1 UAERockClimbing-2015update

UAEROCKCLIMBINGfiveyearslater-anupdate

2 UAERockClimbing-2015update

INTRODUCTIONpages6-17InformationandUpdatesThewebforumatuaeclimbing.comisnolongerinactiveuse.VariousFacebookgroupsexist.Ofthese,"RealUAERockClimbers"isthemostcredible.Itisaclosedgroup-applytojoin.AccidentsTheadvicegivenintheguidebookonaccidentprocedureisstillbroadlycorrect.RegrettablytheUAEhasstillnotimplementedanationalrescueservice.AbuDhabiemiratehashelicopterswithparamedicsavailablebutthesewouldnotnecessarilybeavailableinotheremirates.OneobservationfromaseriousincidentinOmanin2010isthatitmaybehardtodirectlocalpolicetoanaccidentlocation.CarryingGPSequipmentandknowinghowtocommunicateGPScoordinateswouldbehelpfulinthosesituations.Visitingclimbersshouldofcoursemakesuretheyhavemedicalinsurance.ClimbingWallsTwomajorresourceshaveappearedsincetheguidebook:RockRepublicinDubaiandthewallatSorbonneUniversityinAbuDhabi.Thelatterhasaprivateregistrationprocess.InstructionCoursesTheadvicegivenintheguidebookoninstructionisoutofdate.Askforthelatestsituationat"RealUAERockClimbers".

3 UAERockClimbing-2015update

KHASABpages23-27Accesssituation:NosubstantialchangeRoutedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:NothingnewatKhasabBeach.AverystrongNorthFacesponsoredteam(AlexHonnold,HazelFindlay,others)touredtheMusandampeninsulainacatamaran,recordingsomemountainroutesonJebelLetubnearSibivillageandelsewhere.Alsoonemulti-pitchseacliffrouteandsomeDWSing.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFofnotesreceivedfromHazelFindlay,2011

4 UAERockClimbing-2015update

BEYONDRAKpages31-35Accesssituation:Nosubstantialchange.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:"Chossaneering"lives:AidanLaffey,AndyLaBonte,PeterThompsonandothershavebeenactiverepeatingsomeofthelongerroutesinWadiGhalilahandaddingnewones.Aidanansweredtheguidebook'schallengeofa"completeroutetothesummitofRasAlQays".AtShadyCircus,TobyFoord-Kelceyfinishedofftheexcellent4-pitchAcquiescence.Ithasreceivedseveralrepeats.ThenearbyExitSurprisehasalsohadafewrepeatsandisprobablyharderthanthegradegiveninthebook.Outsidethewadi,theGrayskullCanyonhashadmoreroutesadded.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFtopoforAcquiescencePDFtoposreceivedfromAidenLaffey,PeterThompsonandMaurizioPiccoli.NotopoforGrayskullyet.

5 UAERockClimbing-2015update

RAKINLANDpages37-63Accesssituation:Nosubstantialchange.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:Therehasbeenextensivedevelopmentsincetheguidebook,mostlyatnewcliffswithinWadiShahah.JohnGregory,theUAE'smostprolificnewrouter,isresponsibleformostoftheroutesatNearside,FarsideandTheJunctioninWadiShahah.RalphHeath,withvariouspartners,hasaddedmanyrouteselsewhereinthewadiincludingattheCleavageandatZombieSkull(rightofDickinadozer).PeterThompsonandAndyLaBonteestablishedthefirstroutesattheimpressiveRedWallinWadiNaqab.ThismaythelongestsweepofcontinuouslysteeprockintheUAE.AtTheSentinel,severalclimbershavewarnedofincorrectgradesandlooserock.Becareful.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFtopoforNearsideandanupdatefortheCubePDFtoposreceivedfromAndyLaBonteandPeterThompson.LinkstonotesfromRalphHeath.

6 UAERockClimbing-2015update

WADIBIHpages65-89Accesssituation:Theclimbingareasareallnowinaccessibletonon-GCCtravellers,whetherattemptingtoenterfromwestoreast.Annoyinglythischangeoccurredveryshortlyafterthebookwenttoprint.Don'tbeconfusedbythecontinuingexistenceofa"WadiBih"runonceayear.Thiseventisheldinawholly-differentlocation(WadiKhabShamsi).Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:Unsurprisingly,giventhatveryfewcannowenterthewadi:none.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:None.

7 UAERockClimbing-2015update

SOUTHERNSLOPEpages91-99Accesssituation:Nosubstantialchange.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:TawiyanisverypopularandhashadafewadditionalroutesaddedbyTobyFoord-Kelceyandothers.Correspondinglyno-onevisitsJebelIdhnanditprobablydoesnotmeritinclusioninafuturebook.TheColiseumhasseensomedevelopmentbyEricClaudelandfriends.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFtopofortherightsideofTawiyanCrag.LinktotopoforColiseumbyEricClaudel.

8 UAERockClimbing-2015update

DIBBAINLANDpages101-119Accesssituation:Substantialdeterioration!IntheoryitisnowonlypossibletocrosstheborderintoOmanatDibbaifyouhaveanaccommodationortourbookingwitharegisteredOmanprovider.AdditionallyithasbecomecommonforpeopletocampatDamian'sBoulders.Thisisclosetoavillageandprobablyabadidea.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:WadiKhabShamsihashadalotofattentionsincetheguidebookwaspublishedwithmanynewareasadded.Thereisstillmuchpotential.Ofthenewcliffs,BlindspotandTheRanchwerethemostpopular,untilaccessdeteriorated.Theawesome"NantBidi"hasbeendevelopedbutstillhasaccessissues.Climbersshouldkeepalowprofile.Donotvisitinlargegroups.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFtopofortheBlindspot.PDFtoposreceivedfromBrianCoones,AidenLaffeyandStephenHyndmanforvariousWadiKhabShamsicrags.LinktoNantBidiupdatefromTheoGianiLinktoTheNarrowstopoat27Crags

9 UAERockClimbing-2015update

DIBBACOASTpages121-135Accesssituation:Moredifficult.See"DibbaInland"fordetail.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:DWSroutedevelopmenthasbeenextensivesinceguidebookpublicationespeciallyin2011-2012.AmajorcatalystwasavisitbyastrongBritishteaminApril2011.They(NeilGresham,TimEmmett,GrantFarquhar,SebGrieve,MikeRobertson),accompaniedbyReadMacadamandTobyFoord-Kelcey,exploredthewholecoastuptotheStraitsofHormuzinadhowoveroneweek,discoveringmanynewcliffs.In2012localclimbersincludingTheoGianiandMikeGreenaddedmoreroutesanddiscoveredmorecliffs.TobyFoord-KelceyandAidenLaffeyalsoclimbedthe~300m"Pyramid",mentionedintheguidebooktext,in2010.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:AmajorDWSupdatePDFtopoforthewholeareaplussomeotherPDFsforDWSareasaddedsubsequently.DescriptionforthePyramid.

10 UAERockClimbing-2015update

CENTRALpages139-155Accesssituation:HattaCragmaynolongerbeaccessible.IthasalwaysbeenOmaniterritory;thatstatushasbeenformalisedwithaclosedborderfromtheUAE.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:Thisareahasexperiencedtheleastchangeofanywithintheoriginalprintguidebook.NoothercliffshavebeendevelopedwhilstHattaCragitself,thoughremainingpopular,hasnotseenmuchmoredevelopment.Ofthenewroutesthathaveappeared,aproportionisshroudedinmysteryduetothemaindeveloperbeingreluctanttoprovideinformation.Howeverallthelinesheboltedhavebeenre-climbed.Quarryingcontinuesbuthasnotyetdestroyedanyknownroutes.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:None.

11 UAERockClimbing-2015update

ALAINpages159-179Accesssituation:ThebordercrossingintoOmantoreachWonderwall(andSharkFin)hasbecomemoredifficultandtime-consuming.OKforawholeweekendvisit,notforasingleday.Askforanupdateonthecurrentsituationat"RealUAERockClimbers".Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:ThemostnotablechangeinthisareahasbeenthedevelopmentofasmallnumberofexcellentsteeproutesattheSharkFincliff.LacticLabyrintheF7a+thereisoneofthebestsportclimbsintheregion.Wonderwallhasbeendevelopedfurther,especiallybyTheoGiani,andsomeexistingroutes,likeCircusSands,re-bolted.BackontheUAEsideoftheborder,NPZhashadsomemoreroutesadded.SomeshortveryminorrouteswerealsoaddedontheeastsideofJebelHafeet.PaulWalleyhasexploredsomeboulderingspotsaroundJebelHafeetalso,whicharereasonablyworthwhileforAlAinorAbuDhabibasedclimbers.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:PDFtopofor"Paul'ssecretboulders"PDFtoposreceivedfromSolomonLauandTheoGianiLinktoWonderwallandNPZupdatefromTheoGianiLinkstoSharkFinandothertoposat27Crags

12 UAERockClimbing-2015update

ABUDHABIpages182-183Accesssituation:Googlemapsdated2014stillshowtherocks,buttheymaynotsurvivelongasHodariyatislandisadesignateddevelopmentsite.Ifthebridgetotheislandopenstothepublicitmaybeworthdrivingovertoexplore.Theboatapproachdescribedintheguideisalmostcertainlybanned.Routedevelopmentsincetheguidebook:None.Cragon34thStreetwasmainlyincludedintheprintguidebookasajoke...Severalhundredkmtothewest,withinADemiratebutclosetotheSaudiborder,aresomeredsandstoneoutcropsbythesea.Abriefvisitin2012revealednothingsubstantialenoughtoclimb,buttheareaisveryscenic.Updatedtoposattheguidebookwebpage:None.