Mount Elbrus Khillar Khachirov, and the west summit in 1874 by a British expedition led by F. Crauford Grove and including Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, and the Swiss guide of St. Niklaus. Khachirov's nationality is claimed both by Kabardians and Karachay and used by nationalists of both sides. He was a guide for an Imperial Russian army scientific expedition led by General Georgi Emmanuel. While authorities differ on how the Caucasus are distributed between Europe and Asia, most relevant modern authorities define the continental boundary as the Caucasus watershed, placing Elbrus in Europe due to its position on the north side in
Mount Elbrus being given a medal for bombing the main mountaineering hut, "Priyut" 11 (, "Refuge of the 11"), while it was occupied. He was then later nominated for a medal for not hitting the hut, but instead the German fuel supply, leaving the hut standing for future generations. When news reached Adolf Hitler that a detachment of mountaineers was sent by the general officer commanding the German division to climb to the summit of Elbrus and plant the swastika flag at its top, he reportedly flew into a rage, called the achievement a "stunt" and threatened to court martial the general.