A stone's throw from the village of Rum, on one of Jebel Rum's large east-facing walls, a sort of golden pillar forms the fingers of an enormous hand, its palm resting against the rock. In the middle, climbing up a magnificent fissure, is the Goldfinger, a classic route, short enough to be climbed in the afternoon, after the sun has passed over to the west, offering a very fine climb in the shade with a splendid view of the village and, behind it, the Um Ishrin jebel and its multiple towers. This is a trad route, with no equipment in place other than belays for rappelling from the top. The second pitch, in a sinuous vertical crack, is brilliant and well worth the detour.
Technical summary
Access to the place
Rum can be reached on the road from Ma'an to Aqaba in southern Jordan. About 30 km before Aqaba, fork left (make a half-turn further on before you can turn off) and follow the small road that plunges through sandstone massifs to the village. On the right are the walls of Jebel Rum, on the left Um Ishrim. Park in the parking lot in front of the resthouse at the entrance to the village on the right.
Map & topo
Itinerary description
Hiking to the start
It's a straightforward route heading towards the large east wall of Jebel Rum, on sight up to the foot of the large, easily recognizable hand. To avoid the uninteresting 1st pitch in III, climb to the left to reach the foot of the route one or 2 storeys above and start with L2.
Course
Opened in 1986, the route faces due east and is around 160m long in 5 pitches (40m, 40m, 20m, 35m, 25m). Easy route to follow, easy to protect, with a full set of friends, doubling the smaller ones up to 0.75, and a full set of jammers for the crack at L4. The maximum level is 6a/6a+ in the middle of the crack.
L1 (40m, III)
Avoidable by going left (not done).
L2 (40m, IV+)
Climb up a sloping dihedral with a small step at the start and at the end to a hole under some boulders, a little below the upper walls.
L3 (20m, III+)
Climb above the boulders, then cross under the walls to the right to reach the foot of the crack, and a closed dihedral just beside it forming a large V.
L4 (35m, 6a/6a+)
Set off between the left dihedral and the right crack, securing your right hand in the crack (perfect ropes!). Take a few fine V+ steps before crossing a tricky pitch to reach the right-hand crack. The next 5m at least is fine and steady, with fingers trapped in the crack and feet on tiny holds in the corners (6a/6a+). The second part is easier in V+ and we finally emerge to finish in III to a small terrace below the final ramp.
L5 (25m, IV+/V)
Follow the ramp and finish straight on just below the top of the pillar at the 1st abseil relay.
Back
This consists of 4 abseils (35m, 15m, 50m, 50m) along the south side of the pillar and then down to the base of the pillar. Return in the opposite direction to the village.
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