Wanderer's Diaries

Mt. Elbrus ((left) west summit at 5642 m & (right) east summit at 5621 m) 14 th Aug 2016, 23:30 PM Barrels, Elbrus, Russia 3700 m. It was a moderate warmth inside our Barrel. But outside it was windy and cold. Hazy lights of Garabhashi station just 200 m above our barrels were the primary navigational tool. And in the midst of subzero temperature of -10 degree celsius ( That’s a usual cold on Elbrus at night ), assured 35-40 km/hr wind speeds and possible storm towards the end of the day, Anatoli & I had embarked on Elbrus slopes with just enough clothing layers. We packed light and even dressed not that bulky. Slightly bold but more of a risky decision I thought initially. I had a feeling that I could do this. Training for an expedition doesn’t mean just slogging in gyms and running on long trails. It’s a way of life. A routine as simple as cold water baths helped me deal with the shivers and initial hyperventilating phase on the summit push. It didn't make...

Somewhere in early March 2016, the idea of GGIM’s first ever guided expedition to Mt. Elbrus was concocted. I had heard stories of Mt. Elbrus from Akash, for whom Elbrus trip has now become a routine business. So after hearing his climbing stories, the curiosity for exploring this celebrated peak peeked in my mind. By the end of Apr 2016, we rolled out the expedition. Within a month we got 8 clients on board and we set out for the Caucasus mountains!! What was started or perceived as a core mountaineering expedition eventually turned out to be a fairly leisure adventure except for the summit bid which offered challenges, none of us had faced before or even foreseen. In my personal opinion, from a staunch mountaineer’s point of view, it’s a relatively easy game but for an avid adventurer, it’s surely a ‘must go’ destination.        After multiple rounds of pack-in and pack-out business, I was ready with a rucksack on my back and a duffle bag as heavy as 17...