The summit was over 1,200 meters high accessible thru a route with a 20-meter ascend via crevices where climbers squeeze themselves and reach for tiny holes and corners to get up.
DUBAI: Some 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) belonging to mountaineering groups in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) recently got together and climbed Wadi Shah in RAK to raise awareness about cancer in what had been the biggest outdoor adventure event thus far organized by Pinoys.
Named, “Fight and survived: beat cancer,” the event was put together by the Filipino Outdoor Xplorers – UAE or FOX.AE and participated in by the UAE MTB Jumeirah and various Filipino mountaineering clubs.
“The original plan was to climb Jebel Qada-ah,” said Engr. Frankie Boton of the UAE MTB Jumeirah, “but because there were a lot of newbies, we changed the plan.”
The big group trekked Wadi Shah instead, which is popular among mountaineering and hiking groups for its steep slopes, deep canyons, caves and crevices, vertical climbs and gorges.
The mountaineers established base camp near the Jebel Jais Ferrata zipline in the evening of Jan. 18, lighted out at 1:am Jan. 19; had breakfast and prepated packed lunch at 8am then started trekking the Wadi Shah traverse route by 9am to arrive at the summit at around 1:30pm. Descend started at around 6pm.
“Sa pinakamahirap na part ng trails ay may an estimated height of 20 meters na purely climbing lang sa mga pagitan sa mga biyak ng bundok. May kweba din kaming dinaanan na kailangan mong sumampa at sumuksok para makalagpas.
“Meron din kaming na daanan na bukal Sa taas ng bundok na ginawan na ring parang aquarium at may mga isda,” said Boton. (Contributed photos)
