Restrictions for tourists have been introduced at the Elbrus resort.
Two ski slopes at a resort in Kabardino-Balkaria are closed to tourists today.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on May 15 and 16, the cable cars at the Elbrus resort were shut down for unscheduled maintenance. On May 17, they resumed operation.
The official opening of the ski season at Elbrus took place on December 6, 2025. To mark the opening, the resort launched a new ski area with two cable cars, and 5.2 kilometers of new trails were developed in the eastern sector.
The Garabashi-Mir and Bashtala-Chiran ski slopes are closed, the Elbrus administration announced on its Telegram channel at 9:25 a.m. Moscow time, without providing a reason for the decision.
The administration had previously announced that these slopes, as well as all five cable cars, would be open from 9:00 a.m. Moscow time.
As of 9:50 a.m. Moscow time, there were no comments under the posts on the resort's Telegram channel, and the ability to leave comments was disabled.
As a reminder, in September 2025, three people died as a result of a cable car cable break on Mount Elbrus. A person was killed, and several others were injured. The director and chief engineer of the company servicing the cable car were detained and arrested in connection with the deaths. In January, the case was transferred to court.
The prosecutor's office also filed lawsuits on behalf of the sons of two of the deceased men. One of the victims demanded 10 million rubles in compensation for the death of his father, and the other demanded 15 million rubles.
After many countries closed their borders due to the coronavirus pandemic, Russian tourists turned more attention to resorts within the country, particularly in the North Caucasus. In 2025, two million tourists visited Kabardino-Balkaria's resorts, according to authorities, tourist traffic increased by 13.7%.
Elbrus Region is a winter resort in Kabardino-Balkaria popular among alpine skiers, freeriders, snowboarders, and other extreme sports enthusiasts.