On July 5, a group of travelers representing the Republic of Cyprus climbed two peaks of Mount Aragats, the highest mountain in Armenia and one of the most important national symbols of the country. The silhouette of Aragats was chosen for the new biometric passports of Armenia as a symbol of the nation and its identity.

Mount Aragats is not only the highest point in Armenia, but also an extinct volcano, the crater of which was destroyed by a powerful explosion, forming four peaks.

The first group attempted to conquer the northern peak of the mountain, reaching a height of 4075 meters — just 7 meters below its true peak (4090 meters). The Northern peak belongs to the climbing routes of difficulty category 1B in the summer.

Expedition members Alexander Larin and Mikhail Omelchuk raised the flag of the Republic of Cyprus at the top, took memorable photos and left engraved stones brought from Cyprus as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

On the morning of July 5, the group set off from Yerevan to Lake Kari (3,200 m). At about 11:30 a.m., the participants reached the saddle between the Southern and Western Peaks. Then the first group descended into a giant crater about 350 meters deep and 2.5 kilometers in diameter. At about 13:30, the climbers reached the saddle between the Northern and Eastern Peaks, after which the assault on the Northern Peak began.

Despite the summer, due to the large amount of snow, the ascent proved to be extremely difficult. A dangerous snow ledge formed on the narrow ridge between the two peaks, ending steeply down for several tens of meters, which made access to the summit cross impossible.

“Unfortunately, this year Mount Aragats was covered with an unusually large amount of snow. The real peak is located at an altitude of 4,090 meters, which is 7 meters higher than the so-called “false peak”. It was impossible to reach the summit cross due to the dangerous snow ledge and heavy winds. In addition, the peak itself was completely shrouded in thick fog, and visibility did not exceed 15 meters,” said one of the expedition participants.

The second team, consisting of Andrey Kogun and Peresvet Larin, successfully climbed the Southern peak of Aragats (3879 m). The group reached the top at 12:45 p.m. Armenian time.

One of the main events of the expedition was the successful ascent of 13-year-old Peresvet Larin, who became the youngest resident of Cyprus to conquer the 3,879-meter peak.

The group descended along a picturesque ridge that stretches to the end of the valley. From there, it was about one kilometer to the reservoir. This route gave the participants beautiful views and vivid impressions. The whole trip took about eight hours.

The expedition symbolized the strong historical ties between Cyprus and Armenia. President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides has repeatedly stressed the special relationship between the two countries, noting that the Armenian community is an integral part of Cypriot society and makes a significant contribution to the cultural, social and economic life of the island.

The participants stated that the expedition was dedicated to strengthening friendship between the peoples of Cyprus and Armenia, developing active tourism between the two countries, popularizing mountaineering and inspiring young people to a healthy and active lifestyle.

According to the participants, such international expeditions help strengthen humanitarian ties, develop sports and ecotourism, as well as create new opportunities for cooperation in sports, tourism, culture and youth exchanges between Cyprus and Armenia.

The team expresses special gratitude to the guide Suren for his professionalism, excellent organization of the expedition and acquaintance with the most unusual corners of Armenia.

https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/puteshestvenniki-kipra-sovershili-vosxozhdenie-vershinyi