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Stairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam

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Trail photos

Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam

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Trail stats

Distance
10.19 mi
Elevation gain
4,997 ft
Technical difficulty
Very difficult
Elevation loss
5,295 ft
Max elevation
5,622 ft
TrailRank 
52
Min elevation
5,622 ft
Trail type
One Way
Moving time
6 hours 56 minutes
Time
10 hours 42 minutes
Coordinates
3009
Uploaded
March 20, 2022
Recorded
March 2022
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near Ḩārat ‘Awālī, Raʼs al Khaymah (Yunaayitid Arab Imireetis)

Viewed 228 times, downloaded 9 times

Trail photos

Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam Photo ofStairway, Hidden Peak , Wadi Shaam

Itinerary description

STH ascent to village at cliff top, L up ridge to hidden peak ( so called because you only see the peak just before you arrive ), plateau with villages, ledges taversing descemt into wadi shaam.

I have done a similar route to this about 3 times and always tried to descend into Wadi Ghalilah and in each case this was very difficult and not without drama and a late in the dark finish. I did not find a good descent path and on this basis decided that the villages at circa 1000m altitude must be accessed from Wadi Shamm. Based on my exploration and others I believe the main access to this area is from Wadi Shaam

Waypoints

PictographCar park Altitude 761 ft
Photo ofStart

Start

An early start from the head of the wadi. Slight change to the path location at the start for 50m. Its becoming too sanitized ! I remember my first outing in 1991 - the path was very sketchy and we hiked up the wadi - a real scramble

PictographWaypoint Altitude 1,138 ft
Photo ofNew barrier

New barrier

I have occasionally seen hand rails on some steep climbs in the UAE. This was a steel tube wrapped with hessian that was constructed at bend in the track with no specific danger. At this rate the entire route will have barriers :) What next escalators :)

PictographIntersection Altitude 1,322 ft
Photo ofWadi path tree

Wadi path tree

This section is a super highway now, previously one had to dodge the tree branches whilst balancing on a ledge

PictographIntersection Altitude 1,539 ft
Photo ofRetail opportunity

Retail opportunity

The rustic authentic stone table and benches has now been upgraded with a canopy. I see a branded retain outlet on the horizon

PictographIntersection Altitude 1,834 ft
Photo ofCleaved rock

Cleaved rock

On previous trips we have climbed to the top for a picnic or photo shoot

PictographIntersection Altitude 2,215 ft
Photo ofStruggling tree and hikers ?

Struggling tree and hikers ?

An attempt has been made some years ago to grow a tree with a metal protection to keep the goats at bay, unfortunately unsuccessful

PictographIntersection Altitude 2,782 ft
Photo ofTop of scree

Top of scree

The boulder field eases off here with a ruined old wall and the tree at the foot of the cliffs visible

PictographIntersection Altitude 2,805 ft
Photo ofGhalilah east wall climbing route

Ghalilah east wall climbing route

I understand that there is a climbing route up this face - wow

PictographTree Altitude 2,917 ft
Photo ofDanger eye tree

Danger eye tree

The lower branches of this tree have now been trimmed but on one previous trip a member of my party had a nasty accident when arriving at a fast pace and standing up and catching a low branch in her eye

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,179 ft
Photo ofStair 1

Stair 1

This is the first stair - prominent if you are on the correct ledge

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,812 ft
Photo ofSharp R turn narrow ledge

Sharp R turn narrow ledge

After a long traverse to the left there is a right turn and then slight descent across a sloping slab to more open ground

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,835 ft
Photo ofPrior to big stair

Prior to big stair

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,832 ft
Photo ofBig stair

Big stair

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,825 ft
Photo ofBig stair

Big stair

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,927 ft
Photo ofTree stair

Tree stair

A small tree hangs on

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,003 ft
Photo ofTraverse stairs

Traverse stairs

PictographMountain hut Altitude 4,147 ft
Photo ofTop of stairs

Top of stairs

The small settlement at the top is in Oman although more generally accessed on foot from the UAE by emiratis

PictographFountain Altitude 4,193 ft
Photo ofDemolished water cistern

Demolished water cistern

Relatively new construction has been partially demolished - unclear why and when and by whom

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,354 ft
Photo ofCan refuse

Can refuse

A lot of old food cans are dumped here adjacent a relatively new construction

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,475 ft
Photo ofCaracal trap

Caracal trap

Well built and in good condition

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,593 ft
Photo ofBM 45-46-1

BM 45-46-1

Border marker between the UAE and Oman with different metal plate logos on the UAE and Oman sides. Reference number BM 45-46-1

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,941 ft
Photo ofCaracal trap 2

Caracal trap 2

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,069 ft
Photo ofBM 46-47-1

BM 46-47-1

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,102 ft
Photo ofRidge tree

Ridge tree

A sole tree at the ridge at the top of a gully that I originally used for the ascent in 1991 prior to finding the stairway

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,144 ft
Photo ofRidge past gully

Ridge past gully

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,230 ft
Photo ofDead tree peak view

Dead tree peak view

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,259 ft
Photo ofDescent village view

Descent village view

Looking across towards the descent into wadi shaam

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,285 ft
Photo ofRidge post

Ridge post

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,269 ft
Photo ofTrack split

Track split

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,522 ft
Photo ofBM 47-48-1

BM 47-48-1

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,525 ft
Photo ofView from ridge

View from ridge

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,620 ft
Photo ofBM 48

BM 48

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,627 ft
Photo ofHidden peak summit

Hidden peak summit

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,282 ft
Photo ofDescent path

Descent path

PictographIntersection Altitude 5,184 ft
Photo ofDescent ridge tree

Descent ridge tree

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,846 ft
Photo ofFerrous rocks

Ferrous rocks

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,839 ft
Photo ofSquare cairn

Square cairn

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,875 ft
Photo ofOld fortifications

Old fortifications

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,885 ft
Photo ofCliff gully

Cliff gully

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,902 ft
Photo ofBM 49

BM 49

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,905 ft
Photo ofAnother BM

Another BM

The route did not go past this

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,567 ft
Photo ofSteep descent gully with steps

Steep descent gully with steps

PictographIntersection Altitude 4,570 ft
Photo ofDestination Shaam

Destination Shaam

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,543 ft
Photo ofShady gully

Shady gully

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,471 ft
Photo ofStone gateway

Stone gateway

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,301 ft
Photo ofBedu survival kit

Bedu survival kit

String and sleeve of disdasha

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,287 ft
Photo ofCosomoplast 4 mm x 500

Cosomoplast 4 mm x 500

Plastic water pipe that runs from wadi shaam up to the villages

PictographIntersection Altitude 3,045 ft
Photo ofGully

Gully

PictographIntersection Altitude 2,585 ft
Photo ofSteep stairs

Steep stairs

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