Camp 3 to summit

The climb from Camp 3 to the summit of Mt Damavand is tough. There are over 1400m of altitude difference to cover and these are at an altitude (4200m-5670m) where the air is thin and consequently breathing is difficult. With proper acclimatisation it would be possible to cover these 1400m in 3-4 hours, however most people do not have the time and chance to spend a couple of weeks at high altitudes before the Mt Damavand climb. This basically means that most climbers are insufficiently acclimatised and therefore need 5-6 hours to reach the summit (some people even more than that). A number of people also suffer from altitude sickness and have to interrupt the climb and return to camp 2.
Even in the summer months it can get very cold. In August for instance the freezing point (0°C) lies around 5000m of altitude. It is therefore necessary to wear sufficiently warm clothes, a wind breaker jacket and gloves. Due to the strong winds, strong sun, dry and dusty air it is necessary to wear high altitude sun glasses.
The trail consists of lose rocks, stones and very small stones, sand and dust - very tough to walk and makes it difficult to maintain a constant walking rhythm. Close to the summit there are sulfur gas emission coming out of the rocks. Climbers wear masks with breathing filters, because this gas emissions are poisonous. Depending on the direction of the wind, these sulfur gas emission are more or less of a problem.