In the Silence and Clouds of Mount Qarapar

• peaksam June 29, 2025October 3, 2026

The summer of 2025 was very active, and the clearest proof is that we’re only now getting around to publishing stories about the hikes from that time. From camp to hike, from hike to camp, out of the country and back in…

Better late than never: we want to share the story of climbing a mountain with a beautiful name, one of the peaks of the Aragats massif: Mount Qarapar (Urtsasar), 3,438 m…

Our original plan for June 29, 2025 was to climb Mount Chknagh, but during the hike to the Mantash Waterfall (which runs at an altitude of 3,000–3,400 m) we realized we needed to choose a high mountain again, and once more on Aragats (to acclimatize for Ararat and for the high summits planned before Ararat). That’s how this mountain with its beautiful name was chosen. The name suits the mountain perfectly: the summit section is completely covered in stones, as if the stones were dancing hand in hand. The other peaks of Aragats were completely in the clouds, the slopes were dotted with small flowers, and in the mixed areas there was snow, fresh green grass and grey stones. The view was very mystical. The ascent was easy, so we took advantage of it and stayed on the summit for more than an hour, until we got cold and came back down. We chose a convenient spot near Lake Kari and lit a campfire. Although the weather was cold, we dipped our feet in the cold waters of Lake Kari. We acclimatized very well.