Mount Ararat

30^th day since we stated our voyage to the top of Mount Ararat, the highest peak in Armenia. Although there are many camp sites on the way, it still is one of the most difficult things I’ve done. On the way we are looking for possible pieces of Noah’s Ark, which according to the bible, has stopped on the summit of Mount Ararat to escape the flood.

Sometimes I think our mission is impossible, climing 5,165 meters isnt very easy. Especially when ther are many glaciers in our way, snow that is sometimes up to our necks, and constant avalanches. Mount Ararat is a polygenic, compound stratovolcano covering an area of 1,100 km. However, either archaeological excavations, oral history, historical records, or combination of these data provide solid evidence that volcanic eruptions of Mount Ararat occurred in 2500–2400 BC, 550 BC, possibly in 1450 AD and 1783 AD, and definitely in 1840 AD. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that explosive eruptions and pyroclastic flows from the northwest flank of Mount Ararat destroyed and buried at least one Koura–Arax culture settlement and caused numerous fatalities in 2500–2400 BCMount Ararat consists of two distinct volcanic cones, Greater Ararat and Lesser Ararat. We are climbing Greater Ararat. The western volcanic cone, Greater Ararat, is a steep-sided volcanic cone that is larger and higher than the eastern volcanic cone. Greater Ararat is about 25 kilometers (16 mi) wide at the base and rises about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) above the above the adjacent floors of the Iğdir and Doğubeyazıt basins.

It’s very interesting to think that Parrot and Khachatur Abovian were the first modern explorers to reach the summit, climbing the same route we are now. Although they climbed to the top on the third try, we are using the right route on the first try. I will also take a piece of ice with me to the bottom from the summit, just as Abovian did.

Until next time,

Rozi