A Unique Event in the History of Armenian Mountaineering

• peaksam September 15, 2022October 4, 2026

For the first time, a team of children made an ascent outside the borders of the Republic of Armenia, to peaks that no group from Armenia had climbed before. On August 20–28 we set off for the Islamic Republic of Iran with the goal of climbing the North summit of Mount Siah Kouh, which is 4,500 m high.

The intention to make an ascent outside Armenia had already become a firm goal back in April, and from that time we started preparing according to a fixed program. Of course, it wasn’t yet clear who would be included in the group, but one thing was clear: those who would complete the acclimatization program and be ready to reach an altitude of 4,500 m would be included. Ascents of Mount Karkatar from Hors village, Khustup, Nazeli and Spitakasar, the South and West summits of Aragats in one day, the North summit of Aragats from the Gegharot side, and the composition of the team leaving was already clear. Although the group could have consisted of 15 people, we left with the following children:

1. Eva Hayrapetyan (11 y.o.)
2. Aram Abazyan (13 y.o.)
3. Arina Ghevondyan (13 y.o.)
4. Harutyun Galstyan (13 y.o.)
5. Liana Tosunyan (15 y.o.)
6. Tigran Mosikyan (15 y.o.)
7. Hrachuhi Margaryan (16 y.o.)
8. Aram Martirosyan (16 y.o.)

The first difficulty of this trip was covering the bus journey: 24 hours to Tehran, and then 7 hours to Vandarbon in Mazandaran province, from where we had to start walking.

Before the ascent, on reaching the town of Rudbarak, we were hosted by the Persian mountaineer Rasoul Naghavi, who, besides many mountain peaks, has successfully climbed the Gasherbrum 2, Communism and Everest peaks as part of Iran’s national team. His house was a small museum, where photos, flags, and banners of mountaineering clubs and different countries were displayed, including those of the “Ararat” and “Sipan” Armenian clubs known in Iran. Very interesting was the book of notes, where mountaineers had written notes immediately after returning from a successful ascent. In that book we also found notes by Armenian mountaineers.

On seeing the team of children, Rasoul was at first very surprised, then he greeted the children, wished them a successful ascent, and did all this with tea hospitality. The children were also delighted and surprised, since for the first time they found themselves in a home that breathed mountaineering.

This meeting also certainly had its influence on our successful ascent, since such a motivating meeting could not have had any other consequence.

Day 1 of the ascent: In Vandarbon there is a shelter of Iran’s Federation of Mountaineering and Sport Climbing, intended for mountaineers, where we spent the night. It is located at an altitude of 2,200 m. After the long bus journey, we had a restful night, woke up at 07:00 in the morning, had breakfast, packed the food and water for the road into the backpacks prepared in advance, and set off at 8:59. The whole route runs along the river and between powerful rocky mountains, with peaks of 3,500+ m. After crossing the river by two bridges, we found ourselves on the trail and began the difficult ascent. Thanks to the zigzagging trail, the ascent was comparatively easier. On the first day we had to reach the Sarchal shelter, located at an altitude of 3,900 m, which means we had to gain 1,700 m of elevation in one day. Of course, this whole ascent is unlikely to happen, but 1,700 m in one day… But something even more unlikely happened: we covered 1,800 m (counting the descents along the way) in 4 hours and 18 minutes. Inspired by the recorded success, we settled into the Sarchal shelter, chatted a bit and switched off: we slept. After about 3 hours of sleep, the children no longer had any sense of time: they thought the day had changed.

In the evening the longest tea-drinking session was organized: for an hour and thirty minutes we drank tea non-stop, to prevent dehydration, which is possible due to lack of oxygen, and so as not to fall into a state of mountain sickness. By 22:00 we were already asleep.

Day 2 of the ascent: We woke up at 4:30 in the morning and started preparing for the summit ascent. Taking into account the children’s good preparation, we decided not to limit ourselves to just the North summit of Mount Siah Kouh, but to also climb the South one. When we came out of the shelter, we witnessed a beautiful, impressive and unforgettable sunrise. A sea of clouds had filled the gorges and valleys of the mountains and stretched all the way to the horizon. The sun had drawn the boundary line between the clouds and the sky with a pinkish color, which changed from minute to minute. The black silhouettes of the mountains completed the picture. We started walking by the light of headlamps. The difficult ascent began right from the start. There was inner anxiety about how the children would manage to cover the altitude, to which was added the experience of spending the night at an altitude of 3,900 m for the first time. We walked calmly, periodically reminding them to breathe and pay attention to their heart rate, encouraging them by saying that reaching 4,500 m for them is equal to 5,500 m for adults. The sunrise, with its unique beauty, helped overcome the difficulties. Periodically, for 300 m, the steepness of the slope reached 45°. When we reached an altitude of 4,200 m, the steepness of the slopes eased a little. Surrounded by peaks higher than 4,500 m, the “4 Peaks” was walking quietly and impatiently. There, we are 5 m below the summit, we’re breathing heavily, our legs are tired and …

On the summit of Siah Kouh, at a height of 4,500 m, the loud and inspired voice of Aram Martirosyan is heard, spreading his arms and shouting: “I don’t believe it…”

We were all happy and inspired. Who knows what impulse made the children spontaneously start singing the anthem of the Republic of Armenia. The extraordinary beauty opening up from the summit was stunning: Dendane Ezhdeha (Dragon’s Teeth), Takht-e Soleyman, Siah Kaman (Black Bow) and finally the mighty Alam Kuh were looking at us in amazement, and we at them. Everyone was feeling good, and the mood matched the height of the Siah Kouh summit. On the summit we left a note written in advance in Armenian and English, in the hope that it would be found by an Armenian group.

Successfully and inspired, we also climbed the South summit of Siah Kouh, which is 4,259 m high, as well as the Rostam Nisht summit, 4,440 m high.

On this day too, we covered 750 m of elevation in 4 hours. The altitude made itself felt. It’s not impossible that if we had had time to rest after the long journey, we would have been faster.

We descended to Sarchal, packed our things, rested for an hour and continued descending toward Vandarbon. At 17:30 we were already at an altitude of 2,200 m, leaving behind 2,550 m of elevation covered.

August 23, 2022 will be marked in the history of Armenian mountaineering as a day when, for the first time, a group of children crossed the 4,090 m mark of Armenia’s highest summit outside Armenia, by climbing the 4,500 m summit of Siah Kouh.