Mt. Damavand in April.

Hello,

I am planning a 23-day trip to Iran, starting mid April. My plan is to split this time more or less in half - spend around 10 days trekking/ mountaineering and the rest visiting the cities. As for some of the trekking/mountaineering, I would like to summit Mt. Damavand from the south side.

A few questions here (assuming it is mid April):

1. What, usually, are the snow conditions? I would prefer not to take crampons/ice axe, as I'd like to reduce backpack weight/size.
2. Will the huts in Polour (C1) and near Bargah e Sevom (C3) be open?
3. Is it going to be possible to buy food/water in any of the camps?
4. Is it safe to leave your stuff in C3 during the summit day? I would prefer to summit with a daypack only.

Basically my questions burn down to whether I really (really) need to carry a tent, stove, crampons/ice axe and food. I would prefer to take a mat, sleeping bag, bivvy bag and water filter only.

As an end note - I am an experienced mountaineer and climber, with both Alpine and Himalayan background, so I am well aware of the need to acclimatise and other caveats.

thanks,
Miro.

Edited by: takeshi_kovacs