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I may be able to carve out 3 full days in Wadi Rum over new year. Would anyone care to recommend some routes? I have not been before despite living in the Middle East for the last four years. Key constraints include:
- will be climbing with a german fellow with alpinist tendencies, worrying enthusiasm for belaying with an italian hitch, a poor collection of cams, a ridiculous moustache and zero ability to jam.
- also may be accompanied by over-serious palestinian yuppie friend also unencumbered by jamming knowledge, prone to confusing caving and climbing rope techniques, and totally averse to leading. On the positive side his arabic and haggling skills are robust.
Overall we should probably be targeting some fairly modest objectives achievable by a slow team of three. But any thoughts welcome.
- will be climbing with a german fellow with alpinist tendencies, worrying enthusiasm for belaying with an italian hitch, a poor collection of cams, a ridiculous moustache and zero ability to jam.
- also may be accompanied by over-serious palestinian yuppie friend also unencumbered by jamming knowledge, prone to confusing caving and climbing rope techniques, and totally averse to leading. On the positive side his arabic and haggling skills are robust.
Overall we should probably be targeting some fairly modest objectives achievable by a slow team of three. But any thoughts welcome.
In reply to tobyfk:
Day 1: The Beauty (6a - about E1ish), then if you're quick also Catfish Corner (6c - E3/4ish)
Day 2: Jeep to Barrah Canyon & do Merlin's Wand (6a+ - E2ish), which your non-jamming friends should enjoy
Day 3: If the above went ok do Inshallah Factor (6c - E4ish), otherwise hire a camel and ride over to do Lionheart (6b - E2/3ish)
Day 4: Go back home with a huge smile on your face.
Sorted.
Day 1: The Beauty (6a - about E1ish), then if you're quick also Catfish Corner (6c - E3/4ish)
Day 2: Jeep to Barrah Canyon & do Merlin's Wand (6a+ - E2ish), which your non-jamming friends should enjoy
Day 3: If the above went ok do Inshallah Factor (6c - E4ish), otherwise hire a camel and ride over to do Lionheart (6b - E2/3ish)
Day 4: Go back home with a huge smile on your face.
Sorted.
In reply to tobyfk:
Rum is a brilliant place.
In my opinion, the routes most characteristic of Rum are the Bedouin ones. Of these, in my experience the best is Al Thalamiyyah to the summit of Jebel Rum. This would be a nice day out, all soloable but most people use a rope for a couple of rather exposed pitches. Bivi somewhere near the summit of J Rum -- possibly at Juniper Flats, then down Hammad's Route (there are bivi spots on this, too). Even if you solo the whole of Al Thalamiyyah (there's a few sections of Brit 4b+), you'd want a rope to speed up the descent. Altogether, this is one of the best routes I've ever done anywhere. It would be possible to do up and down in a very long day, but the route finding is not always easy, even when reasonably familiar with Bedouin routes.
An easier traverse -- for which you'd need a lift to the other side of J Rum -- is up Sabbah's Route and down Hammad's with a bivi near the summit.
An excellent one day Bedouin route is Mohammed Musa's route but the route finding on this is quite tricky on the descent.
To get a feel for the place, Rakabat Canyon and back via Kharazeh canyon is easy and excellent. Allow a good half day and take a rope for the ab into K Canyon.
All these routes have an alpine feel to them and in places, moving together would be a liability, but your mate's penchant for the Italian hitch will be well satisfied. As with most Rum routes, an ability to jam is very useful as is an ability to pad up and down holdless slabs.
There's loads of excellent rock jock routes but for my money, a visit to Rum isn't complete without entering the real spirit of the place and that is best exemplified by the Bedouin routes. On all of them it is essential to be able to solo confidently at the required grade. If you do one, imagine climbing it with a gun over your shoulder and descending it carrying the gun plus an ibex! The best rock jock routes are, at a guess, those by Haupolter and Precht but they are exceptionally fast climbers, so allow ample time. There's good slab climbing down at Burdah and a trip to the summit via the rock bridge is a nice easy day out too.
Take tat for abbing and a light rack. If you do bivi, the nights can be cold: we had snow on the summit of J Rum once. You will need to carry all your water on all these routes.
Finally, Tony Howard's guidebooks (both the climbing one for Rum and the scrambling one for Jordan) are excellent. The route descriptions look hard to follow, but once you use it on the hill, you'll realise that the book is a minor masterpiece: describing Bedouin routes is not a simple task susceptible of concision, yet this is what Tony has achieved.
Sorry for the long post, but I am a Rum enthusiast, as you can tell!
Rum is a brilliant place.
In my opinion, the routes most characteristic of Rum are the Bedouin ones. Of these, in my experience the best is Al Thalamiyyah to the summit of Jebel Rum. This would be a nice day out, all soloable but most people use a rope for a couple of rather exposed pitches. Bivi somewhere near the summit of J Rum -- possibly at Juniper Flats, then down Hammad's Route (there are bivi spots on this, too). Even if you solo the whole of Al Thalamiyyah (there's a few sections of Brit 4b+), you'd want a rope to speed up the descent. Altogether, this is one of the best routes I've ever done anywhere. It would be possible to do up and down in a very long day, but the route finding is not always easy, even when reasonably familiar with Bedouin routes.
An easier traverse -- for which you'd need a lift to the other side of J Rum -- is up Sabbah's Route and down Hammad's with a bivi near the summit.
An excellent one day Bedouin route is Mohammed Musa's route but the route finding on this is quite tricky on the descent.
To get a feel for the place, Rakabat Canyon and back via Kharazeh canyon is easy and excellent. Allow a good half day and take a rope for the ab into K Canyon.
All these routes have an alpine feel to them and in places, moving together would be a liability, but your mate's penchant for the Italian hitch will be well satisfied. As with most Rum routes, an ability to jam is very useful as is an ability to pad up and down holdless slabs.
There's loads of excellent rock jock routes but for my money, a visit to Rum isn't complete without entering the real spirit of the place and that is best exemplified by the Bedouin routes. On all of them it is essential to be able to solo confidently at the required grade. If you do one, imagine climbing it with a gun over your shoulder and descending it carrying the gun plus an ibex! The best rock jock routes are, at a guess, those by Haupolter and Precht but they are exceptionally fast climbers, so allow ample time. There's good slab climbing down at Burdah and a trip to the summit via the rock bridge is a nice easy day out too.
Take tat for abbing and a light rack. If you do bivi, the nights can be cold: we had snow on the summit of J Rum once. You will need to carry all your water on all these routes.
Finally, Tony Howard's guidebooks (both the climbing one for Rum and the scrambling one for Jordan) are excellent. The route descriptions look hard to follow, but once you use it on the hill, you'll realise that the book is a minor masterpiece: describing Bedouin routes is not a simple task susceptible of concision, yet this is what Tony has achieved.
Sorry for the long post, but I am a Rum enthusiast, as you can tell!
In reply to Solaris:
Just to follow up John Arran's post and add to my own.
J has suggested the standard, rock jock hit-list: these all have really good reputations. If you want to spend a half day getting used to Rum rock, there's some good multi-pitch sport routes (not fully equipped) at the bottom of the E face of J Rum.
Just to follow up John Arran's post and add to my own.
J has suggested the standard, rock jock hit-list: these all have really good reputations. If you want to spend a half day getting used to Rum rock, there's some good multi-pitch sport routes (not fully equipped) at the bottom of the E face of J Rum.
In reply to Solaris:
It's a good indication that somewhere is worth visiting when someone puts that much detail in a response!
> Sorry for the long post, but I am a Rum enthusiast, as you can tell!
It's a good indication that somewhere is worth visiting when someone puts that much detail in a response!
In reply to john arran:
Thanks also John. Suspect E1 is the limit for this team's realisable ambitions. But Jordan is very accessible for long weekend type visits from my part of the world, so hopefully this won't be my first and last trip and I can return with a stronger partner.
Thanks also John. Suspect E1 is the limit for this team's realisable ambitions. But Jordan is very accessible for long weekend type visits from my part of the world, so hopefully this won't be my first and last trip and I can return with a stronger partner.
In reply to Solaris:
Are they easy to obtain in Wadi Rum or should I scheme to get one sent from the UK somehow?
> Finally, Tony Howard's guidebooks (both the climbing one for Rum and the scrambling one for Jordan) are excellent.
Are they easy to obtain in Wadi Rum or should I scheme to get one sent from the UK somehow?
In reply to Solaris:
I would second this. Doing this was two of the most memorable days of my life!
We got dropped off in the desert, with our water and sleeping bags, 5KM from the nearest people - and then off we set. The map in Tony Howard's book looked nice and simple, but in reality, the only way that we could find our way through the 3 dimensional maze of rock, through the siqs, up rock shelves, in and out, over and through was to follow the tiny Bedouin cairns - 3 rocks balanced on top of one another.
I remember standing and listening to absolute silence - no birds, no wind, no water, no traffic nothing at all! We took 2 days, and didn't see another person at all in that time - and this is on the biggest and most famous local mountain!
Route finding was strange - the landscape is just so different to non-desert mountains. It made me realise how much of my mountain lore is instinctive and based on years of experience of a particular environment.
Sleeping near to the summit was magical - in a little sand filled hollow, underneath a juniper tree, with the stars above and the silence all around...
To me - that was the unique and special thing about rum. The rock routes were also excellent, but not quite as extrodinary and special.
> In my opinion, the routes most characteristic of Rum are the Bedouin ones. Of these, in my experience the best is Al Thalamiyyah to the summit of Jebel Rum. then down Hammad's Route
I would second this. Doing this was two of the most memorable days of my life!
We got dropped off in the desert, with our water and sleeping bags, 5KM from the nearest people - and then off we set. The map in Tony Howard's book looked nice and simple, but in reality, the only way that we could find our way through the 3 dimensional maze of rock, through the siqs, up rock shelves, in and out, over and through was to follow the tiny Bedouin cairns - 3 rocks balanced on top of one another.
I remember standing and listening to absolute silence - no birds, no wind, no water, no traffic nothing at all! We took 2 days, and didn't see another person at all in that time - and this is on the biggest and most famous local mountain!
Route finding was strange - the landscape is just so different to non-desert mountains. It made me realise how much of my mountain lore is instinctive and based on years of experience of a particular environment.
Sleeping near to the summit was magical - in a little sand filled hollow, underneath a juniper tree, with the stars above and the silence all around...
To me - that was the unique and special thing about rum. The rock routes were also excellent, but not quite as extrodinary and special.
In reply to tobyfk:
I believe they are published by Cicerone who are based at Milnthorpe, near Kendal. -- They do mail order.
(they also ran a mile from the original UAE project when Jonathan saw how big it was, and how limited the potential market was in 2001/2 particularly as no sponsor was forthcoming at that time)
I believe they are published by Cicerone who are based at Milnthorpe, near Kendal. -- They do mail order.
(they also ran a mile from the original UAE project when Jonathan saw how big it was, and how limited the potential market was in 2001/2 particularly as no sponsor was forthcoming at that time)
In reply to tobyfk:
... in which case definitely do Bedouin routes. The Eye of Allah may be a good compromise for one day as it has pitches of VS or so and takes in some spectacular views.
At New Year it will be COLD at night (well below freezing), and I wouldn't plan on spending a night on top unless you have pretty good sleeping bags you're prepared to carry up with you. Definitely worth considering if you do though. At this time of year it's also worth finding routes that have East-facing starts, so you can get an early start quite comfortably as soon as the sun appears at 7 or so in the morning.
I'm sure you'll love it there - hard to believe anyone wouldn't.
... in which case definitely do Bedouin routes. The Eye of Allah may be a good compromise for one day as it has pitches of VS or so and takes in some spectacular views.
At New Year it will be COLD at night (well below freezing), and I wouldn't plan on spending a night on top unless you have pretty good sleeping bags you're prepared to carry up with you. Definitely worth considering if you do though. At this time of year it's also worth finding routes that have East-facing starts, so you can get an early start quite comfortably as soon as the sun appears at 7 or so in the morning.
I'm sure you'll love it there - hard to believe anyone wouldn't.
In reply to john arran:
me spectacular views.
After years of accustoming my pale English body to climbing in 40C heat I think the sub-zero bivvying could be a bit too much! Presumably it's possible to get up and down the easiest route up Jebel Rum in one day? A day of that then a couple of days of more conventional routes would probably be optimal for me. The actual desertness won't be a major novelty for us coming from the UAE/ Oman .. the bigger appeal will be climbing on sandstone rather than exfoliating limestone choss.
me spectacular views.
>
> At New Year it will be COLD at night (well below freezing), and I wouldn't plan on spending a night on top unless you have pretty good sleeping bags you're prepared to carry up with you. Definitely worth considering if you do though. At this time of year it's also worth finding routes that have East-facing starts, so you can get an early start quite comfortably as soon as the sun appears at 7 or so in the morning.
> At New Year it will be COLD at night (well below freezing), and I wouldn't plan on spending a night on top unless you have pretty good sleeping bags you're prepared to carry up with you. Definitely worth considering if you do though. At this time of year it's also worth finding routes that have East-facing starts, so you can get an early start quite comfortably as soon as the sun appears at 7 or so in the morning.
After years of accustoming my pale English body to climbing in 40C heat I think the sub-zero bivvying could be a bit too much! Presumably it's possible to get up and down the easiest route up Jebel Rum in one day? A day of that then a couple of days of more conventional routes would probably be optimal for me. The actual desertness won't be a major novelty for us coming from the UAE/ Oman .. the bigger appeal will be climbing on sandstone rather than exfoliating limestone choss.
In reply to Lord of Starkness:
That I know but trying to organise delivery to the UAE is a major P.I.T.A hence the preference to buy in Jordan if possible - anyone know?
> (In reply to tobyfk)
>
> I believe they are published by Cicerone who are based at Milnthorpe, near Kendal. -- They do mail order.
>
> I believe they are published by Cicerone who are based at Milnthorpe, near Kendal. -- They do mail order.
That I know but trying to organise delivery to the UAE is a major P.I.T.A hence the preference to buy in Jordan if possible - anyone know?
In reply to tobyfk:
maybe worth asking Tony ( http://www.nomadstravel.co.uk/Contact.htm ) if he knows any local stockists. The Rest House may sell it but didn't last winter, although the new edition was only just out then so maybe they were slow in ordering copies. I don't know anywhere else that might sell it.
maybe worth asking Tony ( http://www.nomadstravel.co.uk/Contact.htm ) if he knows any local stockists. The Rest House may sell it but didn't last winter, although the new edition was only just out then so maybe they were slow in ordering copies. I don't know anywhere else that might sell it.
In reply to tobyfk:
I shall also be in Wadi Rum over New Year (26th Dec. to 3rd Jan.) This will be my fourth visit (it is an utterly wonderful, brilliant place!!).
So I may well bump into you there (We could do with a few more people to share a traditional goat fast with at New Year......). I think I corresponded with you once through UKC about Oman. I concur with a lot of advice already given. Have to rush off now. But could get back with more specifics tomorrow.....
I shall also be in Wadi Rum over New Year (26th Dec. to 3rd Jan.) This will be my fourth visit (it is an utterly wonderful, brilliant place!!).
So I may well bump into you there (We could do with a few more people to share a traditional goat fast with at New Year......). I think I corresponded with you once through UKC about Oman. I concur with a lot of advice already given. Have to rush off now. But could get back with more specifics tomorrow.....
In reply to Robert Durran:
Excellent. Look out for obviously ill-matched squabbling Brit-German duo (or similar Brit-German-Palestinian trio). That is if we manage not to spend the entire visit completing our first route.
Excellent. Look out for obviously ill-matched squabbling Brit-German duo (or similar Brit-German-Palestinian trio). That is if we manage not to spend the entire visit completing our first route.
In reply to tobyfk:
Even taking the easiest route over Jebel Rum in a day would be pushing it for the party of 3 you describe. It's not that the climbing is hard, more that the route finding is very tricky until you get used to the logic of Bedouin routes. (This is why Rakabat Canyon would be a good first route if you want to do Bedouin climbs.)
The Eye of Allah is the same grade as Al Thalamiyyah and Howard gives a shorter time for it. I haven't done it but as JA suggests, it could well be a better route up. Howard suggests that it is possible to ab the route in descent but be warned, Jordanian abs can be pretty gripping!
Another nice Bedouin route not mentioned so far but which is straightforward in a day, reaches a summit and has spectacular views is the East ridge of Jebel Farah Ranayim. Descent is the line of the route and I can't remember any jamming!
It might be possible to buy a guidebook in the bookshop near the post office in Aqaba or, more likely in Rum village, but I wouldn't rely on it.
Even taking the easiest route over Jebel Rum in a day would be pushing it for the party of 3 you describe. It's not that the climbing is hard, more that the route finding is very tricky until you get used to the logic of Bedouin routes. (This is why Rakabat Canyon would be a good first route if you want to do Bedouin climbs.)
The Eye of Allah is the same grade as Al Thalamiyyah and Howard gives a shorter time for it. I haven't done it but as JA suggests, it could well be a better route up. Howard suggests that it is possible to ab the route in descent but be warned, Jordanian abs can be pretty gripping!
Another nice Bedouin route not mentioned so far but which is straightforward in a day, reaches a summit and has spectacular views is the East ridge of Jebel Farah Ranayim. Descent is the line of the route and I can't remember any jamming!
It might be possible to buy a guidebook in the bookshop near the post office in Aqaba or, more likely in Rum village, but I wouldn't rely on it.
How steep are these classic cracks like Merlins Wand and The Beauty? If they are a bit slabby I can imagine that my non-jamming partner(s) might grovel up somehow.
And what sort of rack do you need for those sorts of routes? Looks like double cams in the mid-sizes or even triples? Are the cracks very parallel?
And what sort of rack do you need for those sorts of routes? Looks like double cams in the mid-sizes or even triples? Are the cracks very parallel?
In reply to john arran: Lionheart... Told recently by a German its a world classic (whatever that is?) Have fond memories of the first ascent... getting to the top and it starting to rain and go dark. Abseiling down searching for belay points with one head torch, hand drilling anchors in sandstone. Getting to the bottom and the whole wadi lights up in our faces! The locals had driven their four wheel drives up onto rocks and turned on their headlights so we could find our way down. Then they drove us to their tent for food and hot sweet tea, great! Great route, great people and one of the best places to climb. Mark
In reply to tobyfk:
do you know anything about flights out from the UK? What's the best way to get out there (i.e. to Wadi Rum) from here? I'm thinking of a trip in the next week or so...
do you know anything about flights out from the UK? What's the best way to get out there (i.e. to Wadi Rum) from here? I'm thinking of a trip in the next week or so...
In reply to 1234None:
Fly to Amman (Usual websites for best deals). Get local currency from hole in wall at airport (none available in Rum). Arrange taxi pick up from airport in advance - you will be in Rum 3-4 hrs later about breakfast time, sleepy but gob-smacked, ready to go! (most flights seem to arrive very early morning). Arrange taxi through one of the local Wadi Rum gencies. I have always done transport (from/to airport and around desert) with Salim who runs www.jordantracks.com . Salim and his brothers, cousins etc. are typically great fun hospitabe, helpful local bedouin.
Go! It is fabulous....
Fly to Amman (Usual websites for best deals). Get local currency from hole in wall at airport (none available in Rum). Arrange taxi pick up from airport in advance - you will be in Rum 3-4 hrs later about breakfast time, sleepy but gob-smacked, ready to go! (most flights seem to arrive very early morning). Arrange taxi through one of the local Wadi Rum gencies. I have always done transport (from/to airport and around desert) with Salim who runs www.jordantracks.com . Salim and his brothers, cousins etc. are typically great fun hospitabe, helpful local bedouin.
Go! It is fabulous....
In reply to tobyfk:
Thought I'd add my recollections, though they're somewhat dated - 13 years in fact, but it was my most memorable climbing trip ever. Of the Bedouin routes, it is just possible to get up and down Hammad's Route to the top of Jebel Rum in a day without being especially quick or competent (you couldn't accuse me of either of those characteristics), though I wouldn't fancy it as a three. It has/had bolted abseil stations at the steepest parts, and is the usual descent of Jebel Rum. But it is better as others have said to do one of the other Beduouin routes (we did the Eye of Allah) and bivi on top, though this isn't recommended when there are thunderstoms approaching... The main advantage of this is that you will probably get hopelessly lost trying to find the descent and miss your flight, because three days is nowhere near long enough.
The Rakabat/Kharazeh canyon trip is a very nice scrambly expedition in amazing canyon scenery, though I think I'm right in saying that you effectively do this as the approach/retreat from The Beauty, which lives up to its name. If your friend has insufficient cams it may be worth putting a spare no. 4 in your bag for the top pitch (though on reflection, I didn't have anything bigger than a no. 3, so I don't see why anyone else should...). But as you asked about cams - there's generally no need for a ridiculous number - it's not Indian Creek (not that I've ever been to IC, but that's not going to stop me pontificating). The cracks are quite featured and take big nuts or hexes quite well (I didn't trust anything much smaller than a Rock 4). We just had a standard UK rack with a single set of cams which generally worked fine (apart from the lack of a no. 4...) The Beauty is mixture of jamming, laybacking and bridging, while Merlin's Wand is actually mostly face climbing around the crack. MW is fabulous, possibly the best route I've ever done, but it faces due North which might not be ideal for the New Year.
The "sport" routes that Solaris mentioned on the East face of Jebel Rum are only so-called because they don't get to the top of anything, and have a bolted abseil descent, which reduces the possibility of an epic, but it's still possible to get your ropes stuck in the fading light and have to scramble down and return for them the following morning. We did Goldfinger, which was very good HVS/E1 climbing for about 4 pitches, and would make a good introduction, though it won't be the main event of your trip.
One other route I that nobody's mentioned so far is the Pillar of Wisdom, though it's pretty long, and might be better for a return visit. It's got about 12 pitches of climbing up to HVS standard, and then one harder bit of delicate face climbing at the top (given Fr 6b I think) which was protected by a couple of drilled pegs - not sure what their current state is. The descent is Hammad's Route, so it's probably only worth considering if you've already done this descent on a previous day. It's a fabulous line though, and looks very improbable for the grade.
Rick
Thought I'd add my recollections, though they're somewhat dated - 13 years in fact, but it was my most memorable climbing trip ever. Of the Bedouin routes, it is just possible to get up and down Hammad's Route to the top of Jebel Rum in a day without being especially quick or competent (you couldn't accuse me of either of those characteristics), though I wouldn't fancy it as a three. It has/had bolted abseil stations at the steepest parts, and is the usual descent of Jebel Rum. But it is better as others have said to do one of the other Beduouin routes (we did the Eye of Allah) and bivi on top, though this isn't recommended when there are thunderstoms approaching... The main advantage of this is that you will probably get hopelessly lost trying to find the descent and miss your flight, because three days is nowhere near long enough.
The Rakabat/Kharazeh canyon trip is a very nice scrambly expedition in amazing canyon scenery, though I think I'm right in saying that you effectively do this as the approach/retreat from The Beauty, which lives up to its name. If your friend has insufficient cams it may be worth putting a spare no. 4 in your bag for the top pitch (though on reflection, I didn't have anything bigger than a no. 3, so I don't see why anyone else should...). But as you asked about cams - there's generally no need for a ridiculous number - it's not Indian Creek (not that I've ever been to IC, but that's not going to stop me pontificating). The cracks are quite featured and take big nuts or hexes quite well (I didn't trust anything much smaller than a Rock 4). We just had a standard UK rack with a single set of cams which generally worked fine (apart from the lack of a no. 4...) The Beauty is mixture of jamming, laybacking and bridging, while Merlin's Wand is actually mostly face climbing around the crack. MW is fabulous, possibly the best route I've ever done, but it faces due North which might not be ideal for the New Year.
The "sport" routes that Solaris mentioned on the East face of Jebel Rum are only so-called because they don't get to the top of anything, and have a bolted abseil descent, which reduces the possibility of an epic, but it's still possible to get your ropes stuck in the fading light and have to scramble down and return for them the following morning. We did Goldfinger, which was very good HVS/E1 climbing for about 4 pitches, and would make a good introduction, though it won't be the main event of your trip.
One other route I that nobody's mentioned so far is the Pillar of Wisdom, though it's pretty long, and might be better for a return visit. It's got about 12 pitches of climbing up to HVS standard, and then one harder bit of delicate face climbing at the top (given Fr 6b I think) which was protected by a couple of drilled pegs - not sure what their current state is. The descent is Hammad's Route, so it's probably only worth considering if you've already done this descent on a previous day. It's a fabulous line though, and looks very improbable for the grade.
Rick
In reply to tobyfk:
I don't know about that - especially in winter with shorter days.
The times given in the guide book are very optimistic! We weren't moving that slowly, but there was no way we could have met them!
To do a route starting near to the village up Jebel Rum takes all day - that is if you just ab off at the end.
The top of Jebel rum is like a load of giant white mushrooms - finding your way around is strange! You do have to follow the cairns, or you just get stuck over an enormous drop!
We didn't even make it to the top in a single day - we had to stop just before the top, and finish going up the next day. We did take sleeping bags up with us (that was in april). And that was going up the easiest route - not much climbing at all, and we soloed the climby bits. We did take ropes for the parts where we abbed on the way down.
It is all a lot bigger than you think! 12 full pitches on many of the climbs...
> Presumably it's possible to get up and down the easiest route up Jebel Rum in one day?
I don't know about that - especially in winter with shorter days.
The times given in the guide book are very optimistic! We weren't moving that slowly, but there was no way we could have met them!
To do a route starting near to the village up Jebel Rum takes all day - that is if you just ab off at the end.
The top of Jebel rum is like a load of giant white mushrooms - finding your way around is strange! You do have to follow the cairns, or you just get stuck over an enormous drop!
We didn't even make it to the top in a single day - we had to stop just before the top, and finish going up the next day. We did take sleeping bags up with us (that was in april). And that was going up the easiest route - not much climbing at all, and we soloed the climby bits. We did take ropes for the parts where we abbed on the way down.
It is all a lot bigger than you think! 12 full pitches on many of the climbs...
In reply to tobyfk:
Another way to think about your planned trip is to look on it as your first of many; you will almost certainly want to go back once you've been. You can use it to scout the place out and build up a hit-list for a trip with mates who like jamming.
If your Palestinian friend is as averse to leading as you say and jamming is off the agenda, then you will probably want to weigh up the need to solo at very easy grades but with big exposure on Bedouin routes, (eg Sabbah's Route) against the jamming you are likely to encounter, even if only for a few moves, on Western style routes.
Easier Western routes than those so far mentioned but still in spectacular terrain are the E face of Vulcanics Tower -- about VS 4b. I remember both jamming and dirty chimneying on this, there's one scary ab on the descent, and I have a note in my guidebook saying "take Friends 3 and 4". Or there's Rum Doodle, again VS and mainly slabby from what I can remember.
Another way to think about your planned trip is to look on it as your first of many; you will almost certainly want to go back once you've been. You can use it to scout the place out and build up a hit-list for a trip with mates who like jamming.
If your Palestinian friend is as averse to leading as you say and jamming is off the agenda, then you will probably want to weigh up the need to solo at very easy grades but with big exposure on Bedouin routes, (eg Sabbah's Route) against the jamming you are likely to encounter, even if only for a few moves, on Western style routes.
Easier Western routes than those so far mentioned but still in spectacular terrain are the E face of Vulcanics Tower -- about VS 4b. I remember both jamming and dirty chimneying on this, there's one scary ab on the descent, and I have a note in my guidebook saying "take Friends 3 and 4". Or there's Rum Doodle, again VS and mainly slabby from what I can remember.
In reply to Solaris:
Indeed.
I think I favour cragging over the long summit stuff for this trip as (1) I don't fancy cold bivvies, planned or unplanned (2) unkindly I would quite like to educate both partners that their crack skills are required but lacking. Then they won't mind if I take someone else next time! (That said, I might just embarrass myself - especially if wide cracks are encountered ...)
> Another way to think about your planned trip is to look on it as your first of many; you will almost certainly want to go back once you've been.
Indeed.
> If your Palestinian friend is as averse to leading as you say and jamming is off the agenda, then you will probably want to weigh up the need to solo at very easy grades but with big exposure on Bedouin routes, (eg Sabbah's Route) against the jamming you are likely to encounter, even if only for a few moves, on Western style routes.
I think I favour cragging over the long summit stuff for this trip as (1) I don't fancy cold bivvies, planned or unplanned (2) unkindly I would quite like to educate both partners that their crack skills are required but lacking. Then they won't mind if I take someone else next time! (That said, I might just embarrass myself - especially if wide cracks are encountered ...)
In reply to tobyfk:
Hey Toby
I just did scrambles and Bedouin routes when I was there, so if you get freaked by the big scary rock climbs, I'd recommend Burdah N Ridge (a desert drive; straightforward routefinding to an isolated summit) and Sabbah's Route (complex outing to the aforementioned maze of giant white mushrooms on the plateau). Topos show the latter reaching the same area of the summit plateau as Sheikh Hamdan's Route, which is misleading to say the least. Also very good was Jebel Rum South Siq and South Summits from Abu N'Khala.
Hey Toby
I just did scrambles and Bedouin routes when I was there, so if you get freaked by the big scary rock climbs, I'd recommend Burdah N Ridge (a desert drive; straightforward routefinding to an isolated summit) and Sabbah's Route (complex outing to the aforementioned maze of giant white mushrooms on the plateau). Topos show the latter reaching the same area of the summit plateau as Sheikh Hamdan's Route, which is misleading to say the least. Also very good was Jebel Rum South Siq and South Summits from Abu N'Khala.
In reply to tobyfk:
It can be SERIOUSLY cold around New Year. Consider carrying bivi gear in case of benightment on Bedouin routes, especially if you are not planning to descend by same route (and if you are planning to do so, make sure you memorise/mark the way back! Two years ago our planned bivi on a traverse just below the summit of Jebel Rum turned in to a minor epic when we were pinned down for 48 hrs by a snowstorm. We eventually made it down Hammad's route rather hungry and with frayed nerves - all those white slabby mushrooms are quite slippy when verglased and snowy.......)
There are really three types of routes:
(1) The Bedouin routes; fantastic adventures with truly amazing scenery, superb situations and often baffling route-finding.
(2) The "popular" routes equipped for abseil descent (usually driled pegs or threads - take LOADS of tat for backing up fragile ones!) by the same line. These are the classics, usually on very acceptable rock and briliant climbing. See list below.
(3) The REAL adventures, where descent is by "the easy way down" - often a Bedouin route with desperate route finding or perhaps involving scary route finding. In winter carry bivi gear and/or recce or know the descent!
I could add (4) Sports routes, but clipping bolts would really seem to miss the point of Wadi Rum!
I would take a comprehensive rack with a good selection of cams and lots of ab tat. The rock is very abrasive on ropes - perhaps worth taking a spare, in caes of damage or loss while abseiling.
A few comments on classics (all normally decended by abseil except Pillar of Wisdom):
Merlin's Wand (E1 5c) - very popular, great line, very fine but maybe not quite as good as its reputation suggests (?)
The Star of Abu Judaidah (E2 5b/c) - Just round the corner from Merlin's Wand. A Mega classic. Brilliant from bottom to top. A contender for the best rock climb I have ever done.
The Beauty - (E2 5b) Really good (the logical direct on pitch 3 past drilled pegs is a bit harder. Take a couple of big friends for top crack.....! Nice summit.
Lionheart - (E3 6a) Brilliant, sustained, but I did not think quite as good as The Star of Abu Judaidah.
Pillar of Wisdom (HVS, frigging the top pitch_) - Excellent, but the climbing is not really as good as the line. The final pitch past a few bolts (maybe 6a free) is very out of the character with the rest of the route and would probably be about E5 without the bolts! Finding Hammad's route for the descent is not at all easy without prior knowledge. We only avoided benightment at Easter, when completely lost, by spotting some friends descending Hammad's who shouted some directions to us.
Inferno (E2 5c), Flight of Fancy (E2 5c), Golfinger (HVS) are obvious, excellent targets for a short day on the east face of Jebel Rum above the village.
Climbing aside, the best thing about Wadi Rum (apart from the local Bedouin) is simply being out in the desert. Make the effort to go and bivi or camp well away in the middle of no where. Magical!
Apologogies for length of post (I am carried away with enthusiasm). I would not normally advertise so enthusiastically a place where solitude is such an integral part of the the experience, but The Middle East/Iraq situation has (with no good reason) hit visitor numbers significantly and the local Bedouin who will provide jeep transport etc. are in need of business!
It can be SERIOUSLY cold around New Year. Consider carrying bivi gear in case of benightment on Bedouin routes, especially if you are not planning to descend by same route (and if you are planning to do so, make sure you memorise/mark the way back! Two years ago our planned bivi on a traverse just below the summit of Jebel Rum turned in to a minor epic when we were pinned down for 48 hrs by a snowstorm. We eventually made it down Hammad's route rather hungry and with frayed nerves - all those white slabby mushrooms are quite slippy when verglased and snowy.......)
There are really three types of routes:
(1) The Bedouin routes; fantastic adventures with truly amazing scenery, superb situations and often baffling route-finding.
(2) The "popular" routes equipped for abseil descent (usually driled pegs or threads - take LOADS of tat for backing up fragile ones!) by the same line. These are the classics, usually on very acceptable rock and briliant climbing. See list below.
(3) The REAL adventures, where descent is by "the easy way down" - often a Bedouin route with desperate route finding or perhaps involving scary route finding. In winter carry bivi gear and/or recce or know the descent!
I could add (4) Sports routes, but clipping bolts would really seem to miss the point of Wadi Rum!
I would take a comprehensive rack with a good selection of cams and lots of ab tat. The rock is very abrasive on ropes - perhaps worth taking a spare, in caes of damage or loss while abseiling.
A few comments on classics (all normally decended by abseil except Pillar of Wisdom):
Merlin's Wand (E1 5c) - very popular, great line, very fine but maybe not quite as good as its reputation suggests (?)
The Star of Abu Judaidah (E2 5b/c) - Just round the corner from Merlin's Wand. A Mega classic. Brilliant from bottom to top. A contender for the best rock climb I have ever done.
The Beauty - (E2 5b) Really good (the logical direct on pitch 3 past drilled pegs is a bit harder. Take a couple of big friends for top crack.....! Nice summit.
Lionheart - (E3 6a) Brilliant, sustained, but I did not think quite as good as The Star of Abu Judaidah.
Pillar of Wisdom (HVS, frigging the top pitch_) - Excellent, but the climbing is not really as good as the line. The final pitch past a few bolts (maybe 6a free) is very out of the character with the rest of the route and would probably be about E5 without the bolts! Finding Hammad's route for the descent is not at all easy without prior knowledge. We only avoided benightment at Easter, when completely lost, by spotting some friends descending Hammad's who shouted some directions to us.
Inferno (E2 5c), Flight of Fancy (E2 5c), Golfinger (HVS) are obvious, excellent targets for a short day on the east face of Jebel Rum above the village.
Climbing aside, the best thing about Wadi Rum (apart from the local Bedouin) is simply being out in the desert. Make the effort to go and bivi or camp well away in the middle of no where. Magical!
Apologogies for length of post (I am carried away with enthusiasm). I would not normally advertise so enthusiastically a place where solitude is such an integral part of the the experience, but The Middle East/Iraq situation has (with no good reason) hit visitor numbers significantly and the local Bedouin who will provide jeep transport etc. are in need of business!
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