GUNUNG · Algeria

Djebel Chélia

جبل شيليا (Jabal Shīliyā)

Djebel Chélia (2.328 m) berselimut salju di Pegunungan Aurès, Aljazair — pemandangan gunung, foto Wikimedia Commons. Photo: source

Information

Elevation: 2.328 m
Country: Algeria (DZ)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Aurès (Atlas Sahara), perbatasan Provinsi Khenchela–Batna, Aljazair timur
Mountain type: Puncak lipatan batu kapur (non-vulkanik) — titik tertinggi Pegunungan Aurès dan puncak tertinggi kedua Aljazair setelah Tahat
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 35.3183, 6.6375
Difficulty: Sedang — pendakian jalan kaki dari desa Yabous sepanjang ±8 km menembus beberapa zona ekosistem; perlu kondisi fisik baik, tanpa kesulitan teknis. Dari sisi barat ada piste tanah 7,6 km dengan beda tinggi ±559 m dari Col de Bouhmama.
Best Season: April–Juni dan September–November paling nyaman untuk berjalan kaki. Puncak tertutup salju rutin dari akhir November sampai akhir Februari/awal Maret — indah, tetapi jalur dan piste bisa tak bisa dilalui.
Permits & Rules: Tidak ada izin pendakian berbayar, tetapi kawasan berada di dalam Taman Nasional Chélia sehingga aturan taman berlaku. Disarankan menghubungi pusat penerimaan taman di Arris untuk peta jalur dan kondisi akses terbaru, serta memakai pemandu lokal Chaoui untuk menjangkau bagian terpencil.
Hazards: Salju dan es tebal di punggungan tinggi pada musim dingin membuat jalur serta piste tak bisa dilalui hingga akhir musim semi, dan jalan di atas ±1.500 m bisa tertutup. Musim panas panas ekstrem (>40 °C) dengan sedikit titik air. Batu kapur lepas dan debu licin di piste; hujan badai gunung mengubahnya jadi lumpur dan memicu banjir bandang. Di puncak tidak ada sinyal seluler maupun bantuan teknis.

Description

Djebel Chélia (2,328 m) — whose main summit is named Ras Kelthoum — is the highest point of the Aurès Mountains and the second-highest peak in Algeria after Tahat in the Hoggar. Straddling the border of Khenchela and Batna provinces in eastern Algeria, it is a folded limestone summit of the Saharan Atlas system, not a volcano. Its slopes are cloaked in ageing Atlas cedar forest (Cedrus atlantica) and erosion-sculpted rocky ridges, making it one of the natural emblems of Khenchela Province (the cedar even appears on the provincial coat of arms). Chélia is the most regularly snow-capped peak in Algeria: from late November to early March its summit lies under thick snow, with frozen waterfalls and snow-laden cedars lending it a 'Siberian' feel in North Africa. The standard hike departs from the village of Yabous or Bouhmama along a moderate 4–5 hour walking trail that gradually opens up panoramas of the green Aurès valleys and Chaoui Berber villages on the lower slopes; on clear days the Sahara is visible to the south and the Constantine highlands to the north. The area is also steeped in history: the Aurès mountains were one of the flashpoints of the Algerian Revolution and a key theatre of the independence struggle.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Via Bouhmama (pendekatan sisi barat Khenchela)

Sedang (non-teknis; navigasi lebih perlu perhatian di bagian yang tidak berpatok)

1 hari; piste tanah 7,6 km dengan beda tinggi ±559 m dari Col de Bouhmama

An alternative approach from the Bouhmama area west of Khenchela town. From the Col de Bouhmama an unpaved track runs 7.6 km, gaining about 559 m, up to the now-abandoned military and telecom buildings on the summit. The surface is loose, dusty limestone that turns to mud in mountain storms, and the upper section is often impassable from late November until late spring because of snow. There is no waymarking and no mobile coverage up top — carry enough water, and a local Chaoui guide is strongly advised.

Source

Via Yabous → Ras Kelthoum (rute klasik)

Sedang (non-teknis; trek berjalan kaki melewati hutan cedar dan punggungan berbatu)

1 hari (pulang-pergi); ±4–5 jam berjalan menuju puncak

The most common route starts from the village of Yabous in Khenchela Province. The trail climbs gradually through Atlas cedar forest and rocky slopes over roughly 4–5 hours to the main summit, Ras Kelthoum (2,328 m). As you ascend, panoramas of the green Aurès valleys and Chaoui Berber villages open up; on clear days the Sahara is visible to the south and the Constantine highlands to the north. Difficulty is moderate in the dry season (May–October) but becomes far harder and hazardous when the summit is snow-covered (late November–March), requiring winter gear. Starting before dawn for the sunrise and carrying warm clothing is recommended, as temperatures drop quickly at altitude.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Djebel Chélia (Ras Kelthoum summit, 2,328 m) is the high point of the Aurès range and Algeria's second-highest peak after Tahat in the Hoggar, straddling the Batna–Khenchela wilaya border. It lies inside Chélia National Park and is known for its old Atlas cedar stands, holm oak and Aleppo pine. The classic walking approach starts from the village of Yabous, roughly 8 km winding through several ecosystem belts at moderate difficulty; on the western side an unpaved 7.6 km track with about 559 m of gain climbs from Col de Bouhmama to the abandoned military and telecom buildings on the summit. Chélia is the Algerian peak most regularly covered in snow — cover typically lasts from late November to late February or early March — so the best walking window is April–June and September–November. There is no mobile coverage or rescue infrastructure at the top, so carry your own water and layers. The French- and Arabic-language vlogs below capture both faces of the mountain: green valleys and ancient cedars in the warm season, and the snowbound ridges that draw Aurès locals in winter.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.