The Mount Elbrus ski area is located on Europe's highest mountain - a fact sometimes disputed by the French and Italians who share Mont Blanc above Chamonix and Courmayeur respectively. The area was once the ski retreat of the Soviet elite and a high altitude training area for Russian athletes and astronauts, but is now starting to boom as a domestic destination for the Russian nouveau riche and international skiers in search of new thrills.
The ski lifts are situated above the Bacsan valley, where Prielbrusye is one of the largest holiday centres in southern Russia. From here this is a spectacular mountain view from within the national wildlife park with its protected flora and fauna. You can ski Mount Elbrus or the nearby ski area of Cheget from this holiday resort.
The ski area itself is so high that skiing continues year round (as with Timberline in Oregon) with the upper slopes reached by snowcat. Low cost heli-skiing is also available and is another draw for international clients. The fixed lifts serve 35 km (22 miles) of marked and groomed trails.
The "Elbrus" cable car ascends in stages. The first from the "Azau" station to the station "Stary Krugozor" rises 650 m over its 2500 m length. The 2nd section from the station "Stary Krugozor" to the station "Mir" rises a further 500 m and is another 2000 m in length. The third and final section rises from the "Mir" station to the top "Gara Bashi" station, a further 250 m altitude rise. The length of the ski run back down is 2 km.
There are several hotels in Prielbrusye as well as and two 'tourist camps' and mountain huts. The Cheget cable car base station is nearby. There's also a small market of local Caucasian traders on site. The two star Hotel Itkol has 5 floors, with 270 guest beds. It also has a medical service, lifts, restaurants, bars, cafes and a cinema, as well as a skating rink in the winter, sport areas, a sauna, TV lounge, a pool table a ski-store and a rental shop on site. The hotel has an underground car park and rooms have a shower, toilet, radio and fridge.
The Elbrus Holiday Village has 3 floors and 100 tourist beds. The building includes a medical service, canteens, bar, cafes, a cinema, TV lounge, sport areas, a pool table, a sauna, a parking lot, a ski store and rentals on site. The complex includes its own training slopes with surface lift. Rooms have a shower, toilet, and radio.
| Vertical Drop: | 4792 ft
| Half Pipes: | - |
| Top Elevation: | 12718 ft | Snowmaking:
| - |
Skiable Acres:
| - | Total:
| - |
| Trails: | 4 | Restaurants:
| 1 |
| Lifts: | 3 | | |
Cable cars:
| 1 | | |
Source:
www.goski.com 