960519 - Kholeno Summit via Jhandark needles

960519 (August 10, 2017 )
Track by: Safa Daneshvar

Lalan village >> Lalan valley >> Talkhab spring >> Lalan waterfall >> Varzab pass >> Borj peak >> Jhandark needles >> Kholeno the Small >> Kholeno the Great.
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Safa Daneshvar
Phone number: +98 912 5212388
Telegram: @safadan
Instagram: @safadan
Email: safa.daneshvar@gmail.com
Website: http://daneshvar.ir/safa
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It was a very fast solo ascending to the Kholeno summit from Laloon waterfall (2.5 h).
Be careful about Jhandark needles.
Thank you so much to Massi Hosseini for providing and facilitating this trip.
We started from Laloon village (6:30AM), I continued from Laloon waterfall (10AM) to the Kholeno summit (12:42PM) through Varzab pass, Borj peak, Jhandark needles and Small Kholeno. A dog accompanied me until the middle of Jhandarks and he stopped at the North Jhandark and after some troubles found a way down to the valley the crest.
I met Mr. Teimouri and Mr. Goodarz in the peak which were in the Varzab pass at the same time I was and ascended from the traverse (not in this track), and reached the summit simultaneously with me. I return from the traverse with them.
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Kholeno - Mountain Peak
Kholeno or Koleh-no is a mountain in Kholeno/Azadkouh massif in central Alborz range located in North of Iran. It is located in Tehran province very close to the border of Mazandaran Province.
Elevation: 4,387 m
Mountain range: Alborz
Parent range: Alborz
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About Kholeno Peaks & Jhandark Needles from the link below:
http://www.summitpost.org/kholeno-the-small-jhandark-needles/318489

The Kholeno Peaks rise in the geographical heart of the Central Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. The 4387 m Mt. Kholeno the Great is the highest peak of the Kholeno Massif (see footnote at the bottom of the page), a complex series of connected ridgelines that give rise to tens of 4000 m plus peaks. Kholeno the Small sits directly to the south of Kholeno the Great. The eastern slopes of Kholeno the Small drop into the upper portions of the Lar River Valley. To the south, Kholeno the Small is connected to the 4325 m Borj Peak. Three distinct groups of gendarmes known as the “Jhandark” Needles crown the ridgeline between Kholeno the Small and Borj Peaks.

To the west, the Kholeno Peaks along with their nearby mountains, create a high alpine cirque that houses a small seasonal lake known as the Kholeno Lake. The lake sits at an elevation of 3830 m and is formed in the summer months by the melting of the area snowfields.

Mt. Kholeno the Great is the highest peak of the Tehran province and is a popular destination for mountain climbers. On the way to Kholeno the Great, Kholeno the Small can be either climbed or bypassed below its summit. The usual starting point for climbing the Kholeno Peaks is the village of Laloon (2400 m) to the southeast. From there, you will hike to the Varzab Pass, climb the Borj Peaks and then tackle the Jhandark Needles to reach Kholeno the Small and the Great. This route usually takes 1.5 days for roundtrip. A much longer but much more beautiful route is to start at the Varengeh Rood Village (2450 m) to the northwest and hike 21.5 Km along the Varengeh Rood River to set up base camp at the 3830 m Kholeno Lake (this route will give you spectacular views of snow-capped peaks and alpine meadows). From Kholeno Lake, you can climb many of the local peaks. Please be ware that the western slopes of the Kholeno Peaks above the Kholeno Lake are steep scree fields that can be used, after the snow melt off, as quick descend routes. The best ascend route is via the summit of Khers Chal Peak.

Jhandark (means “Joan of Arc”) is a strange name for a group of gendarmes in the Central Alborz Mountains near the capital city of Tehran. The origin of this name is not known to me and I often wonder if “Jhandark” is a misnomer for “Gendarme”.

On the crest of the ridgeline between the Borj Peak to the south and the Kholeno the Small Peak to the north, you will find three groups of Gendarmes blocking the way to the Kholeno Peaks. The southern and the middle gendarmes do not present much of a technical challenge beyond some Class III hand and foot climbing.

The northern gendarme is made of 2-3 crags that create walls that are 3-4 meters tall. If you want to continue on the crest of the ridgeline, you will have to go up and down these walls. The slopes on the west side of the north gendarme are very steep and are made of very loose rock. These slopes are best avoided. You can bypass the north gendarme to the east of it just below its summit. This will require hand and foot climbing. All difficulties can be avoided by descending 100 m below the summit on the eastern slopes. Be ware that snow remains on these slopes probably until mid summer.
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Photography tips:
- A super wide angle lens on the jhandarks is highly recommended, there in no enough space to locate yourself and put all the landscape of the cliffs and the background in one shot.
- A fisheye lens may help you to create terrific shots as it is in reality. or when you want to capture people on the cliffs containing the crest ridgeline in the background.
- Polarized filter may help to making more beautiful captures.
- It's worth carrying a couple of kilograms of photography equipment to Kholeno mountain.
- Keep the batteries warm (for example in your gloves or under you garment) in cold weather. You need them until the end of the trip.
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قله خلنو از مسیر تیغه های ژاندارک
روستای لالون - دره لالون - چشمه تلخاب - آبشار لالون - گردنه ورزاب - قله برج - تیغه های ژاندارک - قله خلنو کوچک - قله خلنو بزرگ
**** خیلی مواظب تیغه ها باشید ****