The dates for the "Clean Mountain" eco-tourism festival at Mount Elbrus have been announced.

On September 26, the event will bring together proponents of a responsible lifestyle on the slopes, while on September 27, organizers are inviting the public to a thematic lecture series focused on environmental issues for the first time.

Kavkaz.RF, the resort's management company, invites corporate teams, organized tour groups, and local residents and visitors of the Elbrus region to take part in the country's highest-altitude cleanup drive. Participants will clean several areas, ranging from the banks of the Baksan River and the Azau Glade (2,350 m) up to the "Mir" station (3,500 m).

Organizers will provide all necessary equipment to those who register in advance on the resort's website. Participants will enjoy free cable car rides during the event. DJs will create a lively, festive atmosphere at the upper stations, and a signature *pilaf* prepared by the chef will await participants afterward.

"Statistically, this is the resort's most popular event. People are united by a shared good cause, and that is truly heartening. Eight years ago, when the initiative first began within the Elbrus resort team, we could only dream that people would travel from as far as Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and Kaliningrad to help clean up trash. I know that guests specifically take time off work to participate, bringing along their children and even their grandchildren," says Khisa Bekkaev, Deputy General Director of Kavkaz.RF.

The event was held for the first time in 2018; back then, resort staff and 200 volunteers cleaned the mountain, collecting 5.5 tons of waste. By 2026, the festival saw the participation of over 3,700 volunteers from across the country—including more than 500 children—who collected 14 tons of waste from the mountain slopes. "I love the mountains and want to do my part to make the world a better place, which is why I’ve been participating in 'Clean Mountain' since its inception. Gradually, my colleagues started joining in, too. Our company supplies electricity to the resort, and we take pride in seeing the tangible results of our daily work and helping to improve the natural environment of the Caucasus. This year, for the first time, we assembled a full corporate team of 60 people. We plan to come back with an even larger group next year—colleagues from Rostov-on-Don, Crimea, Krasnodar, and other cities are planning to join," said Oksana Suldina, Head of the Legal Department at the Pyatigorsk branch of PJSC Rosseti.

For the first time in its history, the "Clean Mountain" event will span two days. On Sunday, September 27, the resort will host a gathering of climatologists, avalanche experts, cultural scholars, and mountaineers to explore mountain tourism as a dynamic interplay of people and ideas. Discussions will focus on how a respectful attitude toward the mountains is becoming part of the region's cultural identity and what future scenarios lie ahead. Also on that day, university students from the North Caucasian Federal District will plant tree saplings at the Azau Glade, and resort guests can look forward to organized hikes in honor of World Tourism Day.

Kavkaz.RF is the unified development institution for the North Caucasus. Operating under the supervision of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the company builds and develops resorts, manages tourism and recreation special economic zones, fosters conditions for business growth in the region, and cultivates a favorable investment climate. Within the Russian Government, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak oversees the North Caucasian Federal District.

Over 1,000 people climbed Elbrus at sunset.

The "Sunset in the Mountains" ticket, available at the Elbrus resort every Friday and Saturday in August, has become a hit this summer: over 1,000 people purchased tickets in just six days. Its popularity is comparable to the evening skiing option, a new feature for the 2025/2026 winter.

"This is the first time the opportunity to see the high mountains in the rays of the setting sun has become available, and we've seen that evening skiing tickets have quickly become very popular among resort guests. Elbrus' cable cars will be undergoing maintenance in September, so the end of this week, August 28th and 29th, is your last chance to visit Elbrus at sunset, and we recommend you don't miss it," said Olga Kravchenko, Marketing Director of Kavkaz.RF.

Tickets for evening skiing on Elbrus are available at the resort's ticket office on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are valid only on the day of purchase. The ascent to the top station begins at 4:00 PM, with the last descent at 7:00 PM. During this time, resort guests will experience the "golden hour" at altitudes of 3,500 and 3,847 meters. Evening ascents are subject to weather conditions, and cable car operations are subject to change. This fare became available on August 7.

The resort also offers fares that combine the cable car ride with a visit to the high-mountain swing and alpaca park, as well as combined tickets for three resorts—Elbrus, Mamison, and Veduchi.

Advance sales of seasonal ski passes with maximum discounts are ending—until the end of August, tickets to Elbrus can be purchased with up to 35% off, and tickets to Mamison with up to 25% off. The best deal is available until the end of summer for a combined ticket for three Kavkaz.RF resorts: a season pass with a fast track, allowing access to Elbrus, Mamison, and Veduchi on any day of the season, is available at a 40% discount for 90,000 rubles. Pre-sale tickets are available only on the resorts' official websites.

Elbrus Resort is offering seasonal ski passes at discounts of up to 40%—the promotion is valid for purchases made before August 31st.

Ski passes are valid throughout the winter season, including weekends, holidays, and the New Year holidays.

The resort offers slopes of varying difficulty levels, as well as the highest cable car in Russia, which takes guests to an altitude of 3,847 meters. The ski season at Elbrus lasts up to eight months—the longest in the country.

You can choose the right rate on the resort's official website.

Over 9,000 people attended the "KAVKAZ FEST - 2026" on Elbrus.

The grand concert, organized by Kavkaz.RF, generated a great deal of excitement among guests and proved that the legendary resort can host large-scale events. People's Artist of Russia, singer Dima Bilan, headlined the event.

On August 15, the Elbrus resort hosted a large-scale event combining music, culture, sports, and tourism. It attracted over 9,000 guests, making it one of the largest in the North Caucasus.

The program began with morning yoga at the Mir high-altitude station. Later in the day, guests took part in an eco-walk along the "Victory Trail" route with renowned mountaineer Alina Pekova, the first Russian woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in the world.

The resort also hosted a landscape painting workshop, "Elbrus on Canvas," with artist Murat Dyshekov, an open meeting on "Regional Development through Culture, Sports, and Tourism," gastronomic and creative workshops, traditional dances, DJ sets, and family and children's activities.

The main event of the "KAVKAZ FEST" was a large open-air concert. Popular North Caucasus artists performed on one stage, and the evening culminated with a performance by Dima Bilan. Thousands of spectators gathered near the resort's main stage in the large parking lot. The concert was free for resort guests.

"For the third day in a row, we've received hundreds of grateful reviews from spectators and visitors to Elbrus. And this is the best answer to the question of whether the resort needs such large-scale events. August is perhaps the busiest month of the summer season. "This coming weekend, we invite everyone to the Mamison art festival at our Ossetian resort, and very soon we will announce the dates for our favorite event, 'Clean Mountain,' on Elbrus," says Rustam Tapaev, Deputy General Director of Kavkaz.RF.

"We wanted to create an event that would draw people to Elbrus, spend the whole day there, see the mountains from a different perspective, and make them want to return. More than nine thousand guests today are the best confirmation that this format has a great future," notes Timur Khatsaev, the project's producer.

Kavkaz.RF is the unified development institute for the North Caucasus. Under the supervision of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the company builds and develops resorts, manages a tourism and recreational special economic zone, creates conditions for business development in the region, and fosters a favorable investment climate. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak oversees the North Caucasus Federal District in the Russian Government.

Elbrus is the country's highest resort with the longest ski season, a magnet for extreme sports enthusiasts, athletes, and tourists from around the world. The resort welcomes up to a million guests annually. It boasts the highest cable cars in Russia, reaching an altitude of 3,847 meters above sea level. Over 20 kilometers of ski slopes are available for both professionals and beginners, and over 65 kilometers of maintained eco-trails. It is a year-round training base for the Russian national ski teams and hosts international alpine ski races, trail running, and eco-festivals. The resort's management company is Kavkaz.RF.

The exhibition "With an Easel to the Summit of Elbrus" will be held on August 18th at the A.L. Tkachenko Kabardino-Balkarian Museum of Fine Arts (Nalchik). The exhibition will be on display for one day.

As part of the plein air expedition, young artists worked in various locations—on the Bechasyn Plateau, in Upper Balkaria, the Bezengi Gorge, Arkhyz, and at the foot of Elbrus. The project involves students and graduates from the Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute, the Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Art and Design, the VGIK, the Ilya Glazunov Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, the Sergei Andriyaka Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts, and the Kabardino-Balkarian State University. H. M. Berbekov, the College of Culture and Arts of the North Caucasus State Institute of Arts, and the Kazanoko Zhabagi Children's Art School.

The exhibition is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the ascent of Elbrus by Soviet athlete and engineer Alexei Berberashvili (1966), who became the first person in history to reach the mountain's eastern summit on a motorcycle.

T-Bank Elbrus Wild Trail: Mountain Trail Winners Announced

The T-Bank Elbrus Wild Trail race was a success on Mount Elbrus. This large-scale event brought together participants across eight distances of varying difficulty. The longest and most technically challenging trail, the "Dzhantugan" (130 km), started at midnight; morning starts covered the remaining distances, including the 11 km "Baksan" trail, accessible to beginner trail runners.

Following the competition, the leaders in key categories were determined. Dmitry Zyuzin became the overall champion in the challenging 130 km mountain ultra-distance. Yulia Timofeeva finished first among women in the same distance.

Dmitry Bregeda won the 35 km category (Donguzorun). Maria Reznicenko achieved the best result in the vertical kilometer, completing the distance in 1 hour 8 minutes.

The T-Bank Elbrus Wild Trail once again confirmed its status as a key event in the mountain trail calendar: the high-altitude trails allowed participants to test themselves in unique natural conditions and appreciate the unique challenges of mountain running.

Elbrus is launching its first "Sunset in the Mountains" fare.

Starting August 7, guests of the legendary resort will have the unique opportunity to ascend the mountains at sunset. The special "Sunset in the Mountains" fare will allow photographers, videographers, content creators, and connoisseurs of spectacular views to capture the best light of day at a record-breaking altitude of 3,847 meters.

The experimental fare will run until the end of August. Cable car rides will be available during extended hours exclusively on Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This ticket validity period allows you to ascend to the top to catch the "golden hour" and return.

Tickets can only be purchased at the resort ticket office and must be used on the day of purchase. This restriction is due to the changeable weather in the high mountains: ticket sales will only begin once staff have verified that clouds will not obscure the sunset sky.

"Getting to an altitude of 3,847 meters during the golden hour is a special opportunity, previously available only to climbers and resort staff. Now, you can simply buy a cable car ticket and experience the mountain to its fullest. This opportunity has never been available before, and it's not guaranteed to be repeated in the future, so I sincerely recommend taking advantage of it," noted Rustam Tapaev, Deputy General Director of Kavkaz.RF.

Dima Bilan will perform at Elbrus on August 15.

On August 15, the "KAVKAZ FEST 2026" cultural and tourism project will take place at the Elbrus resort in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Its main event will be a large-scale open-air concert at high altitude featuring popular North Caucasus artists and a special guest, Dima Bilan.

The project was initiated by the Kavkaz.RF development institute with the support of the Government of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. In addition to the concert, the program will include morning practices, trekking with record-holder Alina Pekova, and culinary and creative workshops.

The daytime program will begin with yoga at the "Mir" station overlooking the Caucasus peaks. Guests will then be able to take a walk along the Azau-Cheget eco-trail with renowned mountaineer Alina Pekova, the first Russian woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in the world.

"It's important for us to create additional reasons for those who have never been to the Elbrus region to come here. After visiting the great mountains once, people return again and again—for the cable car, trekking, climbing, concerts, exhibitions, or simply to be in the silence. There are many reasons to visit the mountains, but the upcoming concert is one of the most compelling," shares Khasan Timizhev, Executive Director of Kavkaz.RF.

During the day, the resort will host a landscape painting masterclass, "Elbrus on Canvas," with artist Murat Dyshekov, an open meeting with entrepreneurs, athletes, and cultural figures on the topic of "Regional Development through Culture, Sports, and Tourism," and a culinary and entertainment program at the Azau Glade.

Guests will enjoy a food court, DJ sets, master classes on preparing national dishes, traditional dances of the peoples of Kabardino-Balkaria, and family and children's activities.

The day will culminate with a high-altitude concert in the parking area. Popular North Caucasus artists will perform for the audience, and a special guest, Dima Bilan, will close the concert program.

"KAVKAZ FEST is a wonderful opportunity to spend a weekend in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Our goal is to create an event that will make you want to return to the North Caucasus again," notes project producer Timur Khatsaev.

Admission to the event is free with advance registration on the official Elbrus Resort website. Access to certain areas of the event is only possible with a ticket for the resort's cable car.

Elbrus World Race: Results of the Alpindustria Races Announced

The traditional Alpindustria races, a competition with a nearly 15-year history, took place at the Elbrus resort. This year, the organizers emphasized the technical difficulty of the routes: the short distances Cheget 25 and Garabashi 10 were excluded from the program, and strict entry criteria were introduced for the remaining distances.

Of all those who applied, 177 athletes were selected, all of whom successfully completed the distances. The race culminated at the Terskolak Pass: participants had to overcome 10 km of challenging terrain, including sections with steep climbs, the risk of rockfall, and the need to use rock climbing techniques.

Dmitry Gavryushin won the longest distance—131 km around Elbrus—completing the route in 26.5 hours.

New this season was a two-person team distance. Ekaterina Luzina and Artyom Sotkin took first place in this category: they covered 92 km with an 8,000 m elevation gain in 31 hours, 13 minutes, and 42 seconds.

The next major event at the resort will be the Wild Trail, a race popular throughout the country. It will be held for the first time on Elbrus on August 8-9.

The ALPINDUSTRIA ELBRUS RACE trail running festival kicks off.

Competitors from the EWR, EWR PRO, and WER 80—the race's longest routes—set out on the course. Ahead of them are dozens of kilometers of mountain trails, elevation gain, passes, and a long journey to the finish.

The ALPINDUSTRIA ELBRUS RACE is a unique race through the Elbrus region, taking place through the most picturesque and pristine sections of the Caucasus, professionally organized and with special attention to safety.

Sprint stage of the "Crown of Terskol": the results of the vertical kilometer race have been announced.

The "Crown of Terskol" festival held a sprint stage—a vertical kilometer race. The distance involves climbing strictly uphill with an elevation gain of 1,000 meters; the difficulty of the stage is determined by the steepness of the climb and the relatively short length of the route.

The competition took place on three routes: Cheget, Terskol, and Itkol. The Cheget route offers views of both peaks of Elbrus, the classic ascent route from the south, the Semyorka Glacier, and the Baksan Gorge. Part of the Terskol route runs toward the western summit of Elbrus. The Itkol route (2,300 meters long) winds through a pine forest and mountain slopes.

Record-breaking results were recorded in the races. Oksana Kurilenok (Tomsk) achieved the best time in the festival's history on the Cheget (53:30) and Itkol (50:49) trails. Andrey Dobdin (Saratov) won the men's race, completing each of the three distances in approximately 44 minutes.

The festival program included a mountain lecture featuring Igor Komarov, an avalanche expert from Terskol, who spoke about the influence of weather conditions and terrain on mountain events. A tour of the observatory and a film evening dedicated to Vysotsky's memorial day were also organized: participants were shown the film "Vertical."

The final race of the "Crowns of Terskol" competition, as well as races as part of the Alpindustria Elbrus Race, are scheduled for this coming weekend. Due to this, increased traffic is expected on the roads and trails of the Elbrus region.

On August 8–9, the T-Bank Elbrus Wild Trail mountain race will take place at the foot of Mount Elbrus. This is a high-altitude trail run.

Three two-day races and eight distances of varying difficulty allow for a variety of participation options for any skill level, from a vertical kilometer to a distance of 130 km.

DJ‐Stat at the Mir station: a unique music event at a height of 3,500 m

On 31 July, a special music event will take place at the Mir station, the first time the DJ-S-Star will take a weekend. The guests will be able to enjoy rhythms while at the same time seeing how the last sun rays hide behind the horizon at a height of 3,500 metres.

The event will take place on Friday, 31 July, from 3 to 7:00. A special tariff on the Zakat Mountains is proposed for the visit, which includes one lift and one down on the canat road between 4:00 and 7:00. The ticket only works on the day of purchase.

Rustam Tapayev: Elbrus is becoming the country's main venue for mountain running.

In July and August, the Elbrus region will host four independent competitions in skyrunning, trail running, and triathlon. The upcoming races include both professional events—such as stages of the Russian Cup, the challenging Elbrus circuit, world triathlon records—and distances for beginners.

"According to our data, no other resort in the country has such a packed calendar of mountain running events until the end of the summer season as Elbrus. This demonstrates that the resort and the Elbrus region as a whole have already become one of Russia's main venues for mountain running. "Every year, Kavkaz.RF's partners include more and more race organizers, because the combination of unique altitudes and developed tourist and sports infrastructure in our mountains makes it convenient to host mass competitions and acclimatize to them, and the resort always supports sporting events," shared Rustam Tapayev, Deputy General Director of Kavkaz.RF.

The mountain running season will open with the "Crown of Terskol" skyrunning festival. From July 24 to August 2, athletes will compete in the Russian Cup stages in the high-altitude race and vertical kilometer. Winning prizes in these events earns additional points, allowing athletes to qualify for the national team. The high-altitude race, a relatively short distance of 30 km, will feature the highest elevation gain of this year's Russian Cup stages—3,500 meters. There will be three "vertical kilometer" races: Cheget, Terskol, and Itkol, with distances ranging from 2,300 to 3,450 meters.

From August 1st to 3rd, the Alpindustria Elbrus Race skyrunning program will continue. The shortest of the five competition distances is 39 km, while the longest is 131 km: the famous loop around Elbrus. Athletes will start and finish at the resort's parking lot, completing a loop with a maximum elevation of 3,880 meters above sea level and a total elevation gain of 8,200 meters.

On August 8th and 9th, Elbrus will host its first Wild Trail series races. The key difference is that this race is designed not only for experienced trail runners: two of the eight routes (Baksan 11 and Observatoria 20) are suitable for those new to mountain running.

The Elbrusman, one of the most challenging one-day triathlon races in the world, kicks off on August 19. Athletes will swim in a karst lake, cycle 195 km through mountain gorges with an elevation gain of 3,200 meters, and run 42 km, finishing at 3,888 meters—the highest point in world triathlon.

The organizers of all events place special emphasis on the safety of participants. Depending on the distance, requirements include proven mountain and running experience, sport categories in mountaineering/mountain tourism/cycling, climbing experience, and crampons and helmets. Admission to the race is determined on a case-by-case basis after reviewing the application, level of training, and athletic experience. All routes are equipped with checkpoints for food, communications, medical assistance, and rescue services.

The active construction season has begun on Elbrus.

Now that the snow has melted in the high mountains, large-scale construction work has resumed on Elbrus and will continue until August. Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Sergey Nazarov inspected the progress of major construction projects at the resort.

The Deputy Minister, along with the Head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Kazbek Kokov, and representatives of relevant agencies, held a meeting of the working group on the development of the Elbrus resort under the Government Commission for Socioeconomic Development of the North Caucasus Federal District. They discussed current issues related to the resort's development and the modernization of its infrastructure. Sergey Nazarov also conducted an on-site inspection of the construction sites along with Kavkaz.RF CEO Andrey Yumshanov, Executive Director Hasan Timizhev, and relevant deputies.

Two new facilities will be commissioned on Elbrus in 2026: a panoramic restaurant with services on the EL6 cable car and a snowcat garage. More than a dozen projects are in the preparatory stage.

Sergey Nazarov inspected the site of the future "Shelter of the Eleven" hotel, which is being rebuilt by Kavkaz.RF. At an altitude of 4,100 meters, work is underway to fabricate reinforcement cages for the piles, and dismantling the existing pile foundation. Reconstruction of the transformer substation has begun.

A T-bar lift and chairlift will be built on the Garabashi Glacier for year-round training. A design competition has been announced.

At the end of May, the Main State Expertise Authority of Russia issued a positive opinion to Kavkaz.RF for the construction of eight new trails in the eastern sector of the resort. This construction project will be the largest on Elbrus over the next three years. Riders will be transported to the new ski area by modern, domestically designed ten-seater "Aeris" cabins. These designer cabins feature an aerodynamic shape and the largest glass area in the industry – 14 square meters.

Special attention is being paid to landscaping in the resort's development. A new project by the Yarus architectural bureau reimagines the station's navigation and public spaces. At altitudes above 2,000 meters, the average tourist must gradually adapt to the altitude, so the stations will become true recreation areas.

The delegation toured the Gorodok climbing complex, which is set to open at the end of summer. These comfortable modules for climbers with amenities, a kitchen, and all necessary appliances are located at an altitude of 3,800 meters.

Kavkaz.RF is the unified development institute for the North Caucasus. Under the direction of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the company builds and develops resorts, manages a tourism and recreational special economic zone, creates conditions for business development in the region, and fosters a favorable investment climate. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak oversees the North Caucasus Federal District in the Russian Government.

ALPINDUSTRIA ELBRUS RACE: Trail Running Festival to Be Held on Elbrus.

From August 1st to 3rd, the ALPINDUSTRIA ELBRUS RACE trail running festival will take place on Elbrus. It is one of the most iconic events in the world of mountain running and an integral symbol of Elbrus.

Participants will test their skills on routes surrounded by unique mountain scenery: they will cross picturesque sections of the Elbrus region, see mountain rivers, glaciers, and rocky ridges. The main course, the Elbrus World Race, will circle Europe's highest peak: it will be 131 km long, with a total elevation gain of 8,200 m.

The festival is distinguished not only by its spectacular routes but also by its high level of organization, with special attention to athlete safety.

The program includes distances for runners of various skill levels:

Elbrus World Race Pro — 92 km, elevation gain of 8,000 m;

Elbrus World Race — 131 km, elevation gain of 8,200 m;

West Elbrus Race 80 — 78 km, elevation gain of 3,950 m;

East Elbrus Race 55 — 55 km, elevation gain of 5,000 m;

South Elbrus Race 40 — 39 km, elevation gain of 2,150 m.

Start from Azau Glade on August 1.

The construction season is in full swing on Elbrus.

Work intensified after the snow melted in the highlands. Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Sergey Nazarov arrived to inspect the progress of major construction projects.

Two new facilities on Elbrus are planned for commissioning in 2026: a panoramic restaurant with services on the new EL6 cable car and a snowcat garage. More than a dozen more facilities are in the preparatory stage.

Sergey Nazarov inspected the site of the future "Shelter of Eleven." Construction is also underway at an altitude of 4,100 meters: work is underway to fabricate reinforcement cages for the piles, and dismantling the existing pile foundation is underway. Reconstruction of the transformer substation has begun.

At a lower elevation, a T-bar lift and chairlift will be built on the Garabashi Glacier for athletes. This will be a year-round training area. A design competition has been announced.

At the end of May, the Main Directorate of State Expertise of Russia approved the construction of eight new trails in the resort's eastern sector. This is the largest construction project on Elbrus for the next three years.

As a reminder, modern, domestically produced ten-seat Aeris cabins will transport riders to the new ski area. These designer cabins feature an aerodynamic shape and the largest glass area in the industry—14 square meters.

Special attention is being paid to landscaping in the resort's development.

A new project from the Yarus architectural bureau reimagines the station navigation and public spaces:

Instead of "transfer points," these will be true relaxation zones and meditative immersion in the landscape. This is especially important because at altitudes of 2,000 meters or more, the average tourist must gradually gain altitude and adapt to it.

In addition, the delegation members toured the Gorodok climbing complex, which is set to open at the end of the summer. These are comfortable modules for climbers with amenities, a kitchen, and all necessary household appliances at an altitude of 3,800 meters.

DJ set at Mir Station: music and mountain panoramas on Elbrus.

On July 8th, the Mir Station at the Elbrus Resort will host a traditional musical event for lovers of active recreation and good music.

On Saturday, July 8th, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, a DJ will be performing at Mir Station: rhythms and beats will complement the picturesque mountain views and transform an ordinary walk into a true celebration.

We invite resort guests to enjoy the atmosphere, recharge with the energy of music, and capture memorable moments against the backdrop of majestic Elbrus.

Nearly half a million guests and the longest ski season ever: Elbrus closed its ski slopes.

The 56th winter season was the longest in Elbrus's history, lasting 247 days, 23 days longer than the previous record set the previous year. A total of 490,000 people from all regions of the country visited the resort during the 2025/2026 ski winter.

The season at Kabardino-Balkaria's main resort also kicked off with a double record: Elbrus opened skiing first in the country and for the first time in its history, on November 1st. The previous early starts were November 7th in 2021 and November 8th in 2016. Following tradition in recent years, the Elbrus season ended on the first weekend of July: skiers could ski until July 5th.

"It's important for us that the number of skiers on Elbrus' slopes continues to grow. "Over the course of the season, skiers and snowboarders accounted for 54% of all resort guests—222,000 people hit the slopes, an 8% increase from last winter. This figure also includes inclement weather, which this year intervened during peak season periods—the New Year and February holidays—and resulted in the cable car closures being significantly more frequent than last year," said Khasan Timizhev, Executive Director of Kavkaz.RF.

The past season at Elbrus was marked by the opening of a new ski area in the resort's eastern sector at altitudes of 3,300-3,500 meters, in addition to the existing slopes. This area includes two modern cable cars and six slopes totaling 5.2 km. This means 23 km of slopes were available for skiing during the season. Another innovation was night skiing on the Krugozor-Azau slope, for which the 2.4-kilometer slope was equipped with 54 light masts. Nearly 17,000 skiers tried night skiing during the season.

This season, Elbrus became the first ski resort in the North Caucasus to introduce cashback for payments through the Fast Payment System (FPS): when purchasing a ski pass on the resort's official website and paying through the Fast Payment System, guests received a 10% cashback refund to their card. A loyalty program was also launched for resort guests, allowing them to pay for purchases with points with no limit on the amount deducted.

Since July 6, the Elbrus resort has fully transitioned to summer tourist mode: cable cars are operating, taking guests to the Garabashi station at 3,847 meters above sea level. More than 65 km of eco-trails are open. The mountaineering season is also ongoing at the resort, and the Liprus high-mountain hotel is open for climbers.

Kavkaz.RF is the unified development institute for the North Caucasus. Under the direction of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the company builds and develops resorts, manages tourism and recreational special economic zones, creates conditions for business development in the region, and fosters a favorable investment climate. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak oversees the North Caucasus Federal District within the Russian Government.