It was an expedition that went fortuitously well. I had awesome
weather where the rain missed us on a daily basis; an experienced guide,
Gennady, who set a steady deliberate pace; and wonderful team-mates who
were as gregarious as they were generous.
Elbrus, the Climb
A chance encounter with the team
To climb Elbrus on a whim
The stairwells our permanent playground
Up and up, step by step, round and round
Off we trooped with big duffels
A motley crew of seven
Laughter aplenty, no ruffles
Blessed with weather from heaven
Lovely Terskol we did our drills
Hikes through valleys and the hills
Ski-lift whisked to Barrels Hut
A quaint base camp to calm our hearts
Above the clouds and powdery snow
Majestic Caucasus and starry nights
Climb high, sleep low
The West Peak always in sight
“No porridge, no summit”
Declared Maria our matronly cook
“Keep my pace, wear your mitts!”
Barked our guide Gennady with a commanding look
Six-and-a-half hours we plodded on
Mental devils we fought to con
Up the traverse, down the saddle
At last, beaming in the summit cradle
~ PS, 7 Aug 2014
(summit 2 Aug 2014)
