|
The
2001 Ararat Peace Climb
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| Ararat
from the North |
These
pictures from this distance are rare [an understatement]
!!!
Dear Friends,
Our
original plan of moving up from BC to C1 in a single
day and attempt the summit the next day was too
ambitious. We felt the altitude and decided to go
slower.
We
had wanted to place the BC higher but it was very
evident that we will need a miracle to find water. The
mountain is extremely dry at this time of the year. We
had no choice but to rely on the military support to
bring water from the TV station which is about half
hour drive down the slope. Without the military
permission, we would not be able to come to the north
side of the mountain. Without the military logistic
support, it would be so much harder to climb it.
From
the BC, the entire mountain is in view. One can see
from the rolling grass hills to the rocky slopes and
then the tongues of glaciers. Our route, the North
East ridge, runs directly from the top to the hills
nearby BC. The peak does look a bit like K2 from this
side with a pyramid crown.
It
was incredibly hot climbing from BC. Everyone was
dehydrated. Absence of water points along the way
added to the problem. We decided to have donkeys bring
up water from BC. But in the afternoon, an AKUT member
who has been to this area before finally located a
little stream with trickling water. What a relief.
That's our ABC at 2700meters.
The
Minister of Sports together with some Turkish
Mountaineering Federation members also arrived from
BC. Believe it or not, a media team followed too. A
lady journalist walked up the moraine in her high
heels !
This
side of the mountain is wild and beautiful. There were
some shepherds with their herds high up on the slopes.
We saw some foxes while driving to BC. Blazing purple
and yellow wild flowers dotted the slopes as high as
3800 meters.
From
ABC, we climbed up to the high point of the previous
day, collected our equipment cache and moved up. To
our surprise, at 3850 meters, there was running water
fed by the glacier higher up and a flat ground for 6-7
tents easily. Perfect campsite.
The
next day, on the 27th July, we started at 5.30am.
There were loose rocks all over. Some sections were
like gun barrels ! Rocks as big as a backpack were
often dislodged and came shooting down the snow gully.
Only one member had a helmet. All of us are very lucky
to go up and down safely this time.
We
were on rocks most of the way until the snow cap on
the summit plateau. It is a large undulating plateau.
After about 300m, we walked past the lower east summit
and there it was 400m further, the main summit. Nasuh
was waiting for us.
It
was fantastic to have all 7 Everest guys on the summit
at the same time. I feel very privileged and honored
to be able to stand on the summit of a holy and
legendary mountain. God has been kind. I am grateful.
Cheers. Swee Chiow
To
support this vision of peace, please make a donation, via
SHIVA charity. You can make a credit card donation by
clicking HERE.
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