Alam-Kuh, Mount Damavand’s neighbouring major peak, is located in Iran’s Alborz mountain range.
The Alborz forms a long arc across northern Iran, separating the Iranian Plateau from the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Alam-Kuh rises to about 4,848 metres and is the range’s second-highest peak after Mount Damavand. Its north face is especially famous for steep rock and ice climbing routes.
The range includes the Alborz forest, a UNESCO World Heritage component known for ancient broad-leaved forests on the Caspian slopes. The Alborz also strongly influences Iran’s climate by blocking moist air from the Caspian region.
The Alborz is often confused with the Zagros, another major Iranian mountain system. The Zagros lies mainly to the southwest and west, while the Alborz curves across northern Iran. Damavand is volcanic; Alam-Kuh is a high alpine rock peak.