(Back to: Middle East, Oman)
Al Hamra Towers.
Christian Ravier, France
Northwest face of East Al Hamra tower. (1) Zizanie Chez les Fransaouis. (2) En attendant les Lents. (3) Les Becs de Gaz pissaient leur Flamme au clair de lune. Christian Ravier
Ravier Al Hamra Topo
On the first ascent of Les Becs de Gaz pissaient leur Flamme au clair de lune. Al Hamra towers. Christian Ravier
On February 8, 2010, Philippe Hourcle, Luc Pauget, and I put up Les Becs de Gaz pissaient leur Flamme au clair de lune (TD+, 6b+, 180m) on the East Al Hamra Tower. The towers lie in northeast Oman above the old town of Al Hamra, and are reached by a steep 40-minute ascent (two kilometers) up scree slopes. The East and West towers are about one kilometer apart. Our new line is a fine little route on excellent rock to the right of Zizanie Chez les Fransaouis (TD, mainly 5, 6b+ on 5th pitch, 230m, seven pitches, Bruzy-Salle, 2004), and crosses the “classic” of the tower, En attendant les Lents (TD-, 6a with a final pitch crux, 275m, seven pitches, Thierry Renault, free solo, 2004; Renault came back a year later, repeated the route with Nathalie Hanriot, and equipped the belays).
