Go back to Mauritania.
Go back to Ben Amera Day One.
The Lost Arrow.
On day two, we drove some 7km to the nearby Ben Aicha and climbed its 6 pitch The Lost Arrow (5a) route, opting to rap the line instead of pushing for the summit and scrambling off. Easy climbing, if somewhat repetitive, but with good views of Ben Amera across the desert.
Our days in the area would follow a similar pattern: climb early in the morning (and enjoy some sweet tea at the base right afterwards), do a bit of local desert exploring, have a huge lunch back in camp, try to keep cool and avoid the desert flies in the afternoon, maybe do an evening run to the village for a bit of internet and to juice the phones, and have a huge dinner back in camp. Those evening dinners provided some of the highlights of the trip as we’d sit around and shoot the breeze with Dah and Mohammed who was actually our primary babysitter and who was providing the translation services.
Photos
A dusty morning in camp (Nov. 2024).
Our camp at the foot of Ben Amera as we start the 7km drive to Ben Aicha (Nov. 2024).
At the base of Ben Aicha and about to do the short approach to the start of The Lost Arrow route (Nov. 2024).
Dah and Shirley nearing the start of The Lost Arrow (Nov. 2024)
Leading pitch 1 of The Lost Arrow (Nov. 2024).
More pitch 1 (Nov. 2024).
Shirley on pitch 1 (Nov. 2024).
Views from the first belay. A windy and therefore dusty day (Nov. 2024).
Arriving at the first belay (Nov. 2024).
Leading pitch 2 of The Lost Arrow (Nov. 2024).
Shirley on pitch 2 (Nov. 2024).
Ben Amera as seen from the second belay (Nov. 2024).
A closer look (sort of; Nov. 2024).
Pitch 2 (Nov. 2024).
Arriving at the second belay (Nov. 2024).
Leading pitch 3 (Nov. 2024).
Shirley following pitch 3 (Nov. 2024).
Views from the third belay (Nov. 2024).
More of Shirley on pitch 3 of The Lost Arrow (Nov. 2024).
We combined pitch 4 with the short pitch 5 (Nov. 2024).
Shirley on pitches 4 and 5 (Nov. 2024).
Nearing the top of the route (Nov. 2024).
Views from the top of the route (Nov. 2024).
Taking some care on the rappels (lots of flakes and pretty low angle terrain). Dah’s car is visible as well (Nov. 2024).
There is Dah and his truck (Nov. 2024).
Shirley rapping down the route (Nov. 2024).
Shirley and I on (probably rapping) The Lost Arrow. Photo by Dah (Nov. 2024).
Post climb tea near the base (Nov. 2024).
The large slab on Ben Aicha that is home to The Lost Arrow (Nov. 2024).
A calf rolling session in the tent (Nov. 2024).
Heading over to the cafeteria tent for some chow (Nov. 2024).
Hanging out with the boys in the desert (Nov. 2024).
Ready for a night out in the village (Nov. 2024).
Sid Ahmed about to bake a loaf of traditional bread in the ambers in the sand (Nov. 2024).
Almost ready (Nov. 2024).
Go to Ben Amera Day Three.
Go back to Mauritania.