Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Al Hamra Towers
This is a sort of dual trip report to these excellent trad'ish cliffs in Oman. I climbed there in early February with Dan Donovan and again in March with Scott Barber. The three towers are solid limestone, each around 250m high, and close to black-top roads within Al Hamra (the town you pass through to reach Jebel Shams, Hoti Cave and the pass over to Wadi Bani Auf).
All images enlarge if clicked
The towers from the road up to the pass over to Wadi Bani Auf
'En attendant les lents', around UK E1 or E2, on the east tower. The third and seventh pitches are the hardest. The traverse on pitch four is scary to second.
Me on pitch two
Dan following pitch three, an exposed and quite thin slab.
Dan on the top. Parking, path-up and houses of ultra-hospitable locals shown behind.
'La Mama', around UK E2 or E3, on the central tower. Sustained throughout, with bold climbing on pitch two and the hardest moves on pitches five and six
Dan soloing (really) the route in February
Scott at the same point, pitch three, on our March ascent. This is a nice layback crack with a few bolts.
Scott on the summit, Al Hamra town and slopes of Jebel Shams behind
All images enlarge if clicked
The towers from the road up to the pass over to Wadi Bani Auf
'En attendant les lents', around UK E1 or E2, on the east tower. The third and seventh pitches are the hardest. The traverse on pitch four is scary to second.
Me on pitch two
Dan following pitch three, an exposed and quite thin slab.
Dan on the top. Parking, path-up and houses of ultra-hospitable locals shown behind.
'La Mama', around UK E2 or E3, on the central tower. Sustained throughout, with bold climbing on pitch two and the hardest moves on pitches five and six
Dan soloing (really) the route in February
Scott at the same point, pitch three, on our March ascent. This is a nice layback crack with a few bolts.
Scott on the summit, Al Hamra town and slopes of Jebel Shams behind
# posted by toby @ 7:49 AM 
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