Continent – Europe
Country – Russia / Caucus Region
Gateway City: Mineralnye Vody
Cost of Guided Ascent: $4,100
Peak Season: July/August
Trip Duration: 15 Days
Elevation – 18,510 feet (5,642 m)
Erin completed Mt. Elbrus in June of 2018. At 18,510’ above sea level, Mt. Elbrus can be easily looked passed by climbers who have completed the higher summit of Kilimanjaro, or those looking to the higher summits of Aconcagua or Denali. It’s a frequent mistake and can be a detriment to the hopes of an aspiring 7 Summiteer. Elbrus’ summit day is a fierce climb; in the 24 hours leading up to her successful summit, Erin needed to climb nearly 6,500’ of vertical altitude gain, making the summit day on Elbrus one of the most difficult, and longest of the 7 summits. The climb is also a steady and steep grade, making summit day and regular daily acclimatization hikes rigorous.
In Erin’s words:
“I flew into Mineralnye Vody a day before my team. Finding myself alone and trans in a remote part of Russia known for its intolerance against the LGBT community, the recent occupation of Crimea, and insurgent violence throughout Chechnya and neighboring areas made for an treacherous situation. It was 2am and none of the local population spoke a word of English. The world cup had kicked off in Russia that day, and I awoke to a severe travel warning. The US Consulate warned travelers against climbing Mt Elbrus as local gangs and insurgents had taken foreign hostages for ransom, and local governments had a well-documented practice of extrajudicial killings of gay men. The Consulate warning continued that there would be no diplomatic support in the region, as US personnel had been restricted from operating in the area.
I met my climbing team at the airport, and after traveling through an area riddled with military checkpoints, we arrived in the towns beneath Russia’s great Northern Caucasus. I decided early on that I would keep my past and trans status a secret for both my own personal safety and for the safety of the team. I only trusted the information in my hands, and I wanted the climbing team to have some plausible deniability if an incident occurred with local thugs or corrupt local governments.
I spent the next week with my head down and my eyes up, motivated by the resolution that I never wanted to return. In those brief days, I realized the joy of integrating as myself on a climbing team, and made several friends from across the globe. As I spent my final 2 days in Moscow, I reflected on the danger my identity put me in, and the simultaneous satisfaction of feeling free to be myself with people that only knew me now as Erin.
The food was terrible and the accommodations were basic, but even if I hadn’t seen Elbrus’ peak I would have considered my safe return and the amazing friendships I gained along the way a greatest successes of that expedition. Integrating on a climbing team after my transition was something I thought impossible, and gave me peace of mind I’ve felt before.”