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Details

Elevation Gain

2755.9 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by David Fox

Mt. Aragats: Tallest peak in (present day) Armenia. No trails here -- just an expansive vertical landscape, which means you get to do your own pace and difficulty setting.

Starting from an abandoned cosmic-ray research facility (which is just as cool as it sounds) through sloping meadows pockmarked with mazes of boulders, criss-cross a few sheer drops and snowfields, and then scale the ledge to the top where you peer over a basalt cliff into the giant crater, colors glowing with ancient volcanic violence.

This hike begins at an altitude of 3,250m above sea level. The starting point is located near the cold, freshwater lake known as Kari Lake (Stone Lake). 

There is a 1-2 km road leading to the lake, and on either side of the road, you'll pass by 2-3 m high snow formations that have been melted into interesting shapes by the sun. These snowy formations will entirely melt by the end of July, and the rest of the snow in the surrounding area will be completely melted sometime between August and September. 

Aragats was formerly one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It has four peaks and an immense crater (with a depth of 400m and 3km in diameter). While the North Summit of Aragats Mountain is the highest mountain top (4,090m) in the Republic of Armenia, the South Summit, which is 3879 m high, is a popular and somewhat easier hike than the North Summit. 

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Features

Hiking
Scenic

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