On February 8, 2010, Philippe Hourcle, Luc Pauget, and I put up Les Becs de Gaz pissaient leur Flamme au clair de lune (180m, TD+, 6b+) 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 (230m, seven pitches, TD, mainly 5, 6b+ on 5th pitch, Bruzy-Salle, 2004), and crosses the “classic” of the tower, En attendant les Lents (275m, seven pitches, TD-, 6a with a final pitch crux, Thierry Renault, free solo, 2004. Renault came back a year later, repeated the route with Nathalie Hanriot, and equipped the belays).

Christian Ravier, France