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  Iran Tours - Iran  Mount Damavand Climbing Tour

 
MT. Damavand (5671 m)


Damavand region has been the living place of human for more than 5000 years ago. On the right side of the southern road, there are number of man made caves which reveals the fact that this area has been the home of man from past centuries. Moreover, around Damavand and particularly in its southern part a number of ancient tombs and Paleolithic objects have been discovered, all of which prove the oldness of the history of this region. In the meantime, there are some ancient mythsand legends which add to the antiquity of civilization of this area
.

 Myths and legends
The name of Damavand has been repeated many times in the ancient Iranian myths and legends. In all of them it has been tried to describe Damavand with glory and

strength. In one of the most famous legends it has been written that when Turians captured a part of ancient Iran, after sometime they realized it is difficult for

them to govern and rule their new captured region and bet if an Iranian could shoot an arrow from his homeland to the farthest point in Turan, that point would be considered as the new border between Iran and Turan. To make this new point, Arash (the famous epic hero) who was the best arrow shooter at that time, climbed the peak and with all the love he had in this heart to his country, shoot the arrow with all his strength to the farthest point in Turan. After he shoot the arrow, all his strength was exhausted from his body and filled in  the arrow  which landed on the farthest point in Turanians country.

Damavand is a volcanic peak, when reaching the top, the climbers could see and also walk in the crater. The circumference of this crater is 450 m and it is covered with snow all the year.

When reaching the peak and looking to the west, Lar dam, Tehran and surrounding mountains are visible. Among other things that could be seen on the top are the corpses of some sheep died after reaching the peak which have not lost their shape very much because of the coldness of weather in the top of the mount.

 Sulfur Hill
About 500 m left to reach the peak, there is a place called Sulfur hill or Dood Kooh which is the result of latest volcanic activities of this mount. This area is covered with Sulfur stones. In summers when the sun shines on them, sulfur gases rises from the stones, this is why that area is called Sulfur hill. The sulfur gas smells like a spoiled egg that may cause some irritation in the eyes and throat.

Abshar-e-Yakhi Waterfall
In the southern route of Damavand and before reaching the Sulfur hill, in the altitude of 5000 m, there is a frozen waterfall named Abshar-eYakhi (7 m high) which never melts. This frozen waterfall does not flow to any river. In warm seasons of the year when the upper frozen snow begin melting, the coldness of weather and

wind prevent the melting of snow of this waterfall. This is why this waterfall is always frozen.

 Damavand Climate
The speed of wind in Damavand region sometimes reaches even to 150 km per hours. Most of the winds blow from the west and the northwest, which causes considerable raining in this area.

The average annual rainfall in this region is 1400 mm; this is why the rivers of this area are filled with water nearly throughout the year.

 Water Resources
Because of high amount of raining, Damavand region does not face with the problem of shortness of water, but in comparison with other regions, Damavand cannot be put among other mountains, which has considerable amount of water. The temperature of  soil in Damavand is three times warmer than other mountains, this is why the snow melts very soon in this region.

 From Mt. Damavand about 9 permanent and seasonal river originate, five of the rivers ends to the northern skirts and the rest of them ends to the southern skirts. The most important river in this region is called “Haraz river”.

 Air Pressure

Route

Name of Area

Air Pressure mm/Hg

Northern

First shelter

550

Northern

Second shelter

490

Southern

Masdjed

610

Southern

Barghah-e-Sevom

540

Southern

Abshar-e-Yakhi

480

Southwest

Simorgh hut

540

Northeast

Takht-e-Fereydoon hut

530

--

Damavand Peak

465

--

Sea level

760

Damavand Springs
Normally Damavand springs could be seen in the altitudes of lower than 3500 m. Several of its high altitude springs are seasonal. From 4000 m up to the peak there is not any spring, so the only source for obtaining water from 4000 up to the peak is water of snow.

 Damavand wildlife
Animals such as fox, jackal and wolf can be found around Damavand. Those animals can also be seen up to the altitude of 4000 m. Because of the existing of forests in the northern part of this region, bears are found mostly in the northern forests and they avoid going to the high altitudes.

 In this region animals such as goat, ewe, eagle, a kind of gazelle, boar and rabbit are also found in that region. Except boar and rabbit which live in the fields of Damavand other above mentioned animals live in the high altitudes in the warm seasons of the year, and when the weather become cold they come down to the lower altitudes. Those animals may climb up to 5000 m as well.

 In Damavand region about 5 different types of snakes, scorpion, lizard and mouse can be found.

 Damavand Glaciers
The most important glaciers of Damavand are:

Two large glaciers of Sioleh and Dobi Sel in the northen of Damavand

The famous glacier of of Yakhar in the northeast of Damavand which has been climbed many times in summers, but noone has already climbed it in winter.

Western glaciers which do not have a particular name

 Damavand  Routes:
Damavand  has  6  main  routes  and  a number  of  side  routes to  climb, its  main  routes  are:

-          Southern  route

-          Northen route

-          Eastern  route

-          Western  route

-          Northeast  route

 Damavand  Shelters:
In the  altitude  of 4100 m in the southern  route,  there is  a shelter called  Bargah-e-Sevom” which  holds  about 30 people, it  is  also  possible  to  camp  near the  shelter.

 In  the  altitude  of  4600 m of  the northeast  route  there  is a  shelter called “ Takht-e-Fereydoon” which  holds  30  people, it  is  possible  to camp  near  this  shelter as well.

 In  the western  route and  in  the  altitude  of  4000 m there  is  a newly built shelter named  “ Simorgh” .

In both altitude of 4000 and 5000 m of the Northern  route  there are  two  huts,  each  hold  about  15  people, but  there is  no  possibility to  camp  near  those  huts.

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