EISPIRATEN

Of all places to start hiking or peak bagging

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090803/ap_ ... _americans

Yeah, but I hear that the locals keep an eye out for hikers so I'm sure it's safe.

Last year I was thinking about climbing a tall mountain in Iran this summer. There are several Iranians in our hiking club, and several of them were talking about planning a trip.

Maybe some other time.

too bad there's a bunch of hoops to jump through to travel there. I would love to visit (and hike!) in Iran

It's one thing to plan a hike in Iran, it's another to cross the border in the mountains without letting them know or have that country's permission.

They were just asking for trouble and we thought the rangers in San Bernardino Mountains were bad about making us carry a "permit"?

When more civilians are carrying rifles than the local goverment troops than I tend to stay home and away from an area like that? When I was in Egypt in 1980 it was that way and they pointed one at me and told me to put my long sleeve shirt on over my "tank top" in no uncertain terms. It seems insane to me to potentially get shot for wearing a shirt they didn't like?

Climbing to the top of the "pyramids" was fun, one of my first summits

And they had some of the best "Tar" I've ever run across, better than that you find at the "Brea Tar Pits" if you know what I mean 8)

Zé wrote:too bad there's a bunch of hoops to jump through to travel there. I would love to visit (and hike!) in Iran

Iran is represented in Pakistani consulates. I looked it up last year, it's not that big a deal, apparently.

I was wondering where this was exactly, and I think this is the place (the spelling has been inconsistent):

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UT ... 9&t=p&z=12

Apparently this is a common hiker destination with waterfalls and caves and stuff. But look how it's only about 2 miles from the Iranian border. The border seems to be that 2200 meter ridge due east of Ahmad Awah. It seems like no a brainer to not climb up to the ridge and go east. Oh well, who knows what happened, but I think I would be more careful about navigation if I was that close to the border of another country. One of them was even described as a "professional traveler" in a news article. I haven't traveled much, but I've watched enough episodes of "Lock-up Abroad" to know I wouldn't want to be locked up abroad.

I've got a friend who goes back there every few years for a visit. He's done the highest peak, Damavand (18,500'?), says its an easy crampon walk above the ski resort thats just north of Tehran. Showed him so pics from a trip I took years ago to Orizaba and he said its just like that.

As simonov mentions, its not much more difficult than going to any other country that requries you to get a visa in advance. The common folks are usually quite inquisitive and not the least bit shy about 'dissing' the current govenment.

The area near the Kurdish border region also has some of the world's deepest caves and used to be a popular goal for many spelunkers. But that is pretty dumb to get close to the border considering there are USA troops in Iraq, a whacky regime in Tehran, and civil unrest in the streets.

phydeux wrote:The area near the Kurdish border region also has some of the world's deepest caves and used to be a popular goal for many spelunkers. But that is pretty dumb to get close to the border considering there are USA troops in Iraq, a whacky regime in Tehran, and civil unrest in the streets.

I wouldn't go near the Kurdish areas, since Kurdish terrorism is a real problem in Iran as it is in Turkey. Too easy to get mixed up in that.

Or, how about a holiday in Cambodia?

Rumpled wrote:Or, how about a holiday in Cambodia?

actually I thought about it. going to Thailand, if we have any time would love to check out Cambodia and / or southern Vietnam, but probably will have to save it for another trip.

the world usually isn't as scary as they say

Zé wrote:the world usually isn't as scary as they say

You make a good point. I have been struck recently by the fact that a local 17 yer old can sail solo around the world. Meanwhile, another 17 year old does not survive a car trip to downtown LA in broad daylight.

Nobody ever listened to the Dead Kennedys?

(chant pol pot, pol pot and see if you remember)