Everything about Damavand Mountain, Facts & Informations, Weather conditions, Trekking Routes, Climbing Tours, Required Equipment
Mount Damavand, located in the north of Iran, is the most prominent peak in Iran and the Middle East and the highest volcano in Asia.
This potentially active volcano is 5610 meters higher than the sea level. This number is measured by special altitude measurement devices such as GPS. Some People falsely believe that Mount Damavand is 5671 meters high but the exact number is 5610 meters. Its relative height, determined by comparing the height of the peak to the lowest valley between Damavand and the nearest higher peak, is 4661 meters, placing it on the 12 spot between world’s highest peaks.
Five rivers run in the area: Haraz in the south and in the east, Lar and Div in the west, Panj Ab in the east and Tineh in the north of the mountain.
The minimum real-feel temperature, considering the effect of the wind is -60 degrees during winter. In other seasons especially months like July and August the temperature is around zero in the highlands of Damavand and normally stays between 5 to -5 degrees.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
During winter and early spring (December to late March), high altitude equipment is essential for climbing Damavand due to its extremely cold weather.
Early in the spring especially late February and March, weather is unstable and finding a suitable weather window is challenging.
The best time to climb Mount Damavand, regarding safety, ease and the length of weather window periods, is mid-June to September. During this period the weather is more stable, however the climbing season may begin 2 to 3 weeks earlier or end later depending on the amount of rain/snow fall and the previous winter and spring weather.
In addition to the pleasant weather, June is the most beautiful month of Mount Damavand. During this month Tulips and Poppies can be seen in Lar plain and the plains around Goosfandsara. In June, the remaining snow around Bargah E Sevom melts, causing water to run down stream and creating a beautiful view.
If you choose to conquer the Damavand summit in June instead of August and July (high season) you get to enjoy the magnificent landscape and amazing weather without having to deal with the crowd.
As we get closer to September, snow melts, the weather gets warmer and mountain climbing gets easier, therefore motivating a lot of mountain climbing enthusiasts to conquer Mount Damavand in July and August. Mount Damavand welcomes the maximum number of mountaineers in these two months. Bargah e Sevom and the main camp seem like a small town during the weekends of July and August (Iranian off days are Thursday and Friday).
Come October, weather temperature decreases and snow falls more frequently as we get closer to winter. Freezing level also decreases during this time and it can get as low as zero degrees in areas near 1500 high.
Trekking tours are not normally available during this period. However in case you have enough experience, suitable winter equipment and you’re in an appropriate physical shape, it’s possible to conquer Damavand summit safely, accompanied by our certified and experienced guides. Here at Cheetah Adventures we have celebrated multiple successful trekking tours in winter.