Ferdowsi's epic hero Fereydoun supposedly chained the usurper Zahak in one of the mountain's mysterious caves near the summit. Legend also pictures the crater's sulphurous vapor as the tyrant's breath. The "Simorgh," a fabulous bird of immense size, beauty and great wisdom, dwelled on the very top and villagers swear that they have heard it moan at times, in the dead of night. It is in this setting of majestic alps that Iranian skiing began to thrive.
A refuge on a track to Mount Damavand
Although hard to verify, it is alleged that Ahmad Shah Qajar had the first pair of skis which he had received from Russia. It is also revealed that His Majesty tried them only once in the gardens of the Golestan Palace on a snowy day. Before World War II, there existed only a single small ski resort developed near Abe-Ali where Reza Shah Pahlavi had built a mineral water spa. There too, the healthy, sparkling Abe-Ali mineral water was tapped and bottled for the benefit of all.
In the Winter, the brand new, shiny Abe-Ali Hotel, attracted foreign diplomats stationed in Tehran as well as intrepid Iranians who had returned from schooling in Europe and obviously enjoyed skiing. Local farmers were amazed at the sight of this swarm sliding down the snow-covered slopes. Their children however, took to the sport on makeshift skis built with timber from wood barrels. Soon enough they managed to ski better than the local German military attaché who considered himself to be the champ.
Gajereh Summit with the majestic Mount Damavand in the background - 1976
Some of these youngsters became the ski champions of Iran. That was the case for the three "Shemshaki" brothers, sons of a local miner in the colorful village of Shemshak. They walked the streets of their village like demi-gods, admired and sought after. At Shemshak, the atmosphere was always pleasant and visitors soon felt at home. Yet, in a sense, the outlanders we were never became more than fleeting guests in a mountain realm belonging in fact as well as in spirit to the local mountaineers.
One of the brothers, Ali Shemshaki, was more reckless than the others. One day while I was watching a downhill race at Shemshak, Ali missed a turn and hit me at full speed. He broke my leg but I guess I was lucky for it could have been much worse.
From left to right: Youngesters Nejat Kia Shemshaki, Ali Savoji, Nour Ali
Shemshaki with their ski 'attire' in the summer of 1960.
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