When did you set a goal to climb Ararat?

I set this goal when I watched an ArmGeo film about last year’s ascent to Ararat, in which the participants of the hike shared their impressions.

What kind of obstacles did you face?

I had to overcome myself and my fears and get outside of my comfort zone, which I used to be so afraid to leave.

How did you imagine the ascent to Ararat?

I was turning over the upcoming ascent in my mind every single day. In my dreams I reached the top of Ararat several times. Sure in these dreams I stumbled sometimes, but I always got back on my feet.

How difficult was it in reality?

Oh, it was one of those rare cases when reality exceeds my imagination.

Climbing Ararat / Sveta Torosyan

What were your thoughts when on the peak of the mountain?

Walking the last 200-300 meters was especially difficult, and all this time I was thinking about reaching the top only.

What is one word to describe your emotions at that moment?

I was… confused. When on the top of Mount Ararat I felt like a little girl who had a dream of a beautiful porcelain doll and then it came true. She got the doll, but didn’t know how to play with it. Imagine, you can’t hug this fragile doll too tightly or you may accidentally break it. And what is the use of it if you just put the doll on a shelf to admire it? I felt the same way at that moment. I wanted to shout loudly that Ararat belonged to me since then and I was afraid of my dream at the same time.

What was your most memorable moment?

Every moment was memorable to me – from meeting people I still didn’t know well on the Republic Square to parting with them who during the ascent had become my close friends at the same place.

Has climbing Mount Ararat changed your life?

Yes, everything has changed at the moment when I heard an inner voice saying “If you really want to achieve your dream, do it right now!”

What has Ararat become for you?

It’s “mine” now. I am one of those to whom Ararat belongs.

Are you planning to climb Ararat again?

People tend to return home, you know.

What would you advise to people who are dreaming of climbing Mount Ararat?

To be honest, I don’t really like giving advice. So I would just say that if you have a dream, there is nothing left to do but start making it come true.

Sveta Torosyan