On Sunday 20.1.2008 Slovenian climbers Pavle Kozjek in Dejan Miškovič climbed a new route in the south-east face of Jebel Misht (2090 m). We named it Yel-la sadik (Hurry, my friend) and graded with UIAA VII-/VI (hardest pitch/majority of the route), altitude about 1000 m. We needed 9 and half hours to complete the route, next 4 hours for descent at night and another 5 hours to return around the mountain to the base camp: the roundrip took us close to 20 hours. The route was climbed with lightweight equipment and in traditional style, with friends, nuts and a few pitons.

The central part of 1000-meter SE face of Oman’s Jabal Mishtwith new Slovenian route (white line). Left Make love not war (F7b), right Shukran (VII)

First day after arrival we used to inspect the wall and to bring rack and water to the base of the face. The weather was good, windy and not too hot. Next morning began with the problem: alarm clock on our (both) mobiles were set on central European time, so we woke up at 6 instead of 3 o’clock in the morning. We ran up to the face and began the climb at about 8:30, soloing first 100 m of the route (up to UIAA grade V).

Under the wall

Base camp

Rock was excellent, with holds even at most unexpected places. 3 long pitches (80 m rope) we continued straight up to the big roofs where we decided to traverse right (“yellow pitch”). White rock on the left side was much worse, and there was no evident way through the overhangs. At the end of traverse we found excellent brown limestone again, and after the steep slab (VII-) we continued up and slightly to the left for some excellent and beautiful pitches.

Soloing the dihedral above the ledge in lower part

From the big ledge about 250 m below the top we soloed again, for some pitches probably also following the logical exit of Empty Quarter (Ramsden-Eastwood, 2000). We reached the top just in time, still in the daylight.

The wall

Below the roofs

After a tiresome night descent (1300 altitude meters) to the other side of the mountain there was no car waiting for us, so we started to walk the road 25 km around the mountain. It was shortened for some kilometers thanks to friendly local with the car. In the middle of the night we reached our basecamp again.

The yellow pitch

Climbing the upper part of the face

The route takes line between routes Make love not war (F 7b sports route, bolted, Richter, Wunsche, T.Kohbach, P.Kohbach, Fischer 2003) and Shukran (VII, 1000м, Gargitter-Trenkwalder 2006). Climbing in the face of Jebel Misht was a real pleasure, thanks to fine weather, logical line and perfect limestone.

At the top of Jebel Misht

In the next days (I spent in Oman a week, my 3 friends are still there) we discovered some areas for sports climbing and deep water soloing.