Damavand Ski

Difference Between Damavand ski touring and ski mountaineering!

Why is Damavand ski touring different from Damavand ski mountaineering?

Understanding the many types of skiing, ski touring, and ski mountaineering vacations in Damavand Ski Guide. Ski touring and ski climbing are available in the Iranian highlands. The Damavand ski touring and ski mountaineering skills are used for backcountry skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled isolated terrain. Ski mountaineering is more challenging and dangerous, and it requires more knowledge and equipment. The primary difference is that Damavand ski mountaineering has more difficult terrain, such as steep slopes, glaciers, rocks, and ice that must be traversed by skis.

Damavand Ski Mountaineering

Alpine skiing in Damavand is harder, riskier, and more expensive to successfully ski mountaineer at Damavand. The key distinction is the more difficult terrain, which includes steep slopes, glaciers, boulders, and ice, that must be traversed in order to reach the peak of Damavand by ski. Acclimatization and practice ski mountaineering may also be part of the ski mountaineering program at other summits, such as Alam-Koh summit, the Doberar ridgeline, which includes Bazmchal top, Chengizchal peak, Parvaneh summit, Angemar pinnacle, Mount Doberar, Suzchal top, etc. The peak of the Doberar or Damavand mountain ranges may need to be reached by Damavand ski mountaineers using climbing methods and equipment before they can ski back down.

Damavand Ski Touring

The majority of Damavand ski touring takes place on less exposed slopes and doesn't require much climbing skill. The Damavand ski tour is a better option for beginners compared to ski mountaineering. Ski touring is a method of reaching a Damavand campsite, such as Camp 3 Bargah Sevom Shelter, that may be accomplished on easier terrain and doesn't call for highly developed skiing or climbing abilities. To acclimatize and be ready for Damavand ski touring, you can ski in the ski resorts listed below, including Mount Tochal ski resort, Dizin ski piste, Shemshak ski slopes, Gole-Zard peak, and the distant Lasem village backcountry area. Before attempting ski touring up Damavand Mountain, beginners should train at these resorts to get acclimated.

Damavand Ski 23MDG0313A

Simorgh Shelter

 Simorgh Shelter
The Simorgh Shelter or Simorgh Refuge is a Damavand Camp which located on the western trekking trail of Iran's Mount Damavand, Iran. Simorgh Camp's two-story building gives room for about 40 climbers. It is possible to pitch up at least 40 to 50 tents at a tenting campsite next to the Simorgh refuge (latitude: 35.9564°, longitude: 52.0825°, elevation: 4,200 m), making it suitable for climbers even on busy days. The Simorq mountain shelter has lighting both inside and outside that is powered by solar energy. There is currently no water in the shelter's outdoor restroom. The snowmelt flowing water, which is 150 meters northeast of Simorgh camp, is the only water source in this mountain camp site.

Mt. Damavand West Trail Climbing Tour Guide
Simorgh Shelter lat: 35.9564° – lon: 52.0825° – alt 4,200 m

You can also Climb Damavand by going west. After the traditional south path, it is the mountainside that sees the second-highest number of climbers. You must first travel to Polour Camp from the Haraz Road if you want to hike Damavand from the western front. Off-road vehicles from Polour can transport you through Lar Road and to the starting point of the Damavand West Trekking Route, also known as the Parking Area or Damavand West Route Basecamp, throughout the summer. The ascent often begins from Vararood's west front base camp to Damavand.

Mount Damavand Iran West Route Trekking Tour Guide

Simorgh Shelter lat: 35.9564° – lon: 52.0825° – alt 4,200 m

This base camp (Parking Area) is located at an altitude of around 3400 meters above sea level. To get to Simorgh shelter, you must hike from the parking lot. The Simorgh camping area has running water, which is a useful amenity. Spend the night in the tenting area or the Simorgh shelter. The climb from the parking lot to the Simorgh shelter takes about 3–4 hours. Depending on your physical condition, ability to breathe, and level of readiness, it could take you anywhere between 5-7 hours to reach the west summit of the Damavand volcano crater from Simorq shelter.

Damavand West Route Mountaineering Tour Guide
Simorgh Shelter lat: 35.9564° – lon: 52.0825° – alt 4,200 m

Simorgh Shelter MDG 23QUI0303A

Takht Fereydon Shelter

 Takht Fereydon Shelter
At 4,380 meters above sea level, Takhte Fereydoun Shelter is situated on the Damavand north-east route. Twenty to twenty-five climbers can stay in this Damavand Camp, and tents can be set up all around it. A small spring (water from the snowmelt) on the shelter's northern side serves as the summertime water source for climbers. There are two floors.

Takhte Fereydoun Shelter

Climbing Damavand Mountain North-East Side

Lat: 35.9665°, Lon: 52.1341°, Alt: 4,380 m

Trekking Damavand from the eastern trail, for the most part, the rocks, snow, and ice cover the summit trail as it ascends. After passing through the Gardaneh-Sar and the beginning of the northeast ridge, there is a clear footprint, and it takes about 6 hours to ascend to Takhte Fereydoon shelter (lat: 35.9665°, lon: 52.1341°). There are two places along the path where you can use the snowmelt water, but if you're not used to drinking water from snow, it's best to avoid doing so.

Takht Fereydon Campsite

The last place where water may be taken from the glaciers is 100 meters away, on the slope leading to Takht-e Fereydun shelter. The shelter is located on the Yakhar glacier's edge. Near the shelter,  tents might be erected. Takht Fereydoun shelter is a good place to set up camp and spend the night. The region has both water (snowfall) and wind protection on the refuge's ridge; but, in the morning, one must climb a challenging slope to reach Damavand top.

Takhte Fereydoun Refuge Location

Damavand Mountain North-East Route

Damavand Attraction in the Northeast

The northeast face's innate beauty is well acknowledged. It has plenty of water and plants. In addition to being more difficult to access than other slopes of Damavand, its protection from hunters has made it a haven for endangered species. These elements combined to form a pristine land on the northern face.

Takht Fereydon Shelter 23MDG0227A

Damavand 4000 Shelter

4000 Shelter Damavand
North Face of Mount Damavand Shelter 4000
Since it was built at a height of 4,000 meters, the first shelter along Mount Damavand's northern path is known as the "Damavand 4000 Shelter." This Damavand camp can support up to 20 climbers under ideal conditions. The metal shelter structure, which was constructed on the Damavand's north face ridge, remains unequipped. It is open to strong winds. Water is extracted from glaciers on both sides of the ridge, although during the summer, the glaciers are vulnerable to rock slides. In general, the 4000-Shelter (lat: 35.9782°, lon: 52.1112°, alt: 3,996 m) is a better option for climbing Damavand in the winter.

Damavand 4000 Shelter

Mount Damavand North Face Route

Climbing Guide for the Damavand North Route
Climbing Damavand from the northern face is one of the trickiest ascent routes. The north face's summer basecamp is located at the Big Rock, which is five kilometers from the Nandal Village (latitude: 36.0303°, longitude: 52.1740°, elevation: 2350 m) and marks the end of the Nandal plain. The Great Stone, located in latitude 36.0119, longitude 52.1205, and elevation 2,920 meters, is the starting point from which you will climb to a height of 5,670 meters. You can save time and, of course, climb more efficiently by taking a rental off-road vehicle from the settlement of Nandal to the Big Rock.

Mule and Porter 
Similar to the northeast approach, climbers can hire a mule to carry their backpacks on the Damavand north side, which is quite beneficial. The mule can then be used to take the backpacks to the Damavand 4000 Shelter. Mules will carry your cargo from Big Rock to the 4000m refuge. The use of mules is obviously less prevalent on the northern front than it is on the southern front, and mules are not always available. If you choose to use a mule, it is better to make the necessary arrangements from inside the Nandal hamlet and before reaching the enormous stone.

Damavand North Route 

Mount Damavand Climbing Guide

Damavand 4000 Shelter 23GUDFEB25A

Damavand 5000 Shelter

 5000 Shelter Damavand 

Damavand Camp - Damavand 5000 Camp
The Damavand 5000 Shelter, unlike what its name might imply, was actually erected 4626 meters above sea level! The 5000-Shelter (lat: 35.9681°, lon: 52.1147°) is the highest refuge among the Damavand Camps, the huts, and shelters along the different roads going to Damavand peak. On the northern face, Damavand 5000 Refuge (also known as Jan-Panah 5000) is situated around 600 meters higher than the Damavand 4000-Shelter. The shelters resemble one another quite a little. The highest refugium can accommodate 15 to 20 climbers. It is functionally and suitably equivalent to the Jan-Panah 4000 and has two full levels.

Damavand 5000 Refuge

Damavand Mountain North Face

Only the top floor of the Damavand 5000 camp, which is only about 1.8 meters high, has a wooden floor, though. Also, there isn't a proper stairs to climb, and it should be kept in mind that getting to the upper floor requires aid from others and is not at all straightforward, especially for shorter people. There are flat spots around Jan-Panah 5,000 shelter where fewer than ten tents can be spread out. The 5000 Shelter north of Damavand is covered in a variety of texts, graffiti, logos, signs, and advertisements. In the highlands, vandalism never seems to stop. Read more about Damavand.

Mule and Transportation

To get to the Big Stone (Lat: 36.0119°, Lon: 52.1205°), you can either take a 4WD off-road vehicle on a gravel road from the community of Nandel Village or walk there. Mules can transport bags to 4000-Shelter (Jan Panah 4000), however the price of each backpack (measured in tomans) changes every year owing to inflation. The last water source along Damavand's northern route is the Gosfandsara (sheepfold), which is located approximately three kilometers before the Big Rock and from which water may be taken. Of course, based on the situation, it may be able to collect water from the glacier and the 5000-Shelter peak (Jan-Panah 5000).

Damavand North Route Map

Mount Damavand Climbing Guide

Damavand Guide

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Damavand Camp - Damavand 5000 Shelter 23MDG0306A