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When Is The Best Time To Climb Mount Elbrus?

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So, you’re thinking of climbing Mt Elbrus?  We don’t blame you.

Elbrus is up there as one of the most sought after climbing destinations on the planet, and it’s not hard to see why.

Not only is Mt Elbrus the highest mountain in Europe, standing at 5,642m tall, it’s also one of the coveted “Seven Summits”, and incidentally, is a full 832m taller than the perhaps better known Mont Blanc. At this point you might be asking yourself “When is the best time to climb Mount Elbrus?”.

So when is the best time to climb Mount Elbrus?

Mount Elbrus climbing season runs from May through to September, and the weather is at its most stable during July and August, making those months the most sensible times to visit.

However, you do also have to bear in mind that with the right conditions come a whole lot more visitors, so July and August will also be the busiest months of the season.

And if you’re looking to avoid busyness entirely, you can climb either side of the season, either at the middle to end of April or the beginning of October, but you will have colder and less predictable weather to contend with.

Top of Elbrus
When Is The Best Time To Climb Mount Elbrus? 1

What is the weather like on Mount Elbrus?

In a word, variable.

The climbing season is definitely the best time to go in terms of getting favourable weather, but even then, temperatures differ a lot depending on where you are and the time of day.

The weather in the valley can get very warm, reaching highs of above 25 degrees, but as you ascend, the days and nights get considerably colder, with lows on the summit of -20 degrees.

Oh, and then you’ve got to factor windchill into that too.

In short, you’ll need your full array of layers to ensure you’re ready for whatever weather Mt Elbrus throws at you.

If you’d like to see a 6-day weather forecast and the temperatures at the various different altitudes, you can find that by using the Mountain Forecast 

Can anyone climb Mount Elbrus?

It’s a bit of a ‘yes and no’ answer.

Despite Elbrus being one of the Seven Summits, it can still be climbed by most people, but at the same time, it’s still a challenge for most and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly.

For the climb itself, you will be wearing crampons, and you’ll also need to know how to use an ice axe, so it’s probably not the best climb for a complete novice. However, you will have time to go over and practice these skills on the mountain as well.
If Mount Elbrus is on your Bucket List and you want to climb one of Seven Summits –  check out our mountain climbing trek to Mount Elbrus.

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