Alam-Kuh

Alam Kuh
Kuhha-ye Alborz
Highest point
Elevation 4,848 m (15,906 ft) [1]
Prominence 1,827 m (5,994 ft) [1]
Listing Ultra
Coordinates 36°22′33″N 50°57′45″E / 36.37583°N 50.96250°E / 36.37583; 50.96250Coordinates: 36°22′33″N 50°57′45″E / 36.37583°N 50.96250°E / 36.37583; 50.96250 [1]
Geography
Alam Kuh

Iran

Location Mazandaran, Iran
Parent range Alborz
Climbing
First ascent 1902 by Alfred and Joseph Bornmüller
Easiest route rock, snow, ice

ʿAlam-Kūh (Persian: علم کوه‎‎; also: Alam Kooh) - Mount Alam - is a mountain in the Alborz mountain range in the north of Iran, Mazandaran Province, forming a peak of the Takht-e Suleyman Massif. It is located in the Kelardasht District of the Mazandaran Province of Iran. With an elevation of 4,848 meters,[2] it is the second highest peak in Iran behind Mount Damavand.[3]

Climbing history

A view of Alam kuh

The first recorded ascent of the peak was made from Hazarchal over the south face by the German brothers Bornmüller during their six-month botanical exploration of the Alborz in 1902.[4][5]

Douglas Busk, a British mountaineer, climbed Alam-Kuh via the east ridge in 1933 and again in 1934 from over the west ridge.[6]

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 from the north was by a German party (Gorter/Steinauer) in 1936 via the northwest ridge.[7] Subsequently, French and Polish teams established other routes on the north face during the 1960s and 1970, these being multi-day routes of high alpine standard. A British team followed with a successful ascent in 1978. The first winter ascent of the north face was made by Mohammad Nouri in 1991.

2004 earthquake

Most of the fixed ropes were damaged severely during a major 6.3 magnitude earthquake[8] and consequent rockfall in 2004. The mountain was closed to climbers for some months because the hazard of rockfall and loose cables.

Terrain and approach

The mountain range supports permanent snow and glaciers. 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.

Location

Map of central Alborz Peaks: 1 `Alam Kūh
  -25 to 500 m
  500 to 1500 m
  1500 to 2500 m
  2500 to 3500 m
  3500 to 4500 m
  4500 to 5671 m
 2 Āzād Kūh 3 Damāvand
4 Do Berar 5 Do Khaharan
6 Ghal`eh Gardan 7 Gorg
8 Kholeno 9 Mehr Chal
10 Mīšīneh Marg 11 Naz
12 Shah Alborz 13 Sīālān
14 Tochal 15 Varavašt
Rivers: 0
1 Alamūt 2 Chālūs
3 Do Hezār 4 Harāz
5 Jājrūd 6 Karaj
7 Kojūr 8 Lār
9 Nūr 10 Sardāb
11 Seh Hazār 12 Shāh Rūd
Cities: 1 Āmol
2 Chālūs 3 Karaj
Other: D Dīzīn
E Emāmzādeh Hāšem K Kandovān Tunnel
* Latīān Dam ** Lār Dam

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Iran: 54 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater" Listed here as "Kuhha-ye Alborz". Peaklist.org. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  2. ↑ "Alam Kuh, Iran" Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-02-25.
  3. ↑ Sources differ on the height of Alam Kuh. Due to its elevation being very near that of Sabalan, either of these peaks may be variously listed as either the second or third highest mountain in Iran. Some sources give a significantly higher elevation for Alam Kuh of 4850 m. However, more reliable sources such as Peaklist (Alam Kuh is listed here as "Kuhha-ye Alborz") state an elevation of 4805 m based on Soviet topographic maps and modern SRTM data. This data supports Alam Kuh as the third highest peak in Iran.
  4. ↑ J. Bornmüller, Beiträge zur Flora der Elbursgebirge Nord-Persiens, 1908
  5. ↑ J.G.R. Harding, Cambridge Expedition, 1956, to the Elburz Mountains, Iran, The Himalayan Journal, Vol 20
  6. ↑ D.L. Busk, Climbing in the Takht-i-Suleiman Group, N. Persia: The Alpine Journal, v. 47, p. 299-309 (1935).
  7. ↑ D.L. Busk, The German expedition in the Elburz Range, N. Persia: The Alpine Journal, v. 49, p. 245-247 (1937).
  8. ↑ "Deadly earthquake rocks Iran" CNN.com. Retrieved 2012-02-25.

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