Day 11: The Plan Before the Push

We have our plan.

And on a mountain like Mount Elbrus… having a plan doesn’t mean control. It means direction.

The Next Three Days

Wednesday, May 6
We move up to camp. Drop our gear. Then head higher for an acclimatization rotation before coming back down to sleep.

Thursday, May 7
Mandatory rest day. No shortcuts here. We stay at camp, refuel, recover, and let the body catch up.

Friday, May 8
Summit push.

Wake up around 1:00–2:00 AM. Eat. Move.

It’s about a 12-hour climb up… and maybe 4 hours down, depending on conditions.

And right now?

Conditions are the variable.

What the Mountain Is Telling Us

In a normal year, a snowcat can take you from high camp up to around 5,000 meters.

Not this year.

Too much ice. Too dangerous.

So we’ll be bootpacking almost the entire upper mountain.

Which changes everything.

The Reality of Conditions

If I had known this ahead of time, I would have brought my 8,000-meter boots.

Warmer. Better for long, cold climbs.

Because right now, we’re not really going to get the benefit of skiing on the upper mountain. It’s too firm, too icy.

And Friday?

It’s looking like a very cold, very tight window.

Leadership Lesson: Plans Are Built on Assumptions

And assumptions change.

The best performers aren’t the ones with perfect plans.

They’re the ones who adapt fastest when reality shifts.

The Exit Strategy

If everything goes well, we push to summit and come all the way back down to the hotel Friday night.

If not, we stay at high camp and descend Saturday, May 9.

We’ll make that call based on energy, conditions, and timing.

The Value of These Prep Days

These days before the summit matter more than most people realize.

This is where we:

• Learn how each other moves

• Align on what “hot,” “windy,” and “easy” actually mean

• Build trust in decision-making

Because when you’re tired, cold, and exposed… communication has to be clean.

Leadership Lesson: Clarity Is Built Before It’s Needed

You don’t figure things out on summit day.

You figure them out now.

So when it matters… you don’t hesitate.

The Personal Check-In

I’m also aware of something else.

If Friday goes the way we want it to…

I will have summited three major mountains in seven days, across two countries.

And I feel that.

I’m a little worn down.
A little tired.
A little shorter in my patience than usual.

Leadership Lesson: Awareness Beats Perfection

Instead of judging it… I’m acknowledging it.

Letting it move through.

Because pretending you feel great doesn’t make you perform better.

Knowing where you are… does.

The Final Prep

Dinner tonight was… again, different.

Different foods. Different carbs. Different everything.

Still adjusting.

Packing now. Getting everything ready.

Because once we move up, there’s no easy reset.

The Reality of This Climb

No tracking devices.

No service.

No real-time updates.

This part of the journey goes quiet.

Final Thought

So I’m writing this before we head up.

Grateful for the support. The prayers. The people following along even when I can’t share it in real time.

This is what it looks like to keep going.

To adapt.
To adjust.
To continue climbing… even when it’s not perfect.

Next update will come when we’re back down.

Let’s see what the mountain allows.