Climbing Mount Elbrus - Attempting to summit Europe's highest mountain

This is the story of my attempt to climb mount Elbrus in the Caucasus mountain chain in Russia. Standing at 5,642m mount Elbrus is not the hardest mountain to climb but that does't mean summiting isn't be challenging.

So, you've climbed for a bit and you've covered some notable peaks. Perhaps you already summited Kilimanjaro, which is 200m higher than Elbrus, and now you think you're the sh*t. You know what trekking boots and crampons are, and how to deal with the long treks and altitude sickness coz you've done it at the equator where its nice and sunny and dry. You're basically Sylvester Stallone from that one movie where played a ripped climber killing bad guys. You are him - the Man. Except, you're not. Yep, that was me prior to climbing Elbrus.

There are a few things you should be aware when before you go to Elbrus.

1. First of all if you use the south route there won't be much climbing involved. Be prepared to go from 2,000m to 4,000m elevation within 20m by using the lifts. If you haven't acclimatised prior to that you will have a bad day. Getting to high so fast is not a joke. Headaches, nausea, heavy breathing will be with you constantly. 
2. It gets cold out there. Be prepared! Get the double boots and do not save money on gloves and mittens. I cannot stress this enough. On the final day you will be climbing fo 16h+ and the weather can make it very difficult especially if you don't have the right equipment.
3. Be smart about what you bring to the mountain. Do not carry bulky/heavy bags on your daily treks. Be smart about your clothing - don't put on too many layers unless you need them. 
4. Food and water - you eat what you bring, so again be smart about it. Get some ham and cheese and a loaf of bread, chocolates, oat meal for breakfast. Most importantly get stuff you like to eat which pack a good amount of calories. Your appetite would be low so you will have to force yourself to eat and it's better if it's stuff you like eating.
5. Go with friends! The conditions on the mountain are tough and you will be feeling down. It's important to go with people who would support you in your tough times. 
6. Fitness - you must have some :) You can't expect to trek 10h in a blizzard carrying 15kg of gear if you've spent the last 3 months on your couch watching Netflix.

If you guys want to know more, please feel free to check out my video where I detail the different stages of the climb.