Mount Hasan
Mount Hasan is a volcanic mountain with a peak of 3268 meters above sea level. It is the highest mountain of the Central Anatolia Region after Erciyes Mountain. Hasan Mountain is covered with oak forests up to 1750 meters. Also at the foot of the mountain is the Ancient Roman city of Nora. Hasan Mountain has two craters, Büyük Hasan and Küçük Hasan. Lava from these craters formed a large part of Melendiz Mountain.
Today, there is a main crater and parasitic cones around Büyük Hasan Mountain. Küçük Hasan Mountain is in a state of somma today.
Hasan Mountain is highly visited by those who are interested in nature sports, as it creates a safe area for mountaineering.
Where is Mount Hasan?
Mount Hasan is located on the border of Niğde and Aksaray provinces in the Central Anatolian region of Turkey. It is located in the plains of the Obruk Plateau in the west of the Aksaray Plain in the province of Aksaray and the Bor Plain in the south.
Mount Hasan is a Volcano?
Hasan Mountain is one of the youngest volcanic mountains in Turkey. With the increase in the magma level after the earthquake in 2020, the possibility of an active volcano has come to the fore.
When was the last time Hasan Mountain Volcano erupted?
According to scientists, Hasan Mountain, one of Turkey’s youngest volcanoes, was last destroyed in the BC. It is said to have erupted in 6200. However, on September 20, 2020, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 occurred in the southwest of Hasan Mountain. Pressurized gas outlets (fumerole) occurred on Hasan Mountain after the earthquake. According to the investigations made after the earthquake; In the investigations made in Hasandağ, an increase in the magma level was detected.
Which Nature Sports Can Be Done on Hasan Mountain?
Hasan Mountain is an area frequented by those interested in mountaineering. In addition, nature sports such as skiing and paragliding can be done. While mountaineering activities continue in Hasan Mountain in all seasons of the year, skiing is possible between December and April. Paragliding activities are also practiced in suitable conditions.
Is Hasan Mountain Suitable for Mountaineering?
Especially Büyük Hasan Mountain attracts a lot of attention by those who are interested in mountaineering and nature sports. Every year, local and foreign nature athletes perform climbing in every season of the year. Demand for climbers is less in summer than in other seasons due to drought. It is more popular in the winter months. Mountaineering festivals are organized by the Aksaray Governorate in Hasan Mountain every year in July.
How to Get to Hasan Mountain?
If you prefer the airline, you can reach the region with Nevşehir Airport. Then you can reach the mountain by renting a car or taking a taxi, which takes about an hour and a half.
If you prefer the highway, you can easily reach the nearby cities in the region after arriving. For example; You can come to Aksaray with a 3-hour journey from Ankara. You can reach Hasan Mountain from Aksaray by two routes. If you want to go from the west side of the mountain, you can go from Yukarı Dikmen Village. If you want to go from the north direction, you can take the Helvadere road.
Yukari Dikmen Village Route
After passing Aksaray, 3–5 km after the Taşpınar town turn on the right, turn left at the Taşpınar bridge. Then you will first see the Aşağı Dikmen Village. After passing the Aşağı Dikmen Village, the road splits into two. You can reach Yukarı Dikmen Village by turning right at the crossroads. You can start the activity from Yukarı Dikmen Village and follow the path and stream bed to reach suitable camping sites.
Helvadere Pond Route
By turning towards the mountain from the dirt road leading to the plateau from Helvadere, you can reach the camping area in the valley with a wide stony path. In addition, both sides of the valley are dry and can be seen from a great distance with its gray color. It is possible to find water even in the driest seasons at the valley floor level, 150 m ahead of the location called as chimneys, in the continuation of the valley where the camping area is located.
Mount Hasan Summit Route
There are many ways to reach the summit of Mount Hasan. It is possible to reach the summit even on a daily basis from a comfortable route with a good pace without encountering any technical climbing difficulties. The easiest way to the summit of Mount Hasan is on the scree side of the eastern slope of the mountain. Landing during snowless seasons can be dangerous at times. Stone falls can also be seen from steep rocky parts at certain times of the day, so care should be taken. In winter, when the ground is covered with snow, the parts of steep and long slopes that are open to the wind can sometimes turn into ice. With these possibilities in mind, crampons and ice axes should be purchased. Another problem that can be encountered may be mountain diseases such as possible headaches and nausea from altitude. However, Hasan Mountain is one of the safest mountains to hike to the summit when the correct summit climb is preferred. Although the natural structure, called the summit bowl (or also called the crater mouth), had a lake in ancient times, today it is an arid pit. The summit rises to the south of the crater pit and there are campsites close to it that can fit 5 tents. outdoors; Melendiz, Erciyes, Aladağlar, Bolkarlar and Karacadağ can be seen easily from the summit.
The Legend of Mount Hasan
There was a dervish named Hasan Dede on the summits of Hasan Mountain, which is the highest mountain after Erciyes Mountain in Central Anatolia. There are many rumors about Hasan Dede. Hasan Dede is a scholar living alone on Mount Hasan. Ali Baba, on the other hand, works as a furnace in a Turkish bath in Aksaray. One day, Ali Baba goes to Hasan Mountain to visit Hasan Dede. When he goes, he puts a handful of wood in a handkerchief and takes a gift. The ember burns, but nothing happens to the handkerchief. Another day, Hasan Dede comes to visit Ali Baba. When he comes, he brings a handful of snow in his handkerchief. They sit in the furnace and chat. The snow on the handkerchief hung on the wall just stands there. For a while, Hasan Dede’s eyes fell on women coming out of the bath. The snow on the handkerchief begins to drip. Ali Baba, looking at Hasan Dede, says, “Being a saint at the top of the mountain is not a skill. The difficult thing is to remain a saint in the face of white-heeled ladies.”
Hasan Dede is actually Sultan Turasan, one of the commanders of the Danishmend Principality. During the Crusades II. He had great struggles with Kılıçarslan. When he was martyred, he was buried on the peaks of Hasan Mountain. The name Turasan turns into Hasan over time, and the name of the mountain becomes Hasan Mountain.
History of Hasan Mountain
The region where Hasan Mountain is located has a geography rich in obsidian. It is also close to an area where ancient human communities lived. It is also close to the ancient city of Çatalhöyük in Konya, Turkey.
In prehistoric times, people in the ancient city of Çatalhöyük collected obsidian around Mount Hasan. It is thought that they then traded for luxury items using obsidian. In addition, archaeologists found obsidian mirrors and scales in the area. All this shows us that; For those times, obsidian was a precious metal and this precious metal is located in Hasandağ. Art historians in their investigations in Çatalhöyük; They state that there is Hasan Mountain in the wall painting, which is defined as the first landscape. For all these reasons, we can say that Mount Hasan played an important role for the people of the region who lived here in historical times.
Also, Mount Hasan is the second mountain used from the south in the Byzantine Signal System to warn the Byzantine capital, Istanbul, of invasions during the Arab-Byzantine wars.
You can follow the current weather conditions for Mount Hasan on this site.
The mountain of the mountains, Mount Ararat may also interest you. Please click to read.
