National Getaways for the Weary Trauma Surgeon; Part 3: Dizin Ski Resort

The Dizin Ski Resort is unrivaled in the Middle East and is the third of a series of national getaways chosen by the Editor for recuperation, rest and re-invigoration of the “stressed-out” trauma surgeon. If you are a weary surgeon wishing to take leave for a winter vacation and know how to ski, Dizin is the place to be The Dizin Ski Resort Dizin was first opened in 1969. This Ski Resort is the first ski and winter sports resort in Iran officially recognized by the International Ski Federation for its capability in organizing and conducting official international competitions. It is known for its slopes, versatile course lengths and feasibility to hold ski competitions as well as its amenities and recreational facilities. The ski amenities include two hotels, 19 cabins and five restaurants. Dizin is nestled on the Alborz mountain range, 73 km north of Tehran. The Dizin Ski Resort. It has three gondola lift routes, two chair-lift routes, seven dish tele-ski routes and one hammer tele-ski route. The lowest elevation is 2650 m, while its highest peak is 3600 m. The highest ski lift reaches the 3600 m peak, making it one of the 40 highest ski resorts in the world (1). Both powder skiing and compact snow skiing rivals that of Europe and Rocky Mountain areas (Figures 1 - ​-3).3). The Damavand volcano can be seen from the summit (Figure 4). Figure 1. Powder Skiing Figure 3. View of the Dizin Ski Resort and Various Ski Piste Routes Figure 4. View of the Damavand Volcano From Dizin The snow quality at Dizin is fantastic. Dizin’s climatological condition offers one of the longest seasons for skiing, from November through the end of May. The recreational activity in Dizin is not confined to the winter season. There are many other activities in spring, summer and fall such as tennis, mountain climbing, mountain biking and grass skiing. Ski instruction courses are available for the novice. At present, the Dizin Ski Resort is governed by the Iran Ski Federation. Figure 2. View of the Main Ski Piste Open Hours The piste is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm; it is flocked with skiers on weekends (Thursday and Friday) while during weekdays it is less populated. Most skiers take the gondola up to the peak and ski to the restaurant in the middle of the slope and spend the day reclining in the sun while sipping tea. The scenery is absolutely spectacular. Others try all the various in addition to the main piste. Getting There There are two ways to reach Dizin from Tehran. The longest and safest is via the Karaj motorway, this road is usually open but it takes about 2.5 hours. The quickest however is via Shemshak; this road is steep and is often closed due to frequent avalanches. It is strongly advised to take the road from Karaj. Make sure you check the weather and snow forecast before you set out. Accommodation The hotels are conveniently located just 20 m from the slopes. The parking area is just 50 m away. Several ski shops and ski rentals are also located around the car park. Two hotels are situated just below the ski slopes (Figure 3). Cabins may also be rented (Figure 5). They have spectacular views from rooms facing the slopes. There is also a hotel in Shemshak. Figure 5. View of the Cabins at Dizin Skiing and Snowboarding Dizin is an excellent place for skiing and snowboarding (Figure 6), with a total of 22 lifts. A snowboard can be rented for 100000 Rials (3.00 USD) per day, but can go as high as 300000 Rials per day depending on where you rent and quality of the equipment. Cheaper rentals are available in Shemshak or at the parking lot at the top of Dizin. It is possible to rent both ski and snowboard equipment at three places: the pro-shop at the hotel, which has the newest and thus much more expensive equipment, the rentals by the parking lot of the hotel and several shops at the parking lot at the summit. The latter is about half the price compared to the ones at the bottom of the slopes. The same applies to rentals in Shemshak. Ski instructors are available for hire. It is also possible to hire an experienced guide who can take you to other mountains for off-piste powder skiing. You can get a taxi from the top of the slope down to Shemshak, which is another ski resort, located just 15 minutes away. Shemshak is steeper and very good for experienced skiers (2). Figure 6. Snowboarding at Dizin Dining During the day there is a SFC (Iranian version of KFC) in the middle of the slope and a snack bar at the summit. The latter also serves breakfast. At night there are only two restaurants (also open for breakfast and lunch); one is the Dizin Hotel and the other is the lower hotel restaurant. The Gajereh Hotel is about a five minutes drive from the Dizin Hotel. This hotel is slightly cheaper and will have a higher chance of vacancy on weekends. It has a free shuttle bus to the slopes (2). In the winter, Dizin is the Editor’s choice for a national getaway for relaxation, recuperation and winter sports.