Baksan is the town where the Elbrus road leaves the plain, and it is a good place to understand how this part of the Caucasus works. It lies on the Baksan River in Kabardino-Balkaria, in the green, fertile belt at the foot of the mountains, with orchards, cornfields and village streets lined with walnut trees. The river itself rises on the glaciers of Elbrus and flows north through a long, steep gorge before it spreads out here, and it is a cold, cloudy grey with glacial silt. About thirty-seven thousand people live in the town, which is mostly Kabardian, a people of the Circassian family, with a strong tradition of horsemanship, hospitality and rich cuisine.
Kabardians have been in the area for many centuries, and their code of manners is famous, with an emphasis on honour, courtesy and respect for guests. Food includes flatbreads, boiled lamb, thick sour cream sauces and a range of cheese, and a friendly stop at a roadside cafe may turn into a long meal. In the surrounding villages, you can still find old stone houses and towers.
Up the valley, a very different science is under way. The Baksan Neutrino Observatory, built in the 1970s deep in a tunnel in the mountainside, was set up to study elusive particles from the sun and the cosmos, shielded from interference by a kilometre of rock, and it continues to operate. It is not a place for casual visits, but the road to it passes through the gorge, and it shows how the mountain landscape serves more than one kind of explorer.
The ride from Nalchik to Baksan and then up the valley is a classic, and the road is mostly good, with wide curves along the river. As the valley narrows, the road climbs in a series of bends, with cliffs, waterfalls and sudden views of the snow peaks. Trucks, minibuses and tourist cars share the road, and the weather in the mountains changes quickly. Summer, from June to September, is the best time, and autumn colours are a bonus. Spring floods and winter snow can cause closures.
Fuel and food are no problem here, since the town is large enough for several petrol stations, shops and cafés. It is the last place for big supplies before the Elbrus region, so top up the tank, and buy water. Eat something local, and enjoy it slowly. The mountains ahead will wait.