Jabal Shams – More than 100 members of Oman’s hiking, running and outdoor communities came together at Jebel Shams on Friday for the ‘Trail of Remembrance’, a memorial event honouring the legacy of pioneering Omani mountaineer Nadhira Al Harthy and fellow mountaineers.

The event saw an overwhelming response across both the full summit hike and short memorial hike, bringing together participants of several nationalities and outdoor communities. More than 80 hikers took on the full summit route, covering approximately 24km with over 1,300m of elevation gain on Oman’s highest mountain.

Safety was a major focus throughout the event. Participating clubs conducted a strict screening process for applicants, assessing recent hiking experience, fitness and readiness for the demanding route and exposed mountain conditions. On event morning, summit hikers also underwent mandatory equipment checks before being allowed to start.

Multiple intermediate cut-off and turnaround points were built into the route plan, allowing leaders to make conservative decisions based on timing, weather and individual condition. Himam Adventure Club handled the sweeping responsibilities, remaining behind the groups to ensure that even the final hikers exited the trail safely.

The event began at 6.30am from the Jabal Shams summit base at Sama Jabal Shams Resort, following a short memorial gathering, a minute of silence and the signing of a commemorative Peak Book.

The Peak Book was later placed at the summit as a lasting memorial, allowing future hikers to see it, sign it and leave their own messages and reflections in honour of Nadhira and fellow mountaineers.

Several of Nadhira’s friends travelled to Oman to join the event, with some completing the full summit hike. The wide mix of nationalities represented on the trail reflected the reach of Nadhira’s legacy far beyond Oman and the strong connections she built within the international mountaineering community.

Alongside the summit hikers, participants joined the shorter memorial route, volunteered in event operations, supported safety and logistics.

The event formally concluded by 5pm after confirming all participants had safely exited the routes.

The event was supported by GOTR – Get off the Road, Oman Running Club, RSA, Shaba and Acers & Pacers, together with volunteers, first-aid personnel, photographers, Himam Adventure Club and local partners.

The event also benefited from coordination and support involving local authorities, the Royal Oman Police, Royal Air Force, and Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority, strengthening the overall safety and emergency-response framework around the hike.

The Trail of Remembrance ultimately became more than a mountain hike. It brought together different communities, nationalities and generations around a shared respect for Nadhira’s courage, determination and love for the mountains.