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This cache, should, proove easy to find for those who walk to the top. 500m of accent in about 1 - 1.5km with fabulous views of the capital area means that this is an excellent day out.
This is a good cache for an afternnon or morning trip from the Muscat Capital Area. To those who know arabic the title should give the location away.
Drive to the Bowsher area and park at N23° 33.894 E058° 25.676 under the pylon lines or in this area.
The route, up and down, is as follows:
WHITE MOUNTAIN
Approach
The walk starts 9km (15 minutes) from the roundabout signposted Al Ghubbrah - Bawshar, on the main Muscat to As Seeb road. Turn left at the roundabout towards the mountains. At the next roundabout, after about 200 metres, turn right into AI Ghubbrah Street.
Continue along this road up to the sand dunes. The road sweeps round running more or less parallel to the mountains, past the Gala Golf Course. Five kilometres from the AI Ghubbrah-Bawshar roundabout is a sign, to the left, for Al Fath and the Social Houses at Bawshar.
Ignore the right turn to Al Fath. The White Mountain is up to the right. Follow the tarmac all the way to the village. Skirt round the village on its right-hand side. There's a water tower on the right as you come round the back of the village, on the side of the mountains. The tarmac cuts back left. Carry straight on the dirt road past the tower, at 8.8km, keeping in tight to the fence round the tower.
As you come round right you pick up a track climbing up towards the hill, under some electric power lines. Park just up the hill near the entrance to the wadi, above a large concrete culvert on a flat platform area on the left bank of the wadi. It's also possible to park well up to the right behind a mound where there's been a lot of earth removal and excavation. Wherever you park, make your way up to the right (west) to a flat area behind the mound to start the walk.
Walk
The route is up a bouldery slope rising directly to the south from the end of the track. You will see a couple of very large boulders about 10-15 metres higher up on the slope, which you pass as you climb. The ground is quite loose and rocky and is criss-crossed by goat tracks. Pick your way, zigzagging steeply up to the south, aiming for the right side of the large boulders.
Just beyond, you come to a brow and the ground flattens. Ahead there is a shallow gully leading up to a col at a shoulder in the ridge above you. The high point of the ridge is up to the right of the col.
Continue straight up to the depression, again following vague goat tracks. At the base of the gully go over to the right-hand side and up towards a cliff which juts out. Pass under these rocks on an obvious path, avoiding the small step in the wadi.
Stay on the right side of the wadi, scrambling up with your hands in a couple of places, up shaly slabs. After gaining about l00m of altitude from the bottom of the wadi, the angle lessens and you are led in towards the centre of the wadi. Before long you will find it easier going on the more stable rock up on the left-hand side of the wadi.
Just before the top, move back into the centre of the depression and up to the col. Reach this after approximately 250 metres of ascent, which should take ½ to ¾ hr. As you walk through the col you can see the summit ridge leading straight ahead.
There is a well-marked path at this point in a small valley just down from the high point of the ridge to the right, which continues up towards the summit, slightly west of south. The route climbs only slightly at this point, on the left flank of the ridge with views into the deep craggy wadi down to the left (which provides a possible descent route).
After _ couple of hundred metres you are led up to a broad saddle up on the ridge to the right, from where you can see through to the west, towards As Seeb. The route now continues south up the ridge (sometimes slightly on the right) to the summit. It is steep but there is no scrambling.
There are one or two false crests and after about ¾ km you will come to a large tower cairn. Beyond, the ridge flattens along the final section of the ridge, which is reached after a further ¾ km. It will take 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours to reach this great vantage point with views of the coast and over into the Al Amerat (Sayh Hatat) Bowl to the south.
CACHE:
The cache is within 50-60m of the summit and should not be to difficult to find. It is in a brown ammo tin and contained the following when placed:
A glue stick
A disposable camera (please do not take away but please do take a picture, or two)
x4 AA batteries
A 'virtual' alarm clock for the batteries (I forgot to put it in today but will the next time I'm uo there)
A Ball of string.
AND
For those who know H Hudson or have read is post for Cancer, you'll undertand. There is a packet of H's own ciggatetes and his own lighter. 'Sorry H I lifted them from the mess'. So for all you smokers - enjoy ;-)
Descent
The easiest way back is the way you came, but it is also possible to drop down to the right from a saddle about 1/4km north from the summit and into the wadi running down on the east side of the mountain. There is a gully running down from the saddle and the easiest (though still quite steep) descent is on either side of this over loose rocks.
At the bottom of the slope head off down the first gully leading you into the descent wadi to the north. The upper part meanders gently amongst vegetation but as you descend the going becomes more arduous and involves some scrambling so only take this route if you are sure of foot and have a head for heights.
But if you are of the right temperament, and have good quality shoes/boots on, it's a great adventure - boulder hopping, scrambling down rock walls and around deep swirl pools. You will arrive through a final choke in the wadi down to the right of the parking place where you started, about 1 ½ hours from the summit.
This is an excelent trip, however, if there is any chance of rain do not take the wadi route off as it would be trecherous.
Enjoy.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)