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The
2nd edition of our Jordan book is due out in summer 2008. Info on a number
of new climbs and treks was received just after the publisher's deadline,
plus we added more on our spring 2008 & 9 visits, and some GPS points.
We include some here, and in the following pages, working through Jordan
from north to south (trekking info is minimal, due to space limitations).
Any
info received in the future that is relevant to this book will be posted
on these 'Jordan-update' pages for the benefit of our readers. |
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The Aqaba
Mountains - more explorations by Brian Hodgkinson (see Route 144)
Brian emailed, Dec 08, to say "I decided
to have a closer look at the peak behind Aqaba and across the road to
the west of my other route (144). Although I didn't manage to reach the
summit I now understand the topography much better and have two or three
potential routes to complete.
V iewed from Aqaba when the sun is shining it all looks like one mountain,
but when the sun is going down and when you are on it you realise that it's
two completely separate peaks; the one mentioned in your guide (Jebel el Yitm,
route 143, which is supposed to be the highest in the area) is further back,
hence the approach to it from near the customs post.
I parked just off the road as it goes through its final turn on the way into
Aqaba, and followed a prominent ridge line which I thought went all the way
to the summit. Some interesting climbing for 3 hours in exposed situations
but nothing more than grade 3, but then you reach a false summit and find
that you have to descend 100m before continuing up again. By this time I was
in danger of spending a night on the mountain, so I decided to retreat.
I followed
a gully down, which becomes a wadi and is completely out of view from the
road. I had a 30m rope and had to do one short abseil, and then I came to
a big drop where my my initial thought was, I am going to have to retrace
my steps. However I managed to climb down the side walls, and after that it
began to ease off and eventually turned into a pleasant stroll down a sandy
wadi well trodden by hundreds of goats. What the goats were doing up there
I have no idea as there's nothing to eat up there. Eventually I came to signs
of habitation i.e bits of plastic and graphiti on the rocks and then emerged
out into the main valley only a couple of hundred metres from where I had
started."
He returned in Dec '09, and reached the summit, sending
the following info: I just climbed the 1430m peak of Jebel es Sahaki to
the West of Jebal Baqer, and across the road to the west of Route
144. I went up from near the Aqaba road, [see above] and it must
have the best part of 1000m ascent and descent. I finished after dark.
The
following pages have info on other developments in Jordan since March
2008:
Walks near Pella
Ayoun treks & climbs
Walks in El Aluk Hills (SE of
Jerash)
Dead Sea Hills: RSCN Dead
Sea Canyons, a new climb in Karak area, GPS points, Wadi Assal, Wadi Numeira,
Wadi Jamal-Khanzira, Wadi Jahal and Wadi Feid
Climbs in the Petra area
Treks in the new Jebel Mas’uda
Reserve |
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New
climb near Wadi Rum and some GPS points in Rum
Jebel Kharaz (see photos sent by James Garrett)
In Nov 2006, James Garrett from the USA and Res von Känel from Switzerland
climbed a route on Jebel Kharaz to the left of, and minutes from, the Kharaz
Rock Bridge (see R118 and the section ‘North of Rum’ in the new
Jordan guide); generous and friendly Bedouin at the base, offering tea all
the time!
Amidst Difficulty lies Opportunity*** 6a
This 4 pitch sandstone route climbs the obvious corner on off-widths reducing
to hands then fingers followed by some face climbing pitches; well protected
with bolts at the very beginning protecting the off-width, up to a pleasant
right facing corner 5a, and the slab at the top.
Wadi Rum GPS points
Jebel um Adaami (Jordan's highest mountain)
Start GPS 1471m 29 18.589 35 26.376
top GPS 1848m 29 18.449 35 25.977
Canyon Jebel um Anfus (NW of Barrah)
Entrance to Um Tawagi from W um Ishrin GPS
907m 29 36.706 35 29.478
Entrance from Disi
GPS 890m 29 37.474 35 29.979
NB Litter on the Disi side was disgusting (spring 2008) |
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