ESPIROOZ

The mountains and mountain slopes in Iran with their economic value for nomads provide also summer residence for urban dwellers as well as good places for winter and summer mountain sports. The desert region of Iran has its own touristic attractions. These regions were the passing places of merchant caravans between east and west of Iran and therefore encompass the remains of hundreds of old Caravansaries and water reservoirs. The desert landscape with running sands, stone plains, salty lands and rivers scattered with large and small oases form a totally dry but very attractive nature.

Iran with hundreds of mountains above 4000 meters is a good place for those who are interested in mountaineering or trekking. Damavand (5671 meters) is the highest point of Iran and every year thousands of Iranian and foreign climbers are climbing it in different seasons. I. R. Iran Mountaineering Federation is going to build one of world's highest shelters at 4000 meters on this mountain to provide appropriate facilities for climbers.
When you choose one of the many trekking paths in Iran you can not only enjoy trekking but also have the opportunity to visit local people on their homelands and have close contact with Iranian customs and culture.

The ancient Iranian culture reflected in its historical and architectural heritage, has brought about many places worth of visiting. The culture of today's Iran is a perfect synthesis of near and far past of this territory and every visitor can satisfy his intellectual and aesthetic needs according to his own taste by travelling this wide and rich country. The historical monuments of Persepolis, Pasargad, Susa, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Kerman and many other ancient places are incentive enough for visiting Iran.Mountaineering in Iran.

Since Iran is a mountainous country, mountains and mountaineering are naturally related to Iranian life. Mountaineering as a sport and outdoor activity seriously started in Iran about 60 years ago and specially people who were working in the military went to the mountains to practice sport and exploration of remote areas. The first group of Iranians who attended technical climbing courses were also soldiers, but after a few years they were joined by civilians and nowadays you can see thousands of Iranian who are involved in it.

The first expeditions to go to the Himalayas were again from the army; they sent a few groups to the Himalayas for some reconnaissance but they did not do any serious climbs till 1975 when a joint Iranian and Japanese expedition climbed Manaslu. After Islamic revolution and because of invasion of Iraq to Iran and the following war no proper climbs were possible in the Himalayas; most of mountaineering focused on winter ascents inside Iran and on the big walls and mountains mostly above 4500 m.

In 1994 the I. R. Iran Mountaineering Federation, the main body of mountaineering and hill walking in Iran, organized a 5-year program to climb Mt.Everest. The first expedition was sent to climb peak Peak Communism, the highest peak in the Pamir range in Tajikistan and they succeeded in putting four climbers on the top. The following year another group went to Kazakhstan to climb Khan Tengri 7010 m and seven members reached the summit. 1997 was a busy year, two expeditions were sent to Pakistan and they climbed Gasherbum II (8035 m) and Rakaposhi (7788 m). In spring 1998 the first Iranian Everest expedition left Iran for Nepal and after almost three months four Iranians stood on the top of the world; this expedition was considered the strongest expedition on Everest in that year.

First Youth expedition climbed Peak Pobeda in 1999 and in year 2000 one Iranian Iranian expedition climbed Mt.Cho-Oyu and Shishapangma which are among 8000 meters peak one after another in Spring. In Spring 2001 Iranian Mountaineering National team went to Himalayas again and could successfully climbed Mt.Makalu the 5th highest peak of the world and 7 climbers among this 16 members expedition made the summit.
Beside all the above activities and expeditions people do mountaineering and climbing all over Iran, these climbs staged from very simple routes and trekking to very technical winter or summer ascents on the technical mountains such as Damavand 5671 m or Alam-Kouh 4850 m which has a 750 m vertical granite face.Mt. Damavand 5671 m.

Many global tourists and alpinists consider Damavand the most beautiful conical and unique peak of Asia and the highest peak of Iran. Fly 5 hours from the farthest part of Europe to Tehran. Drive 75 km by car to the North of the Alborz chain through plains of flowers and green slopes of Damavand. It is an 8-hour trek and an 8-hour climb to the glorious peak of Damavand.
Mt. Damavand with 5671 meters lies only 100 km from Tehran and 75 km to Caspian sea. There have been many myths written about this mountain in Iranian history and it can be called a legend mountain. It is said that there is a monster banned on the summit.
The slopes and skirts of this mount are filled with volcanic lava. Moreover, there are a number of small volcanic mouths near the peak from which sulfur gases usually flow out.

Damavand has several glaciers, the most important of them are Dobisel and Sioleeh glaciers in the north, Yakhar glacier in the east.
It has four main routes and each has a different character. South route is the normal route which has one refuge at 4100 m. North has two refuges whith the first one at 4000 m and second at 5000 m. West route has one refuge at 4550 m and the North East route has one refuge at 4800 m. The summit is covered with yellowish sulfuric rocks and the diameter of the crater is about 180 meters. Albourz Range of which Mt. Damavand is the highest peak is a chain along the range of Alps and Himalayas, but Damavand is not connected to any other mountains of Albourz range. It is estimated that this volcano is 2 billion years old. Because of its particular location with the Caspian Sea on the North and desert on the South it has a particular climate and wild life. Winds generally blow from west and northwest which contains humidity and rain. Because of species and vegetation you can see nomads who are living on its base during late spring and summer.

The first successful recorded climb to this peak goes back to 1900. During that year, some Iranian geographers, affiliated to Mozaffari Geographic Mission, succeeded to reach the top through a very difficult glacier course, called Yakhar Valley. From that time to 1936, there is no recorded climb. But in the 1940s, the climbs were multiplied and new routes were opened. Damavand is the national symbol of Iran and there are many organizations getting benefit from the picture of this famous peak; you can find it for instance on bank notes, credit cards or bus tickets.
During the last 50 years many foreigners have been attracted to climb Damavand.