Mount Elbrus at sunset, from Mt Ushba. Photo: Kirill Korabelnikov.

Ask most people which is the tallest mountain in Europe and they will say Mont Blanc. But Mt Elbrus in the Caucasus, at 5,633 m (18,481 ft), is 835 metres higher. It's one of the Seven Summits, the highest points on seven continents, which investment bankers, retired postmen and housewives from Sheffield dream of climbing.

It is in theory possible to climb to the very top of Mount Elbrus on touring skis, and to ski down. Other than the extreme altitude, the climb is straightforward. Studying the photographs in November, it certainly looked skiable. And It seemed a far cooler way to spend Easter than your average chalet holiday in Verbier. So that was it, the decision was made to send a team from IfYouski (at the time Complete Skier & Snowboarder) - Michael Liebreich, your editor, & Dr Katherine Henderson, his personal Accident and Emergency consultant and all-round altitude junkie.

View from Elbrus - Alan and Peter in front of Mount Ushba Photo: Michael Liebreich

Months later, the Doc and I were huddled in a metal barrel at 3,800m with the wind howling outside. The Russian guide, having woken us before dawn, caught sight of my crampons laid out in preparation for our summit attempt.

"Ah," he said, picking them up between two fingers like a dead goldfish, "zis is death crampon!"

And without any explanation, he put them down and walked out into the night. Suddenly it was hard to remember why the Mt Elbrus trip had seemed such a good idea. How had we got to this point? What was wrong with our crampons? And would the Doc and I get to the summit?

Training Arrival - Moscow The Caucasus Acclimatisation Climb 1 Acclimatisation Climb 2 The Barrels & Pastukhov Rocks Summit Bid 1 Summit Bid 2	The Author, with his favourite Racer Antarctica gloves, sponsored by Loisirs Distribution Photo: Dr K Henderson
	Elbrus Ski Tour 1999 was organised by HKE Jagged Globe, 45 Mowbray Street, Sheffield S3 8EN, UK (tel: +44 114 276 3322, fax: +44 114 276 3344). Both the Author and the Doc would thoroughly recommend them.
	Peakware Elbrus Home Page for more information on Elbrus