Climbing Ararat. Facts and Emotions

Mariam Avagyan
Nov 4 · 6 min read

My journey started by chance 8 months ago. Living in Armenia and having moderate climbing experience in local mountains, I was exploring other options nearby, specifically a 5,033 m demanding glacier peak located in Georgia called Kazbek. That’s when I learnt that Ararat, an incredibly beautiful mountain of sacred meaning to my nation, is available for climbing with ArmGeo. The mystical summit turned into a challenge, a reality check for targeting more ambitious ascends. And the journey began.

The Preparation

With my humble experience I’ve learnt the importance of good gear. The mild discomfort of the first day turns into constant and distracting pain on the second. I started gathering the gear I needed, and continued preparing for the trip. My training was constituted by climbing local mountains that Armenia fortunately has in abundance, running small distances of 3–4 kilometers and my regular exercises.

Packing.

Packing efficiently is a skill in itself. Over-pack, and you’ll carry extra-weight draining your energy. Pack too little, and you’ll end up hungry or thirsty or freezing and wet. I followed the list created by ArmGeo, which proved to be quite efficient.

The Trip

Ararat is situated in Turkey about 55 km away from Armenian border. It is prohibited to cross the border directly, which effectively turns the 2 hour drive into an 18 hour journey across three countries and two boarders. The mountain came under Turkish control during the 1920 Turkish–Armenian War, but has been nevertheless regarded as a national symbol of sacred meaning in Armenia. Yet the moment we lay foot on the slopes of Ararat, it seizes being sacred, it is no longer an object of worship. The mountain becomes a magnificent creation of tectonic forces of nature arousing awe and admiration.

Day 1

After arriving at Bayazet late in the evening and spending the night in a hotel, we set up for climbing the next morning at 2,200 m. We had experienced local guides leading the way. Horses were carrying our provisions, tents and heavy gear. These beautiful and strong animals were with us till the second camp at 4,200 m. The mountain becomes too steep for them to climb afterwards, and fortunately there is no need for that. We climbed one vertical kilometer per day with a camp awaiting after each climb. It was a strange experience to be welcomed in a camp after the climb with hot tea and food awaiting us.

Throughout the journey till 3,200 m, I felt excited to find out how I will handle the climb. The highest ground I had ever stood on was 4,087 m. I had buried the lingering feeling of doubt and uncertainty after signing up for the trip months ago, but had to return to it the night of departure from home. Reaching the first camp, I began feeling comfortable and reassured that I’m going till the end.

Day 1, sunset in camp at 3300 m.

The night at high altitudes is full of unique sights. The stars, the moon, the stunning dawns, the colorful sunrises and the shooting stars make the experience unforgettable. The weather was dry and warm while we were up there. Nevertheless, the temperatures drop as soon as the sun hides behind the horizon as it happens in the mountains.

Day 2

After a night’s rest we began climbing the second vertical kilometer till 4,200 m. The mountain becomes very rocky from this point on. With so many groups climbing that day, it’s a wonder that there was enough space for all of the tents. It took us about 6 hours to reach here at a moderate pace.

Day 3, descent. Camp at 4200 m
Day 3, descent. Camp at 4200 m
Camp at 4,200 m (M&Ms). Day 3, descent on the left. Day 2, ascend on the right.

Day 3

We slept from 6 pm till 12 am, and began storming the summit at 1 am with perfect weather and full moon lighting our way. The journey revealed gorgeous scenes. At some point we were able to see Sis, a 3,896 m high steep cone-shaped volcanic peak that was hidden before. At around 5,000 m the dusty and rocky ground changed into surrealistic icicles lit by sunrise. As we continued to the summit, we could see the trail that was formed by so many climbers walking the same road. Aragats, the four-summit volcanic mountain revealed itself as we saw Armenia in distant fog. One of the most impressive scenes in my life is the magnificent triangular shadow of Ararat.

Day 3, ascend. Shadow of Ararat and trail of climbers on their way to the summit.

We arrived at the summit at 6 am and congratulated each other with sincere joy. The whole group made it with not a single person bereft of the accomplishment. I found a quite spot, lay on the ground and let out all the emotions overwhelming throughout the journey.

Day 3, sunrise on the way to summit.

The Descent

When thinking of climbing, we tend to focus on the summit and forget about the descent. Statistics shows that this negligence can be fatal as the majority of accidents happen on the way down. I’ve learnt that I become careless and clumsy as I grow tired. I had to constantly remind myself that this is only half of the journey, we had to come down safe and sound before celebrating.

I knew that we have truly made it when we were back at 2,200 m enjoying watermelon. I realized how tired I am when I was looking for my bag, and it was in front of me the whole time. The real celebration happened the next day with a trip to the gorgeous lake Van and a drunk after-party in the hotel.

Takeaways

I was climbing with an amazing group of 24 individuals some of whom I had met before. I’ve grown to fully trust our leaders throughout many local hikes. It’s been a pleasure to share the experience with the group. I’m grateful for the moments of excitement, doubt and joy that we had together.

Lake Van

Ararat was a deeply personal challenge for me. One of the biggest takeaways from the trip is the self-assurance I gained. I’ve learnt to trust my body and my mind to focus on the challenge of the moment. There is a draining feeling I had before and a paralyzing thought: what am I doing here. I’m sure that this feeling will return, but now I know what is beyond, and it is more than worth the fear, the tears and the struggle of the beginning. Such experiences have taught me how powerful and resistant my body can be if I don’t stand in my own way. Ararat seemed beyond the possible, it’s an accomplishment now.

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