All Photos Copyrighted by John McIntosh

2005 McIntosh, Kneisler, and Pursley Expedition Photos

1978-McIntosh solo expedition-this is a rather famous picture of the Ahora Gorge that the Lord blessed me with showing a snow, ice and water avalanche over the Ahora Gorge waterfall

1978-McIntosh solo expedition-snow, ice and water avalanche over the Ahora Gorge waterfall. The waterfall is estimated to be 350 to 450 feet

1978-The South face of Ararat.

1978-John McIntosh visits with Violet and Eryl Cummings after his 1978 expedition.

1982-SW Ararat-Preparing to climb up to the Irwin Camp with the expedition guide Uchman Sungar.

1982 Irwin Expedition-Picture of Jim covered in blood at the time of rescue in the North Canyon. I believe this picture was taken by Monte Unger.

1982-John Morris picture of a trip into the Gorge.

1982-Irwin Expedition-Danny Bass standing near the edge of the Ahora Gorge-the inverted heart formation is seen behind him.

1982-Irwin Expedition-Jim Irwin and Bob Stuplich near the 14,000 foot high camp on the NW of Ararat. Jim is preparing to descend to the 11,000 foot base camp. Bob is advising him to wait and not descend alone. Jim decided to descend alone and experienced a nearly catastrophic accident.

1982-Irwin Expedition-Some of the Irwin team in the Oral Hotel in Erzurum at the end of the expedition. Pictured: Eryl Cummings, John McIntosh, Jim Irwin with head bandages from his accident injuries. Pictured seated behind Jim is Yavuz Konca, famous Turkish Ark researcher and mountaineer.

1982-Irwin Expedition-Bloodied Jim Irwin on a stretcher-being prepared to be carried from 11,000 feet to a lower elevation where he would be put on a horse and escorted to a waiting Turkish military helicopter.

1982-Irwin Expedition-John McIntosh with Eryl Cummings at the 11,000 foot Kip Gol base camp on the NW of Ararat. John had just arrived at the base camp and was awaiting a decision by Jim Irwin and team members regarding being invited to join the team as its 12th member. He was later notified that he was a team member.

1982-Irwin Kip Gol base camp on the NW of Ararat, 11,00 feet-Turkish flag displayed. We had a Turkish commando escort on this expedition led by Orhan Baser.

1982-Turkish press photo along side the Apollo 15 picture of Jim Irwin.

Composite photo of the Ararat Amomaly on the western edge of the western plateau-Pictures from top left going clockwise:1949 DIA photo, 1987 Turkish pilot photo of the Anomaly, 1989 photo of the Anomaly area,close up of the 1949 photo, close up of the 1987 photo.

McIntosh Expedition, Rick Licata and Metin Karadag ascending the SE Glacier.

1983-McIntosh expedition-having tea at a Kurdish camp part way up the SE face of Ararat-Doris Bowers is pictured with a white kurdish head scarf on (right of center).

1983-McIntosh Expedition-John McIntosh part way up the SE face of Ararat.

Picture given to John McIntosh by Jim Irwin-showing Irwin on the moon beside the lunar module and rover-Apollo 15 mission.

1983-Irwin Expedition-at the lower east face base camp Eryl Cummings mounts a donkey to ascend to a higher base camp. Eryl was supposed to go back down the mountain with the military but hid out and was left behind so they would have to take him to the higher camp.

1983-Irwin Expedition-Pictured: John McIntosh, Jim Irwin Jr, Jim Irwin-near 14,000 feet on the east edge of the Gorge.

1983-McIntosh Expedition-Rick Licata and Metin Karadag ascending the SE Glacier.

1983-Irwin Expedition-East face of Ararat-A search team has its picture taken with Eryl Cummings before leaving to explore. Pictured: a British climber, Dennis Burchett, Eryl Cummings, John McIntosh, Turkish Commando escort.

1983-Irwin Expedition-Team meeting in the Simer Hotel south of Ararat, Some of those pictured: Bob Stuplich, Jim Irwin, Eryl Cummings.

1983-McIntosh Expedition-Team picture at the 11,000 foot Green Camp on the south face. Some of those pictured: camp guards and horsemen, Doris Bowers, Metin Karadag, Cuma, Rick Licata, John McIntosh.

1983-Irwin East Face Expedition-Pictured: J McIntosh, Turkish commandoes, Jim Irwin Jr and Jim Irwin near 13,000 feet on the east ridge of the Gorge.

1983-McIntosh Expedition-recent hand tooled wood at 16,000 feet on the eastern plateau. I have the right hand rolling pin like piece of wood.

1983-The "Top" of the Gorge-often called the 16,000 feet peak.

1983-Air flight-showing the east face of Ararat and the Ahora Gorge. Angel Rock is visible near the center of the picture. Photo by Bob Stuplich.

1983-Irwin Expedition-The Araxes and Abich II Glaciers in the Gorge. The dark area in the ice (Araxes) on the left has been of interest as a possible piece of the Ark

1983-Aerial view of the SE face of Ararat by Bob Stuplich.

Stuplich aerial photo-East ridge of the Gorge-showing angel Rock near the center of the picture.

1983 Irwin Expedition-at the lower East Face base camp-Jim Irwin is wearing the blue shorts-Eryl Cummings is left of center sitting on a suitcase using a movie camera.

1983-View of the ends of the Araxes and Abich II Glaciers in the Gorge.

1983-Another view of the ends of the Araxes and Abich II Glaciers in the Gorge.

1983-Slightly higher view of the Glaciers.

1983-East and back wall of the Gorge showing Angel Rock on the left and the "Croster Ark", center right.

1983-Ararat Flight Jim Irwin, Bob Stuplich, Ray Anderson, Eryl Cummings, 2nd from the right Marv Steffens.

1984-Irwin Expedition-Jim is holding some ancient Russian skis, Dick Bright is on the right-I believe this was Dicks first Ararat climb. The skis were an ancient landmark near the 16,000 foot south summit route. My 1984 team was falsely accused of taking these skis by an angry mountaineering guide. Dont know who took this picture.

1984-McIntosh Expedition-at the high camp near 15,000 feet, Pictured:John McIntosh and Mehmet Coktin.

1984-The Ice Cave or Eye of the Bird formation-from the McIntosh Expedition.

1984-John McIntosh about 500 feet down slope from the Ice Cave.

1984-McIntosh Expedition-Metin Karadag crossin a crevasse on the SW Glacier.

Durupinar by Doris Bowers - Picture given to John McIntosh by Ron Wyatt in 1984. Pictured: Attalay?, Marv Steffens, Ron Wyatt.

1985-Irwin Expedition-Jim Irwin with the Turkish military at Eli Village on the south face of Ararat. After earlier terrorist attacks on the mountain occurred and the mountain now being declared safe, Irwin is given permission to ascend the mountain with a small team and a military escort part way up the mountain.

1985-Irwin Expedition-Jim Irwin putting on his purple stripped long underwear.

1985-Picture of the Irwin Ark search tour group with Mt. Ararat in the background. Most of this group did not get to climb Ararat because of terrorist activity on the mountain.

1985-Ark researchers with Jim Irwin. Pictured: John McIntosh, Jim Irwin, Bob Stuplich, Ahmet Arslan, Dick Bright.

1986-Farmington, NM Arkathon picture. Some of those pictured:Don Shockey, Ed Davis, John McIntosh, Eryl Cummings, Bob Stuplich, Elfred Lee, Violet Cummings, Dr. John Morris, Bill Crouse.

1986-Ed Davis and Elfred Lee holding Lees sketch of the Ed Davis Canyon showing two pieces of the Ark.

1986-At the Arkathon-Eryl Cummings, Ed Davis, Don Shockey and Elfred Lee working on the sketch.

1987-Irwin Expedition-Picture with some of Jim Irwins team in the Ararat Hotel-Jim was in Dogubayazit seeking permission for a helicopter flight over Ararat-permission was not granted-pictureed: Jim Irwin, Bill Dodder, Bob Stuplich, John McIntosh, Bob Cornuke.

Ed Davis by Ken Long - Ed holding a model of the Ark he made.

1988-Helicopter flight team-Permission was granted to Chuck Aaron and Al Jenney for a flight over Ararat-they asked John McIntosh to be involved as a mountain expert-Some of those pictured are: Turkish military, kneeling-Chuck Aaron, standing-Al Jenney, John McIntosh, Fatih Tan (interpreter).

1988-John McIntosh and Dick Bright in Dogubeyazit.

1988-Helicopter picture looking down into the 'Davis Canyon' of the Ahora Gorge of Ararat. Picture by JMc

1988-Helicopter photo of the center area of the Gorge showing the Araxes Glacier and end of the Abich II Glacier.

1989 or 1990-Ice Cave or Eye of the Bird Formation-Picture taken by a foreign climber after the pre mature announcement in 1989 that this was part of the Ark.

McIntosh Expedition-close up of the Ice Cave-note the squared corner 'roof' with ice hanging down.

1989-Jim Irwin holding a picture of the Ice Cave with the formation visible in the background. Dont know who took this picture-perhaps Bill Dodder.

1989-Helicopter flight. Some of those pictured: Dave Montgomery, Chuck Aaron, BJ Corbin, Bob Garbe, John Wanvig.

At Lake Kop near 11,000 feet-NW Ararat-Former SEARCH President John Bradley second from the right.

Picture by Chuck Aaron showing the west face of Ararat. The prominate dark spot in the snow is the 'Ice Cave' or 'Eye of the Bird' formation which has often been mistaken for the Ark.

Ahora village and the Ahora Gorge-photo taken in the 80's by the late Dennis Burchett.