Mount Tsarasar

Eastern Sevan Mountain Range

Length: 48 km

Highest summit: Mount Tsarasar (3,427 m)

Coordinates: 40°1’16.84, 45°53’0.49

The Eastern Sevan Mountain Range is located at the edge of Gegharkunik Province, on Armenia’s eastern border. The mountain range serves as a watershed between the Tartar River and Lake Sevan. The average altitude of the mountain range is 2,700 m. The southern part of the range is higher and this is where Mount Tsarasar (3,427 m) is located. Other summits in the range include Gomk (3,052 m), Mokhrasar (3,037 m), Katarazhayr (3,008 m) and Trasar (2,869 m).

The mountains of Eastern Sevan are composed of volcanic, and partially sedimentary, subsurface rocks. The steepest inclines are in the Great Tsarasar section of the Range, with gradients of up to 30 degrees. There are many rock faces throughout the range, and as altitudes in the middle section (near Eastern Sevan) decline, the mountain range itself becomes more asymmetrical in form.

Mount Tsarasar is located 8 km southeast of Upper Shorzha village. The right tributary (Getik) of the Masrik River springs from the northern slope of Mount Tsarasar, while the right tributary (Lusnadzor) starts on the western slope. The slopes of Mount Tsarasar are covered with sub-alpine and alpine meadows, and cliff-face plants and foliage are common in the mountain’s upper reaches.

Photo by: S. Danielyan, M. Hovsepyan, E. Stepanyan, T. Shahbazyan