Sarakchal () is a mountain in the Kholeno massif of the central Alborz, in Tehran Province, Iran, north of the village of Shemshak. One of the Iranian four-thousanders, it is a popular mountaineering destination near Tehran.
Geography The mountain has three summits aligned along an east–west ridge: the main peak, Sarakchal I, at about , and two subsidiary western summits, Sarakchal II () and Sarakchal III (), both also exceeding . PeakVisor gives the main summit as with a topographic prominence of . To the west the ridge runs towards Koloon Bastak, and to the east it connects over the Varzab pass towards Kholeno (), the highest point of Tehran Province.
Climbing The usual summer route follows the southern ridge from the Shemshak chairlift and the village of Sepidestan, passing the Lajni shelter () at about ; it is non-technical but long. Several other routes exist, including a ridge traverse from Koloon Bastak and a winter line deliberately routed to avoid avalanche couloirs. In winter the climb becomes a serious undertaking requiring ice axe, crampons and rope.
In April 2020 a climber died on Sarakchal when a snow cornice broke during the descent of the ridge and he was carried down the steep north face by an avalanche; three companions survived.
Ecology Sarakchal lies within the Central Alborz Protected Area, a large protected zone of the central Alborz administered by the Department of Environment.
See also List of Iranian four-thousanders
References