Ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov won his first medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

He took second in the sprint—a discipline that involves several stages: part of the ascent is covered on skis with skins, part on foot, with the skis strapped to a backpack, and then a high-speed descent back down on skis. The race lasts approximately 3.5 minutes.

It's worth noting that Nikita's first ski mountaineering camp (he had previously also competed in biathlon and cross-country skiing) took place on Elbrus. It served as preparation for the Junior World Championships and simultaneously as a turning point: the mountains captivated him so much that he decided to devote himself entirely to ski mountaineering.

Ski mountaineer Nikita Filippov won his first medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

He took second in the sprint—a discipline that involves several stages: part of the ascent is covered on skis with skins, part on foot, with the skis strapped to a backpack, and then a high-speed descent back down on skis. The race lasts approximately 3.5 minutes.

It's worth noting that Nikita's first ski mountaineering camp (he had previously also competed in biathlon and cross-country skiing) took place on Elbrus. It served as preparation for the Junior World Championships and simultaneously as a turning point: the mountains captivated him so much that he decided to devote himself entirely to ski mountaineering.

The Kavkaz.RF resorts invite you to spend a long weekend in the mountains.

During the holidays, in addition to skiing, guests of Elbrus and Mamison will enjoy an interactive program dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day. On February 22 and 23, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the resorts will host an entertainment program.

Azau Glade at Elbrus will feature workshops, themed competitions, and hosts and a DJ will create a festive atmosphere. The program will open on both days with the children's animation show "Adventures of Young Heroes," and will continue on various days with competitions in giant boxing gloves, arm wrestling, tug-of-war, a 16-kilogram kettlebell lift, and winter boccia. On Elbrus, you can extend your vacation with evening skiing: the Krugozor-Azau trail is now open every evening from 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

At Mamison, guests will enjoy an interactive program called "Young Skier's Course," along with entertainers and a DJ. Sports competitions are also planned, including weightlifting, target throwing, an obstacle course, and a giant ski race. Both days will conclude with a discotheque on the resort's main square. Mamison guests can spend their evenings at the new Grand Galabu restaurant, which will open this weekend on the second floor of the service center.

Furthermore, on February 21, Mamison will host another master class, the "Slow Life Workshop," on sketching from life. The event will be led by Sergey Mikhitarov, a photographer and artist from Pyatigorsk. It starts at 1:30 PM. Register here.

It's high season at the resorts, so from February 9th to March 15th, a special system of rates and discounts is in effect. At Elbrus, there's a 5% discount, and when paying with a QR code, a 10% refund is credited to your card. At Mamison, from February 20th to March 15th, there's a 20% discount on ski passes.

The freeride tournament has kicked off at Elbrus.

On the first day, teams from Alpindustria and the resort are preparing for the races.

Kavkaz.RF is a partner of the event. The resort is preparing the competition slopes (including assessing avalanche conditions), organizing rescue missions, providing ski passes, and marking and fencing the trails near the start area.

Elbrus is growing: Kavkaz.RF is developing the resort's mountaineering segment.

A conference entitled "Current Safety Issues in Adventure Tourism in Russia" was held in Moscow. Alexey Elin, Advisor to the General Director, delivered a presentation on behalf of the development institute. The event brought together key industry players: resort managers, mountain guides, climbers, rescuers, and representatives of insurance and assistance companies.

The conference aims to create a safer and more sustainable environment for adventure tourism in Russia and to facilitate the exchange of experience between industries. The organizers dedicated the first part to presentations, while the second was dedicated to expert networking to develop key points. Following the conference, the organizers announced the decision to make the conference an annual event.

The Caucasus, the region home to virtually all of the country's highest peaks, including Elbrus, dominated the agenda. Alexey Elin discussed the progress of the Elbrus resort's modernization, including what has been accomplished and what is planned for the coming years. He noted that the resort isn't directly involved in climbing, but de facto supports the mountaineering industry: it provides infrastructure such as cable cars and the Liprus high-mountain hotel, builds an alpine village at an altitude of 3,900 meters, and restores the legendary Priyut 11 high-mountain hotel at an altitude of 4,100 meters. Furthermore, the resort's team promotes the historical heritage of the area—it was here in the 1930s that Soviet mountaineering was born.

Conference participants particularly noted the work of the Elbrus rescue service. In addition to ensuring safety on the ski slopes, the resort's rescuers, in emergency situations, collaborate with the Elbrus High-Altitude Search and Rescue Team of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The recent helicopter evacuations of climbers from the Shkhelda and Bezengi walls were also discussed—cases that confirm the critical importance of professional rescue work at high altitudes, the availability of appropriate equipment, and the need for voluntary insurance policies covering sports risks.

A separate topic of discussion was the introduction of a permit system, climber insurance, and the establishment of rescue stations on the north face of Elbrus. The Kavkaz.RF team is conducting this work jointly with the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the Elbrus National Park, and the Government of Kabardino-Balkaria.

"By the next mountaineering season, we intend to work with the professional community to develop a system for route permits and insurance—these are long-overdue issues. But we are approaching this carefully. It is important for us that any innovations are justified and do not create barriers for the industry," noted Alexey Elin.

The conference was organized by Save Pro Life, an online travel insurance service. Presentations were also given by representatives of the Russian Mountain Guides Association, the Russian Mountaineering Federation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, tour operators AlpIndustry-Tour and Elbrus Expert, the Heliaction helicopter company, the UAL mountain club, the Savitar Group assistance company, and the Grebni travel club.