Russia

It's hard to know where to put Russia in this project - it spans from easternmost Asia all the way into Europe. So does it go in 'Asia' or 'Europe'? Since all of these photos were taken throughout the "European" end of Russia I decided to put them under Europe. Maybe I'll start an Asian 'eastern-Russia' page if I ever get way over there.. So I did this west-Russia trip mainly for the purpose of climbing Mt Elbrus, which is considered to be the highest mountain in Europe at 18,510 ft. I also did some sightseeing before and after the climb, mostly in St Petersburg and Moscow. It's an interesting place and I can't wait to go back for more. Enjoy, comrades!

Moscow, Russia. Probably the most-recognized icon of Russia, St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square.

St Petersburg, Russia. The Hermitage. One of the world's great museums, spectacular inside and out.

St. Petersburg, Russia. For a country that is supposedly all about the 'common man' Russia has its share of uncommon opulence. Until recently reserved only for top Reds.

Above: The grand entrance to the Hermitage, where you can spend days viewing priceless art from Europe and beyond. Much of it was "borrowed" by Soviet troops in WW2 as they rampaged across Europe.

Right: The interior of The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. These walls are covered with intricate tile mosaics, not paintings. In fact these church walls are considered to be the largest mosaic collection in the world. The tiles are tiny and the amount of work it must have taken is unimaginable. The unusual name came from an assassination that was carried out here in the 1800's.

"Our response to your economic sanctions."

Everywhere, Russia. I'm sure it's not as bad as it was back in the old Soviet Union days, but there's still a lot of "us vs them" mentality here. I made my first trip here back in 2015 when Obama was still president. Russians didn't like him because of the hard line he took with Russia, so everywhere you looked there was pro-Putin and anti-Obama (or anti-U.S.) merchandise. On follow-up trips after Trump was elected the attitude had changed considerably!

Above Terskol, Russia. A scenic acclimatization hike in the Caucasus Mountains in preparation for the big climb up to the summit of Mt Elbrus. In the winter some of these lower meadows become ski slopes. The border with neighboring Georgia runs right along that ridge behind us and things were a little tense here at this time.

Above Base Camp, Mt. Elbrus. The summit is a 2-day climb above base camp. Here we are trudging upwards at about 14,000 ft.

Mt. Elbrus, Russia. Taking a rest on day 2 of the summit climb. I think the top photo was shot at around 16,500 ft or so. A nice cold & clear day, perfect for summiting. Nothing is worse than working yourself half to death to get to the summit, only to find yourself in a cloud with zero visibility! Just past the first row of mountains in the distance is the southern border of Russia, with the Republic of Georgia on the far side. Sochi (2014 winter Olympics) is about 100 miles away to the west.

Right: Success! On the summit at 18,510 ft. Me in black with the raised silver ice axe. One of the best summit days I've had in years - clear skies and calm winds. Mt Elbrus is a rare double-cone volcano and this is the higher peak.

Prielbrusye, Russia. I'm not sure I've ever seen a one-person ski lift before but here's one, on the ski slopes of lower Elbrus. After being up here for many days in cold and dirty conditions we were all ready to get down to a warm hotel, hot shower, and real food. I had pity for this old man, who was heading up to work on the mountain at some less-than-desirable job. Russia is full of characters that look like they've had a tough life.

Caucasus, Russia. After days above the tree line it's always great to see green again. Continuing the exploration of this area by horseback on a nice summer day.

Rural Russia. A parting view of Mt Elbrus, as seen from the endless fields of sunflowers in the farmlands to the north. You can see both volcanic cones of Elbrus from this angle; we climbed the higher one on the right.