EMIRATOS (EAU) - Ras al-Khaimah - Del Wadi Ar Ra'ilah a Atmar Col (626 m), Al Jam'ah Col (810 m) y Ra's / Hebs Village Lower
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 8.74 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,357 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 4,357 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,907 ft
- TrailRank
-
73
5
- Min elevation
- 576 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 9 hours 3 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2556
- Uploaded
- February 4, 2024
- Recorded
- February 2024
near Ra’s, Raʼs al Khaymah (Yunaayitid Arab Imireetis)
Viewed 105 times, downloaded 5 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
|
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) - Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) - From Wadi Ar Ra'ilah to Atmar Col (626 m), Al Jam'ah Col (810 m) and Ra's/Hebs Village Lower
INTRODUCTION:
Toponymy in the United Arab Emirates is very complicated, since inexplicably there are no good, complete and detailed maps (or there are, but they are not made known to the public).
By far the best detailed maps of the UAE currently available are the British ones, produced between 1955 and 1971. There are also American and Russian maps, but they do not have the detailed information of the British ones.
Extract from FCO map 18/1785 -1971 - Wadi Bih area and tributaries. Map of Trucial States, Muscat and Oman - Rams - Scale 1:100 000 - Published by D Survey, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom (1971) - Edition 3-GSGS - The National Archives, London, England
Finally, there are also some 1:50,000 scale maps prepared between 1986 and 1991 by the Military Survey, Abu Dhabi, which due to the scale are supposed to contain very detailed information, but we have not yet found a way to access these maps. .
The authors of The national atlas of the United Arab Emirates , published in 1993 by the United Arab Emirates University in association with GEOprojects (UK) Ltd., have been able to use these Military Survey maps, from which they have extracted most of the information they provide in their Atlas, although with a rather controversial criterion they use a system of romanization of terms in Arabic, based on the Amended Beirut System , which converts the transliteration (or rather the transcription) of place names from Arabic to English. , in a hieroglyph of graphemes and punctuation marks that are strange to most readers.
If we add to that the large number of errors that the Atlas has (both in the names and in the geographical coordinates it provides); the omission of seconds in the coordinates; and the absence of references to important place names, makes the description of most of the UAE routes an arduous task, requiring many hours of research and field work, and we are never completely sure of the result obtained. .
In the absence of good maps, for decades, hikers, climbers, canyoners and companies dedicated to the promotion of outdoor activities have been naming some places, based mainly on information from other hikers or residents of the area. , but this information is not always reliable, even though it is repeated over and over again, and errors are constantly detected that have become consolidated over time and are often difficult to eradicate.
We have been able to see this on many of the routes in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, and this day's itinerary is also a clear example of this difficulty in identifying toponyms.
PLACE NAMES:
We have been able to confirm the existence of doubts, contradictions and a lot of confusion in some of the place names of this route, so we will do a general review of all of them, simply with the aim of recapitulating data and promoting a collective reflection among those who can contribute. references, documents or data that help clear up doubts, confirm names, or correct any errors that may exist.
What follows is, therefore, not a final conclusion, but rather a starting point open to further modifications:
1/ Name of the wadi
The path begins and continues for a short stretch parallel to a wadi, a left tributary of the Wadi Al Beeh or Wadi Bih.
What is the name of that wadi?
For most hikers, it is Wadi Haqab, being located on one of the slopes of Jabal Haqab.
However, neither in the most relevant geographic databases (mindat, geonames, geoview and others), nor in historical maps, nor in the aforementioned Atlas, is there any reference to a Wadi Haqab.
We have asked approximately 10 residents of the area, Emiratis, and no one knows, nor has heard of the existence of a Wadi Haqab.
British maps very clearly identify this wadi, and call it Wadi Hiyaylah , a name that also appears in the aforementioned databases. However, The national atlas of the UAE, identifies in the place it calls Wadi Ar Ra'ilah , and also identifies a few meters south of its mouth in the Wadi Al Beeh, another wadi, which runs almost parallel, called Wadi Al Hayilah , whose name seems to closely match that used on British maps and databases (Wadi Hiyaylah).
Up to this point, it would seem that everything is quite clear: there is no Wadi Haqab, and we have a Wadi Ar Ra'ilah, where the trail begins, and a Wadi Al Hayilah, which runs almost parallel, but a little further to the south.
View towards some of the dry waterfalls on the left side of Wadi Ar Ra'ilah
However, when trying to corroborate these names through direct sources, among the residents of the area, it seems that there is no unanimity: for some, the wadi located further south is Wadi Al Hayilah, and the one located to the north is Wadi Ar Ra'ilah, as we have indicated, but for others it is exactly the other way around.
The only thing that all those interviewed agree on is that neither of the two wadis is called Wadi Haqab.
Thus, we have not achieved a unanimous identification of this wadi, but although with some doubts, we have considered that, unless proven otherwise, it is the Wadi Ar Ra'ilah . In no case Wadi Haqab.
2/ Name of the peaks or mountains near the itinerary
We have five names of different mountains close to the itinerary: Jabal Haqab, Jabal As Salwah, Jabal Qada'ah (major & minor), Jabal Ad Diri and Jabal Ar Ra'il.
We will refer only to the three most relevant:
Jabal Haqab (889 m)
It is located north of Wadi Al Hayilah. Between Wadi Al Hayilah and Wadi Ar Ra'ilah.
It is referenced in all geographic databases, at the coordinates 25° 47' 33" N 56° 7' 17" E, and also in old maps. However, The national atlas of the UAE places Jabal As Salwah at that same point, incurring an important contradiction, since at the same time that it places Jabal As Salwah at that point, it assigns it an elevation of 942 meters (when the altitude at the aforementioned coordinates is much lower).
View of the Habal Haqab
Regarding all this, I would like to point out that, personally, I am convinced that in reality the only Jabal Haqab that exists in the region is the one located at the coordinates 25°49'45.48"N, 56°13'47.28"E (currently in the territory of the Sultanate of Oman), with an elevation of 1470 m., and that this duplicity is simply due to a confusion on the British map of 1971, due to the proximity of both peaks to two areas of the Wadi Al Beeh, which are distant each other, but that share a similar orography and proximity to a very similar toponym (in one case Athabat, and in the other Aqabat).
In any case, it is not my intention at this time to question the position of Jabal Haqab (889 m), at the coordinates 25° 47' 33" N 56° 7' 17" E, what I do maintain is that it is unlikely that this position may correspond to Jabal As Salwah, since one of two: either Jabal As Salwah is not in those coordinates, or it does not have the elevation that the Atlas assigns to it.
Jabal As Salwah (980 m)
The name of this mountain does not appear on old maps, nor in geographical databases.
As we have already indicated, the UAE National Atlas places this peak in the coordinates that have been assigned to Jabal Naqab, but attributes a higher elevation (942 m), thus incurring an apparent contradiction.
Some current maps place Jabal As Salwah (980 m) at coordinates 25°50'22.0"N 56°14'14.0"E, at the northern end of the Qada'ah Ridge, a short distance and northwest of Ra's / Hebs Village Lower, and in view of what was said above, for the moment and unless proven otherwise, this assignment seems quite reasonable, so in the description of this route for the moment we will take it as correct.
Jabal Qada'a (major & minor)
Both adjoining peaks are located to the SSW and a short distance from the villages of Ra's and Magam (Hebs Village Lower and Upper).
Jabal Qada'a (major) is located at coordinates 25°46′40″N 56°08′31″E, and has an elevation of 1,375 m.
View of Jabal Qada'a major, also identified in some publications as Jabal Al Ahqab, and its sub-summit or antecitum Jabal Qada'a minor
In the most used British maps, such as (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams) , published in 1971, neither of these two peaks are specified with that name , but a peak is noted with the name of Athabat (1380 m), which undoubtedly corresponds to Jabal Qada'a (major).
How was the name Athabat changed to the name Jabal Qada'a?
Somehow this peak was also known long before 1971 as Jabal Qada'a, due to its proximity to Wadi Qada'a, as demonstrated in other maps, also British, published in 1965 as part of a study titled Trucial States. :waterresources; with hydrological and groundwater survey¨ (Ref. FO 1016/840 - Trucial States: water resources) , and by the American map NG40-10 prepared with data collected in 1957, which identifies this mountain as Jabal Qada'a.
Although the use of the name Jabal Qada'ah prevailed over time, the UAE National Atlas uses a designation that is supposed to correspond to the way the name of each place is pronounced, according to its native inhabitants, and in its publication included it with the place name of Jabal Al Ahqab , at the same coordinates 25°46′N 56°08′E.
If we reverse the order of the first two letters of the name, A and h, we will observe a surprising coincidence with the name of Jabal Haqab. Is it a simple coincidence, or is it something more?
For the description of this route we will use the name Jabal Qada'a (major & minor), as it is the best known, stating that it is the same mountain identified in some publications as Jabal Al Ahqab, and considering, however , that the minor summit, given its prominence, is only an ante-summit or sub-summit of the main peak, not a different mountain.
3/ Name of the villages
On the itinerary we find three villages and an isolated house.
The villages are called Wabain, Ra's/Hebs Village Lower and Magam/Hebs Village Upper, and the isolated house is located on a plateau area that some call Durdur.
wabain
It is a small village located just 1.5 km. from the beginning of the itinerary, with some terraces and modern buildings and ruins of old dry stone buildings. Some residents of the area also call it Al Aqba.
View towards the village of Wabain
His name does not appear on maps or in geographic databases, so the assigned toponym comes exclusively from personal testimonies.
It is quite likely that with the passage of time and other references we will have to modify this name, but for now we are content with what there is.
Durdur Site and Plateau
There is also no documentary evidence of this toponym, and its name seems to be obtained exclusively from personal references, so we must consider it with some caution.
High and fairly flat area, almost a small plateau. Place identified as Durdur. Good views. On the left, the position attributed to Jabal As Salwah (980 m)
Ra's/Hebs Village Lower and Magam/Hebs Village Upper
The real name of these villages still presents many questions:
They do not appear on the maps, but they do appear in the most relevant geographic databases, which identify them as Ra's and Magam , respectively.
However, both the residents of the place and those of other nearby villages in the Wadi Bih area call them Hebs Village Lower and Upper.
The problem is that the name Hebs Village itself does not seem like a true toponym, but rather a reference to a place where members of the Habus tribe (singular Al Habsi or Hebsi) lived.
Although there was a good relationship and many cultural and family ties between the Habus tribe and the Shihuh tribe, and it was even stated that the Habus were essentially a subsection of the Shihuh - Beni Hadiyah section, their respective territories or tribal areas were well delimited, considered that, in this area, the territory north of the Wadi Bih was traditionally Shihuh, and the area south of the wadi was considered Habus.
These two villages, Ra's and Magam, are located south of Wadi Bih, right in the area that delimits the tribal areas, and almost in the epicenter of the Habus tribal area of Banī Sā'ad .
Ra's/Hebs Village Lower. Many terraces and new constructions
This tribal area of Banī Sā'ad should not be confused with another, of the same name, which corresponded to the Shihuh tribe (Bani Shatair Section), which was located in the Wadi Ghalilah area.
As they are villages located on the border of the tribal areas, it is more than likely that some and others referred to them as "the villages of the Hebsi" or "the houses of the Hebsi", (in Arabic: Deira Al-Hebsi, or Deira Al-Habsi) and hence the current "vulgar" name of Hebs Village.
But there were dozens of Hebsi or Habsi villages, spread throughout their territory, and not all of them could be called Deira Al-Hebsi, so there necessarily had to be a different toponym that identified them, and in this case it could be perfectly Ra's y Magam, as recorded in the geographical databases, or it could be a different one, but it does not seem reasonable to believe that there was no true toponym.
In any case, since the importance of toponyms lies in being able to identify and refer to places according to their recognized and commonly accepted name, it has seemed correct to us to add to the name assigned in the available documentary evidence (Ra's and Magam), the one that currently attributed by the neighbors and other inhabitants of the area (Hebs Village), although as has been said, neither name appears on the known maps, nor in The national atlas of the United Arab Emirates. They are only listed in geographic databases as Ra's and Magam.
THE ROUTE:
This route has a truly spectacular layout, and the trail is one of the best we can find in the UAE.
It is a difficult route for a hiker with average physical preparation (it has an IBP index of 99, with a real positive and negative slope of 1,110 m.), but from the point of view of technical difficulty or risk it is much less difficult than what is expected. one might imagine from the photographs and videos published.
The flight of stone stairs set with concrete at the beginning of the route does not pose the slightest problem. They are in perfect condition, they are wide and very easy to navigate.
There is a point where the stairs fork, offering two options that join again a few meters later. At this fork, it is preferable to use, both on the way up and on the way down, the stairs that we find on our right, since on the way down, the rise of the steps on the right is quite high, and it is better to go down that section. that goes up
Fork. Stone stairs set with concrete. The two stepped paths lead to the same place, a few meters ahead
Before reaching the village of Wabain there are a couple of short, slightly exposed and unequipped ledges, but the rest of the way to Hebs is a path designed as a bridleway; recently renovated to eliminate dangerous sections; carved into the rock in much of its layout; and with many meters of walls that contribute to not perceiving the existence of risk or exposure to danger.
Short stretch of cornice, with slight exposure and no equipment
Good much improved platform, which eliminates some of the risky sections of the old one
There are no climbing sections.
If we take a tour of the village of Ra's Al-Hebsi, it is possible that for the return we choose to go down a kind of shortcut, to the fork with the outward path. It is a 200 m section. which is in poor condition, very steep and with a lot of loose stone, although there is always the possibility of not using that “shortcut” and returning along the same path as outward. The rest of the trail is really well laid out, wide, safe and well maintained.
Short route or shortcut to access Ra's. Very steep and with some stairs but a lot of loose stone. Using this route for descent is more difficult than if it is used for ascent.
Highlight of the itinerary: The passage through the Atmar Col (626 m).
View of the Atmar Col (636 m)
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, but you have to travel 1.65 km. through a ballast and gravel track, on which it is necessary to drive slowly.
To find the beginning of this track, it is best to first ask the GPS for directions to reach the coordinate point 25.840600, 56.105605 , which correspond to the roundabout of the new Jais Road. If we put in the GPS the exact reference of the point at which we will leave Al Beeh Road, it is very possible that the GPS will lead us along secondary roads that shorten the distance, but are in worse condition.
Once at the roundabout, we will head first along Jais Road and then along Al Beeh Road to the coordinate point 25.804765, 56.100669 , where we will exit the road and continue for 400 m. a ballast and gravel track located on the left.
After 400 m. The track forks and we take the one that heads to the left, and follow it for 1.25 km. Soon we will see a watchtower and shortly after some houses. There are several places to park in that area.
At the coordinate point 25.806097, 56.111481 there is a very wide space.
This is the sketch of the route of the ballast and gravel track, from the Al Beeh Road turnoff to the parking lot:
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is measured mainly based on three factors: effort, technicality and risk , although the real difficulty of an itinerary must also take into account other variables, such as the weather situation, the weight of the backpack and the preparation. or physical form of the walker, who must know how to evaluate himself.
To know the physical difficulty or physical effort required, it is useful to use an automatic assessment system, such as the one provided by the PPI index. This is the index that corresponds to this route:
IBP index: 99 HKG
Total distance: 13.83 km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 1110.79 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 1110.86 m
Maximum height: 883.24 m
Minimum height: 175.9 m
Total time: 9:03:08 h
Moving time: 6:07:13 h
Stopped time: 2:55:55 h
Total average speed: 1.53 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.26 km/h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic rating system that rates the physical difficulty of a route
GENERAL TABLE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AND RISK LEVELS:
Pictograms with the degrees of technical difficulty and risk of a hiking route
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 3: LOW DIFFICULTY: Route or section of route that presents at least one obstacle of a height less than or equal to knee height. The posture of the foot adapts to the irregularity of the support. The placement of the supports is carried out on the areas with the best grip. This degree of difficulty of the route is mainly concentrated in the 200 meters of descent on the way back from the village of Ra's, in which we may have to use our feet and hands to find support.
RISK LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
RISK LEVEL: Level 3: MODERATE: Moderate level of accident risk. There are points of exposure to danger: mountainous route that exposes
INTRODUCTION:
Toponymy in the United Arab Emirates is very complicated, since inexplicably there are no good, complete and detailed maps (or there are, but they are not made known to the public).
By far the best detailed maps of the UAE currently available are the British ones, produced between 1955 and 1971. There are also American and Russian maps, but they do not have the detailed information of the British ones.
Extract from FCO map 18/1785 -1971 - Wadi Bih area and tributaries. Map of Trucial States, Muscat and Oman - Rams - Scale 1:100 000 - Published by D Survey, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom (1971) - Edition 3-GSGS - The National Archives, London, England
Finally, there are also some 1:50,000 scale maps prepared between 1986 and 1991 by the Military Survey, Abu Dhabi, which due to the scale are supposed to contain very detailed information, but we have not yet found a way to access these maps. .
The authors of The national atlas of the United Arab Emirates , published in 1993 by the United Arab Emirates University in association with GEOprojects (UK) Ltd., have been able to use these Military Survey maps, from which they have extracted most of the information they provide in their Atlas, although with a rather controversial criterion they use a system of romanization of terms in Arabic, based on the Amended Beirut System , which converts the transliteration (or rather the transcription) of place names from Arabic to English. , in a hieroglyph of graphemes and punctuation marks that are strange to most readers.
If we add to that the large number of errors that the Atlas has (both in the names and in the geographical coordinates it provides); the omission of seconds in the coordinates; and the absence of references to important place names, makes the description of most of the UAE routes an arduous task, requiring many hours of research and field work, and we are never completely sure of the result obtained. .
In the absence of good maps, for decades, hikers, climbers, canyoners and companies dedicated to the promotion of outdoor activities have been naming some places, based mainly on information from other hikers or residents of the area. , but this information is not always reliable, even though it is repeated over and over again, and errors are constantly detected that have become consolidated over time and are often difficult to eradicate.
We have been able to see this on many of the routes in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, and this day's itinerary is also a clear example of this difficulty in identifying toponyms.
PLACE NAMES:
We have been able to confirm the existence of doubts, contradictions and a lot of confusion in some of the place names of this route, so we will do a general review of all of them, simply with the aim of recapitulating data and promoting a collective reflection among those who can contribute. references, documents or data that help clear up doubts, confirm names, or correct any errors that may exist.
What follows is, therefore, not a final conclusion, but rather a starting point open to further modifications:
1/ Name of the wadi
The path begins and continues for a short stretch parallel to a wadi, a left tributary of the Wadi Al Beeh or Wadi Bih.
What is the name of that wadi?
For most hikers, it is Wadi Haqab, being located on one of the slopes of Jabal Haqab.
However, neither in the most relevant geographic databases (mindat, geonames, geoview and others), nor in historical maps, nor in the aforementioned Atlas, is there any reference to a Wadi Haqab.
We have asked approximately 10 residents of the area, Emiratis, and no one knows, nor has heard of the existence of a Wadi Haqab.
British maps very clearly identify this wadi, and call it Wadi Hiyaylah , a name that also appears in the aforementioned databases. However, The national atlas of the UAE, identifies in the place it calls Wadi Ar Ra'ilah , and also identifies a few meters south of its mouth in the Wadi Al Beeh, another wadi, which runs almost parallel, called Wadi Al Hayilah , whose name seems to closely match that used on British maps and databases (Wadi Hiyaylah).
Up to this point, it would seem that everything is quite clear: there is no Wadi Haqab, and we have a Wadi Ar Ra'ilah, where the trail begins, and a Wadi Al Hayilah, which runs almost parallel, but a little further to the south.
View towards some of the dry waterfalls on the left side of Wadi Ar Ra'ilah
However, when trying to corroborate these names through direct sources, among the residents of the area, it seems that there is no unanimity: for some, the wadi located further south is Wadi Al Hayilah, and the one located to the north is Wadi Ar Ra'ilah, as we have indicated, but for others it is exactly the other way around.
The only thing that all those interviewed agree on is that neither of the two wadis is called Wadi Haqab.
Thus, we have not achieved a unanimous identification of this wadi, but although with some doubts, we have considered that, unless proven otherwise, it is the Wadi Ar Ra'ilah . In no case Wadi Haqab.
2/ Name of the peaks or mountains near the itinerary
We have five names of different mountains close to the itinerary: Jabal Haqab, Jabal As Salwah, Jabal Qada'ah (major & minor), Jabal Ad Diri and Jabal Ar Ra'il.
We will refer only to the three most relevant:
Jabal Haqab (889 m)
It is located north of Wadi Al Hayilah. Between Wadi Al Hayilah and Wadi Ar Ra'ilah.
It is referenced in all geographic databases, at the coordinates 25° 47' 33" N 56° 7' 17" E, and also in old maps. However, The national atlas of the UAE places Jabal As Salwah at that same point, incurring an important contradiction, since at the same time that it places Jabal As Salwah at that point, it assigns it an elevation of 942 meters (when the altitude at the aforementioned coordinates is much lower).
View of the Habal Haqab
Regarding all this, I would like to point out that, personally, I am convinced that in reality the only Jabal Haqab that exists in the region is the one located at the coordinates 25°49'45.48"N, 56°13'47.28"E (currently in the territory of the Sultanate of Oman), with an elevation of 1470 m., and that this duplicity is simply due to a confusion on the British map of 1971, due to the proximity of both peaks to two areas of the Wadi Al Beeh, which are distant each other, but that share a similar orography and proximity to a very similar toponym (in one case Athabat, and in the other Aqabat).
In any case, it is not my intention at this time to question the position of Jabal Haqab (889 m), at the coordinates 25° 47' 33" N 56° 7' 17" E, what I do maintain is that it is unlikely that this position may correspond to Jabal As Salwah, since one of two: either Jabal As Salwah is not in those coordinates, or it does not have the elevation that the Atlas assigns to it.
Jabal As Salwah (980 m)
The name of this mountain does not appear on old maps, nor in geographical databases.
As we have already indicated, the UAE National Atlas places this peak in the coordinates that have been assigned to Jabal Naqab, but attributes a higher elevation (942 m), thus incurring an apparent contradiction.
Some current maps place Jabal As Salwah (980 m) at coordinates 25°50'22.0"N 56°14'14.0"E, at the northern end of the Qada'ah Ridge, a short distance and northwest of Ra's / Hebs Village Lower, and in view of what was said above, for the moment and unless proven otherwise, this assignment seems quite reasonable, so in the description of this route for the moment we will take it as correct.
Jabal Qada'a (major & minor)
Both adjoining peaks are located to the SSW and a short distance from the villages of Ra's and Magam (Hebs Village Lower and Upper).
Jabal Qada'a (major) is located at coordinates 25°46′40″N 56°08′31″E, and has an elevation of 1,375 m.
View of Jabal Qada'a major, also identified in some publications as Jabal Al Ahqab, and its sub-summit or antecitum Jabal Qada'a minor
In the most used British maps, such as (Ref. FCO 18/1785 -1971 - Map of the Trucial States, Muscat and Oman: Al Rams) , published in 1971, neither of these two peaks are specified with that name , but a peak is noted with the name of Athabat (1380 m), which undoubtedly corresponds to Jabal Qada'a (major).
How was the name Athabat changed to the name Jabal Qada'a?
Somehow this peak was also known long before 1971 as Jabal Qada'a, due to its proximity to Wadi Qada'a, as demonstrated in other maps, also British, published in 1965 as part of a study titled Trucial States. :waterresources; with hydrological and groundwater survey¨ (Ref. FO 1016/840 - Trucial States: water resources) , and by the American map NG40-10 prepared with data collected in 1957, which identifies this mountain as Jabal Qada'a.
Although the use of the name Jabal Qada'ah prevailed over time, the UAE National Atlas uses a designation that is supposed to correspond to the way the name of each place is pronounced, according to its native inhabitants, and in its publication included it with the place name of Jabal Al Ahqab , at the same coordinates 25°46′N 56°08′E.
If we reverse the order of the first two letters of the name, A and h, we will observe a surprising coincidence with the name of Jabal Haqab. Is it a simple coincidence, or is it something more?
For the description of this route we will use the name Jabal Qada'a (major & minor), as it is the best known, stating that it is the same mountain identified in some publications as Jabal Al Ahqab, and considering, however , that the minor summit, given its prominence, is only an ante-summit or sub-summit of the main peak, not a different mountain.
3/ Name of the villages
On the itinerary we find three villages and an isolated house.
The villages are called Wabain, Ra's/Hebs Village Lower and Magam/Hebs Village Upper, and the isolated house is located on a plateau area that some call Durdur.
wabain
It is a small village located just 1.5 km. from the beginning of the itinerary, with some terraces and modern buildings and ruins of old dry stone buildings. Some residents of the area also call it Al Aqba.
View towards the village of Wabain
His name does not appear on maps or in geographic databases, so the assigned toponym comes exclusively from personal testimonies.
It is quite likely that with the passage of time and other references we will have to modify this name, but for now we are content with what there is.
Durdur Site and Plateau
There is also no documentary evidence of this toponym, and its name seems to be obtained exclusively from personal references, so we must consider it with some caution.
High and fairly flat area, almost a small plateau. Place identified as Durdur. Good views. On the left, the position attributed to Jabal As Salwah (980 m)
Ra's/Hebs Village Lower and Magam/Hebs Village Upper
The real name of these villages still presents many questions:
They do not appear on the maps, but they do appear in the most relevant geographic databases, which identify them as Ra's and Magam , respectively.
However, both the residents of the place and those of other nearby villages in the Wadi Bih area call them Hebs Village Lower and Upper.
The problem is that the name Hebs Village itself does not seem like a true toponym, but rather a reference to a place where members of the Habus tribe (singular Al Habsi or Hebsi) lived.
Although there was a good relationship and many cultural and family ties between the Habus tribe and the Shihuh tribe, and it was even stated that the Habus were essentially a subsection of the Shihuh - Beni Hadiyah section, their respective territories or tribal areas were well delimited, considered that, in this area, the territory north of the Wadi Bih was traditionally Shihuh, and the area south of the wadi was considered Habus.
These two villages, Ra's and Magam, are located south of Wadi Bih, right in the area that delimits the tribal areas, and almost in the epicenter of the Habus tribal area of Banī Sā'ad .
Ra's/Hebs Village Lower. Many terraces and new constructions
This tribal area of Banī Sā'ad should not be confused with another, of the same name, which corresponded to the Shihuh tribe (Bani Shatair Section), which was located in the Wadi Ghalilah area.
As they are villages located on the border of the tribal areas, it is more than likely that some and others referred to them as "the villages of the Hebsi" or "the houses of the Hebsi", (in Arabic: Deira Al-Hebsi, or Deira Al-Habsi) and hence the current "vulgar" name of Hebs Village.
But there were dozens of Hebsi or Habsi villages, spread throughout their territory, and not all of them could be called Deira Al-Hebsi, so there necessarily had to be a different toponym that identified them, and in this case it could be perfectly Ra's y Magam, as recorded in the geographical databases, or it could be a different one, but it does not seem reasonable to believe that there was no true toponym.
In any case, since the importance of toponyms lies in being able to identify and refer to places according to their recognized and commonly accepted name, it has seemed correct to us to add to the name assigned in the available documentary evidence (Ra's and Magam), the one that currently attributed by the neighbors and other inhabitants of the area (Hebs Village), although as has been said, neither name appears on the known maps, nor in The national atlas of the United Arab Emirates. They are only listed in geographic databases as Ra's and Magam.
THE ROUTE:
This route has a truly spectacular layout, and the trail is one of the best we can find in the UAE.
It is a difficult route for a hiker with average physical preparation (it has an IBP index of 99, with a real positive and negative slope of 1,110 m.), but from the point of view of technical difficulty or risk it is much less difficult than what is expected. one might imagine from the photographs and videos published.
The flight of stone stairs set with concrete at the beginning of the route does not pose the slightest problem. They are in perfect condition, they are wide and very easy to navigate.
There is a point where the stairs fork, offering two options that join again a few meters later. At this fork, it is preferable to use, both on the way up and on the way down, the stairs that we find on our right, since on the way down, the rise of the steps on the right is quite high, and it is better to go down that section. that goes up
Fork. Stone stairs set with concrete. The two stepped paths lead to the same place, a few meters ahead
Before reaching the village of Wabain there are a couple of short, slightly exposed and unequipped ledges, but the rest of the way to Hebs is a path designed as a bridleway; recently renovated to eliminate dangerous sections; carved into the rock in much of its layout; and with many meters of walls that contribute to not perceiving the existence of risk or exposure to danger.
Short stretch of cornice, with slight exposure and no equipment
Good much improved platform, which eliminates some of the risky sections of the old one
There are no climbing sections.
If we take a tour of the village of Ra's Al-Hebsi, it is possible that for the return we choose to go down a kind of shortcut, to the fork with the outward path. It is a 200 m section. which is in poor condition, very steep and with a lot of loose stone, although there is always the possibility of not using that “shortcut” and returning along the same path as outward. The rest of the trail is really well laid out, wide, safe and well maintained.
Short route or shortcut to access Ra's. Very steep and with some stairs but a lot of loose stone. Using this route for descent is more difficult than if it is used for ascent.
Highlight of the itinerary: The passage through the Atmar Col (626 m).
View of the Atmar Col (636 m)
ACCESS TO THE ITINERARY AND PARKING:
The starting point of the route can be easily accessed with a sedan vehicle, but you have to travel 1.65 km. through a ballast and gravel track, on which it is necessary to drive slowly.
To find the beginning of this track, it is best to first ask the GPS for directions to reach the coordinate point 25.840600, 56.105605 , which correspond to the roundabout of the new Jais Road. If we put in the GPS the exact reference of the point at which we will leave Al Beeh Road, it is very possible that the GPS will lead us along secondary roads that shorten the distance, but are in worse condition.
Once at the roundabout, we will head first along Jais Road and then along Al Beeh Road to the coordinate point 25.804765, 56.100669 , where we will exit the road and continue for 400 m. a ballast and gravel track located on the left.
After 400 m. The track forks and we take the one that heads to the left, and follow it for 1.25 km. Soon we will see a watchtower and shortly after some houses. There are several places to park in that area.
At the coordinate point 25.806097, 56.111481 there is a very wide space.
This is the sketch of the route of the ballast and gravel track, from the Al Beeh Road turnoff to the parking lot:
DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ROUTE:
The degree of difficulty of a route is measured mainly based on three factors: effort, technicality and risk , although the real difficulty of an itinerary must also take into account other variables, such as the weather situation, the weight of the backpack and the preparation. or physical form of the walker, who must know how to evaluate himself.
To know the physical difficulty or physical effort required, it is useful to use an automatic assessment system, such as the one provided by the PPI index. This is the index that corresponds to this route:
IBP index: 99 HKG
Total distance: 13.83 km
Desn. Accumulated climb: 1110.79 m
Desn. Accumulated descent: 1110.86 m
Maximum height: 883.24 m
Minimum height: 175.9 m
Total time: 9:03:08 h
Moving time: 6:07:13 h
Stopped time: 2:55:55 h
Total average speed: 1.53 km/h
Average moving speed: 2.26 km/h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic rating system that rates the physical difficulty of a route
GENERAL TABLE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AND RISK LEVELS:
Pictograms with the degrees of technical difficulty and risk of a hiking route
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
Level 3: LOW DIFFICULTY: Route or section of route that presents at least one obstacle of a height less than or equal to knee height. The posture of the foot adapts to the irregularity of the support. The placement of the supports is carried out on the areas with the best grip. This degree of difficulty of the route is mainly concentrated in the 200 meters of descent on the way back from the village of Ra's, in which we may have to use our feet and hands to find support.
RISK LEVEL OF THIS ITINERARY:
RISK LEVEL: Level 3: MODERATE: Moderate level of accident risk. There are points of exposure to danger: mountainous route that exposes
Waypoints
Photo
629 ft
Al inicio del recorrido. Gran pared de 500 m. de altura, en la vertiente norte del actualmente denominado Jabal Haqab
At the beginning of the tour. Great wall of 500 m. high, on the northern slope of what is currently called Jabal Haqab. Even considering it to be the "western outlier" of Jabal Haqab, some climbers have called this prominent and steep pillar Jebel Hila.
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Intersection
746 ft
Bifurcación. Seguimos por la derecha. Escaleras de piedra asentadas con hormigón. Vista hacia el área de estacionamiento
Fork. Stone stairs set with concrete. The two stepped paths lead to the same place, a few meters further on. The path on the right is longer and with a more gradual slope, and the one on the left is shorter and steeper. On the way out we use the path on the right, and on the way back we use the other. View towards the parking area
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Photo
841 ft
Continúan las escaleras, anchas y en buen estado. Subida en zigzag, con pendiente gradual
The stairs continue, wide and in good condition. Zigzag climb, with a gradual slope
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Intersection
929 ft
Intersección con el otro tramo de escaleras
Intersección con el otro tramo de escaleras
Photo
1,066 ft
Vista hacia las primeras casas de la aldea de Wabain
Vista hacia las primeras casas de la aldea de Wabain
Photo
1,410 ft
Tramo con una corta cornisa y más escaleras
Tramo con una corta cornisa y más escaleras
Photo
1,519 ft
Otra corta cornisa, con una leve exposición y sin equipamiento
Otra corta cornisa, con una leve exposición y sin equipamiento
Photo
1,616 ft
Vista hacia el Jabal Haqab y unas casas de la aldea de Wabain
Vista hacia el Jabal Haqab y unas casas de la aldea de Wabain
Photo
1,758 ft
Nuevas y viejas construcciones en antigua aldea de Wabain. Bancales y varios aljibes
New and old constructions in old Wabain village. Terraces and various cisterns
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Photo
1,841 ft
Wabain. Ruinas de viejas construcciones de piedra seca, reforzada parcialmente con algo de adobe
Wabain. Ruins of old dry stone constructions, partially reinforced with some adobe
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Photo
1,898 ft
Vista hacia la aldea de Wabain y hacia algunas de las cascadas secas del costado izquierdo del Wadi Ar Ra'ilah.
View towards the village of Wabain and towards some of the dry waterfalls on the left side of Wadi Ar Ra'ilah
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Photo
1,950 ft
Buen sendero concebido como camino de herradura. Plataforma labrada en roca, ancha y con muretes de protección
Good trail designed as a bridle path. Platform carved into rock, wide and with protective walls
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Photo
1,987 ft
Más sendero con buena plataforma y muretes
Más sendero con buena plataforma y muretes
Mountain pass
2,046 ft
Atmar Col (626 m)
Atmar Col (626 m). Nice hill and intersection of trails. Excellent views on both sides. Rest area and small container with drinking water. Intersection with the trail of just over 2 km. and steep slope, which joins the Atmar mountain range, next to the Wadi Bih, and the hill.
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Panorama
2,085 ft
Excelente vista hacia el Wadi Ar Ra'ilah y alguna de sus cascadas secas
Excellent view of the Wadi Ar Ra'ilah and some of its dry waterfalls
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Photo
2,573 ft
Zona alta y bastante llana, casi una pequeña meseta. Paraje identificado como Durdur. Buenas vistas
High and fairly flat area, almost a small plateau. Place identified as Durdur. Good views
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Photo
2,532 ft
Paraje conocido con el nombre de Durdur. Casa aislada y buenas vistas hacia el norte y SSE
Place known by the name of Durdur. Isolated house and views towards the north (Wadi Bih) and towards the SSE (Jabal Qada'a)
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Photo
2,701 ft
Camino bastante llano y ancho, por el acantilado, rodeando la vertientes norte y este del Jabal As Salwah
Fairly flat and wide path, along the cliff, surrounding the northern and eastern slopes of Jabal As Salwah, with newly laid out sections
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Photo
2,523 ft
Buena plataforma muy mejorada, que suprime algunos de los tramos de riesgo de la antigua
Good much improved platform, which eliminates some of the risky sections of the old one. Surrounding the northern and eastern slopes of Jabal As Salwah
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Photo
2,597 ft
Cruce de un wadi, afluente del Wadi Al Bih
Cruce de un wadi, afluente del Wadi Al Bih
Intersection
2,583 ft
Bifurcación de senderos. Seguimos por el de la izquierda
Trail bifurcation. We continue along the one on the left, which is longer, but less steep than the one on the right. On the way back we will go down the other
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Panorama
2,749 ft
Ya en la aldea de Ra's / Hebs. Vistas hacia el norte
Ya en la aldea de Ra's / Hebs. Vistas hacia el norte
Photo
2,767 ft
Ra's / Hebs Village Lower. Bancales, apriscos, cisternas o aljibes y otras construcciones antiguas y modernas
Ra's/Hebs Village Lower. Terraces, sheepfolds, cisterns or cisterns and other ancient and modern constructions
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Photo
2,838 ft
Ra's / Hebs Village Lower. Muchos bancales y nuevas construcciones
Ra's / Hebs Village Lower. Muchos bancales y nuevas construcciones
Photo
2,774 ft
Un último vistazo desde la zona norte de la aldea de Ra's / Hebs Village Lower
One last look from the northern area of Ra's/Hebs Village Lower
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Photo
2,703 ft
Bajada por la otra vía de acceso a Ra's. Muy pendiente y con algunas escaleras pero mucha piedra suelta
Descent along the other access road to Ra's. Very steep and with some stairs but a lot of loose stone. Using this route for descent is more difficult than if it is used for ascent, something to keep in mind for the future.
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Photo
2,535 ft
Vista hacia los acantilados de la parte occidental de la meseta en la que se encuentra la aldea de Ra's / Hebs Village Lower
View towards the cliffs of the western part of the plateau on which the village of Ra's / Hebs Village Lower is located
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Very nice trail. Excellent description and pictures
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