15 km | 6 hours | Medium-Hard
The final leg of the trail from Baghaburj, goes via the village of Storot (also known as Nafcha), before reaching the ending of the trail mount Khustup. It is possible to do this in one day, but we recommend taking two, staying overnight in Nafcha basecamp. Mount Khustup is the most beautiful summit of the Kapan region at 3,206 meters. Since ancient times the mountain has been a place of prayers and pilgrimage. The origin of Vachagan River is located at the northern edge of mount Khustup. Its difficulty has been marked as ‘medium-hard’ because it is necessary to carry food and equipment if planning to camp, and there is a final section of the mountain where you need to climb up a small rock face.
There is a place for camping at the top. Exposed so you will need an appropriate sleeping bag. A recommended place for gathering firewood is alongside the path leading into the village. There is a fresh water tap close to the nearest house. This family are happy for you to leave your equipment in their yard while hiking up to the summit.
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The mountain is covered with alpine meadows and on the north eastern slopes it is covered with forests. It is made of volcanic stones and sedimentary rock. The slopes are fragmented and there are caves and cliffs. Hundreds of streams and rivers flow from melted snow on the mountain, from which originates the Vachagan river. There is a fresh water tap about halfway up the climb on the right.
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Acknowledgements
This segment was first scouted by ARK volunteers with the financial support of Tatiana Kuznetsova