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cupton
climber
Where the past and future meet
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 21, 2010 - 09:50am PT
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Marhaba! Just a quick trip report from the time I spent in Wadi Rum this spring. Not a specific report of climbs but a general overview of this fantastic area.
When you first arrive in Wadi Rum it is the sheer size that is overwhelming.... in many ways it is comparable to arriving in a desert Yosemite but with camels, keffiehs, veiled women and only the rare tourist.
I took a bus down to Aqaba from Damascus and then hitched a ride with the local bread delivery car into Rum Village. I was on my own with rack and rope hoping to do find a partner and smash a bit of climbing. I was in luck.
The view from the resthouse is wonderful... not far to the west is the massive east face of Jebel Rum and then across the street and an expanse of shifting sand is the Jebel Um Ishrin massif reaching both north and south out of view. Jebel Um Ishrin translates to the mother of twenty mountain in reference to the twenty Bedouin that died when buried by a spontaneous rockfall under clear skies some years ago.
Other than having a great view, the resthouse is the Jordanian equivalent of Camp 4 and the spot to meet other climbers.
I initially hooked up with a pair of Finnish climbers (living in Israel and Saudi Arabia) who agreed to show me the approach into Rakabat Canyon through Goat Gully. The weather was slightly unsettled but we were stoked to get moving so we did.
I walking the siks (Arabic version of a slot canyon) is quite the experience. The rock is impossible to describe with my limited prose other than wild and huge. The route finding takes practice but everything is well marked by cairns placed by Bedouin. Interestingly, the Bedouin have different cairns to indicate straight on, left, right etc and can read a small pile of stones like a street sign.
Wadi Um Ishrin has some amazing red dunes.
After a staying a few days in Rum and doing a few climbs with the Finns a huge contingent of climbers showed up on the Hot Rock truck headed for South Africa. They were going to be in Rum for a few weeks and invited me to stay and climb. Needless to say, I accepted and did a bit of climbing.
We stayed for a few weeks and did some fantastic climbs. One of the memorable moments for me was getting caught on the sixth pitch on Pillar of Wisdom and watching the most incredible sandstorm roll through the valley below us, ripping the roofs off houses and making an incredible noise. We then got caught in a flash flood on the descent which was a first for me and pretty exciting! As we bailed off we left 24 pieces of gear behind and both our ropes The sandstone was washing away as we watched so we put a few extra pieces in for peace of mind... We retrieved all our gear a few days later. We then returned and sent the 350 meter route in just under six hours, camp to camp which felt good.
There are so many fantastic lines in Rum I know I will be going back sometime, hopefully soon. There is a guidebook by Tony Howard and a stack of hand drawn topos in the resthouse but there is an infinite desert of rock out there waiting for intrepid souls to explore.
Rum is an adventure climbing area with few bolts for either protection or stations. The rock takes some getting used to as it is sandstone and might or might not stay where you want it to. The routes are long and committing; rescue is not an option. But all these things add to the magic. You can do long approaches by camel, feast with Bedouin in a goat hair tent and walk alone through the stone deserts of your dreams...
Rum the magnificent... vast, echoing and godlike... a processional way greater than imagination... the crimson sunset burned on its stupendous cliffs and slanted ladders of hazy fire down its walled avenue. TE Lawrence
Ahlan wa sahlan!
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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May 21, 2010 - 09:59am PT
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Excellent TR!
I have also been to Wadi Rum and your descriptions are right on.
Total adventure off the track and tons of exploration left.
Having Aqaba so close with killer swimming/snorkeling is a real bonus too.
Thanks for the share...I look forward to visiting there again some day.
TE was an incredible dude given what he did and how he lived in those days...
Cheers,
DD
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 21, 2010 - 10:03am PT
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exotic TR, good stuff!
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C4/1971
Trad climber
Depends on the day...
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May 21, 2010 - 10:05am PT
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A spectacular trip report! Thanks!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 21, 2010 - 10:06am PT
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Wow! That's what I like, a TR about a place I know nothing about. What area in the States has comparable rock?
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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May 21, 2010 - 10:13am PT
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Fantastic! Thanks for posting this!
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Tozo
Trad climber
East of West
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May 21, 2010 - 10:18am PT
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holy crap, looks what an awesome place. Gotta get there some day. It looks like things are pretty inexpensive after airfare and such?
wild lands, flash floods, sand, stone and sun! never enough of that kinda stuff.
awesome photos as well.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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May 21, 2010 - 10:22am PT
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What a great trip you had! Thanks for posting.
There is more great rock on this planet than will ever be climbed.
One more place to dream about.
Zander
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Scared Silly
Trad climber
UT
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May 21, 2010 - 10:22am PT
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Nice little TR.
Jim, I was out in Jordon in mid/late 90s. For a boy living in Utah the Rum is a mix of Zion and Red Rocks with the adventure of the Escalante and Swell thrown in.
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noshoesnoshirt
climber
Arkansas, I suppose
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May 21, 2010 - 10:31am PT
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Thanks for the post, looks like an incredible place.
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Tradmedic
Ice climber
Thunder Bay, Ontario
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May 21, 2010 - 10:46am PT
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Wow! Thanks for the TR.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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May 21, 2010 - 10:57am PT
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Awsome!!! How is the rock it looks soft, but if you are getting way out there it must be pretty solid. Kind of looks like if the Black Velvet wall and Indian Creek had a son...
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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May 21, 2010 - 11:23am PT
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I whole heartilly concur, that was a most excellent adventure. Thank you for posting a great TR.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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May 21, 2010 - 11:29am PT
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Great Great Great Great!!
Almost makes me miss the Middle East.
Almost......
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lars johansen
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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May 21, 2010 - 11:56am PT
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Excellent TR!!!! I'll probably never get there so thanks for the trip.
Best,
lars
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 21, 2010 - 12:20pm PT
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Verrry cooool! Or not if it was raining.
My wife visited Petra 45 years ago when riding a donkey in was not something you did just to play at being adventurous.
What a coincidence - just a week ago I scored a first edition of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom at an estate sale for $2!!!!! Score!!!!!!
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Ezra
Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
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May 21, 2010 - 01:02pm PT
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Awesomew TR, thanks for the Pics!
Yet another area I need to get to!
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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May 21, 2010 - 03:20pm PT
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Posts like this make wading through the nonsense on this site worth it.
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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May 21, 2010 - 04:51pm PT
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Super duper cool. You have a great eye behind the lens man. And shots of dudes on lead that aren't butt shots! What a treat. A most excellent adventure. Tell us more about the epic retreat!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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May 21, 2010 - 05:11pm PT
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The Wadi Rum is one of my favorite places on earth. Great photos and TR, but they surely can't capture the silence and majesty of the place. It is awe inspiring, and does something for the soul. Be sure to visit the ancient rose red city of stone~Petra only a short drive away.
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