Iran | Alamut | Assassins

Wandered by Alamut, the old stronghold of the Nizari Ismailis, better known in the Occident as the Assassins. The fortress was founded in 1090 by Hassan-i Sabbah and lasted until 1256, when it was finally conquered by Khülegü Khan, grandson of Chingis Khan. 

Elburz Mountains west of Alamut (click on photos for enlargements)

The village of Gazor Khan on the left and the Alamut massif on the right

Sign welcoming tourists to Gazor Khan

The Alamut Massif

When we arrived at the village we were told by local people that there had been a big snow storm the week before and the backside of the massif was still covered with deep drifts. They claimed it was impossible to reach the fortress at the top. We decided to try anyhow and started up the first of the staircases leading to the summit.  We had not gone far when a group of Iranian tourists, three men and two women from Tehran, came stumbling down. They confirmed that it was impossible to reach the fortress because of the snow. This was quite a disappointment, considering that visiting the ruins of Alamut was one of my main reasons for coming to Iran.   

The first staircase. Although it does not look so daunting in this photo, it was actually quite treacherous. Above this staircase, the back side of the mountain was completely drifted shut.

The massif of Alamut in the foreground

Another view of the massif. The fortress buildings can just be seen at the top

Another view of the fortress at the top of the massif

Another view of the fortress at the top of the massif (middle of photo). The column-like structures on the snow covered ridge behind the massif look manmade, but actually they are natural rock formations. 

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Seventh Nine Nine | Doviin Tolgoi Borlono

The Seventh of the so-called Nine-Nines—nine periods of nine days each, each period marked by some description of winter weather—began on February 14. The Seventh of the Nine-Nines is Doviin Tolgoi Borlono, the “time when the tops of the hills become brown.” It is still relatively cold,—18ºF at 4:oo AM with an expected high of 18ºF this afternoon,  but snow has melted off a lot of hilltops, including the top of Zaisan Tolgoi (Nobleman’s Hill),  the hill that gives my neighborhood its name. 

Zaisan Tolgoi

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Sixth Nine-Nine | Zuraasan Zam Garnai

The sixth of the so-called Nine Nines—nine periods of nine days each, each period marked by some description of winter weather—begins February 5. This is Zuraasan Zam Garnai, the Time When the Trail of the Road Appears. This description would seem to indicate a slight warming from the previous Nine-Nines, a time when well-traveled trails become free from ice and snow. We did have a slight warm spell, with temperatures getting up to the high teens on some afternoons. At 4:00 AM today the temperature was —20ºF with a high of —4ºF expected this afternoon. 

Actually, in days past it has been warmer here than in the town nearest to my Summer Retreat in the Allegheny Mountains of Western Pennsylvania. 

Mongolia | New Book | Wanders in the Khentii Mountains of Mongolia | Burkhan Khaldun of the Uriangkhai and Chingis Khan’s Hitching Post

I made my first trip into the Khentii Mountains in 1997. While we were riding up the east bank of the Kherlen Gol Zevgee pointed out to our left the summit of 7534-foot Erdene Uul. On the ridgeline just south of the summit could be seen a protuberance of rock that Zevgee said was known as Chingis Khan’s Hitching Post. According to local legend Chingis and the rest of his army tied their horses to this stone hitching post. “What was a whole army doing near the summit of a 7,534-foot mountain?” I wondered. “No, no,” Zevgee had replied, “Only Chingis Khan tied his horse to the Hitching Post. Look other there,” he went on, pointing to a mountain on the other side of the valley six or seven miles away. “That mountain is called Dash Norov. On the ridge to the left you can see another rock that was used as a hitching post.” Indeed, there was a small bump on the ridge. “Chingis Khan’s armies stretched a rope between the rock on Erdene Uul and the rock on Dash Norov and to this rope they tethered their horses.” I burst out laughing. I had thought he had been referring to actual hitching posts, but obviously this is just a phantasmagorical legend. But when my translator explained why I was laughing Zevgee replied enigmatically, “Who knows? Maybe things were different in those days.” 

Passing by Erdene Uul that first time I had asked Zevgee if it was possible to ride horses up to Chingis Khan‘s Hitching Post. He had been there himself, he said, the trail was difficult but doable. I filed this information away for the future. When l later learned that the authors of the Chinggis Khan Atlas had posited that Erdene Uul was the Burkhan Khaldun of Uriangkhai and that it was on this mountain that Temüjin, the future Chingis Khan, had escaped from the Merkids who had kidnapped his wife I decided to return and ascend the mountain myself.

I showed up at Zevgee’s ger at the confluence of the Kherlen Gol and the Terelj Gol, ten miles northeast of the village of Möngönmort, unannounced. With me was Delgermaa, a woman in her early twenties whom I had enlisted as translator and factotum. I figured the ascent of Erdene Uul, which was only fourteen miles north of Zevgee’s ger, should take no more than three days. By that time Zevgee had turned over the handling of his sheep, cow, and horse herds to his sons, and I was hoping that he would have free time to do the trip. We retired to Zevgee’s ger where I offered his wife Tumen-Ölzii a kilo of hard candies and a large watermelon I had brought along from Ulaanbaatar. As we refreshed ourselves with milk tea, homemade cheese (byaslag ), and fried bread (boortsog) I explained to Zevgee that I wanted to make a horse trip to Chingis Khan’s Hitching Post on Erdene Uul, which he had pointed out to me on our first trip together. He laughed and said, “I knew you would come back someday to visit that mountain . . .” Continued.

Erdene Uul

Chingis Khan’s Hitching Post

Wanders in the Khentii Mountains

of Mongolia

Mongolia | Zaisan Tolgoi | Full Moon

The Full Snow Moon occurs here today at 6:09 AM. The Moon will be 230,536 miles from the Earth at this time. 

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

Other names for this month’s Moon have historically had a connection to animals. The Cree traditionally called this the Bald Eagle Moon or Eagle Moon. The Ojibwe Bear Moon and Tlingit Black Bear Moon refer to the time when bear cubs are born. The Dakota also call this the Raccoon Moon; certain Algonquin peoples named it the Groundhog Moon, and the Haida named it Goose Moon. Another theme of this month’s Moon names is scarcity. The Cherokee names of Month of the Bony Moon and Hungry Moon give evidence to the fact that food was hard to come by at this time.

Lunar Forecast for tonight:

Starts Feb 2, 2026 06:20 PM

Ends Feb 3, 2026 07:40 PM

Undertaking:

After a stormy second phase of the moon, on the sixteenth day is a day of peace and tranquility. It is not necessary to begin large and complex affairs that require great effort. Devote this day to beginning uncomplicated small projects. With the new lunar phase it is good to introduce new habits. Start changing your schedule to suit your biorhythms and see how your productivity changes. You can get good results if you start working on your health: signing up for a workout, starting a treatment regimen, etc. Avoid losing sense of calm and balance. Avoid negative thoughts, aggression, screaming and anger, hate and jealousy, being provocative and loud. Animal food is not recommended. Sex is not recommended.