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Hampus Carlsson & Jespter Hägg
The dream of climbing Europe’s highest mountain
Text: Jesper Hägg och Hampus Carlson Photo: Hampus Carlson och Markus Bölander
Jesper Hägg and Hampus Carlson met at Luleå University of Technology in 2012, where they had both moved to be closer to nature. At the time, they had no idea what adventures their friendship would lead them on. With different outdoor backgrounds—Hampus mainly in sea kayaking and Jesper primarily in skiing—they began exploring new outdoor activities together. One dream they soon realized they shared was high-altitude mountaineering, and in the autumn of 2019, they set out on their biggest adventure together to date. Here is their story:
Filled with happiness, excitement, and a deep sense of joy, we now look back on our journey to the mountain range of southern Russia, with the goal of climbing Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus at 5,642 meters above sea level. It turned out to be an adventure unlike anything either of us had experienced before. The high altitude, the physical exertion, and the cold climate were a combination that truly took a toll on the body. But when we look back on the journey, it’s not the physical strain we remember—instead, it’s the truly magical views and all the incredible people from around the world with whom we shared the experience.
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One of the most important lessons we take with us is that preparation and good equipment pay off. In particular, our gear and clothing made the entire journey feel smooth and hassle-free. Having the right clothing—from base layers to shell garments—kept us warm and dry both during hikes in temperatures of 15–20°C and during the summit push in temperatures down to -15°C. That made an invaluable difference in being able to fully enjoy the experience.
The expedition began when we arrived in a small Russian village at the foot of Elbrus called Terskol. Here, we met our guide Sergej and the rest of the group we would spend the coming days with. On our first day in Terskol, we set out on our initial acclimatization hike up to 3,000 meters above sea level—an ascent of about 1,000 meters, as Terskol itself sits at 2,000 meters. At this altitude, it wasn’t particularly cold yet, around 15–20°C, but it was a noticeable difference from Mineralnye Vody, where we had landed the day before and been greeted by peak summer temperatures of over 30°C. The climb to 3,000 meters was a beautiful hike along a gravel road, surrounded by waterfalls and lush greenery.
Our feet were a major focus of preparation and concern before this trip. Blisters—or cold and wet feet—could have ruined the entire experience. We chose to wear double layers of wool socks so that as much friction as possible would occur between the sock layers rather than against our skin. Fortunately, both of us made it through the entire journey without any issues.
After another night in Terskol, we packed our bags with all our gear and took a ski lift up to Elbrus base camp, located at 3,800 meters above sea level. Here, there was a kind of hostel where we would stay for the next four nights. We shared a room with six other people from our guide group—a small, poorly ventilated room with an uneven floor. At this altitude, it was noticeably colder than in Terskol, but more importantly, we felt the effects of the altitude for the first time. Even a small slope was enough to raise our heart rate. Now it truly felt like we were on a real mountaineering expedition, not just a mountain hike.
Our stay at base camp was probably the most basic living conditions either of us had ever experienced. There was no internet or phone reception anywhere nearby. The toilets were located in a shed placed on a slope, with stalls containing nothing but a hole in the floor. These toilets had rightfully earned the nickname “House of Pain” among travelers on various forums. Showers were not an option—except for the wet wipes we had learned are essential on trips like this. The hostel also had a dining hall that served the three meals per day included in the trip. The common theme across all meals was dill, usually accompanied by a small salad, fish, meat, soup, or bread. It wasn’t exactly a culinary experience, but given the physical demands of the altitude and hiking, it was still a relief to have food served at all.
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Between the ascents, a lot of time was spent simply moving around the base camp. We mostly lounged around in our base layers and were very happy that we had chosen wool as our material—it didn’t start to smell despite our limited hygiene. We spent our time either lying down reading a book, sitting in the dining hall getting to know the others in our group, going through our clothing and gear before or after a climb, or just walking around the base camp, taking in the view of the Caucasus Mountains. One moment that truly took our breath away was one evening after the sun had set, when an absolutely spectacular starry sky revealed itself, and a layer of clouds had settled a few hundred meters below the base camp, illuminated by the moonlight. It’s a memory that will stay with us for a long time.
During our days at base camp, we made several ascents to acclimatize to the altitude. On the first day, we climbed to 4,300 meters and practiced self-arrest with an ice axe—an exercise where you position yourself on your stomach and press the ice axe into the ground to stop yourself from sliding down the mountain in case of a fall. On the second day, we climbed to 4,700 meters, had lunch, and then descended back to base camp. Both of these ascents took place in the middle of the day, with sunny weather and temperatures ranging roughly between -5°C and +5°C.
Since we were constantly moving during the ascents and the sun provided a fair amount of warmth, it was enough to wear base layers and shell pants on our legs. In addition, we wore socks, hiking boots, and gaiters to prevent snow from getting in. On the upper body, we chose a Crewneck 200 as a base layer, followed by a Full Zip Jacket 400, and finally a shell jacket. This setup turned out to be just right for most of the climbs. At times, it was almost a bit too warm when the sun was at its strongest and during intensive ice axe exercises. However, the garments transported moisture away from the body very effectively, so we stayed relatively dry throughout the day. It was only when we sat still for more than about 10 minutes that we needed to add an extra down layer to stay warm.
Our summit attempt began, unlike the previous ascents, at midnight. This meant we had breakfast at 11:00 PM, which made the entire day leading up to it feel quite strange. We both tried to sleep during the day to rest up, with varying success. This climb required much more careful preparation in terms of gear and packing, as we needed significantly more clothing, water, and food.
For the first 4–5 hours, we hiked in darkness. With only the light from our headlamps, our full focus was on placing one foot in front of the other, feeling the crampons grip the snow, and breathing consciously to take in as much oxygen as possible. At our first opportunity for a break, we couldn’t resist turning off our headlamps for a moment, completely captivated by the endless starry sky above us. As we climbed higher, we could also see the moon illuminating nearby peaks rising through the cloud cover below.
Since it was much colder at night than during the day, we wore double base layer pants under our shells. On our upper bodies, we had a Crewneck 200 with a Zip Turtleneck 200 over it as base layers. We then added a Full Zip Jacket 400 as a mid-layer, topped with a shell jacket. This worked very well for most of the night. During breaks, we put on a down jacket to avoid getting cold while sitting still.
The higher we climbed, the colder it became. We followed a strategy of adding extra layers a bit too early rather than too late, which proved to be very effective. In our backpacks, we carried an extra fleece and a down jacket, which we put on as temperatures dropped.
Towards the summit
When we reached a plateau at 5,100 meters and took a break, we were greeted by the sun’s rays for the first time. A breathtaking view over the mountain range forced us to pause and simply take it all in. This was also the final stop for those who had chosen to take a snowcat for the first part of the ascent to conserve energy, and there were now many people moving toward the summit.
From this plateau, it was about 200 vertical meters to the next one, located between the two peaks of the mountain. These 200 meters took quite a long time, partly due to the large number of people, but perhaps mainly because we were really starting to feel the altitude. When we reached the plateau at 5,300 meters, our guide determined that we could no longer keep up with his pace, and we reluctantly made the decision to turn around and head back down to base camp.
In hindsight, we are both very satisfied with the experience. Of course, it would have been incredible to stand on Europe’s highest point, but what remains strongest in our memories are the spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges. We left the journey with great joy and a firm determination that this would not be the last time we set out to climb a high mountain in pursuit of the summit.
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About Hampus and Jesper
Age:
Hampus, 26 years
Jesper, 28 years
Favorite Woolpower garments:
Hampus: Long Johns 200 & Crewneck 200 – A base that works for everything. This combination has kept me warm on the slopes, while running, and after a winter swim in Årstaviken. Whether it’s high- or low-intensity activities, I always wear Woolpower 200 closest to my body!
Jesper: Full Zip Jacket 400 – A garment that is really warm but still doesn’t take up much space. It’s never a problem to wear it under outer layers, regardless of the activity.
What’s the next adventure?
Our next adventure is already coming up this March!
The idea of skiing in the Caucasus Mountains was born on Elbrus, where our mountain guide almost lovingly described the mountains, the skiing, and the food on the other side of the border in Georgia. We said then that we had to come back—but next time with all our ski equipment! As promised, we’re now ready for a trip to Gudauri, a ski resort in Georgia located at 2,200 meters above sea level in the Caucasus Mountains.
The goal is to head out with touring gear, avalanche equipment, and a few experienced friends to explore the untouched snow around Gudauri. With great respect for the risks in the area, we will be accompanied by a guide, and we also completed an avalanche course in Åre during the autumn with Summit Guides.
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