“Dear Pauline and Tristan,
You’ll never believe from which mailbox my holiday greetings are reaching you!
At 39° 42′ 7″ N, 44° 17′ 50″ E, 5,137 meters above sea level, in the Armenian Highlands of Eastern Anatolia, stands Mount Ararat, the highest mountain in Turkey. Instead of a summit cross, a mailbox adorns the peak of this dormant volcano. ‘The perfect opportunity to send a holiday postcard!’ I thought to myself.
Jokes aside! Although the weather gods were exceptionally kind and granted us a ‘bluebird day’ for our summit attempt, –20°C and wind speeds exceeding 70 km/h hardly invited us to linger at the peak. The sleepless night in the expedition tent at the high camp, over 4,200 meters above sea level, was hardly ‘restful’ either. Yet, later in the valley, the unconventional summit adornment still inspired a moment of pause, reflection, and jotting down thoughts…
“The idea of turning this trip into reality had been lingering in my mind for quite some time – combining cultures, countries, people, and athletic challenges into one journey had, over the past years, become my source of energy and inspiration. Away from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul, which cannot hide its Western modern influences, we continued on to Eastern Anatolia, the largest of Turkey’s seven regions, bordering Armenia and Iran. In these wild and untouched mountain landscapes, cultures have collided for millennia – Ottoman minarets and palaces, biblically significant sites such as the presumed landing place of Noah’s Ark, Armenian monasteries, alkaline saltwater mountain lakes, baths in soothing thermal springs, beauty treatments in the hammam, and, above all, vast amounts of ‘tea,’ to which the locals repeatedly invited us – all of these experiences complemented our physical preparation and acclimatization.
For the second part of our journey, we left civilization and our comfort zone behind, heading east with the goal of getting one step closer to Ararat. The reflections, cloud formations, and colors that the sunset at the base camp offered us inspired and motivated us for the challenges ahead. The following night at the high camp was filled with nervousness and a hint of uncertainty. How would this extreme altitude affect my body? I had never before been at such heights.
2:00 a.m. Departure. Above us, a sea of stars, a crescent moon, and a shooting star. Slowly, step by step, we make our way upward. It grows lighter. The sun rises, sharing the sky with the moon.
6:30 a.m. With crampons on our boots, we cover the final meters on the bare ice toward the summit. 5,137 meters above sea level. Shivering from the cold, wrapped in thick down jackets and grateful for every single layer, breathless, overwhelmed. At the goal.
Photo credits: Lisa Pfleiderer | Ararat-Expedition
A journey with so many facets. Wonderful encounters, an amazing team, unforgettable experiences, and an incredible adventure.
With love, Lisa”
Lisa is one of our Penguin Powderwear guides.
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