Sarbaz

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Central Alborz Mountains
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Sarbaz

Page Type:	Mountain/Rock
Lat/Lon:	35.90218°N / 51.39596°E
County:	Shahrakestan Shemiran
Season:	Summer
Elevation:	12320 ft / 3755 m
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Overview

Sarbaz Peak is part of the Alborz’ Tochal ridge north of Tehran. Sarbaz means “soldier” in Persian (Farsi). Maps produced by the Ghitashenasi Geographical & Cartographic Institute such as the Guide Map for Climbing the Peaks of Central Alborz issued in 1999 and the Atlas of the Shemiran Subprovince of 2002 chart Sarbaz Peak at 3.755 m.

Getting There

At the top of the steep Velenjak Blvd in northern Tehran, there is an asphalted promenade leading to the ‘Tochal Telecabin’ cable car station at 1.900 m. From
there you can either use the cable car or hike the dirt road (not recommended in summer) to the cable car terminal situated at 3.746 m. Beyond and 200 m below the terminal you will see the Tochal Hotel, half Ski resort and half mountain hut, situated at 3.550 m. If the nearby ski lift is running you can use it to reach the hotel. Sarbaz Peak can be accessed from there.

Route Description

Sarbaz Itinerary

Start from the northern side of the hotel, beyond the workshop and personnel facilities and take the trail to the pass West of the Hotel for a few hundred yards (I did not measure unfortunately) before turning North West cross country towards the preceding hills. On the way you will have noticed cairns on a hilltop to the North. I do not believe they serve as a reference point for Sarbaz climbers. We took several gentle passes between the hills heading NNW until we reached the steep wall plunging into the valley to the West.

Sarbaz NNW approach

Sarbaz' steep West Face

You have no choice but to turn North where you face a slightly steeper hill which is but a shoulder of Sarbaz. Follow the ridge up this shoulder.

Sarbaz shoulder

You will run into interesting looking huge boulders strewn across the landscape. Then, still heading north, it is downhill and across what looks like a cast of black moraine on to the next slope, much steeper this time, leading to the jagged ridge on the Sarbaz secondary summit. At this point the hike changes and one has to brave boulders requiring sturdy mountain boots. My altimeter measured the secondary summit height at a mere 2 m below the actual summit.