Alam Kuh
Encyclopedia
ʿAlam-Kūh - Mount Alam - is a mountain in the Alborz
mountain range
in the north of Iran
, between Tehran
and the Caspian sea
, forming a peak of the Takht-e Suleyman Massif
. At 4,850 m high, it is the second highest peak in Iran, only to Mount Damavand
at 5,671 m. The 800 m high steep granite north face provides some of the most difficult and interesting mountaineering routes in the country and the climbs rank alongside major climbing routes in the European Alps. In addition to local climbers, the north face attracts European climbing teams, the first known ascent being by a German party Gorter/Steinauer in 1936 up the north west ridge. Subsequently French and Polish teams established other routes on the north face during the 1960’s and 1970, these being multi-day routes of high Alpine standard and a British team followed in 1978.
Most of the fixed ropes were damaged severely during a major earthquake and consequent rockfall in 2003. The mountain was closed to the climbers for some months because the hazard of rockfall and loose cables.
The mountain range supports permanent snow and glaciers and although the southern slopes of the range tend to be dry and barren the northern valleys leading to the Caspian Sea
(which offer the best approaches to the mountains) are wet and lush with vegetation.
Alborz
Alborz , also written as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran stretching from the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the northwest to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, and ending in the east at the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan...
mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the north of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, between Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and the Caspian sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
, forming a peak of the Takht-e Suleyman Massif
Takht-e Suleyman Massif
Takht-e Soleyman Massif is a subrange of central Alborz mountains. In the area, about 160 distinct peaks higher than 4,000m are distinguishable, with the highest, most famous, and most technical one: Alam Kuh, 4,850m. The area can be captured inside a rectangle of 30km width and 40km length...
. At 4,850 m high, it is the second highest peak in Iran, only to Mount Damavand
Mount Damavand
Mount Damāvand also known as Donbavand, a potentially active volcano and the highest peak in Iran, has a special place in Persian mythology and folklore...
at 5,671 m. The 800 m high steep granite north face provides some of the most difficult and interesting mountaineering routes in the country and the climbs rank alongside major climbing routes in the European Alps. In addition to local climbers, the north face attracts European climbing teams, the first known ascent being by a German party Gorter/Steinauer in 1936 up the north west ridge. Subsequently French and Polish teams established other routes on the north face during the 1960’s and 1970, these being multi-day routes of high Alpine standard and a British team followed in 1978.
Most of the fixed ropes were damaged severely during a major earthquake and consequent rockfall in 2003. The mountain was closed to the climbers for some months because the hazard of rockfall and loose cables.
The mountain range supports permanent snow and glaciers and although the southern slopes of the range tend to be dry and barren the northern valleys leading to the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
(which offer the best approaches to the mountains) are wet and lush with vegetation.