How did it happen
The program was arranged by the Iranian Alpine club. Like most other trips I've had we were not quite sure that this one would happen. Just two days before the program my friend called and said it was fixed.
All three of us from Tonekabon were so busy at the time, doing the harvest season job beside all other daily works. But nothing can keep you home when there is a good program arranged,right?
So we left Tonekabon and met the rest of the team in Tehran. We were on a trip now!
Getting to Yerevan
We left Tehran on November 29th at 3 p.m. We had a long journey on the bus for more than 30 hours passing Qazvin,Zanjan,Tabriz and Norduz border in Iran and towns like Meghri,Qapan,Kajaran and Goris in Armenia to get to Yerevan at last.
If you are going the same way one day, try the restaurant near Goris. Good food, good service.
Spitak Rescue Club
After warm welcome of Serjh in Shahoumyan sq in Yerevan we went to the site of Spitak Rescue Club. There is alot to know about this international club, which you can find on their website: www.rc-spitak.com
Let me just add some information you cant find on their webpage. These guys mean much more than teammates to each other. Spitak is not just a Rescue Center, but a big big family. Frienship is flowing in the air, just breath and you will smell it.
Armenian People
Beside the great members of Spitak whom each of them look like a legend to me, other Armenians are so kind and recpectable too. You should just be careful about the Taxi Drivers which are sometimes dangerous for your pocket! But thats not so important because its the same almost everywhere. Never use a taxi without Taximeter and make sure its on!
Almost everybody will like Yerevan. Nice city, nice people. And people of the villages, even better!
Our Course
We learned some of the newest european techniques of mountain and rock climbing rescue in this class practicaly. And had classes about Avalanche, Mountain Medicine, searching and rescue skiing beside our main course.
In the practical classes we were devided into two 6 member teams each with one teacher. Our teacher in the both two days was Vahe Tamamyan who I really want to thank for his kindness, concern and patience.
Also thanks to Parviz Mashhadi we learned and practiced some American techniques, some rope elongation methods, and also classic German methods in rescue and pulling systems.
I also learned from:
During the class I learned alot from some friends of mine that I want to thank now.
Souren Sepanian,thank you for arranging this class.
Ara Jahani, thanks for all the peace you give to others.
Mojtaba Ebrahimizadeh, thank you for comming to Armenia with us!!!
Parviz Mashhadi,thanks for being my team mate,my guide and my friend in this class and in the mountains.
Majid Nematollahi, thanks for all your tranquility and great soul.
Climbing South Aragat
We left Yerevan for Aragats on December 3. The distance between Opera sq and Kari lake which is located in the elevation of 3190 meters is about 67km. so easy to reach on summer but for us it took more than 4.5 hours!
From Yerevan the land was covered by snow so our driver couldnt drive any fast. We passed Biurakan town on our way which is a town with some Telescopes and so important to the Astronomers.
In winter Norambert is the last place you can get to with car. From there you have to experince the joy of Vezdikhods! It took us so long but was full of fun.
We spent the most Royal summiting night of our lives in Kari lake hotel which is a part of Kari lake Physic research center, and had our last class there.
As we were in rush and didnt have much time the south summit was choosed for tomorrow ascending. The one that would take the least time. Although it is not as close as it looks from the window!
Summiting
We started ascending with the guidance of Serjh at 7 a.m. The temperature was less than 15 degrees below zero and it was all dark out there.
We summited at 11:50 a.m. The elevation was 3879 meters, but Aragats is much harder than the elevation may seem, in winter.
On the summit we had the highest temperature for about 11 degrees below zero.
Summit moments are something that just us as people of mountain understand.
And when you are so close to the ones you are on a summit with them, these moments become even better.
Ararat Peaks
In the way from Iran to Yerevan there is a nice view of Mount Ararat of turkey in some parts of the road. But I think if someone wants to have the bast view of Ararat peaks he/she should climb Aragats, either the South or the West peak.
In the whole way to the summit Ararat is with you, face to face. You just need to turn back and have a great refreshment.
Goodbye Party
After summiting we left the beautiful Aragats and got back to the club where Serjh gave us our beautiful summiting gifts.
Tomorrow we went to a few places and monuments in the city and when we got back we were surprised by the meeting our spitak friends had arranged as a summiting celebration and a Goodbye Party.
Let me not write about those moments much. How can I explain the great feeling we had just with words!
Leaving Yerevan and our friends
At 10 a.m there was a bus in Shahoumyan sq with some passengers onboard waiting for some mountaineers to get on the bus so that they could leave. But for us it was hard to say the last words. We had been together for less than a week but it seemed like we had known each other for years.
This is what mostly happens when people from the worlwide land of mountains with the common language of nature meet. This is humanity. Cheers mountains,cheers mountaineers.
Our team members
Ara JAhani and Soren Sepanian from Iranian Alpine Club.
Mojtaba ebrahimizadeh from Damavand Alpine club.
Kazem Mabhoutian and Reza nasrollahi from Tehran.
Majid Nematollahi from Aligudarz.
Rasoul Sadeghi,Hasan Nasibpour and masoud Hajibaiglu from Neishabour Firefighters Club.
Parviz Mashhadi,Alireza Falahatkar and me from Kaveh Mountain Sports Club.
Mostafa Baghdadi from Savojbolagh.
Page Type:
Date Climbed/Hiked:
Activities:
Season:
Comments
Post a Comment