I got a tip on another forum about this route because when I go to Elbrus I'd like to do something a bit more challenging than a straight slog. I thought about doing a winter ascent, which some outfits have, but doing a more technical route could be even better. Does anyone know more about this, it's extremely hard to find info online. There are two guide companies offering it, AlexClimb and ExtremeTime.ru. It's supposed to be challenging, but not exactly hard. I've seen one place rate it PD+ for pure technical difficulty, though the descriptions make it sound more like AD to D considering how long it is.

Elbrustours.ru offered it once and posted this image of the route, it's the only one I've seen .

Does anyone here know anything about it?

Yury wrote:Yes, it's extremely difficult.
It's very steep - up to 30%.
There are quite a few creavasses, so you need to use a rope.
You also need to use crampons and an ice axe.

Is there belaying involved, or simul-climbing, or more or less just a steep hike when roped up? Have you done it?

I'm still hoping to do this route myself, so if anyone tries it, please post a report or reach out to me personally. Until then, anyone looking for a good adventure can seek to copy the route I did last summer. It has the same start point of Khurzuk and Jele Soo West. It then goes through some awesome terrain for three days as you travel south to Khotutau Pass on the SW side of the mountain. From there you travel north on the west side of the mountain until you intersect the NW route just below the West Summit. I posted a detailed trip report titled "Elbrus from the West(ish)" complete with GPS data.