Snow tourists scale Russia’s highest peak
Published 28 July, 2008, 05:55
It's often called ‘The diamond of the Caucasus’ – a place where summer sun rays hit the snowy slopes of the highest peak in Europe – Mount Elbrus. With unrivalled natural beauty and snow all year round, it is becoming the tourist hotspot of the Caucasus.
The people who grew up close to Elbrus have always known the area has a special magic. Now the news is spreading, and people are coming from far and wide to live their lives in the shadow of Europe’s highest peak.
Liza Paal came to Elbrus form Germany 15 years ago and decided to stay.
“Germany is really boring in comparison to Russia and the mountains are really beautiful here. In Germany we have some mountains but they are not as high as here,” Liza Paal says.
She's now a tour guide, sharing her experience with tourists and revealing local gems such as the glacier called “seven” owing to its shape.
Elbrus itself is an extinct volcano and scrapes the skies at a height of 5,642 metres.
But many come here not to conquer its peak, but to tame its slopes instead.
The snow stays throughout the year, making Elbrus a magnet for snowboarders and mountain skiers in summer.
Extreme sport is rapidly becoming a way of life there.
But it wasn’t always like this. During WW2 Elbrus was the scene of major fighting. As Hitler was eager to conquer the European roof top, an elite German Alpine division – Edelweiss – was sent to do the job.
The fiercest battles between the Soviets and the Nazis were fought between the summer of 1942 and the winter of 1943.
Everyday for the last 40 years, 76-year-old Yury Odegov has been coming to nearby mount Cheget. He can still hear the echo of that war.
“I find here something almost every day – some debris, mines, military backpacks and other relics of war. The earth gives it all back,” archeologist Yury Odegov says.
After the war, the region became a major tourist destination.
Today the tourist infrastructure around Elbrus may not quite be up to international standards, but a lot is being done to improve it, and the local authorities are staying positive about the prospects.
The head of Elbrustourist, Azret Sabanichev, says the region will soon be a key global ski destination.
“This spring we met with representatives of many European ski resorts and they all told us that they envy us as we can learn from their mistakes. That's exactly what we are doing and soon we hope to become one of the world's best resorts,” Sabanichev said.
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