Mont Elbrus:

Mount Elbrus, is the highest mountain in Europe. It is the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains, the dormant volcano rises 5,642 m above sea level, it is the highest stratovolcano in Eurasia and the tenth highest peak on our planet. The mountain is located in southern Russia, in the Western Caucasus, in the Russian Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. 

Elbrus has two peaks, both of which are dormant volcanic domes. The highest, the western summit, measures 5,642 meters; the eastern summit measures 5,621 meters.

Ascent of Mount Elbrus:

Our ambassador Thierry Montel has decided to take up the challenge with SNOOC ski and to climb the highest summit in Europe, Mount Elbrus. To go up to the top of Elbrus you need a minimum skills in ski touring, Thierry had no experience in the world of skiing at that time, he was just practicing SNOOC ski touring sled, He is very comfortable in it and has a great riding skills.

In May 2019 the expedition to the top of Elbrouz with the SNOOC starts...

The purpose of the expedition was to go up and down Mount Elbrus with a SNOOC. For this it is necessary to be trained to the extreme conditions in high mountains. The beginning of the ascent was hindered by bad weather conditions. Shortly after, Thierry launched out in the ascent, but he noticed that the conditions were very different from what he had planned: extreme conditions, snowstorms, windy... This resulted in a number of challenges along the way.

In spite of all these difficulties all along the route, Thierry reached the summit of the Mont Elbrus with his SNOOC. The mountain is dangerous, it is necessary to know how to respect it. A summit is deserved, it is necessary to study its course and to know well the resistance of its body.

Some insides when Thierry reached the top of the Elbrus in SNOOC:

That's it, we did it! SNOOC is on the roof of Europe!!!!!

Difficult, even impossible to stand upright as the wind is blowing, it's very cold, no time to savor the victory, or even shed a little tear, we have to go back down.

I took advantage of a relative shelter just below the summit to put my SNOOC in a decent configuration, seat fixed on my two skis nested on top of each other. The strong wind has blown away all the powdery snow and there is only ice or hard snow left on the volcano's slopes. I planned to do a few turns between the two peaks and then I'll cramp my way back down to about 5000m. At this altitude I found snow conditions that allowed me to do the rest of the descent with a minimum of risk. Once my turns are done, I went down the traverse with a light step despite the wind that is still blowing as strong as ever.

Message from Thierry during the ascent of Mount Elbrus: 

"The Snooc ... My meeting with this marvellous gliding machine at the bend of a web page two years ago... my entry in this small family of passionate people as ambassador for the Maurienne... all that comes back to me in my memory at the moment of facing my destiny.... It will be hard, I know, but my motivation is unfailing. I want to do it, for them, for me...Because the SNOOC is a great sliding machine that allows a non-skier like me to realize his dreams of adventure... Even relatively sheltered by the buildings, the snow gusts seize us, as soon as we leave the comfort and warmth of the hut. It is dark night, we set off without a word, already focused on the goal of the day, the 5642m of the Elbrouz summit."

SNOOC:

This is what we are aiming for with the SNOOC, an equipment that gives access to all those who want to go to the mountains during the winter, it is an easy and fun equipment that can withstand extreme weather conditions like Mount Elbrus.

For more information on SNOOC, please visit our website.

See you soon with SNOOC!