A group of hiking enthusiasts – one of the biggest in the history of Desert Fellas hikes – gathered in the picturesque Wadi Sahm. But this time it was not about the wadi but a ridge of peaks surrounding it. Our objective was Jebel Raham visible in the distance.

We started on time with a vigorous ascent of 470 m – of which the first 250 m were fairly steep. For the ascent, we choose the northern, shaded side of the mountain to limit the sun exposure. It is still January – yet on a sunny day the temperature builds up quickly to 26 deg C – fairly warm for a hike.
A quick ascent always takes a lot of energy and it is a test of endurance. There were moments of hesitation – but closer we got to the summit, the motivation and stamina were increasing. After 1,5 hour our entire group of 11 hikers reached the summit of Jebel Raham. We were rewarded with nice views: to the east Fujairah plain and Indian Ocean in the distance, to the west the monumental Western Hajar (or Shumayliyyah) mountains.
After some 15 min of rest, we started our descent on the southern side of the mountain, enjoying the views and catching rays as the sun started to operate intensively. Some technical rocky terrain in the lower part of a descent required focus and attention. The group stretched along the path as hikers matched the speed of descent with individual capabilities in this demanding part of the hike. All reached the parking in the wadi, with the total trip time of 3 hours and in excellent spirits, though some of us definitely tired. We closed a full loop of almost 7 km, reaching a peak of 790 above the sea level, enjoying a great variety of terrain, excellent weather and memorable views.
Without the necessity to inflate tires in our vehicles, we had bonus time to get some rest and to share impressions from the hike – the most demanding among DF hikes so far – but equally rewarding.
Big thanks to all the participants, especially to those colleagues who recently started experience with Desert Fellas.