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The
2001 Ararat Peace Climb
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| RICARDO TORRES-NAVA
on Ararat |
Hello
EverestNews.com,
Ararat;
One place, One Time
So, I'm
home from a long journey and friends ask me what was
it like? There is much to reflect on but first I
think of the country of Turkey and its people who were
so generous and helpful. I think of the holy
mountain of Mount Ararat and the brilliant spectacle
of wildflowers painting its valleys and filling the
senses.
I
remember looking out to the lights of Armenia and
listening to the nocturnal calls of Kurdish nomads
herding their goat flocks for the night. It was a
surprise when the first rain fell on this dry place
and it came whistling down in sheets.
I
also won't forget the giant headstones with ancient
carvings lying among tall grasses at 6000 feet, in
testament to the very oldness of the land and its
people.
I've
slogged up more than a few volcanoes but Ararat is
unique. It is especially so from the very remote
northeast, only a few miles from Iran and Armenia.
It is a pristine alpine environment with awesome
sightlines across to the perfect cone of Little
Ararat.
We
were lucky to make new friends and share many common
experiences. I think we would all do it again in
a heartbeat. The climb was true adventure - all
that we could have hoped for. The north of
Ararat is steeper and wilder than any other side of
the mountain and it made us all work hard to get on
top. There was thin ice with tremendous
exposure, there was glacier and crevasses, and there
was horrendous rockfall reminding us all just how
dangerous this sport is.
I
think it was Hemingway that said it's only a sport if
it can get you killed; otherwise it's just a game.
We had sport and we had fun, and our good friend Tunc
had a little extra when he set the new Turkish high
jump record in leaping over a large boulder with
lethal intent.
Ararat
is a holy place and it is myth. Somewhere on its
northern flank is an object buried in ice that remains
a mystery. Locals say that it is only partially
visible and only after three or four dry years. Some day this myth may be opened; maybe not.
Some myths are better left just that way.
I was
honored to take part in the 2001 Ararat Peace Climb,
and it is an idea I believe that has a future.
With nearly one thousand summit climbers now having
experienced what was once deemed impossible; is it so
idealistic to consider marshalling this group of
people to work together to make positive change.
This is an idea that you will hopefully be reading
more about on EverestNews.com. For now an 8000
meter thank you to George Martin and EverestNews.com,
to the two genuine Turkish heroes Nasuh and Tunc, and
everyone else that helped make this dream project a
reality!
Namaste
David
Keaton
This
climb has genuinely touched ALL of these climbers.
Don't we wish Everest was climbed this way !!! We hope
it has touched You. More to come. 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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