Ascent of Mount Vranasar and Tghit Fortress

• peaksam January 20, 2025October 4, 2026

On December 22, 2024, we organized the last hike of the year, heading to the Kotayk region. Our goal was to climb Mount Vranasar and get to know the ruins of Tghit Fortress. Why Vranasar? The names of our mountain peaks are truly diverse, and by organizing ascents with children, we aim to introduce them to this diversity of our nature. A few weeks ago we were on the summit of Mount Arshavasar, and this Sunday it was Vranasar. As a small secret, let’s mention that this year we have included peaks with unusual names in our list of ascents, to make the hikes even more interesting.

In a summer mood, on a clear and frosty morning, we left Yerevan for Kotayk, heading to Aragyugh, located on the eastern foot of Mount Ara. Although it was cold and wintry outside, the cheerful songs playing in our bus and the laughter had warmed everyone up. Mount Vranasar is located near Aragyugh and is 1,902 meters high. On arriving in the village, we noticed the smoke rising from the chimneys of the houses, which reminded us of the warm and cozy atmosphere inside. For a moment we envied the people inside the walls, but we preferred the adventure awaiting us to their warmth.

We took our first steps along the narrow, snow-covered streets of Aragyugh. Then we passed the gorge of the Araget River, which captured everyone’s attention with its winter views. Reaching the foot of the mountain, we started the ascent toward Vranasar. The interesting thing was that the weather on the mountain slopes was very mild: there was no wind, and the sunlight caressed our faces. During the ascent, the children told funny stories with great enthusiasm, which made the walk even more enjoyable.

When we reached the summit, we all felt the joy of victory. It also marked the start of our “winter war”: the beginning of a snowball fight. A snowball fight, imagine, is a real madness: we rolled in the snow, “bombarded” each other with snowballs and lived unforgettable moments. We were so carried away by the game that we didn’t notice the time passing.

From the summit of Vranasar, the ruins of Tghit Fortress could be seen in the distance. Unfortunately, because of the thick snow they weren’t very clearly visible, but we know that they have great historical value. It’s worth noting that the name “fortress” is a bit generalized: in fact, only its ruins have been preserved.

At the end of the hike, the pedometer showed that we had walked 9 km and covered 375 meters of elevation gain. This year-end hike became not only physical activity for us, but also a great way to recharge spiritually. In a pre-holiday mood we returned to Yerevan, getting ready for the New Year celebrations. This time too, the children’s hike was memorable and valuable.