Egypt has long been a popular holiday destination for tourists from all over the world. It’s primarily a seaside destination. It offers favorable conditions for learning and practicing diving, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. And in the distance, mountains are visible – reddish, bizarre cliffs, rocky peaks line the road from Sharm el-Sheikh to the Dahab region.
Dahab is a city of peace and joy. It also has hotels and beaches. Here, the famous Blue Hole – a huge hole in the coral reef with an exit to the sea through a deep-water arch at 55 meters – is the dream of many divers. Here, Lighthouse is one of the ten best wave spots for windsurfing in the world. The rocky road into the mountains leads through a initially wide gorge. Here and there, spreading palm trees of oases are visible. Occasionally, solitary acacias appear. The gorge becomes narrower and narrower, the cliffs come right up to the road, and the walls grow higher. And now we are in a narrow canyon, surrounded by sheer cliffs. But what’s that glittering thing on the rocks? Those are bolts!
There is rock climbing in Egypt
In any case In this case, on Mount Sinai. This is understandable—where there are rocks, you want to climb them. Rock climbing in Egypt is developing in three main directions. This includes sport climbing on fixed routes, climbing with traditional protection, or “trad,” and bouldering.
Sport Climbing
Sport climbing is the most developed sport. Currently, there are over sixty climbing routes in the Dahab area. They are located on three climbing ranges. The climbing ranges are accessible from Dahab in 15-30 minutes by car. To reach the farthest, most challenging range, a cross-country vehicle is required. Most of the routes are equipped with stations interlocked with a chain and a rappel ring or carabiner. There are also routes consisting of two ropes.
Most routes are 10-25 meters long, but there are routes as long as 30 meters.
No. 1 Camel Canyon 28.438726 34.430301
No. 2 Waterfall 28.447982 34.448712
No. 3 Checkpoint 28.455363 34.458872
No. 4 Wadi Zuhra 28.620362 34.426584
The cliffs are granite. There are two main types of routes:
- The first type consists of slabs with a positive slope and microholds, but with good friction. “Believe in your dreams” climbing teaches you to trust friction and place your feet firmly on the rock.
- The second type of route—sheer, sometimes slightly overhanging, walls of smooth granite with holds and cracks—requires skill and imagination.
The maximum difficulty of the routes is currently 7b. Most routes fall in the 5a-6c range. There are also very simple routes for beginners, as well as easy routes for learning [leading] skills. There is also great potential for establishing new routes of any difficulty. Several companies in Dahab are also ready to organize rock climbing trips for those interested and provide the necessary equipment for the trip. Equipment is not available for rental.
“Trad Routes”
For trad climbers, there are several routes equipped with bolted rappelling stations in the Dahab area. They are located on the Camel Canyon range, the farthest and most interesting Dahab range. But the true “Eldorado” and, at the same time, “terra incognita” for trad enthusiasts are the sandstone massifs of the White Desert, in the interior of the Sinai Peninsula. The composition and shape of the cliffs here are very reminiscent of Jordan’s famous Wadi Rum. Only on a much smaller scale. The walls here are up to 50 meters high, not 500 like in Jordan. There are no prepared or described routes here. This territory is still awaiting its discoverers. The most accessible crags of this massif are located along the Dahab-Santa Katerina highway, near the famous and frequently visited White Canyon.
Bouldering
And for climbers who prefer bouldering, Sinai is a paradise. A huge number of fantastically shaped rocks suitable for this purpose are scattered from Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab and further to Santa Katerina. Many of them are easily accessible by car. The British have described more than 250 bouldering routes in Sinai.
Mountaineering
But besides rock climbing, there is also mountaineering in Sinai. In December 2013, the classification commission assigned two routes in Sinai a difficulty category. And this is just the beginning! There are many routes worthy of classification.
Rock Climbing
The Main Mountaineering Area Sinai is located in the center of the peninsula around Mount Moses and Mount Saint Catherine (2,640 meters)—the highest point in Sinai. The area is called Santa Catherine after the Monastery of Saint Catherine, the oldest monastery of the Greek Orthodox Church, located at the foot of Mount Moses. It was here, on the mountaintop, that the Prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments from the Almighty. This is a place of constant pilgrimage for representatives of three world religions.
The Santa Caterina area consists of four main climbing sites located around the village of Santa Caterina:
- This is Mount Safsafa, with several peaks that are spurs of Mount Moses.
- Mount Fara is a three-kilometer-long ridge, separated from Safsafa by a narrow gorge and running from the village to the Monastery of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.
- Mount Rabba is the northwestern peak of a spur of Mount Saint Catherine, separated from Mount Fara by the Wadi Arbain.
- Mount Batta is one of the peaks of the ridge running northwest from the village, attracting attention with its beautiful northeastern wall. Approaches from the village to the start of any route in the area take no more than an hour on foot. Some routes can be accessed by car.
The village of Santa Caterina is 1,500 meters above sea level. The peaks range from 1,900 to 2,100 meters. The vertical drop along the wall portion of the routes ranges from 100 to 400 meters. The walls are composed of ancient, often intricately weathered granite.
The route format is typically Crimean. As a rule, each route can be completed in one day. The difficulty of the routes can be roughly estimated from 1B to 5B according to the Soviet classification. Also, there are routes for every level of fitness, from beginners to experienced climbers.
Santa Caterina’s routes don’t aspire to break records or create mountaineering sensations. This is a moderate climbing area, meaning you can climb for fun. The area is also good for learning and training before tackling bigger mountains. There’s a lot of chimney climbing, with chimneys ranging from very wide to very narrow. There are many interior corners. Often, the positive terrain consists of numerous small overhangs. Most routes offer pleasant and varied climbing.
The belay stations are usually comfortable, offering a place to sit and rest after a strenuous climb. There are practically no fixed ropes or equipped stations on the routes. All belays are provided by their own anchors. Organizing belays is generally straightforward—there are plenty of suitable cracks. Don’t trust old pitons found along the routes. They may have been installed more than ten years ago and can come loose under light loads.
Descents from the routes deserve special attention. Typically, the descent is on foot, but when descending from some routes, it is necessary to arrange a rappel.
Mountaineering in Sinai is possible most of the year. The weather is generally predictable—sunny, without precipitation. However, rain and even snow are possible several times a year.
The summer months can be too hot, even in the mountains. For climbing, choose north-facing walls and chimneys that are in the shade for most of the day.
March and April are the most comfortable times for climbing—it’s already warm and the daylight hours are long.
October and November are also good.
The winter months can be cold, especially in the mornings. At night, the temperature often drops below freezing. Snow falls annually in winter. It melts quickly on the rocks, but remains on the peaks for quite a while. For climbing, choose routes with southeastern and southern exposures—climbing in the sun is quite comfortable. From mid-February to the end of March, the almond trees bloom beautifully in the village of Santa Caterina and the surrounding oases.
For mountaineering, you must have the following Equipment:
Two 60-meter ropes, 1/2 length.
A set of 10 nuts.
A set of 10-12 cams or friends. Pay special attention to the large numbers.
A set of 4-5 large hexes.
A set of 12-15 quickdraws. 60-80 cm long quickdraws are preferred.
Three or four 120-150 cm anchor loops.
Auxiliary lanyard for pulling the backpack in chimneys.
Radios for communication along the route.
Headlamps are mandatory for each participant, in case of unexpected delays along the route.
The Santa Caterina area is 130 kilometers from Dahab. This distance can be covered by car in one and a half to two hours. In Dahab, you can rent a car or take a taxi. It’s possible to climb directly from Dahab and return the same evening.
It’s more convenient to stay in Santa Caterina for several days, as it’s best to leave for longer hikes at dawn to ensure you can descend before dark. The village has several well-equipped campsites and hotels, offering comfortable and relatively inexpensive accommodations. There are also several shops, restaurants, and cafes in the village. The selection isn’t extensive, but it’s sufficient. There’s also a hospital and several pharmacies. Between climbs, educational historical and natural history excursions can be arranged. A visit to the Monastery of Santa Caterina, famous for its ancient library and unique icon collection, is a must. You will get an unforgettable experience by meeting the sunrise on the top of Mount Moses. Trekking in the surrounding mountains will also bring a lot of pleasure. You will see picturesque oases, visit a farm of unique animals – rock hyraxes and get acquaintedExperience the hospitable Bedouin lifestyle.
Description author: Mikhail Khomenyuk (edited: ALP Project)
Source: alp.org.ua