Best time to ski touring in mount Damavand

Damavand mountain is located in the central part of Alborz mountain range. From the point of view of country divisions, this peak is located in Larijan section of Amol city in Mazandaran province. This mountain was registered on the 13th of July 2007 as the first natural phenomenon of Iran. Damavand is the highest peak in Iran and the highest point in the Middle East and also the highest volcano in Asia. It is already one of the seven volcanic summits in the world. The exact height of Damavand is 5,610 meters and it is considered a semi-active volcano.

In this article, IRMTravel wants to introduce the best ski touring season in Damavand, routes and accommodations of the region.

The best accommodation for ski touring Damavand

Damavand is an individual and conical peak and it is significantly higher than the surrounding peaks. Therefore, the peak is exposed to strong winds and very cold weather in the early to mid-winter season, from late December to mid-February. Sometimes the air temperature on the summit reaches minus 40 degrees Celsius, and for this reason, the best time for ski touring in Damavand is late February - March, and April. In these months, the temperature of the region is more suitable and there is still a significant amount of snow for skiing. Generally, the prevailing winds in the Damavand region blow from the southwest and west and can reach 70-80 km/h in spring. Skiing at Damavand peak takes about 5-7 days. The IRMTravel ski touring program includes 3-4 days of air conditioning in the surrounding peaks between 3,800-4,000 meters and two days of climbing to Damavand peak.

Ascent routes for ski touring in Damavand

The best route for Damavand ski touring is the southern route. This route has a suitable slope less than 40 degrees and almost no risk of avalanches. The presence of shelters on the southern front at an altitude of 4,200 meters is another reason for choosing this route.  In winter, due to the amount of snow, the skiing route starts from a height of about 2,500 meters so, the skiers can climb up to a height of about 5,300 to 5,400 meters with skis. After this height and reaching the area known as "Sulfur Hill", there is not much snow on the peak even in the winter season, that the main reason is that the base ground is warm due to volcanic activities.

After the shelter, there are two glaciers on the south side. The recommended routes for ascent and descent are mainly from the right glacier (to the west) due to the lower slope and wider route. Be noted that this glacier continues up to a height of 5,300 meters.

The best accommodation for ski touring Damavand

The best accommodation for skiing in Damavand is located on the slopes of Damavand in Rineh village and you can use local houses or the Rineh mountain complex to stay and overnight. Rineh Mountain Complex has a pleasant, calm, and clean atmosphere and a private toilet and bathroom as well as laundry for mountaineers. Access to city facilities, supermarkets, and the internet are other advantages of this complex.

Rineh Complex is managed by the Faramarzpour family (father and son) and also has a transportation service to the Gosfandsara camp (the beginning of the climbing route in summer). Also, passengers can use the food and kitchen facilities by prior arrangement.

There are two shelters at an altitude of 4200 meters in Damavand. First one is a Metal shelter at an altitude of 4,150 meters, after the reconstruction, this shelter has become one of the best and most equipped shelters in Iran. It was inspired by alpine shelters during the reconstruction of this place, and the interior space is completely insulated with wood. High-quality food and hot drinks can be provided even in winter, and the possibility of spending a comfortable night before climbing will play a significant role in climbing the peak the next day.

The new shelter of the third court is the second accommodation.

This building has 420 square meters on 2 floors with facilities such as 4 rooms, 70 beds, the first aid room, storage room, dining room, public and private bedrooms, bathroom, buffet and kitchen, and solar energy system.The capacity is suitable for 100 people in normal conditions and 250 people in emergency conditions. Bargah-e Sevom mountain shelter has a permanent guard (in the summer season).

Note: Although this shelter is newly established, due to the presence of a high ceiling, stone and cement materials, and lack of a heating system in winter, the inside environment can be very cold and at the level of a bivouac shelter.The toilet of this shelter is very inappropriate and unusable in the winter season. Also, this shelter is almost half-closed in cold seasons and food and general dormitory services are not provided, and usually, only two entrance rooms can be used for emergency situations. Therefore, IRMTravel recommends making sure about the service before climbing and also, making the necessary arrangements with Polour complex.

List of supplies and equipment for ski touring in Damavand

SKI TOURING CHECKLIST : Warm ski socks (2/3 pairs) -Merino leggings (warm) -Fleece leggings -Warm Merino base layer tops -Fleece or synthetic mid layer -light down jacket -Gore-tex ski jacket -Gore-tex ski pants -Two pairs of gloves (mid weight and down insulated) -Sun glasses -Ski goggles -Ski crampons (knife) -Ski repair kit (optional) -Climbing Skins -Alpine ski touring boots -Alpine Touring Skis -45L Alpine pack (ice axe attachment, Ski carry system) -70-100L Expedition duffle (for use up to base camp) - light boot Crampons -Ski poles -3 season sleeping bag with compression sack (in case we will have blanket in local houses) -Flask -Bottle (Nalgene) -Hand warmers (optional) -Warm hat -Neck gaiter or buff -Balaclava(optional) -Head lamp -Compeed Blister kit (optional) -Sun cream 30+ or 50 - Avalanche kit (Shovel- Probe- Avalanche Transceiver) -Lip balm with UV protection -ABS system backpack (optional) -Personal Medication ( Diamox /Asetazolamide, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, any other travel medication..),