Central Caucasus is like the heart of all Caucasus system, the highest, most fascinating part of the entire mountain system and the one with the most difficult access. Closed off to the west by Mt. Elbrus and to the east by Mt. Kazbek, the divide is quite articulate and complex and branches off to the north and south into a series of buttresses. Here lie the most famous rock faces in the Caucasus system scattered over the regions of Mt. Elbrus ("Prielbrusie," or area around Mt. Elbrus), Mt. Bezengi, Svanetia and, in the eastern most part of the central Caucasus, of Digoria, Karaugorn and Tsey.

Elbrus region
This is the most frequented area in the Central Caucasus. Many lateral valleys converge in the main valley, where the Baksan river flows, and lead to the most famous and beautiful mountains in the Caucasus range, such as the ice shield of Mt. Donguz-Orun (4,468 m), the vertiginous pinnacles of Mt. Shkhelda (4,320 m), the perfect pyramid of Mt. Shchurovskogo (4,239 m), Mt. Chatin (4,368 m) with its celebrated "Rhombus," the peaks that crown the Adil-Su and Adir-Su valleys, legendary Mt. Ushba (4,710 m), and, naturally, Mt. Elbrus itself (3,642 m), the highest peak in Europe. Development in the tourist sector has led to the construction of several hotels along the Baksan river valley, and the dachas that once belonged to the most important Soviet politicians have been transformed into tourist lodgings. The Prielbrusie area is easily reached from Mineral'nye Vody by means of a practicable road that crosses the Kabardinno-Balkaria region and the city of Tyrnyau, goes up the Baksan valley, touching the villages of Elbrus and Terksol, and finally arrives at Azau, the departure point for the Mt. Elbrus telpherage.

The Western Caucasus includes that part of the Greater Caucasus that extends from the Marukhskiy pass to the west to Mt. Elbrus to the east. This is the favorite region of hikers and rock climbers. Only the peak of Mt. Dombay-Ulgen is over 4,000 meters high, and there are no large glaciers to speak of. The mountains have splendid rock faces in a very beautiful setting. The mild climate due to the nearness of the Black Sea, which is only fifty kilometers away, and the easy access, have favoured the rise of tourist facilities, which are concentrated in Dombay and Uzuncol.

Dombay region - is a part of Western Caucasus. One jf the most popular region for climbing and Alpin ski.Dombay plateau is situated in a place where rivers Alibek, Amanauz and Dombay comes together forming Teberda stream. To the south towering a rock sculpture of "The slain Bison" - Dombay Ulgen group (4046 m) with the grandiose vertical rock face falling down over 1000 meters. Then further a rocky crest of Dzhuguturlyuchat group (3921 m) flying up over the flowering meadows and green forests reminding walls of the ancient Castle with towers. Mt. Ptysh (3520 m) which eastern crest looks like elephant's head and trunk. Bu-Ulgen (3910 m), Aksaut (3910 m), Kara-Kaya (3896 m) - all these groups present a lot of steep stone routs to climb. But obviously the most fascinating mountain of this region, dominating over Dombay plateau, is Mt. Belalakaya ("Mottled rock") which name related with a few 50 meters each belts of white quartz cut through West (700 m) and most popular north-east (1000 m) rock faces. From the north side its shape looks completely like Mt. Matterhorn in Alps.
Dombay region - is a part of Western Caucasus. One of the most popular region for climbing and Alpin ski.

The Caucasus Mountains extend approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) along the bor der between Russia in the north and Georgia and Azerbaijan in the south, from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east . Forming a natural boundary between Europe and Asia, they cover 440,000 sq km (170,000 sq mi) and rise to a maximum elevation of 5,64 2 m (18,510 ft) in Mount Elbrus.
The mountain system was formed near the edge of the Alpine Geosyncline, abo ut 25 million years ago. Its more than 2,000 glaciers cover a total area of 2,000 sq km (772 sq mi). The Greater Caucasus, the ma in range, separates temperate and subtropical climate zones. The cold slopes facing the Black Sea may receive 2,540 mm (100 in) of precipitation annually; the Kura-Araks Lowland on the Caspian Sea is semidesert and receives only 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 in). The Kura, Sulak, Terek, and Kuma rivers rise in the Caucasus Mountains and flow into the Caspian Sea; the Rioni and Inguri rivers rise i n the Caucasus and flow into the Black Sea; and the Kuban River rises in the Caucasus and flows into the Sea of Azov.
Mineral resources include petroleum, natural gas, manganese, copper, tungst en, and molybdenum. Livestock is raised on the heavily forested slopes. Wheat is grown in the northern piedmont and citrus fruits, cotton, and tea in the warmer valleys.

Lakpa Sherpa going for 5th and 6th Summit of Everest in the same season. Lakpa will attempt to be the first woman to summit Everest twice in the same year in Spring 2005! Her husband George Dijmarescu summited for his 6th time last year and has plans for his 7th in 2005.
Lakpa Sherpa grew up in Makalu, Nepal. In her village there was no school so she worked. In 2000, she was the leader of the Sherpa woman's expedition sponsored by Asian trekking. She became the first Nepali woman to Summit Mount Everest and return alive on May 18th, 2000. In 2001, she returned to the mountain. Alleged that she was sexually harassed, a story that has never been told publicly, she looked for help. She found George Dijmarescu on the mountain and she joined with him and summited the mountain a second time in 2001. In 2002 she married George and they had a baby girl, Sunny. Her Everest career, took a year off in 2002 for having the baby. But she returned in 2003 with her 15 year old sister and summited for the third time. George Dijmarescu oxygen failed on summit day, so he summited later in the season that year for his 5th summit of Everest. In 2004, they returned to Everest with "The Connecticut Everest Expedition 2004". George and Lakpa summited, for his 6th time (one without oxygen) and her 4th time.

Renata Chlumska, born and raised in Sweden by parents who had emigrated from former Czechoslovakia, has done sports most of here life. In 1995 she stumbled across climbing and liked the versatility and the possibilities it gave here to combine the mental and physical challenge with being out doors and travel all year around. In 1997 she joined a expedition to Shishapangma where she reached the Central Summit. Encouraged by here ability at high altitude she decided to go for Everest and as a member of the Swedish Cleaning Expedition 1999 she reached the summit as the first Swedish woman ever. Unofficial, due to having both Swedish and Czech citizenship, she also became the first Czech woman. Renata likes to combine climbing with other adventures as bicycling from Nepal to Sweden, which she did in 1996 or riding a motorcycle from India to Europe in 1997. Renata nowadays lives in the US where she is preparing on a one and a half year long expedition of kayaking. Besides her adventures she is a appreciated motivational speaker and guide.