Mount Elbrus Mount Elbrus Mount Elbrus (; , "Miñi taw" or "Mın̨i tau" ; , "’Wāśhamāxwa" or "Ꜧuas̨hamaxua" ;) could be considered the highest mountain in Europe, notwithstanding the fact that Caucasus mountains are at the intersection of Europe and Asia, and the tenth most prominent peak in the world. A dormant volcano, Elbrus is in the Caucasus Mountains in Southern Russia, near the border with Georgia. Elbrus has two summits, both of which are dormant volcanic domes. The taller west summit is ; the east summit is . The east summit was first ascended on 10 July 1829 (Julian calendar) by
Mount Elbrus 100 people to be attempting the summit via this route each day. Winter ascents are rare, and are usually undertaken only by very experienced climbers. Elbrus is notorious for its brutal winter weather, and summit attempts are few and far between. The climb is not technically difficult, but it is physically arduous because of the elevations and the frequent strong winds. The average annual death toll on Elbrus is 15–30, primarily due to "many unorganized and poorly equipped" attempts to summit the mountain. Since 1986, Elbrus has been incorporated into Prielbrusye National Park, one of the Protected areas of Russia.