a patronal feast - the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. The Liturgy was served by the Archbishop of Makhachkala and Grozny. Our leaders Oksana Tikhomirova (president of the Orthodox Initiatives Foundation) and Dmitry Barannikov (director of the Caucasus - House of Peace center) also flew from Moscow to the celebrations. After the religious procession, seeing the participants of the auto expedition in the Church of the Intercession, Bishop Varlaam came up to us and blessed everyone for their further journey.

With Archbishop Varlaam and President of the Orthodox Initiatives Foundation Oksana Tikhomirova

“Since you find yourself in Ingushetia, it would be good for you to go to the mountains to the ancient temple of Thaba-Erda,” the archbishop advised. At the request of the head of the Makhachkala diocese, we were given a police car to accompany us, and immediately after the service we rushed along the Assinovsky gorge to the Dzheirakhsky district.

The road twisted along serpentines along the river, and the children, rocked to sleep, immediately fell asleep. They are already so tired that they will end up sleeping in the back seat for the entire trip through mountainous Ingushetia. They will wake up only in the evening, again in the Sunzhensky New Sinai Monastery.

The Dzheirakhsky mountain reserve is the pearl of Ingushetia, and, probably, the entire North Caucasus. Here we saw for the first time many ancient towers, abandoned villages turned into open-air museums, entire tower complexes surrounded by the peaks of the Caucasus ridge.

Tower complex "Egikal". Ingushetia

On one of the slopes behind the Russian border post, we finally saw the goal of our trip - an ancient Georgian temple called Thaba-Erdy. They say it was built back in the 10th century. It does not immediately catch your eye; outwardly it has a very laconic architecture. And only when you come closer, peering at the stonework and wall bas-reliefs, do you begin to realize the greatness of this ancient Christian monument in the mountains of the North Caucasus.

Christian temple of Thaba-Erda. Ingushetia

In the City of Angels. North Ossetia

North Ossetia, Beslan. There is probably no person in Russia in whose heart the tragedy of 2004 has not resonated. Families then went to the school assembly on the first day of autumn: worried fathers and mothers, timid first-graders, high school students inspired by hopes. The joy of the holiday gave way to horror, pain, fear, death. Militants captured school No. 1 - more than 1,100 people were taken hostage. More than three hundred people died, including 186 children.

Ruins of school No. 1, gym premises. Beslan

After 13 years, we enter the City of Angels with our young children. It's almost midnight and it's drizzling. “City of Angels” is a memorial cemetery on the outskirts of Beslan. Endless rows of granite tombstones. Everyone's date of birth is different, but the date of death is the same. Families lie in this cemetery. One, two, three, four graves with the same surnames - the whole family. In one of the photographs there is a three-year-old child: he apparently came to see his older brother or sister off to school. On another grave there is a photo of an elderly woman - a teacher or someone’s grandmother...

We wander between the graves, peering into the faces. Night time is not the best time to visit the cemetery. A security guard is heading towards us, apparently we are already tense, waiting for someone to reprimand us. “Here, I want to give your children toys,” the watchman suddenly turns to us. “Thank you for the memory.” And gives our kids plush animals.

I can’t even believe that death walked in these forests - nature greets us so joyfully now. But you can’t relax, it’s better not to turn off the path. Who knows what other “surprises” this land has kept since the war; there may still be mines or forgotten tripwires somewhere. Echo of war.

Memorial service at the site of the execution of warrior Yevgeny Rodionov. Chechnya, Bamut

On the banks of the Fortanga River. Chechnya, Bamut

Georgian Military Road

At the end of each week of our trip, already quite tired, I prepared to go home. But each time another great bummer awaited me - the expedition suddenly changed direction and continued on.

In Vladikavkaz, I had already begun to finally pack my bags to return to Moscow, but on the way out, my adventurer-husband suddenly saw a road sign for Tbilisi. It turns out that from here to the border with Georgia is just a stone's throw away. Moscow is almost 1800 kilometers away, while Tbilisi is only 198, 10 times less, several hours away.

Of course, we turned around and rushed into the Daryal Gorge on the famous Georgian Military Road. The last push, heading towards Tbilisi.

Temple of the Holy Archangels on the Georgian Military Road

We crossed the border in the late afternoon and immediately began looking for accommodation for the night. Ahead is the Georgian village of Stepantsminda. Suddenly, outside the car window, Kazbek’s snow-white cap appeared among the mountain walls, and even in the rays of the setting sun!

With delight, all fatigue instantly disappeared. It’s just that it’s gotten very cold outside, it’s heading towards winter, but our clothes from Moscow are light, autumn clothes. But we will solve all these problems tomorrow, and now go to sleep...

Trinity Church on the top and Mount Kazbek. Georgia

In the morning we did not recognize Stepantsminda. All around is white-white, snow, blizzard. Kazbek was gone, and there was a hurricane wind.

We hastily have breakfast and load into the car. We have only two options: either back to the border in Russia, or take the risk and try, despite the snowstorm, to jump over the Cross Pass to Tbilisi. Let's choose the second one. But the road is very slippery, it gets more and more swept away every minute, and the tires on our wheels are still summer - it’s unlikely that we will be able to overcome the Cross Pass.

Along the side of the road, dozens of trucks and trucks have already stood up tightly in the snowdrifts. Before the main ascent to the serpentines, the police block the road - only rare cars and jeeps with special chains attached to the wheels are allowed through. So what, turn back? But there is no way back down, it’s not visible, it’s snowy.

A Georgian comes up to us and offers to rent two chains for the front wheels for 5,000 rubles and follow him further, forward and upward. Madness, of course. But since I’ve already taken up the tug, don’t say it’s not great! It’s good, after all, that there is a well-functioning system for renting accessories for extreme driving. Go!

On the Krestovy pass. Georgian Military Road

In 30 days of travel, 8,000 kilometers were covered. A month in hotels, a month in a car, difficult travel, mountain serpentines, fatigue and the whims of children - all this will soon be forgotten. And impressions, unique nature, new friends and acquaintances, bright emotions and a charge of joy, fullness of life - all this will remain in memory. And for a long time we will dream about this expedition “The Unknown Caucasus”, and in the conversations of our children familiar names will sound - “Mukhachkala” and “Mount Babus”.

Maria EGORTSEVA
Photo by Alexander EGORTSEV

The “Unknown Caucasus” auto expedition was conducted from September to December 2017 by the Orthodox Initiatives Foundation with the support of the Presidential Grants Foundation. The organizational partner of the project is the Makhachkala Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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The Caucasus means a lot to me! While still at school, during an excursion trip to the Elbrus region, I saw real mountains for the first time. The impregnable teeth of Kogutai, the harsh northern wall of Donguz and the ice caps of the giant Elbrus surrounded us on all sides. High in the sky, glaciers sparkled in the sun, the tops of pine trees rustled in the wind, and Baksan gurgled nearby. Three years after this trip, having graduated from the tenth grade of school, I went on my first mountain hike and became completely sick of the mountains, and in 2011, leaving noisy Moscow, my wife and I moved to live in Sochi and now we ourselves live in the Caucasus. This page contains links to all of my 70 hikes and trips around the Caucasus (mainly in the vicinity of Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana) that I have managed to make in recent years.

The Caucasus means a lot to me! While still at school, during an excursion trip to the Elbrus region, I saw real mountains for the first time. The impregnable teeth of Kogutai, the harsh northern wall of Donguz and the ice caps of the giant Elbrus surrounded us on all sides. High in the sky, glaciers sparkled in the sun, the tops of pine trees rustled in the wind, and Baksan gurgled nearby.

Three years after this trip, having graduated from the tenth grade of school, I went on my first mountain hike and became completely sick of the mountains, and in 2011, leaving noisy Moscow, my wife and I moved to live in Sochi and now we ourselves live in the Caucasus.

For ease of search, hikes are grouped by type: # , # , # , # , # , # .

Multi-day hikes and climbs

Since I have been living in Sochi for almost five years, almost all of my hikes in the Caucasus begin from Krasnaya Polyana. The Western Caucasus is very beautiful, friendly, safe and comfortable. In addition to Polyana, sometimes I go to the Elbrus region, and I plan to study Arkhyz, Dombay and other regions of the Central Caucasus. I hope that after reading my stories, you will also want to see these beautiful mountains with your own eyes!

Region - Abkhazia | Duration - 4 days | Length - 52 km. | Elevation gain +3400 m | Route difficulty - high

The dream of going to Agepsta - the highest peak of all the mountains visible from Krasnaya Polyana arose from the very first day we moved to live in Sochi. While hiking in the surrounding mountains, it is impossible not to pay attention to this beautiful peak, which threateningly breaks off with powerful rocks towards the Mzymta gorge!

Day hikes in the vicinity of Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana

Logistics when it comes to day hikes are very important. I don’t really want to waste time getting to the mountains. In our country, and whatever, even in the vast expanses of the former USSR, there are not many cities where you can live in the mountains with only one day at your disposal. Alma-Ata, Irkutsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yalta and, of course, Sochi! Thanks to the Olympic construction of the new railway, Krasnaya Polyana has become even closer. You can get from the center of Sochi to the beginning of the routes leading to the alpine peaks of the Greater Caucasus in an hour to an hour and a half by public transport!

Bicycle trips in the vicinity of Sochi

The spurs of the Caucasus Mountains, forested hills descending to the shores of the Black Sea, are ideal places for cycling adventures! An extensive network of dirt and asphalt roads makes numerous passes, canyons and waterfalls accessible to cyclists. At the height of summer, July - August is very hot, so my favorite time for cycling is spring and autumn. From mid-April to early June is an excellent time for pre-season general physical training before serious mountain hikes and at the same time the flowering season, and the end of September - November is the season of a warm and comfortable “golden autumn”.

Hiking with little Sasha

The first time we took our son Sasha on a hike was when he was 3 months old. Now he is already 3 years old, and of course he doesn’t sit at home, but goes camping with his dad and mom! In the first year and a half, he, of course, did not “walk”, but only traveled in a special backpack-carrying bag, but already at two years and three months he not only went to his first mountain hike with overnight stays in tents, but even climbed his first mountain peak at a height of 2800 meters!

Travel to the North Caucasus

All my adult life, to the best of my ability and ability, I have been traveling and doing active tourism. I have been to various “mountainous” corners of the country, including (almost 30 years ago) the Caucasus.

This year, the anniversary was already approaching, and, perhaps, the only gift for these days was my desire not to go to a boring job, to take time off and, at least trivially, at home, drink vodka and get plenty of sleep. However, the wife decided everything differently. It turns out that she thought through everything in advance, saved money for a long time, studied the Internet and the possibilities of going somewhere together. And she gave me one of the most wonderful gifts of my life. She gave me the CAUCASUS!

Caucasus with the CTO regime. The Caucasus, which has recently become synonymous with terrorism. Here, the day before, taxi drivers were killed, they tried to blow someone up, and somewhere in the outskirts, brothers from another gang were killed. And the Caucasus highway was blocked with impassable snow.

The plan that my wife initiated me into looked very much like an adventure. I couldn’t help but remember “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, Zhilin and Kostylin, the brick factories of Dagestan, Budennovsk and Buinaksk - and everything in the same spirit, all in one pile, in one piggy bank of doubts. But, as you know, there is a simple principle in martial arts: “If you are not sure, take a step forward.” And we did it, informing our parents (so as not to worry) that we were going to ski not in the North Caucasus, but in the Southern Urals, in Bashkiria. And now - an airbus, flight Salekhard - Moscow, Kazansky station and a well-maintained train to Vladikavkaz, smoothly carrying us into the night. And a cozy, modern carriage, where, as a bonus, you get food, mineral water, a bag with toiletries, soap, toothpaste, a brush, and here... disposable and almost white slippers...

Early morning, Mineralnye Vody station. Right at the carriage we are met by Sharapi, the driver of the Gazelle, who is supposed to take us to our destination. After 3 hours of driving along a corridor illuminated by headlights, on the sides of which from the darkness one can see silhouettes of trees, then some kind of small settlements, or bridges that cross the Baksan River countless times; After ascents and descents that make our ears slightly stuffy, we are at our Virage hotel. Cozy glowing letters of the name. It’s dark all around, and maybe only with some almost unconscious feeling does one feel the presence of something big and significant nearby.

I feel that from the height – out of habit – I am slightly “led”. The hotel has a simple, homely atmosphere. Magomed Proud (Zalikhanov) treats us to coffee.

The criterion for choosing this hotel by us (that is, my beloved wife!) was its proximity to the slope and ski lifts, and reasonable prices. What is very important is that they serve food here not according to a schedule, but at any time - from 8 am to 12 midnight, so we are free to choose not only the menu, but also the daily routine and food regimen ourselves. And the food here is not only “local”, it is very tasty and satisfying. Portions prepared here and from natural products are large and inexpensive. Magomed, with a broad gesture, announces to us the rule: - if you don’t like the food, you don’t have to pay for it!

I look out the window - it’s already dawn. And suddenly, like an avalanche, a feeling of delight and real happiness covers me, which, even now - in memories - does not let me go. I see something that I have not seen before in the darkness of the early morning. I see MOUNTAINS!

Further in my report, I plan to limit myself to only relatively brief explanations of the photographs (which are actually 20 times more than I post). But why then am I so verbose now? “I’m just analyzing what happened and trying to understand myself.” In this suddenly surging and never letting go of grace and euphoria that descended on me that morning. This is really important to me.

Yes, I probably subconsciously wanted to return to the Caucasus for a long time. Many of the names of the mountains, hiking and mountaineering routes along them are familiar to me. I dreamed of visiting them, but it never happened. Yes, this is a return to the land of my youthful dreams.

Or maybe there was an effect known to some at work here - the feeling experienced by a person who has experienced severe mental or physical trauma, or an illness on the verge of survival - and the subsequent recovery from this state, which suddenly radically changes his attitude towards life. And now she is truly beautiful!

Yes, probably, this factor also takes place: I was let go by the ordinariness and even the joylessness of everyday existence and the considerable doubts and fears that we experienced before the trip to the Caucasus. Everything went away, dissipated somehow all at once!

And further. Do you know the feeling of delight? This is when the chest is full of air and yet is a little short of breath. He is INTERCEPTED. Perhaps here it is due to lack of acclimatization and the altitude. This temporary physiological feature of any organism also gave an impulse to the brain. And he, with feedback, also “read” it as a feeling of joy and delight. Then everything was completed by the vastness of the sky and the immensity of the blue mountains, the magnificent crystal world at our feet, the warm attitude of those around us, the whole atmosphere, and, probably, Elbrus itself, on the slope of which I spent my 50 years.

Do not judge strictly. In the photographs (except for the second) the crowd of transport, people, skiers, snowboarders and other manifestations of recreation and active life are practically not visible. This is just MY view of the Caucasus. On its mountains, and a little on life in the valleys.

Our hotel, morning of the first day, altitude 2300m above sea level.

Glade Azau is especially lively on weekends, when people from all nearby places come here to ride. Here, as in Cheget, and in ski areas in general, there is a local market and many places where you can eat deliciously and relax.

The glade is located in the upper reaches of the Baksan River, at an altitude of 2350m and is the exit to the south-eastern (and then southern) slope of Elbrus and to three ski lifts: a beginner ski lift and two more “high-mountain” ones - with trailers for 30 standing places and cabins for 8 "seated" places. The last 2 lifts move in parallel. The first stage is the “Novy Krugozor” station at an altitude of 3000m, the second is the “Mir” station at an altitude of 3500m.

Higher up, you can sometimes take a chair lift to the “Bochki” shelter (Garabashi station, 3780m). Here and higher (in winter) - to “Shelter 11” (4200m) or even higher, to the Pastukhov rocks (4800m), for a fee, snowcats or powerful snowmobiles with dashing mountaineers at the wheel will take you.

There is construction going on everywhere around the villages and ski lift stations and there is a sense of some incompleteness of this process. I would like to believe that over time everything will be sorted out and this corner will be equipped at the highest level.

The supports for the third stage of ascent have already been installed up Elbrus. Future visitors to the Elbrus region, without putting in extra effort, will one day be able to rise to an even greater height than now.

And here is that old hard worker - a trailer.

Cabins against the backdrop of slopes and mountains

Sometimes, if you look closely, literally from the windows of a hotel or hotel on high snow-covered slopes you can see aurochs - mountain sheep.

There are several of them in the frame, I’ll zoom in on the bottom one

In the Great Patriotic War, in the battles for the Caucasus - according to the latest data - about nine hundred thousand defenders died. Low bow to you and Bright Memory! Thank you for the holiday of life that you gave us!

The museum at the Mir station is small, and I would say poor. Interesting guide and exhibits. As a former climber, I am also interested in the equipment of those years. These best examples were probably not available to many THEN, but now they are hopelessly outdated. In general, the museum makes you think, “try on” those conditions of war and battles. And, indeed, there comes an understanding of the immeasurable, silent, sometimes unknown feat that was accomplished here...

It seems that people don’t come here often these days. What - alive - alive.

Cheget (about three kilometers from the Azau clearing), a hotel and tourist area near the chair lift on the slope of the mountain of the same name. The first step is two-chair (bench for 2 people) - up to the Ai cafe. The second stage has single seats.

In winter, you can get from the Azau clearing to Cheget either through the forest or along the road, through the village of Terskol, which we can now see from above. The village itself is interesting because back in the ancient Soviet times (somewhere) LEATHER ski boots with the same name – “Terskol” – were produced. The mountain training center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Elbrus High Mountain Search and Rescue Squad of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia are also located here.

Now, from the slopes of Cheget, we can see Terskol from above.

Cafe Ay, view of Elbrus. It is approximately 12.5 km from here to its peaks

Mount Elbrus is the highest point in Europe, has 2 peaks with heights of 5621m and 5642m meters above sea level. Having no serious technical obstacles, Elbrus is nevertheless difficult to climb mainly due to the impact of high altitude on the human body. In the battles for the Caucasus, in history and even in the results of the war, this world-famous mountain played a very remarkable role.

During the conquest of Russia, German Germany set among its main tasks the seizure of ore-bearing regions of the Caucasus and, most importantly, control over Caspian oil. Western Siberia had not yet been developed, and by depriving Russia of fuel, Germany had a real chance to end the war faster and with a different result.

The deployment of mountain divisions to the Caucasus (1942) was carried out secretly, without unnecessary fuss. The Germans fortified themselves here thoroughly and for a long time, on “Priyut11” and on every high-rise, until the commander of the First Alpine Division “Edelweiss” decided to take the initiative. As a political action, preparation was carried out, and then the raising and hoisting of the standards of Nazi Germany on both peaks of Elbrus.

Europe and the world learned that German domination had been established in the Caucasus and the highest point of Europe.

Hitler was furious. The “quiet” penetration into the Caucasus was thwarted, and the Russians, having understood and realized the enemy’s strategic plan, urgently began to assemble and move their companies and units to the Caucasus and Elbrus.

Here we must return to our days. The general warming of the climate, the melting of snowfields and glaciers began to reveal unexpected finds. On hiking and mountaineering trails, next to ski slopes, after almost 7 decades, glaciers encircling the approaches to Elbrus began to reveal themselves and return ammunition, unexploded mines, and weapons. And the remains of unknown soldiers who fell here... and even unaccounted for in military archives.

Another hidden or hushed story about an unknown battle on the slopes of Elbrus. Another reminder of war next to the carefree nature of a bustling ski resort.

As it turned out later, this was the first unnumbered consolidated company (hastily assembled from people who had neither ranks nor military training, under the leadership of Lieutenant Grigoryants, a former... ladies' hairdresser) which was given the impossible task of not only containing the elite units of the enemy, but also capturing "Shelter 11". Without any equipment or mountain warfare skills or any weapons, they moved into the snowy highlands and, taking advantage of the fog, almost approached the enemy’s fortified points.

But... the weather is changeable and the fog has cleared.

In the bravura German photo chronicles of those years, you can see footage of how the Germans shot our soldiers from high-rise buildings with machine guns. Exhausted and practically defenseless.

The approaches to Elbrus are surrounded by a continuous network of glaciers and glaciers. And if, with experience, you can move in crampons on firn or runny ice, almost without wasting time, then the passage of a glacier is always more unpredictable, difficult, and requires movement in cords.

The glacier, where the soldiers who did not have special equipment and mountain training retreated during the battle, was “closed.” That is, the cracks, sometimes bottomless, were hidden by snow. Snow, which did not always support the weight of a person. So the remaining soldiers of this company disappeared. The first one to lie in the snow and ice of Elbrus.

The story of a doomed attempt to contain the enemy. A small episode of a big war, where there was one goal - to defend our borders. And win. At any cost.

In the village of Terskol, on a hillock, recently there has been an inconspicuous monument to these fighters. Some of the found remains were moved here. Some of the names are known. The names of the rest are kept by the silent slopes of Elbrus. – This is a small story, one of many. Just a hitherto almost unknown, private episode of the war.

But let's return to Cheget. From the stations of the first and second ascent, a wonderful view opens not only of Elbrus, but also of the Mountain Range on the other side, and of the Baksan River valley. Here you can easily find a place where you can relax and have a tasty snack. Chebureks of this size and delicious taste can only be found in the Caucasus!!!

Army men. Mountain troops, contract soldiers from Terskol. Young, healthy and very strong guys in all mountain disciplines. They can climb high on Elbrus on foot or on skis (“ski touring bindings, kamus”), and can descend from it like alpine skiers. And so - several times a day. Now they are preparing to descend from the slope of Cheget.

The ski slopes of Cheget are characterized as one of the most difficult in the world. The trails, due to the steepness of the slopes, cannot be serviced by snowcats; there are no signs or fences here. This is a wild, uncultivated, rutted slope, the descents of which do not imply the possibility of slalom, since non-stop descent is practically impossible. The descent often resembles moguls. There are icy areas at the bottom of the route, which is also not fun. Although if you are looking not for pleasure and comfort from skiing, but for difficulties, this is the place for you.

On a winter day, the valley quickly plunges into shadow, becoming cool and uncomfortable.

When faced with choosing a place where we should go for the “winter holidays,” my wife read on the Internet something like the following lines: “if you decide to come on vacation to Cheget, then this is only your problem.” Briefly, but especially understandable when you visit here. It’s good here, but still, the Azau clearing is better in every way!

Ushba (accent on the last syllable) is a two-headed mountain as part of the Main Caucasus Range, the height of the southern peak is 4710m, the left “spur” in terms of plan is Mount Shkhelda (4320m)

“Shelter 11” is the highest mountain shelter in Europe, at an altitude of 4200m. It is named after the number of expedition members who first selected and cleared the site for the construction of the building.

The three-story structure in the form of a metal-clad airship was built before the war, in the thirties, and for many decades served as a refuge or temporary shelter for scientific services, tourists and climbers. Shelter 11 burned down due to oversight in 1998. The building of unusual architecture, which fits so harmoniously into the slope of Elbrus, serving as a kind of symbol of the local highlands, can now only be seen in old photographs and videos.

“Shelter 11” was located next to a small rock, where you can see memorial plaques and read the names of those whose bright souls remained forever connected with this mountain.

And the shelter now serves as a former boiler room, located a little lower, also having an oval-shaped base. This is an abandoned building, covered with snow, where, if necessary, you can really rest and spend the night.

I got inside the second floor through a broken window covered with a blanket. Inside there are rooms, bunks, blankets, food. You can say - live and have fun. But here you can really feel the influence of altitude: some lack of coordination, shortness of breath and slowness.

I managed to get into the first floor. It turns out that both Shelter 11 and this building had a system steam heating. What's notable inside today is a stack of portholes and some metal plates with spikes and chains. Something incomprehensible from “those” years.

Returning to the history of the fighting on Elbrus, we can tell another story. The Germans occupied Shelter 11 without a fight - there were only two Red Army soldiers and three scientists there, whom they took by surprise - because at that time, as I already said, no one knew about the secret operation and the plans of the Germans. Everyone was expecting death, but they were sent down to report that the Elbrus region now belongs to Germany. The continuation of this story - some time later - was the appearance of Sergeant Grigoryants' company here, the fate of which I have already told.

Shelter Garabashi (“Barrels”), southern slope of Elbrus, altitude 3780m. Behind it (6 km) are the peaks of Donguz-Orun (4468m) and Nakra (4277m). Between them, on the sidelines, is the Semyorka glacier.

Only high-quality acclimatization helps to have a good holiday in the highlands. To do this, you need to periodically go down to the lower valleys and lead an active lifestyle. Therefore, we are again on foot along the forest path, heading to Cheget

Nearby, from a rocky gorge, from the glacier of the same name, the Garabashi River flows into the valley.

To be in the Caucasus and not eat barbecue from time to time is simply unacceptable! However, I note that it is most soft, juicy and tasty when your Caucasian friend orders it for you. There is no “burnt” alcohol here. Of the cognacs, we liked Lezginka the most, of the vodkas, the mischievous Gulyaka, and the only beer I drank was Terek. Among soft drinks, lemonades “Elbrus” and “Duchess” are beyond any competition.

In the Elbrus region, in addition to skiing (or snowboarding), you can find recreation for every taste and budget. Here you can go sledding or various inflatable bagels, go hiking, skiing, horseback riding, quad biking or snowmobiling. You can also hunt or fish here. All year round.

Here, for example, is “Rakhat”, a private flowing trout pond surrounded by gazebos. Winter ice fishing is now possible. The trout you catch will literally be turned into a delicious dish before your eyes.

And again to the Mountains!

Old cable car, trailer, Mir station, altitude 3500m.

The photo glares, so I translate the contents of the caption: “Zalikhanov Chokka Aslamovich climbed Elbrus 209 times. He made his last ascent to the eastern peak of Elbrus on his 110th birthday.”

This is also an interesting story that I came across. The name in the photo seemed familiar to me, I asked Magomed a question, and as it turned out, the owner of our hotel is a relative of this grandfather!

But maybe this exaggeration was said as a joke or as a “sweet spot”?! - Not at all! Later, Magomed’s acquaintance Alim, with whom we traveled by car, said that Chokka Aslamovich in Moscow had “big people” in two ministries, either 2 sons or 2 grandsons (I don’t remember). And so they often brought friends and colleagues with them in order to take them to Elbrus. Despite the years, grandfather never refused to accompany the group on the ascent.

Mir station with Elbrus in the background.

Modern high-altitude technology.

Fragment of the closed Azau Maly glacier.

Descent – ​​route from Mir station.

Army soldiers on the slope of Elbrus.

View of the Azau clearing from above.

Goodbye Elbrus!

Near the Krugozor station.

“When we leave, we will leave, we will fly away,

When we ride our cars,

How empty the paths will suddenly become,

How lonely the peaks will be without us..."

Nine days flew by like an instant. Bright and happy.

Early in the morning, when we left the Azau clearing, hotel workers came out to see us off. In the cool morning, women shifted on the steps at the entrance and wished us a good journey. A lump came to my throat.

Finally, we had a car tour of interesting places in Kabardino-Balkaria. The following shots and a sea of ​​positive emotions would have been impossible without Magomed, to whom we turned to with a question:

What other attractions are there nearby? – it was he who recommended us Alim, Sharapi’s son, who turned out to be a wonderful conversationalist, guide and driver.

Near molybdenum mines...

Do you remember movies where the Great American Canyon (Grand Canyon in Colorado, Arizona, USA) appears in the frame? The Upper Caucasus can rival and even surpass the most famous mountainous places in the world in beauty, absolute heights and diversity of mountain terrain...

And again there are snowy mountains ahead.

Chegem. A truly beautiful place, carrying in its name the intrigue that Fazil Iskander once created. The Abkhaz writer, writing “Sandro from Chegem,” settled his characters in the idyllic world of a small village Chegem, which in fact... is not on the maps of Abkhazia.

And further. During this trip, I involuntarily got the impression that everyone in Kabardino-Balkaria knows each other in one way or another, are acquaintances of friends, or are even close or distant relatives. The law of survival of any people is in unity, in joy and in sorrow. Here they remember all their relatives and their ENTIRE clan, all their acquaintances, guests and just fellow countrymen. For the Elbrus region, this includes Kaisyn Kuliev, Dima Bilan, Vladimir Vysotsky and the local seer Mikhonya, Elbrus climber Chokka Zalikhanov or even Nikita Dzhigurda. Everything here is connected by invisible threads, which are based on memory, honor and dignity, the physical and moral impossibility of casting a shadow through one’s actions, disgracing one’s family, one’s relatives and friends.

One of the remarkable features of the Balkars is their Human Dignity. During all the days spent in the Caucasus, I NEVER noticed in communication a shadow of unfriendliness, hidden ridicule or servility towards us.

In the photo are Alim’s acquaintances. Before the introduction of the CTO regime, they were engaged in jeep tourism in the most remote and intimate corners of Balkaria. Now they are circling the horses. You should see with what natural grace they move along the streets of their village!

We go deeper into the mountains again.

Beyond the village of Khushtosyrt, following our path, we find ourselves in the SU-Auzu (“water throat”) gorge, where the famous Chegem waterfalls begin.

The length of this section is 5 km, the road changes from coast to coast 5 times due to steep cliffs. The height of the walls is up to 300m. The height of the ridge is about 3000m, the bottom of the gorge is at around 1100m.

The overwhelming majority of the local population does not drink or smoke. However, everything necessary for the usual joys of the average Russian can be found here without difficulty. Some drinks have a touch of Caucasian exoticism.

The cafe, whose premises are carved into the body of the rock, is traditionally cozy. You can write songs about Caucasian cuisine.

And again the road.

Another beautiful frozen waterfall on the Andaisu River. Its height is about 30 meters.

Our road then breaks out into an enchanting expanse,

then again squeezes into the mountain gorges,

or even goes through the thickness of the mountain in a tunnel.

No, we're still not in Arizona.

This is the multifaceted CAUCASUS, stunning in its beauty and uniqueness!

In Kabardino-Balkaria there are mosques in almost every village. Usually small and almost standard (this is an exception). We did not see any Christian, Jewish or Buddhist places of worship here. “Interpenetration of cultures” occurs only on the territory of Russia. And here is Islam.

People live their usual lives, but the Caucasus is still changing. Excellent roads have been built here, gas has been supplied to the mountain villages, and you will no longer see a cart drawn by oxen, or an elderly mountaineer riding a donkey hung with packs. There are no yaks, much fewer racehorses, and now on the streets you won’t see a shepherd or a buster in wide (almost “breeches”) pants with a leather bottom, like they sported in the mountains about 30 years ago.

In the local mountains you can walk along old trade routes, visit ancient settlements and tombs, see villages abandoned by people or ancient towers.

You can also see rows of monuments on the mountain slopes - places where entire villages were destroyed in the 30s.

Did sad thoughts inspire me with this image? In the outlines of the mountains, against the background of the sky, I see the silhouette of a sleeping mountaineer. I hope this is the guardian of the valley, and not the face of the Leader of All Nations.

Memorial plaque at the mosque. Only people capable of preserving memory can be called the People.

And again the road. Sometimes at the very edge of the cliff.

Bottomless Blue Lakes. Greetings from Roma...

All good things come to an end. We move away from the mountains, and they are gradually covered with a curtain of twilight and fog. The beautiful, moving, deeply moving performance is over...

Hello dear readers. We finally decided to write about our trip to the North Caucasus from March 29 to April 7, 2016. The starting point of the journey was Ivanovo, and the final point was Kislovodsk. Before the trip, we carefully studied other people’s travel experiences and decided that ours would also be useful to others. The trip took place in a low-slung Hyundai Solaris car, which we did not regret even once. In my opinion, the M4 (Don) road is ideal for travel. Almost everywhere there are multiple lanes, with the exception of small sections of the road.
We left not very early, at about 7.30, as we like to sleep. Our crew consisted exclusively of family members, this is your humble servant, my wife and 12-year-old son. True, we had another half-animate travel companion, or rather fellow traveler Irina, whom we affectionately call “Fool.” This is our navigator, with a female voice, which repeatedly led us into such nooks and crannies that there was not enough normative vocabulary to express feelings.
We took with us only the essentials: clothes for the season, food for two days (which we didn’t regret later), toiletries, two pairs of shoes, some cash (only for gasoline and food, the rest in cards for every fireman), garbage bags (required), tools (in case of breakdown), etc.
The road went through the capital of our homeland, Moscow, more precisely along the Moscow Ring Road for several tens of kilometers and further to the Tula region, Voronezh, Rostov and the Stavropol region. On the first day we were lazy and only drove 800 kilometers. We spent the night at the Novaya Usman hotel in the village of the same name. The cost of a one-room suite with three beds, shower, TV and WiFi is 2000 rubles. The room is mediocre in impressions. In principle, everything is clean and quiet (even surprisingly, despite the highway). Free parking nearby. Very friendly staff, almost no people. Of course, it was possible to find one for 1000, but there would be a lot of people there, and the conditions would be different. Next to the hotel there is a good cafe “Gramophone”, excellent service, everything is delicious and the atmosphere is nice, the price tag is average.
We slept in peace and quiet and the next morning, at exactly 7.00, we set off on the road. With a bright head, the road is always more joyful and more vividly remembered. The landscapes outside the window are simply magnificent; you pass many rivers. In contrast, after winter you find yourself in summer, where the fields are green and the trees are blooming. Along the highway you come across sellers who sell honey, condensed milk, vegetable oil and other rubbish.
I’ll say a little about toll sections of the road. The road is excellent, the speed limit is from 90 to 130 km/h, which allows you to travel along them much faster than on free roads. The fare ranges from 35 to 120 rubles per section in the daytime, and is correspondingly cheaper at night. We spent 605 rubles one way, and 360 rubles back (since we drove most of the road at night). 3,800 rubles were spent on gasoline one way, with an average Solaris consumption of 6 liters per 100 km. When we were going to Kislovodsk, we tried to drive along one free section - we didn’t like it. Firstly, there is one lane and trucks all the way, traffic lights at every step and speed limits from 90 to 20 km/h. Moreover, there are many settlements with video recording. We didn’t experiment and save any more and went with the paid ones.
Now I’ll tell you about the traffic police. Thanks everyone guys, you are great guys. Despite the fact that my numbers clearly contrasted with the local ones, they stopped only once before entering Rostov. They checked the documents and released us, wishing us a good trip. Of course, we occasionally violated the speed limit, but not maliciously, you just think about it or look at it. For 4000 kilometers I did not bring a single fine. But there were checkpoints with police officers quite often, where they measured the speed limit with portable radars. At one such post we were even scolded for slowing down for too long. That is, the guys still treat you with understanding and see when you’re getting impudent and when you just didn’t have time to slow down completely. For minor violations they may be warned. Although I have no doubt that they also have a reporting system.
In general, we covered the remaining 1000 or so kilometers until deep darkness and my two navigators (my wife with a navigator) missed the junction for Mineralnye Vody, where we had originally planned to go. By a strong-willed decision in this sleepy kingdom, I pointed the way to Essentuki. And we didn’t regret it later. A beautiful, quiet town, with tasty water and a large selection of accommodation. When we set off on the road, we didn’t even bother to make inquiries about where we would be filming the corner. Yes, this is not necessary. There are offers on every corner. They say correctly that the language will take you to Kyiv, although you wouldn’t want to go there anymore. There is a lot of housing for rent there and the prices range from 1000 rubles per day and above, as agreed. We rented a two-story cottage with three rooms, with two TVs, a washing machine, WiFi, a shower, and we drove the car into the yard. We didn’t choose because it was about ten in the evening. Well, it’s a stretch to call it a cottage, since they build there “on top of each other’s heads.” This is a bunch of two-story buildings in one separate yard. True, the walk to the pump room was very close, 100-150 meters. If anyone needs it, we rented a house on the street. Frunze. I won’t name the house, as the owners may not like close attention to their yard. Find it yourself if you want. Housing is usually rented out with all necessary utensils, hot and cold water, and toilet paper. In principle, there is nothing special to worry about. It is very convenient to cook if you want. Personally, we are big lazy people and often went to eat in the city. I would also like to say something separately about their yards. They are very narrow, cars are packed in there like sprat in a jar. When I was driving out, so as not to hit the Lada car standing in the yard, I pressed close to the collar and scratched the hubcap on the wheel. It's really bullshit, but it's unpleasant. Yes, keep in mind that traffic in these cities is organized terribly. The signs are placed in such a way that even when walking past road signs and markings, you freeze for 2-3 minutes, wondering how this can happen. I came across streets with such a circular traffic pattern, looking at the sign of which I spent about five minutes thinking about which road was the main one and which was the secondary one. It feels like they were drawn on with a marker out of boredom. In all civilized cities, a roundabout is organized with the main road on the ring, or a secondary road and an obstacle on the right, for ease of perception during heavy traffic. Here local drivers drive as if they are about to make their last journey. Very similar to how they drive in Egypt. But to give credit to local drivers, they are always attentive to non-residents, they will always understand and let you through, somewhere they will once again remain silent and not beep. It can be seen that it is a resort town. There were even such oddities as a “no traffic” sign, with pillars dug across the road under it. That is, as if the special services and local residents can go, but try it! And there are signs of the main road that do not hang as usual, but parallel to the ground; when you approach an intersection, you look up at the sign, otherwise you won’t be able to see it.

Such miracles of technical regulations
After resting for three days in Essentuki, we went to Pyatigorsk. Unexpectedly, it turned out that the lift to Mount Mashuk was not working and would only open on May 1st. And we …. climbed the mountain. We actually climbed because we decided to turn off the asphalt road onto a narrow path... During the climb, we were worried that the path would come to a dead end - it would be very difficult to go back down. My wife probably wouldn't have been able to handle it. We were lucky that the sun was already shining brightly and the trail was dry (the ascent was on April 1). There was a section where we climbed our own height along a steep cliff. We were the only ones so lazy, the rest walked around along the asphalt road.
The view from the mountain was pleasing. You can also see Elbrus from there, but not like from Kislovodsk. Pyatigorsk itself is a city with ancient buildings and beautiful architecture. We took the sun, mountains, clean air, and even the height of Mashuk 993 meters ourselves!
By the way, we went to Pyatigorsk on a local train. The ride takes 15-20 minutes, the cost for three is 250 rubles in both directions for three. You can take a ticket immediately for the return journey without taking into account the departure time, that is, when you wanted to then leave. The train runs almost every 20-30 minutes. You can get to Mineralnye Vody, Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki. Everything is nearby.
I would especially like to mention the cafe in Essentuki at the railway station “For Two”. For three of us we ate for 750 rubles. But we remembered this lunch throughout the trip along the CMS, in the good sense of the word. If someone had told me earlier that I would eat at the railway station and then remember, I would have laughed. My wife liked “chanakhi” and tasted it in many establishments; she even liked chanakhi in an expensive Kislovodsk restaurant much less. Basically, everywhere the food is tasty, but very spicy. If you come for treatment, then in the catering service ask again whether the dish is spicy or not. This is Caucasus.
After the trip to Pyatigorsk, we packed our things (as we had planned) and moved to Kislovodsk without any extra hassles. On the way, we found an address on the Internet (we connected a 20 gig Beeline Highway on a tablet) and agreed on housing. Since we arrived early and we didn’t really like the area, we left the car and went for a walk. Walking past the railway station, we got into a conversation with a man renting out housing and they offered us so much housing, for every taste and color, that our eyes ran wild. A very pleasant and friendly woman, Tamara, walked with us around the city and helped us choose what suited us. We are lazy people and stopped next to the Narzan gallery because we didn’t want to run far. The apartment was chosen on the second floor of an old house (the owner claims it is 150 years old), a former communal apartment. Well renovated, for 1,600 rubles per day, two beds with normal bed linen, a comfortable folding chair for a child, a wall-to-wall TV, WiFi, its own kitchen, gas heating, heated floors in the bathroom, new plumbing, and other small joys. In principle, housing there is only needed for an overnight stay, since we spent the whole day wandering and driving somewhere. The Kislovodsk resort park is huge, with fountains (alas, they weren’t working in April), flower beds, and sculptures. We bought a map with routes, plus we had a tablet and 2GIS in our smartphone, and traveled. In one day we covered 20 km (measured using a pedometer). So comfortable shoes are very important.
Our 12-year-old son was tired, of course, from long walks, and Wi-Fi and TV beckoned. Therefore, we found him entertainment: a race track on the street. Sedlogorskaya. My son drove around there in real go-karts with such pleasure that he didn’t want to go back. Before that, he didn’t even know what a go-kart looked like. Cars for every taste, regular framed and with a plastic body, for beginners. The price for a 5-minute ride is 200 rubles, which is approximately 10-14 laps. Depends on how you drive. The computer keeps track of the race time and lap time of all participants. You can also ride the same karts in the city park in the center, but the circle there is small and without turns. The city park has attractions for every taste; you can climb on the Ferris wheel.
The most memorable thing was the climb to the “Small Saddle” mountain. The height is about 1.4 km. You can see Elbrus in full view. There is also a lift there, but we got there on a preventive day. And they conquered this peak with their feet too. We were lucky with the weather, like April 1st, the 4th was also sunny.

We didn’t want to take the same route back from the mountain, but according to the reviews of the athletes we met, going down the trail would be risky, they argued that “it’s dirty and impossible to walk there.” But we took a risk and passed! We walked the whole way down the mountain alone.
We went back with reluctance, but the child had to go to school, nothing could be done. On the way back we stopped in Zheleznovodsk. I had vacationed there before and that’s why we didn’t go there specifically. The city has changed. The streets are clean, well-groomed, the springs are very healing (I tested it myself). We regretted that we did not spend at least two days in Zheleznovodsk, it is so quiet and friendly (and there are also mountains there for ordinary tourists to climb).
After Zheleznovodsk everything is in reverse order, only without an overnight stay. We decided to travel more on the first day, but then we were too lazy to look for a hotel and drove without stopping. We dozed for a couple of hours at a gas station in the Voronezh region and drove on. When dawn broke, snow (its remnants) was again seen in the Tula region; the Tula and Voronezh regions greeted us with fog and rain. During our stay in the Caucasus there were almost no cloudy days.
On the way back, the traffic police did not bother us, although immediately after our arrival home, in the Stavropol region there was an armed attack on the police department. And there they introduced the CTO regime. But during the rest there was no tension about this. I vacationed in Zheleznovodsk back in 2001, even then it was calm there, and even more so now.
We will definitely return to the Caucasus, there are many extraordinary places there (the Bermamyt plateau near Kislovodsk, hot springs, nearby Dombay and Elbrus, Arkhyz). We will assume that our “reconnaissance” was carried out by car.