Near the lost city of Petra in Jordan is an area known as the Wadi Rum—a red valley featuring ancient riverbeds, rock sculpted by unrelenting winds, and sand so deep that even four-wheel drive vehicles get stuck. In this travelogue aimed at climbers, a group of four elite-level mountaineers (Heidi Wirtz, Chris Kalous, Ben Firth, and Aaron Black) tackle virgin sandstone cliffs. The crumbly composition of sandstone initially makes it tough for the group to find a suitable site, but they finally spot a 1,200-foot vertical wall solid enough to scale and conquer (using a 20 lb. power drill to help set “environmentally friendly” safety bolts). Filmmaker Jean Gamilovskij's The Wadi Rum Expedition, which boasts stunning cinematography capturing beautiful landscapes, spends a lot of time on climbing technique, which makes this more of a film for amateur climbers than armchair travelers. DVD extras include outtakes and bonus clips featuring expedition members. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)
The Wadi Rum Expedition
(2007) 52 min. DVD: $34.95. Hiline Videoworks. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 3
The Wadi Rum Expedition
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