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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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May 21, 2010 - 05:48pm PT
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Wow, the pictures are wonderful! And the reality must have far surpassed the pics! Pretty crazy adventures to dodge monster sandstorms and flash floods in the same day? You don't get to experience that in Yosemite....
Thanks for giving us a nice flavor of the place :)
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 21, 2010 - 07:43pm PT
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This could well be my next destination rock climbing trip, and you say there is snorkeling nearby.
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Binks
climber
Uranus
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May 21, 2010 - 07:54pm PT
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Wow! Magical looking place and climbs!
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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May 21, 2010 - 10:52pm PT
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Awesome TR! Thanks very much for sharing. I was in Jordan about ten years ago and went to Petra and Aqaba but, sadly, missed Wadi Rum. It came down to visiting 1) Sinai, snorkeling the Blue, hiking up Mt. Sinai and seeing St. Catherine's Monastery, or 2) Wadi Rum. So we picked no. 1. Not a disappointment by any stretch, but your TR reminds me how I need to get back there.
Thanks again.
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Phil_B
Social climber
Hercules, CA
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May 22, 2010 - 12:18am PT
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wow!
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cupton
climber
Where the past and future meet
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2010 - 09:09am PT
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Thanks for all the comments...
It really is a truly awe inspiring place where I made a lot of real friends not only with the foreigners I climbed with but the Bedouin who took me into their houses, fed me, taught me to ride camels and showed me many hidden approaches.
As far as prices, Jordan isn't the cheapest country in the Middle East to visit but after getting there Wadi Rum is a cheap destination. A tent at the resthouse is about 2USD a day or 1USD if you bring your own. Camping in the desert is free. Food is fairly cheap although limited in Rum village... hope you like falafel! Also, bring your own booze from Aqaba.
I am not a diver but hear the diving in Aqaba is world class and possibly better on the Egyptian side. While in the Sinai there is also climbing outside Dahab (ask at Desert Divers) where we but up a few trad routes and a slew of sport climbs and in St Catherine (around Mt Sinai) there are loads of granite routes up to 1000ft or so. These routes are of various qualities with some excellent and some not so great but a fantastic adventure... also loads of new route possibility there if you are good with dealing with Egyptian police. Just smile, nod and take them seriously because they have guns. Also, due to the war that was fought in the Sinai there is a risk of land mines, supposedly.
It would be great to see more American climbers heading to Rum as most of the routes have been established by European and Israeli climbers. Its a magical place and I know I will be going back!
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 22, 2010 - 09:44am PT
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nice pics Chief!
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Prezwoodz
climber
Anchorage
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May 22, 2010 - 12:57pm PT
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Excellent TR! Thanks for putting Jordan back on my list. :)
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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May 22, 2010 - 04:11pm PT
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We were there no one mentioned the diving on the Aqaba side of the gulf. It makes sense though that, given how awesome it was near Dahab, that it was be just as good over there. No one ever talking about it though. Whether snorkeling (pretty much my limits) or diving is your thing, the Red Sea is absolutely awesome. Between not seeing Wadi Rum, or Jerash, or the Dead Sea, I've got lots of reasons to go back to Jordan.
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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May 23, 2010 - 08:50pm PT
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I too scored a copy of the first edition. My father-in-law had it on his shelf. I commented on it and he gave it to me! Here's the cover:
In the Wikipedia article they say Lawrence named this formation Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Is this where your climb was?
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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May 23, 2010 - 09:54pm PT
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Thanks, Chief, much appreciated!
Besides the climbing, which looks very cool, it's oddly comforting to see in all the snapshots and your book cover that the desert itself still looks much the same as it did in the old photos from Lawrence's times, and again in the 1961 movie.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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May 23, 2010 - 11:39pm PT
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Drool!
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Footloose
Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
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May 25, 2010 - 12:25am PT
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That was the best! Thanks so much.
I won't ever go to the area again without
going there!
Throw in some Dead Sea, Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab,
Mt Sanai, diving in the Red Sea, I could
be talked into a month's trip. With climbing a
central focus. Anybody interested?
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