Towering to a height of 16,945 feet (5165 meters), Mt. Ararat stands as the highest location in the ancient kindom of Ararat (Urartu). Mt. Ararat, perhaps the largest single-mass volume mountain in the world, is a volcanic mountain covered with ice from about 14,500 feet. In some areas the ice cap is as much as 300 feet thick and divides into 12 "finger" glaciers.

It is debated when Mt. Ararat actually formed: before, during, or after the flood. Many creationists believe that, prior to the flood, the earth did not contain the numerous shifting plates, nor did it experience any volcanic activity as we have today. They believe that the flood began when the earth's crust tore itself into plates releasing subterranean water and volcanic lava.

"...all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Genesis 7:11

According to geologist Clifford Burdick Ph.D. much of the lava on Mt. Ararat is in rounded blocks called pillow lava indicating it flowed out from the fractures while under water. He theorizes that after the flood waters subsided, almost the whole north-east side of the mountain blew out forming the Ahora gorge, a northeast trending chasm that drops 6,000 ft (1,825 meters) from the top of the mountain. Rock fragments and ash from this eruption are scattered over an estimated 100 square miles.

Page 1 Page 2 Next page