I arrived on the summit ahead of my companions, and for a few minutes,
was once again floating free above it all on top of a continent.
– Gerry Roach - from Ten Tadasanas - Forbidden Snows |
| Earth’s Continent Summits |
Photo Gallery |
Europe’s Mount Elbrus, 18,510 feet |
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Elbrus seen at sunrise from Mestia Pass to the southeast
Mestia Pass is on the border between Georgia and Russia,
but Elbrus is completely within Russia, which is part of Europe
The main summit of Elbrus is the west peak, and it is on the left in this photo
The standard climbing route ascends the shadowed slope on the left
to reach the saddle between the east and west peaks |
| Photo by Gerry Roach |
| Mont Blanc at 15,771 feet is the Alp’s monarch and the highest peak in Western Europe,
but the Caucasus Range in southern Russia,
which runs east-west between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea,
contains several peaks higher than Mont Blanc.
Mount Elbrus at 18,510 feet is the highest peak in the Caucasus and also Europe’s highest peak.
Since Elbrus is an old extinct volcano, it towers over the rest of the Caucasus,
and is Europe’s highest peak by a large margin. |
