Stolen Mirror | chossclimbers.com

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Summit of Jebel Batta.

A leisurely wake-up on our first morning in St. Catherine as things were chilly at that altitude. The room we had in the camp was OK but, with no insulation in the concrete and brick walls, we were happy to have brought our sleeping bags. A Bedouin guide is required for all those venturing into the hills around St. Catherine (some sort of a national park) and so the three of us, plus Misha and Marina (one of the Ukrainian climbers that Misha would be guiding that day), packed into a cab for a short drive to our first climb. This included by-passing of a police checkpoint. The route for the day was something called Stolen Mirror (6 pitches of mostly easy climbing, IV+) on Jebel Batta. Shirley and I climbed first, followed by Misha and Marina who did a variation of the route. OK climbing with one or two fun pitches culminating on the summit of Jebel Batta. After admiring the views, we hiked down the long way to the village via some scenic valleys.

Photos

Our ride to the first climb of the trip the following morning (Dec. 2020).

By-passing a police checkpoint by heading out into the desert a little early (Dec. 2020).

Social distancing Sinai style (there’s another guy behind me – our Bedouin “guide”). We all held our breaths for the entire 15 minute ride out to the desert. Click photo for a video (Dec. 2020).

Into the desert (Dec. 2020).

Jebel Batta in the background (Dec. 2020).

On the short approach to the climb (Dec. 2020).

Our route, Stolen Mirror, starts up the smaller chimney/gulley system on the right (Dec. 2020).

Cool photo by Marina even if we look like some Mormon rock band cover (Dec. 2020).

Starting up pitch 1 of Stolen Mirror (Dec. 2020).

Shirley topping out on pitch 1 (Dec. 2020).

Pitch 2 of Stolen Mirror (Dec. 2020).

Views from the second belay (Dec. 2020).

Shirley on pitch 2 (Dec. 2020).

Leading pitch 3 (Dec. 2020).

More pitch 3 of Stolen Mirror (Dec. 2020).

Leading pitch 4 – probably the best pitch of the route (Dec. 2020).

Views from high on the route (Dec. 2020).

Higher on pitch 4 (Dec. 2020).

Shirley on – I think – pitch 4 of Stolen Mirror (Dec. 2020).

Shirley topping out on pitch 4 (Dec. 2020).

Jebel Safsafa from Stolen Mirror on Jebel Batta (Dec. 2020).

Starting up pitch 5 of Stolen Mirror. Look at that pretty colored granite (Dec. 2020).

Girls from the village below. Click photo for a video (Dec. 2020).

Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 6 (Dec. 2020).

Shirley on pitch 6 of Stolen Mirror (Dec. 2020).

Shirley arriving on the summit (Dec. 2020).

A wider-angle view (Dec. 2020).

Views of the village in the valley below (Dec. 2020).

Kids playing on the astroturf field down in the valley (Dec. 2020).

Waiting for Misha and Marina on the summit (Dec. 2020).

There they are – arriving on the summit (Dec. 2020).

Some very odd granite and Jebel Safsafa in the background (Dec. 2020).

Shirley and Misha hiking up to the true summit of Batta (Dec. 2020).

Posing on the summit block (Dec. 2020).

Shirley and Marina hiking off (Dec. 2020).

On the scenic hike down back to St. Catherine with our required Bedouin guide in the lead (Dec. 2020).

Sheep and a palm tree on the hike down (Dec. 2020).

Settlements in the valley below (Dec. 2020).

Including a cave dwelling – one of countless we saw (Dec. 2020).

Views during the hike out (Dec. 2020).

Almost back in the village (Dec. 2020).

Another short cab ride (Dec. 2020).

With our Bedouin guide. Click photo for a short video (Dec. 2020).

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