Mount Elbrus – Highest in Europe

Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe at over 18,000 feet.  Many people think of Mont Blanc, but Elbrus is the official highest mountain, sitting in southern Russia on the border with Georgia.  This was a very long climb and was the second highest elevation that I had reached up until this point.  The expedition started in St. Petersburg and after the climb, we flew into Moscow for a short tour there.  All of the team made it to the summit on this trip, though there were many many dramatic encounters along the way with various members of the team.  The group was guided by Vern Tejas who is legendary is his own right as the first person to do a solo winter ascent of Denali.  I had just come off double hernia surgery only 3 weeks before, just after Rainier.