The route is very logical, with good belay station points and solid rock. Most of the cracks on it are flaring, but the friction is good, so it makes up for it. This was the perfect route for us to learn more about crack climbing, because we have no chance to learn on our native rocks. Our rocks (mountains in Russia) have pockets, edges and flakes, but cracks (especially parallel ones) rarely can be found. The techniques used for crack climbing are very cool, but our joints afterwards were burning and we know we left some skin jammed into the holds!

The most exciting routes that I can remember were Passover on Jebel Farra (around V+/VI+, 14 pitches) a vertical off-width crack with an overhanging part at the top while changing corners. Penthouse (V/V+/A1) was like climbing through the “window” in the ceiling on the same Jebel. The route Klosterporn (V+/VI-/around 18 pitches) on Jebel Safsafa, was the real deal – aka hardcore trad climbing. There also was Direct Start (V+/VI+) with good friction, but without any holds on the slab; Diamond Depression (IV+/V+); Papa Jovany (V+), a classic route on Jebel Safsafa; our AAA (VI/VI+) 5.12-climbing on Jebel Batta; and many, many others.