Jbâa ech Choûf - LMT22, U turn on LMT21 - Niha Fortress loop
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 19.45 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,833 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 4,833 ft
- Max elevation
- 6,021 ft
- TrailRank
-
77
4.7
- Min elevation
- 3,454 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 6 hours 54 minutes
- Time
- 8 hours 30 minutes
- Coordinates
- 5422
- Uploaded
- June 16, 2021
- Recorded
- June 2021
near Jbâa ech Choûf, Mont-Liban (Lebanon)
Viewed 717 times, downloaded 18 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Another brilliant loop to enjoy in the Chouf area and mostly in the Chouf Biosphere Reserve, that starts from Jbâa entrance.
In the first 3kms we made a strenuous effort to ascend 550m, where we reached the top of the western mountain range in this area, and the highest point of our long trail. Amazing panoramas while mounting up and rewarding exquisite 360 degree views at the top overlooking the Beqaa valley and the lovely huge Qaraoun lake to the east, Barouk reseve to the north, Chouf and the Mediterranean sea to z west and The beautiful weird mountains shape of Niha to the south that we crossed later on, these sequence of mountains are like a slices of gigantic rocks stacked over each others to form a beautiful unnatural form of mountains.
One important amendment should be made to have a perfect trail, that we regretted not doing it: when we passed by a big pond to our right (check my waypoint titled “pond”) we walked for 300m and left the LMT to take another exit to our left, but we ended up on a paved road of approximately 3kms with heavy descent, which we didnt like at all. In here (after the pond) do not leave the LMT, keep following it and take the first exit to ur left after the pond, which is only 100m before the one we took. By doing so u will avoid the asphalt descent and have the chance to visit Mar Ayoub and enjoy a Zig Zag trail that looks so awsome from far.
Expect some strong winds when reaching the top of the mountain range. In there we ventured outside the dirt roads several times to enjoy some walks on the ridges and benefit more from the views to Qaraoun lake and the Beqaa valley.
Enjoyyy :))
In the first 3kms we made a strenuous effort to ascend 550m, where we reached the top of the western mountain range in this area, and the highest point of our long trail. Amazing panoramas while mounting up and rewarding exquisite 360 degree views at the top overlooking the Beqaa valley and the lovely huge Qaraoun lake to the east, Barouk reseve to the north, Chouf and the Mediterranean sea to z west and The beautiful weird mountains shape of Niha to the south that we crossed later on, these sequence of mountains are like a slices of gigantic rocks stacked over each others to form a beautiful unnatural form of mountains.
One important amendment should be made to have a perfect trail, that we regretted not doing it: when we passed by a big pond to our right (check my waypoint titled “pond”) we walked for 300m and left the LMT to take another exit to our left, but we ended up on a paved road of approximately 3kms with heavy descent, which we didnt like at all. In here (after the pond) do not leave the LMT, keep following it and take the first exit to ur left after the pond, which is only 100m before the one we took. By doing so u will avoid the asphalt descent and have the chance to visit Mar Ayoub and enjoy a Zig Zag trail that looks so awsome from far.
Expect some strong winds when reaching the top of the mountain range. In there we ventured outside the dirt roads several times to enjoy some walks on the ridges and benefit more from the views to Qaraoun lake and the Beqaa valley.
Enjoyyy :))
Waypoints
Panorama
Photo
5,449 ft
What a difficult ascent! Almost done
Waypoint
Ruins
River
Monument
Lake
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Thank you Ray for this amazing trail! A mix of different kinds of terrain and sceneries. It is physically demanding and requires lot of energy! We took the trail to "Nabi Ayoub Shrine" and then the zigzag path you saw :) we did this part in the dark because we didn't start really early. An epic adventure!
Hi Rami! Kifak man!
I see that you’re visiting the Chouf more frequently😃😃
Well! You upgraded my trail into a better version and closing the loop passing by the shrine and the zogzag trail😃😃. Its amazing how different and diversify this area is!!
Yes! It is difficult at the beginning mainly and its considered a long journey. But its in our veins! You know that a great effort spent during a trail makes the journey more rewardable at the end!
Im glad talking to u Rami. Enjoy the beautiful Lebanon. I miss its mountains so much. Its nature is so damm UNIQUE! Tc