Oct/ Nov 2010
Several climbing trips to Wonderwall & NPZ and S2H reloaded:
An early October trip to Wonderwall was a real heat-challenge! But always worth the trip!
In early November we made it once again to the top of “Stairways to Heaven” (RAK) (much cooler already)….
….perfect spot for a well deserved rest…
….before heading down again (yes, it IS as steep as it looks).
This area is great mountaineering territory, but so hot and dry most of the year – unbelieveable that people are able to live here (there’s still a settlement on top).
There are ruins all over the place – the ones along the cliff on the other side (just before the stairs start) are well worth exploring – just keep walking along the ledge. You can even still find these millstones:
On the way back we stopped in RAK to see why there are so few locals hiking in the mountains – they prefer sanddunes….
…but not for hiking!
All this noise and smell of rubber was good preparation for NPZ, which is close to a motorway on the side of Jebel Hafit – so we tried it a week later:
Looks like we found the local Luis Trenker! 🙂
Well, there were plenty of interesting routes to choose from, and we even found a little cave!
Time for a reminder – if you come across any caves in the UAE or Oman, let me know! I’ve started work on a cave database, as I’m struggling to find proper information.
But back to climbing for now… here are some pics of Math, Tom, Charlie and Wendy – enjoy!
The next adventure is just around the corner….
Definitely better than sitting in the office all day – hanging around and later enjoying the view of the empty desert really recharges your batteries! Need to do it again soon!
thg
Abu Dhabi Alpine Club 