Jebel Jais, Mountain summit in Musandam Governorate, Oman
The summit sits at 1,934 meters above sea level, making it the highest point in the north-western Hajar range along the border between Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Rocky slopes of layered stone stretch down into deep wadis and cliffsides that drop sharply toward the valleys below.
The range formed roughly 70 million years ago when continental plates collided near the Arabian-Eurasian boundary. These tectonic movements shaped the folded layers and steep formations visible today.
The mountain holds traditional importance for Bedouin communities who inhabited the surrounding areas, maintaining connections to their historical nomadic lifestyle.
Temperatures at the top run about 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than in surrounding areas, with winter readings sometimes dipping to minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). Proper clothing and an early start help visitors make the most of favorable weather conditions.
The rocks here contain fossils and sediments that record transformations of the Arabian Peninsula over long geological spans. Careful observers can spot fossilized marine deposits in some of the exposed layers.
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