Overview
Lezoon-east (Piazchal), 3540m, and lezoon-west, 3585m, are the easternmost peaks on the main part of Tochal ridge. Tochal ridgeline is very long, and the main part of it which is entirely higher than 3500m starts from Piazchal and continues westward all the way to Bazarak pass, and from there it goes towards NW to Bazarak Peak. The following pictures show a part of the ridge.
Tochal south face. View from Water&Fire park in Tehran. (June 22, 2012)
Tochal north face. View from Shemshak-Dizin road. (June 18, 2012)
You can get to Piazchal from any direction you want, i.e. north (Igel), south (Kolakchal), east (Darabad), west (Tochal), …. An easy way is to go to the 7th station of Tochal telecabin, and then go eastward on the ridgline to get to Piazchal. On your way you can also go to the summit of Tochal. Here are some pictures:
Tochal 7th station. (July 5, 2012)
Tochal summit
Shekarab
Here are some views from the summit of Tochal:
Photo of Leila Esfandiari on the summit of Tochal
Takht-e-Soleiman massif
Bazarak
Mehrchal
Tochal in old Persian language means Glacier. It clearly shows that there used to be a Glacier on this mountain in the old times. I don’t know when it melted off, but based on some pictures I have seen from 50-60 years ago, there used to be a lot more snow in the Alborz range.
From the summit of Tochal you can keep going to the east to get to Piazchal. As you walk on the ridge the scenery is amazing. To your right you can see the endless city of Tehran, home to 15 million people, and to your left you can see the endless peaks of the Alborz mountain range. I really don’t know where else in the world you can have such views at the same time. Here are some pictures:
The city of Tehran
A part of central Alborz
The city of Tehran
Tochal ridge and Damavand
Kholeno Massif
On the way to Piazchal there is an area called Barfchal. The snowfields on Barfchal are the longest lasting snowfields on the southern slopes of Tochal. I used to watch these snowfields every day. I can say from mid 70s till 1991, when I was monitoring the snowfields on the southern slopes of Tochal, on the average the last day that the last patch of snow on Barfchal was visible from Tehran, was around September 1st. Probably in recent years because of the global warming the snowfields melts off faster. In 2012 the precipitation was good, and I think the snowfield in Barfchal will last at least till September 1st. Here are some pictures from Barfchal:
Barfchal
Barfchal: The longest lasting snowfield in the southern slopes of Tochal
Barfchal and Tehran
Here are some pictures on the way to Lezoon-west:
Lezoon-west
The village of Igel
A part of central Alborz
Damavand
Here are some views from the areas around Lezoon-west:
Tochal
Tochal
Damavand
Piazchal
Here are the views from Piazchal peak:
Looking W
Looking SW
Looking S
Looking SE
Looking ESE
Looking ESE
Looking ENE
Looking NE
Looking NNE
Looking N
Getting There
There are many ways to get to Piazchal. The easiest way is to take Tochal Gondola, and go to the 7th station, and from there go eastward on the ridgeline.
Another popular way is to go through Kolakchal. You can start you hike from Jamshidieh park in northern Tehran.
Another way is to go through Darabad. Either you can go to Darabad peak and continue going westward on the ridgeline, or you can go through Ab-e-zendegani canyon.
You can also go from the north side. For example you can start your hike from the village of Igel.
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