Last weekend we went on a faculty trip to Mount Sinai.  After a 9 hour bus ride through barren, empty, desert, along the eastern coast of Egypt and across the Sinai Peninsula, we made it to Dahab where the best thing about our hotel was the coral reef meters from our room.  Another 2 hour bus ride through a forbidding landscape of rocky terrain and craggy mountains and we arrived at St. Catherine’s Monastery which is located at the base of Mt. Sinai.

Climbing Mt. Sinai was an amazing experience.  We began climbing in the afternoon.  Most visitors make the journey in the middle of night, climb in the dark, and reach the peak at dawn.  While that sounds lovely and majestic, I can’t imagine how I would have kept my footing in the dark.  However, with the path ahead visible in the blinding midday sun, I can understand how climbing in the dark might have its benefits.  Regardless, the views were incredible in the afternoon sun.

Thank goodness for these little shops.  Along our trail, they came to be known as “the high five stations” (as dubbed by the kids in our group).  There were several of these stands along the path to the top which was very convenient so we didn’t have to carry our entire supply of water with us.  Also handy for moment of delirium when eating a Twix in the million degree heat seems like a good idea.

Most of the path was a gradually sloping trail.  But the final ascent to the mountain top requires climbing 700 rough hewn steps, so by the time your legs are starting to hurt, it’s time to hit the endless flight of stairs.  Fortunately the views just got better and better and that was good motivation to keep going.  Just when I thought I needed a break, I passed someone making their way down who said “Two more minutes!”  What a relief!

Here we are at the top.

Looking toward the west, the view was mountainous and rocky.

To the east, it was an entirely different view.

This is the chapel at the top.

If you look close, you’ll see a man herding his flock.  Not sure what the goats have to eat around here.

I still don’t know what I think about the fact that we had cell reception on top of Mt. Sinai.  It was cool to be able to share live photos with family, but a little weird for sure.

On the hike down, we decided to take the road less traveled, a path of steep rocky steps that promised a shorter route.  The path is actually one of the earlier paths up the mountain and is 3,750 steps known as the “steps of penitence”.  For the most part, it wasn’t too treacherous.  It also provided some of the most spectacular views and access to some interesting sites.

We passed through a beautiful area called Elijah’s Basin.

Our guide had informed us that he goes up and down Mt. Sinai about three times a week and has been doing so for fifteen years.  I guess that explains why he’s juggling rocks.

Exiting the basin, we passed through an old stone arch.

And we came to a small church nestled in the rocks.

Once we were able to see St. Catherine’s Monastery in the distance, we knew we were close, and when we were able to hear the camels at the base of the mountain making their strange camel sounds, we knew we were really close.  Here is our path:

See it?

It was truly an incredible experience: awe-inspiring, spiritual, majestic, and exhausting.  Whenever I felt like the path ahead was daunting, I imagined what it would have been like for Moses to climb Mt. Sinai without a path, without convenient little rest stops, without protection from the heat and sun.  And it is amazing to think of all of the people who have climbed this mountain since then, making the journey to this sacred site.

I hope we have a chance to return before we leave Egypt.