Elbrus Race 2013 Course Map

I've borrowed a photo from the official website of the Elbrus Race 2013. If you go to that link you'll see their little video of a flash map view of the course. I added a few lines and words to the photo to make it easier to see. The barrels aren't visible in this image but they should be on the edge of the black scree hidden from view in the center. Maybe a bit more to the right but it's hard to tell.

Elbrus Race 2013 - route in orange

The first part of the route goes up the snowcat route to the Pastukhova rocks a little below 5,000 meters. This is normally where normal route climbers go for an acclimatization hike a day or two before summit day. It's a fun little walk, and almost every time I've done it I've been in trail running shoes. This is also the end point for the Qualifier, two days before the race. I made the qualifier in 2010 in spite of serious major dysentery.

The route continues up to a little over 5,000 meters toward the East summit, then cuts over to the saddle where it traverses until you get to the ridge line where you turn to ascend to the West summit. This traverse area is actually one of the most dangerous sections of the trail. If you are descending in poor weather conditions it's really easy to get lost and end up going too far down into an area of crevasses and steeper ice and cliffs. Be careful. It's normally well wanded though.

The orange line represents the Classic Race - 4.6 miles and 6,300' of elevation gain. That's 7.4 km and 1900 meters.

My Elbrus Ebook from 2012

I wrote about my failed attempt on Elbrus in 2012 in Elbrus, My Waterloo, available on Amazon Kindle. After the Elbrus Race 2013 is over I'll be adding in chapters from both trips in 2010, and this year at the race. I'll then publish it in print and on B&N. Look forward to the whole story, coming this Fall.

Elbrus Race course information

There are three different events in the International Elbrus Race.

Speed hiking Colorado 14'ers as training for Elbrus Race 2013

Qualifier:

Run uphill from the Barrels Huts to Pastukhova Rocks, approximately 3600 vertical feet over 2.5 miles averaging 27% grade. This is primarily on glacial snow, with a few cracks depending on the seasonal conditions. Near the Barrels there might be a bit of lava gravel mixed in with the snow.

Everyone has to do the Qualifier, this year on September 18 at 11:00 AM. There is a two hour cutoff for the ascent, and everyone must be back to the huts by 4:00 PM or be disqualified. After you qualify, you are eligible to run either of the two following events.

Extreme:

Run uphill from Azau, the lift station in the valley, up to the West, highest summit of Elbrus. Up to the Barrels Huts is generally on a rough dirt road frequented by military cargo vehicles. Above Mir Tram Station the road becomes much rougher dirt and rock, and then at the Barrels transitions to glacial snow and ice. You are allowed to leave a bag of clothes, shoes, and gear at the Barrels so that you can change into glacier running mode.

The course is roughly 10,700' over 7.6 miles and averaging 26.5% grade. This is a very tough race. It starts at the lift station at 6:00 AM. You have until noon to summit, then must be back at the huts by 4:00 PM.

Classic:

Run uphill from the Barrels Huts to the West summit of Elbrus with 6,400' of elevation gain over 4.6 miles and averaging 26% grade. Except possibly a short section in the beginning, the course is all on glacial snow and ice. The race starts at 7:00 AM and you have until noon to summit, and must be back to the Barrels by 4:00 PM.

The chart above 

shows the results from 2010 for the top male and female finishers, plus the Top Ten of all finishers. There is no data from 2011 when there was no race, or from 2012 when the race was called off shortly after the first few finishers had hit the summit, due to increasingly bad weather.

When you run in an event like this you normally don't carry the usual emergency and cold weather gear that you would in a normal summit attempt on a 5,000 meter peak. That means you are much more dependent on the weather holding out for the duration of the event, though in this case that's only about nine hours.

The chart also shows the absolute minimum speeds to achieve the cutoff times for the Qualifier and Classic events, if just finishing is your only goal.

I'll share some training considerations based on this chart in an upcoming post. Stay tuned. Subscribe.