Nahal Levona
The 2nd rappelling
The route type:
Rappelling trip.
The canyon is dry all the year round but be wary about floods during winter rains.
Attention: this route is not on
the list of officially allowed rappelling routes. Take it into the account while making your decision.
Getting there:
Generally speaking, nahal
Levona (the name is not official) is a north
tributary of nahal Mor.
"Maale Mor"
ascent, marked with red marks, starts from the road number 90: 6.7 km after
Masada turn-off (for those coming from the north) or 7.0 km after the turn-off
to Ein Bokek hotels (for
those coming from the south). There is a large flat area suitable for parking
just at the start of "Maale Mor".
Follow the red marks of Maale Mor that leads to the main plateau of the Judean
Desert (the gain is about 250m). Once on the plateau, turn left onto the trail
marked with black marks. The first wadi to be crossed
by the black trail is nahal Levona.
Provide 1 hour for the approach.
Leave the black trail and cut to the
obvious drop leading into the canyon. Almost immediately you come to the edge
of the first fall.
It seems possible to bypass it on the right side traversing long scree slope but we chose to rappel.
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Approaching nahal Levona |
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Route description:
There are 3 rappels in this canyon
R1. 12m (vertical, 2m of an overhang,
then vertical)
There are lots of cracks near the edge allowing
good natural anchoring. *
As mentioned above a long bypass from the
right seems possible as well.
There are loose rocks on
the wall in places, be careful while rappelling.
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On the edge of the 1st dry fall |
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The R1 rappelling station |
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The R1 rappel |
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The R1 rappel |
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The edge of the next dry fall is in 250m from the foot of the first rappel. The rappelling station R2 is located on a flat rocky pedestal left of the main channel.
R2.
12m (vertical)
There are two threaded sleeves with no
bolts on the flat rocky pedestal mentioned above. We left a bolt with a hanger
in one of them. There are many options for natural anchoring around the
pedestal and in the channel, but bring enough ropes to leave. *
There are lots of loose rocks on the wall, be
careful while rappelling.
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Approaching the R2 rappelling station |
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The R2 rappelling station |
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The R2 rappel |
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The R2 rappel |
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450m of continuous bouldering brings you
to a narrowing which ends at the next dry fall.
On the way to the third dry fall:
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R3.
24m (sloped)
There is one spit bolt with a carabiner placed in the left wall of the main channel. *
There are number of cracks in the vicinity of the bolt allowing natural anchoring.
Use them to reinforce your station.
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The R3 rappelling station |
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The R3 rappel |
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The R3 rappel |
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Walk down the canyon
through boulders for some 370m till the place where nahal
Levona inflows into nahal
Mor.
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The confluence of nahal Mor (left) with nahal Levona (right) |
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Walk down the wide canyon of nahal Mor
for about 1km to the main road and then – back to the car.
***** - The only one of its kind. A "must
do" trip!
**** - Very interesting, highly recommended!
***
- Pretty nice route.
**
- Inexpressive one.
*
- Do it if you have nothing to do...