HSE Extreme Sports Club Helped Beginners to Master Snowboarding
HSE Extreme Sports Club organized a skiing and snowboarding trip to Elbrus for HSE students, graduates and staff.
Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe. Members of HSE tourist club (since 1999 the club has specialized in extreme sports) have ‘conquered’ the Western (5642 m) and Eastern (5621 m) peaks of Elbrus several times during their hikes and ski tours. The first ascension was organized in 2012, and was dedicated to the HSE’s 20th anniversary.
The most recent trip was planned in a special way so that the HSE team was one of the first in the world to take a new cable car to the height of 3780m above sea level (this is the highest ski lift in Europe) and thus one of the first in the world to ski and snowboard down a brand new track, despite the difficult terrain and strong wind.
This time, in spite of positive forecasts in the lead-up to the trip, the weather wasn’t ideal for skiing, however club instructors taught the beginners in just four days how to go down the track on snowboards and control them on the slope.
Some of the participants trying snowboarding for the first time were brave enough to descend from the slope of the Gara-Bashi (3800 m), accompanied by the club instructors.
In their free time, the club members organized theme parties, quests and games in the hotel for HSE students, lecturers and alumni. They also went to the bathhouse and spent time ice-skating. Those who had enough energy to dance after snowboarding also visited the legendary local bar ‘Deep Purple’.
The ski season is coming to an end, and on March 14-20 the club is organising the final trip of the season for snowboarders. However, the tourist season is starting soon, and HSE tourist club invites everyone on a trip to the Crimea mountains, and later in the year, to the Northern Caucasus.