'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎55r] (114/610)

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dangerous and often fatal. Local village to village tracks over
them are almost all blocked by snow from November or Decem
ber to March, April, or May.
Out of 8 ‘ through ’ routes, see Chapter X paragraph (c),
crossing the highest section of the Elburz, which lies between
Longitude 53° and a few miles East of Longitude 50°, 5 are closed
every winter for periods varying from 3 to 6 months, and 3
normally remain open except for 10 to 20 days during the severest
weather. The intense cold and storms of wind and snow, how
ever, make all winter travelling arduous and often dangerous.
The passability or impassability of a ridge appears to depend
on the lie of the land and the action, of the wind in forming snow
drifts as well as on its elevation.
South East of the Safid Rud the width of the Elburz shows width oi tt»
little variation and the distance along most Routes, from where range*
they first enter the mountains from the plateau to where they
finally emerge through the foothills on to the Caspian lowlands
is approximately 100 miles.
North West of the Safid Rud the width of the Masuleh and
Talish bills is less and continues to decrease further North.
The valleys of the Karaj and Chalus run North to South,
and South to North at right angles to the Elburz and are
divided by the single ridge of Kandavan.
To the West of Kandavan and to the East as far as the
Haraz valley, owing to the formation of lateral valleys within
the range running parallel to it before they turn North to the
Caspian, two or 2 more ranges must be crossed.
The chief of these lateral valleys are
1. Nur which runs for some 60 miles from West to East vo
its j unction with the Haraz.
The Nur valley varies from 100 yards to J mile in width
with strips of cultivation along the river and.is a fairly easy
line of communication for pack mules. The mountains on both
sides are precipitous, rocky and bare. The Nur is fordable except
in April atid May, and being narrow is crossed by several pole
bridges.
Lateral Valley*.
* The Kazvln-Langarud route, however, traverses the hills In 80 miles, the
Tehran -Fir rizkuh-Mashad-i-Sar route in 130 miles owing to its devious course to
the * NOTtti of the Shahrud the valley of Chakarud runs for 25 miles from West to
East to Pulam, necessitating the passage of 3 ranges between Eazvin an
Lansarud.