By: José Luis Sánchez Cordón
When I planned my third trip to the Caucasus Mountains, the excitement was the same as the first time. This range has something magnetic about it: its immensity, its solitude, and that wild character that the Alps lost decades ago. In this article I share essential information for those who dream of exploring the Caucasus range, whether as experienced mountaineers or as curious travelers wishing to get to know Europe's foremost mountain range.
The Caucasus: Europe's highest mountain range
Let's get a sense of what the Caucasus range actually means! If we accept that geographic Europe is bounded to the east by the Urals and to the south by the imaginary line running through the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas, and if we acknowledge that both Russia and Georgia are considered more or less European countries, we can conclude that the Caucasus is the principal mountain range of Europe, above all for its scale and enormous elevations. The Alps would come second, followed by the Pyrenees and other smaller massifs of lesser importance.
Real dimensions: Caucasus vs. Alps and Pyrenees
It is hard to grasp the real dimensions of a great mountain range. In the Alps, for instance, where do they begin and end? What is their average width when in the west their foothills reach the Côte d'Azur and in the east they lose height near Vienna? Drawing on reliable sources, the Alps stretch about 1,000 km, the Carpathians 1,700 km, and the Caucasus range approximately 1,500 km (Classic Climbs in the Caucasus, p. 8), though other references give varying figures.
I suggest a simple method to get a feel for these distances: find the most widely separated mountains above 4,000 meters, connect them with an imaginary line, and measure between the points. In the Alps, the westernmost "four-thousander" is the Barre des Écrins (4,100 m) near Grenoble, and at the other end stands Piz Bernina (4,050 m). The straight-line distance is about 350 km, extendable to 400 km if we include Gran Ortles (3,900 m).
In the Caucasus, to the west we find Dombay Peak (4,050 m) near Sochi — where the 2014 Winter Olympics were held — in Abkhazia, close to the Black Sea. At the other end, near Baku (Azerbaijan) and the Caspian Sea, lie Bazar Dyuzi volcano (4,500 m) and Shahdagh Peak (4,240 m). The distance between these two points reaches 600 km. For reference, the Pyrenees stretch 300 km and their highest point — the Aneto — barely reaches 3,404 m.
Heights that dwarf Mont Blanc: the giants of the Caucasus
Another revealing perspective is altitude above sea level. The highest mountains in the Alps are Mont Blanc (4,808 m) and Monte Rosa (4,630 m). In the Caucasus there are more than ten mountains that exceed the height of Mont Blanc. Elbrus reaches 5,642 m. The enormous Bezengi Wall, 12 km long, accumulates numerous summits above 5,000 meters: Shkhara (5,200 m), Dykh-Tau (5,190 m), Jangi-Tau (5,050 m). The lowest cols sit at 4,500 m and the height differences on both flanks reach 1,500 to 2,000 meters — imagine the rocky spurs and hanging glaciers. The deep valleys of the Bezengi region were dubbed "Little Himalaya" by Sir John Hunt, leader of the first Everest expedition.
And we should not forget other enormous Caucasian mountains: Koshtan-Tau (5,150 m), Kazbek (5,047 m), Mishirgi (4,930 m), Tetnuldi (4,974 m), and the symbolic Ushba (4,710 m).
The width of the Caucasus: two parallel ranges
Another perspective to appreciate the differences: the Pyrenees, at their widest point (through the Aran Valley), span about 30–40 km in a straight line between the Spanish and French flanks. The Alps, through the Tyrolean section, reach 70–80 km. The maximum width of the Caucasus reaches 200–250 km, as it is composed of two long parallel ranges joined in the center by a chain of mountains around 2,000 m. The Greater Caucasus, to the north, marks the border between Russia and Georgia. The Lesser Caucasus, to the south, runs through Armenia and Azerbaijan, with significant summits such as Mount Aragats (4,090 m) — not to be confused with Mount Ararat (5,140 m) in Turkey. Between the two ranges flow two great rivers in opposite directions: the Rioni toward the Black Sea, and the Mtkvari (Kura) toward the Caspian.
Caucasus glaciers: ice at surprisingly low latitudes
The great glaciers are another distinguishing feature of this range. In the Pyrenees only the remnants of small Quaternary glaciers barely exceeding one kilometer in length survive (Aneto or Vignemale), in practically terminal retreat. In the Alps we find glaciers of considerable size: the Aletsch glacier in the Bernese Oberland is the longest at 23 km; the Gorner glacier of Monte Rosa or the Mer de Glace of Mont Blanc are somewhat smaller. All Alpine glaciers lie between latitudes 46° and 47° N.
The Caucasus glaciers, by contrast, are at much lower latitudes: those of Elbrus at 44° N and those of Kazbek at 42.5° N, similar to the Pyrenees. This means the great Kazbek glaciers are almost four degrees further south than those of Mont Blanc — a difference of some 800 km.
On the northern slopes of the Caucasus lie the great Bezengi glaciers (20 km long) and the Dikh Kotu glacier (10 km). On the southern flank, the Lekhziri glacier (15 km) stands out, accessible from Svaneti. And one should not forget the enormous ice cap covering a radius of almost 8–10 km around the twin-peaked Elbrus volcano.
Mountaineering in the Caucasus: adventure in its purest form
In the Alps, if we take an early flight to Geneva or Turin, we can summit a 4,000-meter peak within a couple of days. In the Caucasus that is impossible. Mountaineering in the Caucasus requires a great deal of preparation. Huts, cable cars, roads, tracks, marked trails, camping areas, hotels… barely exist.
Guides or maps? Much the same: a few in Russian or English. Cable cars that bring us close to the great mountains — there is only one, on Elbrus, which deposits you at the astonishing Barrel shelter at 4,000 m at the head of the Baksan valley in the autonomous region of Kabardino-Balkaria. High-mountain huts there are only two: the aforementioned one on Elbrus and another on the normal route up Kazbek, via Georgia. Well-trodden paths to an easy "four-thousander," very few; GPS routes, barely any; and if there were, they would be in Russian. But in that very idiosyncrasy lies the charm of this enormous range.
Trekking in Georgia: solitude, stars, and wild valleys
In the Caucasus it is still possible to experience adventure in true solitude: forays into wild valleys, glacier ascents with no footprints, cold starry nights under the canvas of your tent or bivouac. I speak mainly of the Georgian side, since on the Russian side a few high-mountain camps can be found (not mountain huts in the strict sense). These are located at the head of certain valleys — such as the Ullu-Tau alpine camp or the Bezengi camp — which are difficult to book, where you can get close to the great mountains, sleep, eat, get information, and hire a guide.
In Georgia such camps did not exist until relatively recently, with the exception of Zeshko, far from Svaneti. The good news is that Georgian tourist infrastructure has been slowly improving, though it remains basic compared to the Alps.
Mestia and Svaneti: the gateway to the Greater Caucasus
In Mestia, the capital of Svaneti, you can find some information, hotels, guesthouses, camping areas, mountain guides, and even mule hire. However, the great challenge of approaching these mountains remains the scarcity of marked trails and route information. Add to this the language barrier (Georgian or Russian) and restrictions in border zones, where national park rangers may interrupt your route. The famous Mestia to Ushguli trekking route — about 55 km in 4 or 5 days — is today the most popular and best-marked in the region, but beyond it, the adventure remains authentically wild.
Useful resources for mountaineers: guides, maps, and contacts
In my travels to the Caucasus I have collected several guidebooks, maps, and useful service information for anyone planning their first independent trip to Europe's foremost mountain range:
• "Classic Climbs in the Caucasus" (guidebook), Friedrich Bender — Russian side.
• "The Essence of the Caucasus" (guidebook), Richard Baerug — Georgian side.
• "Georgian Caucasus Map" (1:75,000), Terra Quest — Georgian side.
• "Mount Elbrus, Baksan Valley Map" (1:50,000).
• "Geoland Collection, Svanetia" (1:50,000) — www.geoland.ge.
• Sports shop in Tbilisi (gas, maps…): www.geoland.ge.
• Tourist office in Mestia: www.svanetitrekking.ge [VERIFY].
• High-mountain ski guide in the Caucasus: www.whitemotions.net [VERIFY].
• Spanish-speaking tour guide: Alex Aleksandre — iberogeorgia.com.
• (Note: for the Russian side I have very little useful information, as I went with a trekking agency.)
When is the best time for trekking in the Caucasus?
The ideal season for trekking in the Georgian Caucasus runs from June to September. During these months the trails are free of snow, the weather is more stable, and the days are long. July and August are the most popular months for high-mountain routes in Svaneti, Tusheti, and Kazbegi. Outside this window, many access routes — including the spectacular road to Abano Pass — remain closed due to snow.