MOUNTAINEERING IN TURKEY
MOUNTAINEERING
IN TURKEY
When you look Turkey, a glance at a
topographical map of Turkey immediately reveals that this is a country
of mountains. Rising in all four directions, mountains encircle the peninsula
of Anatolia. A part of the Alpine Himalayan mountain range, Turkey has
mountainous regions of different geological formations. The North Anatolian
range skirts the Mediterranean shore.
Turkey's magnificent mountains and forests are mostly undeveloped, existing
as wonderful natural preserves for an extraordinary variety of wildlife,
flora and fauna. Two of Turkey's most famous peaks are volcanoes, both
inactive, Mt. Erciyes in Kayseri in Central Anatolia (3917 m) and Mt. Agri
(Mt. Ararat 5137 m) in the East. Other well known mountain ranges are the
Rize-Kaskar (3932 m) in the Eastern Black Sea region, Nigde-Aladag (3756
m) in the Central Taurus range, and the Cilo and Sat Mountains (4136 m)
near Hakkari in the Eastern Taurus.
The mountainous
nature of the country has influenced its cultural evolution. For centuries,
nomads and semi nomadic peoples have migrated annually to the fresh pastures
of the higher elevations in the summer. These alpine meadows, called yayla,
still represent a firm tie to traditional culture.
For climbers
and those interested in mountain geography, Turkey offers a wealth of exploration.
Glaciers, volcanoes, and peculiar geological formations such as karst;
prove irresistible to researchers and students of geology. The challenging
terrain offers great opportunities for aficionados of outdoor sports who
find interesting experiences on the mountains of Eastern, Central and Southern
Turkey. A list of resources to aid an expedition, at whatever level, is
to be found below.
The Great Agri
Mountain (5137 m.)
Mt. Ararat
Rising from the
common borders of Turkey and Iran, Mt. Agri (Ararat), an inactive volcano
capped year round with ice and snow, reaches 5137 meters. The Old Testament
records that it was on this mountain that Noah's Ark came to rest after
the great flood. Southwest of the mountain, the Little Mt. Agri (Ararat)
reaches up to 3896 meters. The Serdarbulak lava plateau (2600 m) stretches
out between the two pinnacles. Whatever your motivation for visiting this
region and exploring the mountain range, climbing the spectacular Agri
(Ararat) is a challenging and rewarding experience.
In the summer, the weather in the area and on Mt. Agri (Ararat) itself
is sunny, warm and dry. However, in the winter and spring, cold and harsh
conditions prevail, and mountain climbers occasionally face blizzards and
turbulent weather. July, August and September are the months when most
world mountain climbers come to the area and when the climb up Agri (Ararat)
is most enjoyable. Despite the usual sunny and clear weather at that time
of year, high altitude mountain weather prevails above 3000 meters. The
Southern face of the mountain offers the easiest and safest ascent to the
summit with the best routes and communication, transportation and safety
considerations. It is not advised to climb Mt. Agri (Ararat) alone and
without a guide.
Getting There
The Trabzon-Erzurum-Teheran
international transit highway, an excellent asphalt road, skirts the Western
and Southern flanks of Agri (Ararat) before heading into Iran. Dogubayazit,
270 km from Erzurum, and nearby Igdir, the two closest towns to the mountain,
are situated on this route. Daily planes, trains, and buses connect Erzurum
with Ankara.
Regional Attractions
The area surrounding
Agri (Ararat) has retained its natural beauty and the local population
still engages in the traditional lifestyle. During the summer months, whole
villages move to the yayla, the summer pasture, to find fresh grazing for
their herds of sheep, goats, cattle and horses. Women continue to weave
carpets and kilims in time-honoured designs; Örtülü village
is particularly renowned as a centre of beautiful handicrafts. Other nearby
tourist attractions include the Ishakpasa Palace, a fabulous 18th century
castle of a local potentate awaits for the visitors.
The Cilo-Sat
Mountains (4136 m.)
The Cilo-Sat Mountains,
within the Southeastern Hakkari province, are the Eastern extension of
the Toros (Taurus) mountain chain, which stretches from West to East along
Turkey's Southern 
boundaries. This range of mountains in fact forms the
Westernmost section of the Himalayan mountain belt. At 4136 meters, the
Uludoruk ( ) summit is the highest in the Cilo mountains; Çatalkaya
(Samdi), which rises to 3794 meters, crowns the Sat mountains. Resembling
the Alps in both general appearance and glacier topography, the Cilo-Sat
mountains are the areas in Turkey most affected by glaciers. The high altitudes
of the mountains testify to the effects of glacial formation and water
erosion. Of the ten uniquely shaped glaciers, the largest, Izbirak, measures
five kilometres in length, 500-600 metres in width and reaches 100 meters
in depth.
A wide arid expanse stretches across the Southern bases of the mountain
range. The highlands, in contrast, receive plentiful precipitation during
the winter months. In between crests and summits, green and fertile valleys
dotted with rural settlements, enjoy a temperate climate that makes them
ideal for vine and fruit agriculture.
Above the low
valleys, alpine meadows blanket the mountain slopes at altitudes between
2000 and 3100 metres. Herds of domestic animals, which graze in these pastures,
make up the primary economic activity of the region.
Trips and Climbs
Arduous and elevated
summits, high glaciers, glacial rivers and fast moving streams combine
to make the Cilo-Sat mountains both a fascinating geographic and geological
site of world-wide importance. The best time for summer excursions is during
June, July, August and September. For winter climbing, February and March
are the most suitable months.
Getting There
To reach the Cilo-Sat
mountains, travel to Van from Ankara by road, rail or air and then follow
the 245-km long highway to Hakkari. Serpil village offers one route for
an ascent of Uludoruk; another route Westside of Cilo, is Dezköy.
Regional Attractions
A vast yayla culture
has evolved on the Cilo and Sat mountains, and the summer migration of
the colourfully clad local population to the high grazing pastures is a
wonderful sight. Mountain glaciers, swiftly running rivers brimming with
fish and beautiful glacier lakes are a few of the area's natural wonders.
