Issue28-April'13 - Copy

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
April 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
LOCATIONS
Oman
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
Last weekend, my wife and I took
some Canadian visitors on a hike that
has been on our “must see” list for
nearly two years. The Chains hike is
located on the north end of the Western
Hajar mountain range.
The name of the hike comes from a set of
chains that must be ascended halfway through
the journey. Rumour has it that the chains
were originally set up by the British military
in the 1920s in order to utilise this area as a
training ground for troops; there is of course
no way to be certain. The trailhead of the
hike is approximately a three-hour drive from
Muscat which, in my opinion, is too far for a
day trip and so it was decided to overnight
nearby. We left Muscat late Thursday morning,
detouring first to the Nakhal Fort and hot
springs, located just south west of Barka. The
fort is a little touristy, but an excellent example
of the many Omani forts speckled throughout
the countryside, while the hot springs provided
a lovely spot for a picnic lunch. We then
continued north past Rustaq towards the Ibri
road before finally turning back towards the
coast. The scenery through this area is always
nice, but becomes particularly stunning after
leaving the main road and heading towards
Al Ghizayn. The roads here wind in and out
around mountains, passing some spectacular
terraced gardens and several small villages.
We passed a few crumbling towers and
a small abandoned mud village offering a
glimpse into the rich history of the country.
Using the off-road Oman book as a reference
for directions, we noticed that many of
the roads in the area had changed and the
suggested camping area now had permanent
residents nearby. Not wanting to camp
near someone’s house, we set off in search
of another campsite. We managed to find a
dirt track off the main road which we followed
before turning up a small wadi, well off the
beaten track, and found a suitable area to settle
for the night. We lucked out that evening
with a brilliant evening sky, an outstanding
view of the Milky Way – just a few of the many
perks of camping in the rural areas.
The following morning, we packed up camp
after breakfast and prepared for the adventure
ahead. As this was our first time doing this
hike, I brought some extra equipment just to
be on the safe side. In my backpack, I carried
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two small ropes along with some slings,
anchors and carabineers along with the usual
gear such as water, snacks, sunscreen, etc.
As the saying goes, “it’s better to have it
and not need it, than need it and not have
it” especially when ascending on gear that
was purportedly assembled in the 1920s. At
the head of the trail, we were met by some
local Omani teenagers who instantly began
leading us up the trail. We assured them that
we didn’t require any assistance, but they
trailed along behind us anyway, offering help
where they could. In the end, they were
quite friendly and helpful, so in exchange,
we offered a few of our extra bottles of water
and a bag of fresh fruit, which they seemed
quite happy with.
The hike itself is not long, approximately
50 minutes each way, but requires some light
bouldering in places and several water crossings.
The canyon is like something out of an
Indiana Jones movie, with smooth, white and
black marble-like rock and massive boulders
poised upright in the emerald green pools
along the canyon. In one section, the walls
become quite narrow and curve inward near
the top of the canyon creating a dramatic
effect. Upon arriving at the chains, a quick
inspection revealed the equipment to be in
excellent shape with several pieces of newer
gear added to the mix (I think it’s unlikely
there is anything remaining from the 1920s).
The chains are about 12m high and are
relatively easy to climb if you’re comfortable
with heights. A few people in our group
weren’t very excited about the prospect of
climbing up, but were encouraged with a
little help from the local Omanis and others
in our group. About 20 minutes beyond the
chains, after passing through the narrowest
section of the canyon, we came to what the
off-road book describes as one of the most
beautiful pools in Oman – it’s not. Don’t
get me wrong, it is a beautiful pool, but the
description in the book made the whole
journey a little anti-climactic. Above the
pool, someone has put some bolts in the
rock for those who would like to continue up
the canyon beyond. At the moment, there
is a rusting piece of rebar tied onto them
with some string. Do not use this to climb
beyond! We took a dip in the pool before
heading back down, which I might add was
more fun than coming up. All in all, this
journey was well worth the trip. Our entire
group enjoyed it thoroughly, even those that
weren’t excited about the climbing!
If you decide to undertake this weekend
adventure, be sure bring all the necessary
supplies/ equipment, and don’t forget to
“leave no trace.” If you’re not comfortable
with bouldering, it would be best to find a
local guide to take you through the area;
there are a few companies offering such
services online.
As we like to say in Canada, get out there,
have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald
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