KoloonBastak

Can you imagine a trekking to the 4200m summit by only 2 hours from where you park your car?!

Kooloon Bastak is one of the 4000m peaks that sits on one of the east-west ridge lines in the middle part of central Alborz range.

The first east-west ridge of this part is the Tochal massif(3965m) that sits north to Tehran, and roughly the second ridge line north to Tochal is the Sarakchal-Koloonbastak. there are some hills and lower mountains between this ridge lines.

The 7Km ridge starts with Koloon Bastak at West drops to 3850m and continues to Sarakchal peaks at East.

Despite being close to Tehran, the weather conditions are not the same for Tochal and Koloon Bastak. While the temp is -7C at 1700m in Tehran, on the other side at 1400m it can be -12C.

Koloon Bastak can be the easiest peak of the Alborz range, thanks to the Shemshak-Dizin road that goes up to 3250m on the south face of the peak. So climbing up to the peak will only take 2 to 3 hours (in normal conditions).

The purpose of this Shemshak-Dizin road (about 12Km) located on the steep Srakchal-Koloon Bastak slopes passing through the harsh conditions, remaining under heavy snows, tolerating dozens of avalanches that are meters high, rock falls, ground slides sweeping the road… is to reach the upper parking and middle station of the Dizin ski resort. Shemshak and Dizin are the most famous resorts near Tehran, Dizin resort is also said to be one of the best and cheapest ski resorts around the world (claimed by people from Iran, Europe, United States, Emirates and so on that have skied on it). The resort top is at about 3700m, on the north slope of Mount Seechal.

The Tehran-Shemshak-Dizin road about 60Km is the nearest road, so many skiers use this road despite to the danger. Ans beside the ski this road gives the opportunity for the climbers to start higher.

Anyway, the west less climbed face starts from the bottom of the valley and is a harder challenge, having walls of rock and ice at colder seasons for technical climbers.

The top gives a good view of the Alborz, Tochal and Seechal on the south, Damavand, Kholeno area, Sarakchal, Abak on the east, Naz, Kahar, Takht-e-Soleiman massif on the west and the middle part of central Alborz range with the impressive view of the Azadkooh outstanding at North.

Day no1: Arrival to Tehran, short visiting the city and preparation, sleep in a hotel.

Day no2: Drive to the northeast of Tehran via Dizin road which connects the central Alborz summits to the city, reach the Dizin pass, camp on 3400m at Koloonbastak foot, short acclimatization trek up to 3800m, descend to the camp, sleep in tents.

Day no3: Trek to the summit of Koloonbastak (4200m), descend to the camp, head back to Tehran, sleep in a hotel.

Day no4: Visit Tehran sights including Tehran traditional Bazaar, Sa’d Abaad castle (house of royal court), Milad Tower (the highest tower in Iran), Jamshidieh park (the great local park at the foot of Tochal peak), holy shrine located in northern part of Tehran and etc, flight back home.

The service normally includes the following:

• all transfers
• permit fees
• full board in the mountain (breakfasts, lunches, dinners and everyday lunch box during the way)
• an experienced guide