Up The Rocks club was founded on January 5, 2008 by Mkhitar Mkhitaryan and friends with the solid intention of developing modern rock climbing, mountaineering and backcountry skiing culture in Armenia.

The rock climbing ethics and gratitude for nature are the core values and philosophy that form the DNA of Up The Rocks.

We organized the "Arev" Armenian Rock Climbing Festivals in 2009, 2011 and 2013 which kicked off climbing route development and international recognition of Armenia on the climbing map.

The vast majority of the rock, ice and alpine climbing routes, as well as backcountry skiing lines in Armenia were developed by Up The Rocks club. As well we have created the topo of the climbing routes in Armenia. 

In 2013, the Armenian Alpine Club SNGO was co-founded with Spitak Rescue Center members and the support of Up The Rocks club, in order to provide more efficient, coordinated and methodical ways for the development of Mountain Activities in the country.

One significant work of the club is considered to be the document "Rock Climbing Ethics and Standards in Armenia".

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Up The Rocks is a tree in the Armenian mountaineering sports culture.

   The Tree has been grown in the soil of the Yerevan Physic's Institute's Alpine Club, Yerevan Polytechnics Institute's Alpine Club, and the "Spitak" Rescue Center.

Our fathers are: 

   • Aghvan Chatinyan (Up The Rocks club honorable member)

   • Valery Karchikyan (Up The Rocks club honorable member)

   • Nelson Tamamyan 

   • Aram Kosakyan

   • Robert Vardanyan (Up The Rocks club honorable member)

   • Hayk Tonoyan

   • Souren Stepanian ("Aparazh" club founder at Yerevan State University. Up The Rocks club honorable member)

   • Karo Hovasapian

   • Harut Yesayan

   • Valeri Vardanyan

   • Hrach Makaryan 

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Our brothers and sisters, who have been around to water our tree with financial, moral, and technical support are: 

   • Vahe Tamamyan (The Armenian Alpine Club co-founder)

   • Vardan and Vahe Kosakyans

   • Stepanian Family

   • Sirekanyan Family

   • Ter-Minasyan Family

   • Koutoudjian Family 

   • Karen Marutyan (Marutyan Family)

   • Armen Mkrtchyan

   • Grigor Sayadyan

   • Melkon Khachatryan

   • Hrachya Hovhannisyan

   • Arno Mosikyan

   • Anna Barseghyan

   • Manushak Vahramyan

   • Mkrtich and Edgar Nazaryans

   • Aram Hovhannisyan

   • Thomas Baghdasarian

   • Bagrat Mkrtchyan

   • Vache Manukyan

   • Tatevik Zohrabyan

  • Antuan Ananyan (co-founder of the Armenian Mountaineering and Hiking Federation, White Irbis Mountain Club)

   • Suren Danielyan (co-founder of the Armenian Mountaineering and Hiking Federation)

   • Arayik Hakobyan

   • Ashot Balayan

   • Armen Navasartian

   • Gevorg M. Harutyunyan

   • Gevorg Elmasakyan (Overz Club)

   • Levon Badikyan

   • Luca Kueshguerian (Kueshguerian Family)

   • Arman Mkrtchyan

   • Aida Mkrtchyan

   • Arman Grigoryan

   • Tigran Petrosyan

   • Hasmik Martirosyan

   • Mariam Ter-Karapetyan

   • Hayk Gevorgyan

   • Hovhannes Martirosyan

   • Danila Arutyunov

   • Gevorg Arevi Gasparyan

   • Artashes Aramazd Mkrtchyan

   • Alexa Nazarian

   • Zaven Araqelyan ("Rocky Baby" kid's climbing school)

   • Hakob Gochumyan

   • Karn Ashimyan

   • Edik Sergoyan

   • Davit Simonyan

   • Armen Alayan

   • Daniel Roumian

   • Aharon Khachatryan

   • Narek Saribekyan (Saribekyan family)

 

 

 

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Our International brothers and sisters who have watered our tree are: 

   • Daniel Domingo (co-founder and the investor of the first climbing gym in Armenia)

   • Will Nazarian

   • Alex Chabot

   • Sam Bie

   • Pippa Planque

   • Jared Nielson

   • Nasim Eshqi

   • Carolina North

   • Alessandro Simoni

   • Andreas Pfief

   • Nis J. Vagner

   • Stretch Flo Hansen

   • Martin Tucka

   • Alexey Shustrov

   • Philippe Descampes

   • Antoine Grospiron-Jaccoux (Jaccoux Family)

   • Alberto Re

   • Simon Flachaire

   • Alexey Kozlov (Kozlov Family)

   • Patrik Aufdenblatten

   • Alexandre Gorge (Gorge Family)

   • Jacob Balzani-Loov

   • Christophe Raylat

   • Andrey Ralev

   • Rosa Vroom

   • Alba Estape Grau

   • Viktor Musikhin

   • Francois-Xavier de Boismenu (Boismenu Family)

   • Graham and Kim McGrenere

   • Abbas Mohammadi (Representing the IAC and the Iranian Family)   

   • Jim Donini (one of my teachers) (Representing The AAC and the American family)

   

This list is not complete, and I apologize for the missing the names of the those significant Wales, who have supported us. Some friends from the list above have been the members of the club at some point.  

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The committed members of Up The Rocks:

   Andranik Miribyan - rock climber, mountaineer 

Was born in 1977, Started climbing and skiing in 26.

"Spitak" Rescue Team member since 2004.

In 2006 successfully passed the German Mountain Rescue Ski-Test by Bergwacht Mountain Rescue Center.

Andranik has that habit of amusing his friends in marginal situations, never loosing his creativity and control, always finding optimal solutions.

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   Vasken Koutoudjian - rock climber, mountaineer, backcountry skier 

Was born in 1972. Mountaineering is a family affair. With mother, father and brother he discovered the world and culture of alpinism. 

Vasken was involved in the French Alpine Club's youth team of high performance.

Did several ascents in the Alps, Dolomites, one expedition in Patagonia in 1996 (New route El Mocho, "Little Big Wall").

Later he followed trips in Cordillera Blanca Peru, Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, the USA and the second ascent of Mount Ross in Kerguelen, a truly raw ascent, not for the difficulties but the wilderness of the place.

Ski patroller in the rescue team of Alp d'Huez from 2000-2006.

Did some work with French mountain magazines and now he's a professional climbing and canyoning instructor.

Old fashioned, but still and always in love with mountains.

Best memory? At the age of 12, being with brother (17 years old at that time), doing the Dome de Neige des Ecrins summit (4051m). 

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   Vladimir Belousov - rock climber, mountaineer

Was born in 1977. In 2001 has graduated the Moscow State Industrial University.

Main activities: mountaineering, rock and ice climbing, skiing.Started climbing in 1993, first serious expedition in 2003.

Had climbed in Europe, Nepal, China, Kyrgyzstan, Caucasus and Crimea.

Two First Ascent routes in Nepal Himalaya on Mt. Kwangde and Mt. Kyajo Ri.

IFMGA licensed Mountain Guide.

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   Mkhitar Mkhitaryan - your humble servant, founder-promoter of Up The Rocks 

Was born in 1980. Started climbing in 2004 and back-country skiing in 2006.

"Spitak" rescue team member 2004-2011.

Successfully passed German Mountain Rescue Ski-Test certification by Bergwacht Mountain Rescue Center in 2006.

Mountain Guide since 2010 (not licensed).

Co-founder and president of the Armenian Alpine Club SNGO 2013-current.

Avalanche Canada - Avalanche Skills Training Level-2 certification.

Ski Instructor at Aspen Ski Company, PSIA-AASI Alpine Level-1.

Have climbed in the US (Yosemite, Indian Creek, Black Canyon, Red Rock Canyon and more), Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Georgia, Iran and France.

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   I have been recruiting members into the Up The Rocks team by their will and request since 2008, and it was my duty to exclude them by my sole decision for a reason.

This tactic intended to keep the club's life active, versus becoming like a sleeping organization with a long list of formal members.

Members who have been inactive, not responsive, shown no interest to the club's life, or lost their attitude were automatically excluded.

 

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   In our website there is a large amount of content about guided tours and programs.

Along with some help and donations from our friends, the guided tours and programs are the main way to self-leverage for making a living, to keep growing in climbing and skiing, and for implementing our mission and goals.

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   One big disputable and controversial topic has been the initiative of Up The Rocks to ban the Clean Climbing on the basalt columns of Armenia (established by Up The Rocks).

Because the climbing on basalt columns started recently in 2009, and also the columns were adopted as a symbol in the Up The Rocks logo, and then it got closed in 2013, just when it was about to become very popular (risking to be bolted without a control), some thought that it's Mkhitar Mkhitaryan's ambition and greed to close it to be the "only one who has ever climbed" the basalt columns. Some thought it's because of commercial reasons so I would have a monopoly of guiding there, and rumors like that.

   There is a clear and concise description about the reasons and purpose of the basalt columns ban in our website, and in the document "Rock Climbing Ethics and Standards of Armenia". 

We believe that one day we will climb on the columns with a better style, whether it's my suggested way of the V-thread anchors or something better. And, for sure, only after that solution will be approved by the competent environmental experts and activists.

 

   And besides the fact that only very few basalt column formations are being recognized as natural monuments, thus the climbing on them is banned by the states now, we believe that it's the fault of the Ministry of the Environment which didn't register all the similar formations of the country as natural monuments.

   And at last, one should know that the basalt columns of Armenia have their own watching guards.

The one who breaks this mandate will be:

Cursed by the vipers living on the base of the columns,

cried by the swallows living on the crags,

and shamed by the eagles nesting on the top of columns.

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In September of 2024, after 16 years of its journey, Up The Rocks club started its transformation into the Armenian Mountaineering and Skiing National School. The AMSNS was born on October 1, 2024. 

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P.S. I honor my greatest teacher and mentor, in life and in the mountains, my uncle Hrach Makaryan, and as well the Makaryan family for all the support to what I have done and who I have become.