Page Type:
|
Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
36.38740°N / 50.97390°E |
Route Type:
|
Hike |
|
Time Required:
|
A few days |
|
Difficulty:
|
walk-up |
|
Approach
See Getting There.Route Description
NOTE:My guide and I climbed Mian-Se-Chal as part of an 8 day trekking tour of the Takhte Soleyman Massif. We obviously did not take the most direct route to the summit of Mian-Se-Chal. From Shaneh Kooh Peak, we traversed the ridgeline to Mian-Se-Chal, descended to Alam Chal Glacier and hiked to Sar Chal Shelter. I did not hike the distance between Vandar Bon Village and Sar Chal Shelter. The portion that I did not hike is the main access route into the Takhte Soleyman Massif. It apparently has a well-established and well-signed trail.
ROUTE:
From Roodbarak village (1400 m) drive or hike a dirt road (passable by most/any car) about 10 km to a “village” known as Vandar Bon (2300 m). Follow the sign and hike up the Barir drainage roughly 4 hours to Sar Chal Shelter (3750 m).
Sar Chal Shelter is a multi-room stony building that is full of bunk beds (metal frames and wooden slats). It can probably house 100 or more people. Running water is brought from a nearby stream into a small pool (The shelter is first come first served, no fees).
My GPS measured the distance from Sar Chal Shelter to the summit of Mian-Se-Chal at 4.2 km. From Sar Chal Shelter follow the trail south and go between the base of the Mian-Se-Chal Peak to the west and Chaloon/Siah Kaman Peaks to the east onto the low end of the Alam Chal Glacier (this portion of the glacier does not present any problems to the hiker. By late summer, the snow here may even melt away). As the valley gradually turns southwest, the north wall of Alam Kooh comes into view. You are now at the base of the southern slopes of Mian-Se-Chal. Go up these slopes to reach the summit. (When we were there in late June, the slopes were covered with snow greatly facilitating our descend. In late summer you may encounter nasty scree here). The last 15 meters will require class III scrambling.