In numbers: This is the highest peak in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi mountain climbing union has revealed the highest mountain peak in Saudi Arabia, after more than five hours of work by a team of Saudis and Americans.

The head of operations in the Saudi union, Majed al-Naji, spoke to Al Arabiya saying that the Saudi mountain climbing union formed a team of experts from the United States that have experience in determining highest peaks in different countries, in addition to a local team of Saudi climbers, to end the debate on the highest peak in Saudi Arabia.

After measurements in the highlands of Asir, Mount Ferwa was announced as the highest peak in the kingdom.

Al-Naji said: “All previous information we had suggested that the highest point in the kingdom was in ‘Sawda Mountains’, that’s why we hosted this team, including the brothers Mathew and Eric Gilbertson, in the first official activity of the climbing union.”

The Gilbertson brothers aim to climb the highest mountains in every country. Before coming to Saudi Arabia, they visited more than 110 countries to measure the highest peak, using accurate devices after personally climbing the mountains.

The brothers use a special device that works on the GNSS system and on special satellites different than the GPS system making their measurements accurate with error ratio not exceeding 10 cm.

According to the measurements that the Gilbertson brothers did, the Union concluded that Mount Ferwa is 3009 meters higher than the sea level, while the highest point in Sawda Mountain was 3007 meters higher than the sea level.

The Saudi climbing union aims to widen the base of climbers in the kingdom and support the local talents to represent Saudi Arabia in sport events all around the world, in addition to initiating events and activities that involve society in the sport of climbing.