Читать книгу Mountaineering in the Moroccan High Atlas - Des Clark - Страница 11

INTRODUCTION

The Atlas mountains were described by Pliny, the Roman geographer, as the ‘greatest mountains in all of Africa’. While there may be other contenders for that title, the range certainly offers a huge variety of scenery, culture and terrain to the mountain traveller. There are similarities in some areas to the high Tibetan plains, the South American Andes and even the Scottish glens, but this is a unique range of mountains and a unique mountain people lives within them.

Stretching across Morocco, the Atlas mountains run in an east-north-easterly line into neighbouring Algeria before fading away in Tunisia, and reach their highest altitudes in Morocco. Rising just east of Agadir on the Atlantic coast, they seldom drop below 3000m for most of their time in Morocco and are justifiably called the High Atlas.

Depending on what is judged to be a separate mountain rather than a subsidiary top, there are at least seven mountains that reach over 4000m. The highest of these is Jbel Toubkal at 4167m (jbel = mountain). All of the 4000m peaks are in the Toubkal region apart from one – Ighil Mgoun (4068m), which is situated in a vast tract of upland east of the Tizi n-Tichka (tizi = pass).

Looking at a map of Morocco, you will notice a few other subsidiary ranges. The Anti-Atlas run parallel to the south of the High Atlas, as do the Jbel Sahro further east. The Middle Atlas run in a more north-north-easterly line, and although they sometimes reach over 3000m and are snow covered in winter, they never attain the grandeur of the High Atlas.

Although the High Atlas is predominantly Jurassic limestone, there are significant interruptions at the western end of the range, with volcanic andesites and rhyolites, particularly in the Toubkal region. These weathered volcanic rocks are very fractured and bedded together as loose masses. The visual result in the Toubkal massif is of jagged peaks and steep-sided valleys, with mostly grey masses of scree evident in the summer and early autumn when free of snow cover.

Small ancient glaciers may have existed in the higher cwms, but these have now receded. In fact, there are no glaciers in all of North Africa.

Moving east of the Tizi n-Tichka, rivers have cut down through the soft Permian-Triassic rock to produce deep gorges. Together with huge escarpments, terraced cliffs and flat-topped summits, they are typical of the region, particularly in the Ighil Mgoun and Jbel Maasker areas. Close observations on the summit ridge of Ighil Mgoun reveal many small sea-shell fossils.

Toubkal south cwm route, on the ridge above Tizi Toubkal (Route 24)

European Exploration

The Atlas mountains have been inhabited for thousands of years. Indeed, some rock carvings and engravings could suggest that they have been lived in for some 12,000 years, but exploration by European visitors has taken place only in the past century.

The early explorers in the late 1800s were primarily British. The British botanist and director of the Royal Kew Gardens, Sir Joseph Hooker, and his two companions, Ball and Maw, toured around the Atlas and were the first Europeans to visit the village of Aremd below Toubkal. They were also the first Europeans to climb a 3000m peak – Jbel Gourza, just north of the old TinMal mosque on the Tizi n-Test road. However, when they climbed up to Tizi n-Tagharat (north-east of Jbel Toubkal), they were unable to establish which was the highest point in the Atlas – rather ironic, as they were not too far from Toubkal on this col.

The Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson was in the country in 1889, and, continuing the Scottish theme, RB Cunninghame Graham, a politician-cum-adventurer, travelled and trekked around the southern Atlas region in the 1890s, getting close to Taroudant in disguise before he was discovered and returned to Essaouira on the coast. (At that time, Taroudant was a city forbidden to outsiders.)

Morocco became a French protectorate in 1912 under the Treaty of Fez. Thereafter, the French carried out most of the exploration of the Atlas until the 1960s.

A small group of French alpinists formed the Moroccan High Atlas section of the Club Alpine Français (CAF) in 1922. Shortly afterwards, it was established that Jbel Toubkal was the highest peak in the range. A small party led by the French Lieutenant Marquis de Segonzac climbed the peak in June 1923 and claimed the first ascent. The first British man to climb Jbel Toubkal was Bentley Beetham in 1926, two years after his return from the famous ‘Mallory and Irvine’ expedition to Everest.

Louis Léon Charles Neltner (1903–1985) was a geologist and mountaineer awarded the French Légion d'Honneur for his achievements in the First World War. He was the geologist in the first French expedition to the Karakoram in 1936. He spent more than 20 years exploring the Moroccan High Atlas and Anti-Atlas in both roles – as geologist and mountaineer. The original refuge at the foot of Toubkal was named after him, which is why on some maps the CAF refuge below Toubkal (now called Toubkal refuge) is still marked as the Neltner refuge.

Jacques de Lépiney was one of the leading French Alpinists and climbers in the early 1900s. A founding member of the French Groupe de Haute Montagne (GHM), later joined by other famous climbers such as Pierre Allain, Lépiney made numerous first ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, bouldering routes in Fontainebleau, and undertook many first ascents in the Moroccan High Atlas. He was also instrumental in establishing CAF Maroc. Along with Jean Dresch, he wrote the definitive topographic guide for the Toubkal region in 1938, which remains to this day the best guide to that region (see Appendix A).

View from near Tizi Aguelzim towards Tizi n-Tagharat (Route 9)

Deviation from normal south cwm route on Toubkal (Route 24)

Morocco gained independence from France in 1956, and, with peace in the country, exploration, climbing and trekking in the High Atlas has slowly developed. Notables such as the Scottish climber and write Hamish Brown and the French Michael Peyron have been very active. Between them they completed a number of long-distance traverses and have written extensively about their adventures (see Appendix A). There has been more recent activity by the French on the huge rock walls of Taghia in the east of the range, and the Spanish, principally, have climbed in the Toubkal massif. In addition, in recent winters the climber-camerman Andrew Stokes-Rees has been responsible for some new extreme mixed routes on the 4000m summits in the Toubkal massif. Compared to the Alps, however, the High Atlas range is still very undeveloped, with acres of virgin rock and countless unclimbed snow gullies beckoning.

The Berbers

The Berbers were the original Moroccan settlers, but with the arrival of the Arabs at the end of the seventh century, they lost their dominance. Today, the mountains are their preserve, while in the urban areas there is much more of a mix of Arab and Berber.

After some early Jewish and Christian conversions, the Berbers adopted Islam, but still continue to practise some pre-Islamic beliefs. All mountain villages have at least one mosque. Some of these are just basic house-like structures, the only external hint of their identity being a loudspeaker on the roof to call the faithful to prayer five times a day. The more prosperous villages have a much more elaborate mosque with minaret.

As is the case in many developing countries, rural emigration is prevalent – with young men and husbands leaving their mountain homes for the ever-expanding urban concrete jungles, many with little prospect of a earning a regular wage. Those that do find work either in Morocco or one of the larger European cities can be away from their mountain homes for ten months in the year, sometimes even longer. Playing catch-up with Europe and the West by leap-frogging into the digital age, Morocco is changing fast, particularly in the north of the country. Radical Islam, hashish production for Europe, large numbers of young unemployed graduates and the long-running wrangle in the western Sahara all continue to occupy the energies of King Mohammed VI and his elected government.

Village houses in the Medlawa valley

Away from the valleys in the Ait Bougammez and Toubkal regions, where tourism has brought about steady expansion and a higher standard of living, life in the majority of High Atlas valleys continues as it has done for centuries, but even here changes are afoot. Most accessible villages are now being connected to the national electricity grid, and richer households sport satellite dishes on their rooftops. New pistes (dirt tracks) are being pushed ever higher and further into once remote valleys, and longer-established pistes are being surfaced with tarmac. Travelling in the back of small trucks to and from the nearest town has become the local means of travel, but, tragically, the combination of poorly maintained vehicles and precipitous pistes and roads result in frequent fatalities.

Baking bread in communal village ovens

Despite the Berber people's often meagre possessions, they are on the whole a friendly and welcoming people. Men plough the fields, maintain the irrigation systems, thresh the barley (if mules are still used), build houses and discuss village politics. Women, who will often shy away from (eye) contact, are the carriers in the majority of villages, where they can be seen bearing huge loads of firewood, bundles of barley to be threshed or animal fodder on their backs. This workload, on top of home-making, cooking, making bread, cutting animal fodder, bringing the family cow out to graze and child rearing, generally means that women live shorter lives than men in these villages.

Most children attend school to the age of 12, after which (depending on their gender) family finances and ease of access to second-level schooling dictate who stays at home and who continues their education. Historically, the elder son has continued, while his sisters and younger brothers have helped with home duties, worked in the fields and looked after the sheep and goats. Girls can marry legally from the age of 18, but often they are married younger in an arrangement agreed between the families.

Most mountain villages originated from a core family grouping – indeed, some remain organised on this basis, particularly the more isolated ones. Some valleys have quite a community-based approach to development, while others continue to maintain inter-village rivalries and jealousies. While primary education is freely provided, with most children attending, access to health care – both in terms of financial affordability and physically getting to a clinic or hospital – is much less comprehensive. What would be simple accidents and straightforward injuries in the West can often lead to complicated or tragic outcomes in the mountains.

Language

Until a few years ago the Berber languages could not be taught in schools, but this has changed under the present king, Mohammed VI. A particular valley's relative wealth and isolation will determine whether some of the male inhabitants can speak Moroccan Arabic as well as their native Berber tongue. More educated and travelled men will also speak French. Women from the mountain villages will usually just speak their native Berber tongue.

Berber women carrying firewood

Over the entire High Atlas range there are significant linguistic variations. Tashelhayt is spoken generally west of the Tizi n-Tichka, while Tamazight is spoken more in the eastern part of the range and extends up north into the Middle Atlas. Even within entirely Tashelhayt-speaking areas, there are a lot of regional linguistic differences. To the visitor, it is likely all to sound the same. Useful words and phrases with the most widespread meanings can be found in Appendix B.

Azib Tamsoult, with good example of terracing

Climbers and trekkers in Imlil and the Toubkal region will wonder what the fuss is all about, as many of the local guides, muleteers, hotel owners and refuge staff speak at least a smattering of English. Some will be virtually fluent. Visitors to the Ait Bougammez valley, on the other hand, which is second to Imlil in terms of numbers of tourists, will have to rely on French much more than English. It seems that, while the French have visited both areas, English speakers have largely ignored or not been aware of the Ait Bougammez valley, and this has influenced language acquisition by the locals.

Away from these two regions, the mountain visitor will be fortunate to find a local village man who speaks French. The chances of finding someone able to speak English will be extremely slim. Anyone intending to complete routes in this guidebook that are not in the Toubkal massif would be advised to brush up on their French, as well as to digest some of the useful words and phrases outlined in Appendix B.

Local Customs and Etiquette

In addition to organising paid-for services (accommodation, mules, porterage and so on, which are dealt with separately below), the mountain vistor may well find themselves interacting with villagers in a number of ways, and this can often be the highlight of a trip. Once language issues are dealt with as well as possible, social relations can be helped along by observing some simple guidelines.

Being invited into a home for some mint tea, and possibly food, is a way of glimpsing village life beyond what is seen in the fields. If you accept the offer, upon entering the room where you will take tea, make sure you remove your footwear at the door – or at a minimum the edge of the floor covering. Sitting cross-legged is best so as not to show the soles of your feet. You may take a glass of tea in either hand, but if you are offered anything to eat you should only use your right hand. Sometimes the routine is to offer tea and nuts together, followed by some bread with butter or oil, and even possibly a tajine. In these cases you may be given the opportunity to wash your hands. The host will pour water onto your hands from a kettle over a basin. A towel will then be proffered. When you have eaten enough, be firm but polite. You do not have to finish everything put in front of you! Upon leaving, a small remuneration, although not required, would be gratefully received. Alternatively, some basic first-aid supplies, if needed by the family, would be received with thanks.

Mosque in Amsouzart

Taking photographs can be a tricky business. Cultural sensitivities abound. Often children will ask for their photo to be taken and then expect money or sweets in return. Women will hide their faces, while some men will eagerly pose. If you have enjoyed some tea in a house, you may ask if you can take a photograph of the family. If the answer is no, don't ask again. A good but expensive way to take photographs is with a digital Polaroid camera that prints out the image immediately, so that you can give it to the family. Then take another photo with your main digital camera for your own keeping. If you are intending to return to that same village in a few months' time, offer to take a photograph and have it printed off for them – but do make sure you can keep this promise.

When trekking through a village you may be pestered by local children asking you to take their photo in return for money or a sweet. Alternatively they may ask you for some ‘argent’ (money), ‘bon-bon’ (sweets) or a ‘stilo’ (biro). Without wishing to be over-directional on this issue, the author's advice would be to resist giving sweets, as dental hygiene is aspirational at best in many villages. Children also have enough sugar intake with their mint tea. Money should not be offered, as this only encourages further begging. Biros can be given, but it is best if these are handed in bulk to a school teacher to distribute so that the child is encouraged to attend school! Balloons are good, as are bubble-blowing products, but again gifts such as these should really only be handed out to children of families that you have already had some dealings with.

Alcohol consumption in a village should be avoided, whether you are staying in a family house or a gite, as this can lead to much offence or misunderstanding at best. The Tarkeddit refuge below Mgoun sometimes sells wine and beer, but neither of the two refuges below Toubkal do. Some parties do bring their own bottles of wine or spirits with them, but consumption in both of the Toubkal refuges is often rather ‘undercover’ and not encouraged by the guardians. Overall it is best to forget alcohol while in the mountains – if nothing else it will mean you can promise yourself a beer on your return to Marrakech!

Dress code on the whole in Morocco is conservative, but not nearly as strict as some Middle Eastern countries. Marrakech is fast becoming a big modern cosmopolitan city with a wide range of dress sensibilities. You will see everything from teenage girls with long, uncovered hair riding scooters and motorbikes and wearing European-style clothes to fully veiled women accompanying their husbands around town. Westerners adopt different practices with regard to clothing. However, even in Marrakech (and more so in other towns) it is advisable to let modesty prevail. In mountain areas, and in particular those valleys away from Imlil and Ait Bougammez where visitors are less common, an even more conservative attitude prevails.

In the mountain villages, Berber women dress practically for working in the fields, but always wear a headscarf, typically knotted in the front. A Western woman staying in a village for a night or more will feel more comfortable, and less gazed at, if she has some form of head covering, loose-fitting full-length trousers, and most (if not all) of her arms covered. A big ‘no-no’ is to go outside with wet hair – for example, just after a shower.

As usual, men have it easy and can wear pretty much what they want. Shorts, if it's the season for them, are regarded as tourist clothing, so if you want to blend in a bit more, keep them in your rucksack until you are above village level.

Building Styles

Approaching a Berber village, with its flat-roofed houses built entirely of earth that overlook a patchwork of irrigated green terraced fields, visitors will be strongly reminded that they are not in Europe. It is these villages, more than anything, that give the High Atlas their unique identity.

Traditionally all village buildings were constructed from local materials such as mud, stone and pisé (mud compacted and dried in a wooden-frame shuttering). However, the materials are changing to cement and concrete in the western villages particularly, where there is easier transport access from nearby towns. Nevertheless, the majority of villages still retain traditional building methods, which have the advantage over concrete in that earth houses are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The disadvantages are that they require ongoing maintenance, particularly after the winter rains.

Generally, the further east in the range that you travel, the more striking the building styles become. Straightforward flat-roofed houses in the west give way to tall fortified houses (kasbahs), often with tapering walls and projecting corners. In addition, remains of fortified granaries (agadir) can be seen in many parts, particularly in Ait Bougammez, where at the eastern end of the valley there is a particularly fine example that may be visited.

Kasbah Ait Ben Moro, Skoura

House in Ait Bougammez

In times of inter-tribal tensions, kasbahs allowed entire families and their livestock to shelter inside, while agadirs could store an entire valley's grain harvest as well as providing some accommodation.

Plants and Flowers

Although first impressions of the mountain landscape may be of barrenness, there is a variety of vegetation at differing altitudes within the range.

Cultivated olive trees can grow up to about 1300m, principally in the western end of the range. Almond trees, while common in the Anti-Atlas to the south, are not as widespread as walnut trees, which are the main cash crop for some villages. Cherry trees are grown in valleys north and south of Toubkal, while apples are cultivated in large numbers notably in the Asni/Imlil, Ait Bougammez and Ayyachi/Maasker regions. The endemic argan tree is found in the far western reaches of the range, as is a cactus plant (Opuntia ficus-indica) that produces a yellowy-red ‘prickly pear’ which is harvested and sold in the local towns for eating.

Above village level, the juniper, hardy pine conifers and stunted oak trees are commonly found. The Atlas cedar is found only in the north-eastern extremities of the High Atlas, but it continues into the Middle Atlas where it is much more widespread.

Thorny scrub abounds up to 3500m, which often prevents trekkers finding suitable camping places.

Flower life is limited to a few weeks in late spring. The most widespread flower is the poppy, which, when seen in a vibrant green field of young barley with a snowy mountain massif in the background, is a stunning sight. Crocus, scilla, asphodelus, arbutus, wormwood and myrtle are common.

Wildlife

Wildlife is reasonably sparse. Deforestation and overgrazing by sheep and goats are threatening the future of many of native animals. Boar are not uncommon at village level and even up to 2750m, where their foraging may be evidenced by the top layer of soil having been disturbed in large areas. The Barbary ground squirrel will be seen disappearing as you approach. Wild mouflon are rare but do exist in the Toubkal region. Wildcat and lynx are diminishing fast.

Birdlife, however, abounds, and indeed the whole country is a very rewarding destination for a bird-watching holiday. Species endemic to North-West Africa are Moussier's redstart, Barbary partridge and the Levaillant's green woodpecker. Specific to a wider area of North Africa is the Mourning wheatear and White-crowned wheatear.

White storks may be seen throughout the country, nesting on the most precarious-looking structures. Choughs and Alpine choughs are common, in particular around the Toubkal refuges. Rollers and bee-eaters are late spring/early summer visitors, while hoopoe and jay are seen year-round in the lower forested hillsides. Keep an eye out for the shy Black-crowned tchagra at lower altitudes. A number of species of owl can be seen, given the right habitat – Tawny, Little and Eagle owls are all present in the mountains.

Meadows in springtime, Ait Bougammez

Lammergeier above Toubkal refuges

The High Atlas are also the ideal terrain for raptors – the reward for many bird-spotting mountaineers. Falcons such as the kestrel, Barbary falcon and Lanner falcon; the Long-legged buzzard; both the common Black kite and rare Black-winged kite; and many eagles (Golden, Booted, Tawny, Bonelli) may well be spotted during a typical two-week trip. It is, however, the Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) that is the greatest prize in these areas. There is a breeding pair in the Toubkal region and others in the Mgoun massif. Often the shadow of this great bird gliding in search of carrion is seen against the snowfields. When you look up, its huge size is apparent when compared to the choughs that may be trying to mob it.

Lizards and even chameleons are common, as are tortoises at lower altitudes. These are all harmless. Snakes, scorpion and a particular type of venomous spider locally called ikhikhi are present, more so from late spring to early autumn. The good news is that snakes generally move off at the sound of approaching feet and are not usually found in cold snowy environments! The same is true for scorpions, however they can often be lurking under a rock near a stream, particularly in the spring and summer months. The ikhikhi spider is particularly venomous, but again is not that common. To minimize the chance of any encounters when camping, zip up tent doorways and be very wary of moving big stones.

A baby lizard

When to Go

While the vast majority of routes in the guide can be undertaken in the late spring and autumn, the emphasis is on winter ascents (from early November to mid-April). If you are flexible in terms of timing for your visit, then you can keep an eye on conditions by checking online or telephoning some of the mountain refuges for specific information.

Generally the first snows of the winter fall any time from late October to the end of November – sometimes earlier, rarely later. The greatest volume of snow is on the ground in early March, when the weather is generally becoming more settled – although late winter snowfalls can result in an extended season. Once the winter season has started, snowfall can happen any time, although on average it is about every second or third week that the weather closes in for a few days. Early to mid-March sees a more settled period, with spring-like conditions developing in the lower southern valleys. Mid- to late April sees the start of snowmelt, particularly on the southern slope aspects, but it is not normally until late May to early June that the more sheltered north-facing slopes and gullies begin to lose their winter raiment.

If you are considering routes that require mule support, note that the high traverses between the Tazaghart (Lepiney) refuge and the Toubkal refuges over Tizi Aguelzim, and access to Lac d'Ifni over Tizi Ouanoums, are not generally snow free until mid-June.

Multi-day ridge traverses will require some access to water for drinking and possibly cooking in. Melting snow is the normal way of getting water on these ridges – otherwise long descents and reascents may be required to find a stream. There is therefore a limited season for multi-day ridge routes before snow on the north-facing slopes melts away altogether.

Short days in December and January mean long nights, which are accentuated if you are camping or bivvying, but other than during the Christmas/New Year season these are quiet months. February sees the arrival of ski-tourers in ever increasing numbers in the Toubkal region and, to a lesser extent, in the Mgoun massif. Easter is particularly busy, with the two Toubkal refuges often being booked out by French and Spanish parties. The Mgoun region is also popular at this time. Other areas are quiet year-round.

Mgoun ridge in summer

Counting the walnut harvest

Summer sun-baked rock may be idyllic in the more northern parts of the globe, but in the High Atlas can be very unpleasant. Similarly, the summer months of July and August can generate such heat in the plains and the cities of Marrakech and Taroudant that it can stifle all desire to move. This is a good time for visiting Ait Bougammez and making high-level journeys around the Tarkeddit plateau, which at 2900m is high enough to feel cool even during these summer months – particularly if a strong afternoon wind develops, which is not unusual. The author has been trekking in mid-August in this area, daily enduring heavy hail storms and cold winds, while people in Marrakech have been lounging in the shade by the pool!

September and October are good times to visit for snow-free ascents of peaks. However, this is the walnut-harvest season, and the remoter villages – which are heavily dependent on this cash crop – may be reluctant to see their men leave the harvest to assist you with mule support.

Festivals and holidays

Morocco celebrates a number of world, political and religious holidays. The dates on which these holidays fall can be found on internet sites such as www.worldtravelguide.net.

World holidays such as New Year and May Day affect little in the way of street life. Banks and offices are closed, but apart from that you won't notice much difference.

Political holidays, such as Independence Day, the king's birthday and the Green March, mean a lot of flags in the streets, and more offices and some shops closed, but again life continues pretty much as normal, particularly in the mountain villages.

Religious holidays, other than the end of Ramadan (Eid el-Fitr) or the killing of the sheep (Eid el-Kbir or Eid al-Adha), will again pass pretty much unnoticed. The two Eids will affect your trip, as may the fasting month of Ramadan (see box for the dates of these religious events).

The Islamic calendar, to which all the religious festivals are linked, is lunar based. This means that religious holidays are approximately 11 days earlier each year. Again the dates of these holidays can be found on the internet. A word of warning, however – although the dates for the two Eids appear to be set, there is always a degree of uncertainty on the ground of the exact dates, because Morocco is one of the last countries in the world that relies on an actual moon sighting rather than on a moon calendar. If the moon isn't or can't be seen, then the holiday is deferred to the next day.

Approximate Dates of Main Islamic Religious Festivals (2011-2015)

2011

Ramadan begins 1 Aug

Eid-el-Fitr (end of Ramadan) 30 Aug

Eid-al-Adha 6 Nov

2012

Ramadan begins 20 July

Eid-el-Fitr 19 Aug

Eid-al-Adha 26 Oct

2013

Ramadan begins 9 July

Eid-el-Fitr 8 Aug

Eid-al-Adha 15 Oct

2014

Ramadan begins 28 June

Eid-el-Fitr 28 July

Eid-al-Adha 4 Oct

2015

Ramadan begins 18 June

Eid-el-Fitr 17 July

Eid-al-Adha 23 Sept

Ramadan

Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, and Muslims are required to refrain from eating, drinking and smoking from dawn to sunset. Regardless of whether you are trekking with a commercial group or organising the trip yourself, you should, out of respect for Moroccans, avoid eating, smoking or drinking in public places during the day. Visitors often wonder about the effects of Ramadan and whether it is wise to go trekking or climbing at this time.

The village of Islane (Routes 1-3)

If you are travelling with a large commercially organised party, then Ramadan will probably have very little effect on your trip. You may be aware of the local staff getting up early (before sunrise) to eat and drink and then gathering together with other Moroccans at sunset to drink askif or harira (soup) and eat dates and some bread. In addition, you'll observe them not eating, drinking or smoking during the day. As your in-country travel will be pre-organised, minibuses should be there for you at the appointed time.

A self-organised trip will be a different experience, and there are a number of factors to consider.

 Are you undertaking long routes that will exhaust local support staff who are unable to drink during the day?

 Who is going to prepare your lunch?

 Are you prepared to be flexible as regards transport availability?

 How much interaction do you anticipate having with locals in the mountains, and can you adjust to their timescale?

 Are you prepared to travel in public transport without drinking or smoking?

 If you're hiring a car and driving around the country, are you prepared for all cafés and restaurants in non-tourist areas to be closed?

There are some other aspects to be aware of during Ramadan.

 Banks will open an hour later in the morning and close mid-afternoon.

 Alcohol is not available in supermarkets, and off-licences are closed from three days before Ramadan until three days after the Eid (celebrations at the end of Ramadan). It is available to foreigners in licensed restaurants, but sometimes the bar or restaurant might run out of some drinks.

 The Djemaa-el-Fna in Marrakech really comes alive after sundown, and everyone will be out and about eating and enjoying themselves. Sounds great, but not if you're trying to get somewhere by a certain time!

 It will be almost impossible to get a taxi after about 5pm until after f'tour (the breaking of the fast meal at sundown), as everyone will be rushing to get home.

 The celebration at the end of Ramadan, Eid el-Fitr, is the second biggest event in the Islamic calendar (after Eid el-Kbir). Eid el-Fitr lasts around three days, and most shops, banks and offices will be closed. Obtaining mule support or organising the start of a trip during this time may be difficult.

In summary, if you are prepared to adapt, be really sensitive to local culture (and particularly in the conservative countryside) and be flexible with regard to transport times and so on, then this can be a very rewarding time to visit.

Eid al-Adha

The ‘big Eid’, in Morocco called Eid el-Kbir or Tafaska (Berber), commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, and the fact that he was instead able to sacrifice a ram. It varies from country to country as to how it is celebrated, but in Morocco this is a time for family. Each household will sacrifice a ram or a male goat, or possibly both depending on the family's ability to afford the animals.

Except in the most touristy areas of Marrakech, everything else will come to a standstill for the first day at least. In some towns it can take up to a week for things to return to normal. Starting a trip that is reliant on local staffing to any degree during this time will be fraught with difficulty and probable time delays. Organising a trip that runs either side of Eid el-Kbir will need careful consideration and prior discussion with any locals involved as to what your mutual expectations are.

Depending on your relationship with locals, you may be invited to join them in the sacrifice or for a meal at this time. If you are, feel privileged, and honour your hosts by joining them and relaxing with them for the day or two. The mountains can wait! It is a fascinating time.

Money

The local currency is the Dirham (dh). It is impossible to obtain (legally) outside the country. Euros, sterling, US dollars and Swiss francs (notes only) are changed readily in banks, bureaus de change and some hotels. There is one official exchange rate, and this varies little from place to place, even in hotels. You will not benefit from changing money in the street, and may in fact lose out, in addition to the security issues involved. There are also ATMs, which accept all major cards, in the main towns and cities.

This is a cash society in the main. Credit cards are accepted in the larger hotel chains in tourist areas, but away from these you will find them difficult to use. So calculate your cash needs before your trip, and if possible withdraw from an ATM as you go, so that you don't have to carry relatively large amounts with you. Personal security should be observed, but not any more so than normal.

The biggest denomination is the 200dh note (approximately €20 euros or slightly less). This may prove impossible to break for purchases of less than 50dh. When you are travelling to the mountains, make sure you have a lot of 20dh and 50dh notes. Be aware of the similarities in the €20 note and the 200dh note, and (worse still) the 100dh and €50 note. It has happened that people have paid their taxi driver €50, thinking they were paying 100dh, only to find that their taxi quickly speeds away!

On Akioud's north-north-west ridge in autumn (Route 20)

Visas and Permits

EU, other European, Australian, Canadian and USA passport holders do not need a visa. Passports are stamped for a 90-day stay on arrival. South African passport holders do require a visa. Other nationalities should check with their relevant embassy, consulate or on line. If you are intending to stay more than 90 days, you will either need to get authorisation from a police station or exit to Spain and then re-enter after a period of a few days. This can often be the easier option, and is one sure way of seeing the country as you travel north to Tangier. Note that although the cities of Ceuta and Melilla are legally Spanish, the Moroccan border guards take very unkindly to people exiting and then re-entering from these enclaves.

Although they have been suggested, there are no permits or official trekking fees to be negotiated for the High Atlas. The only tax is one charged by your accommodation provider, but this is often included in the stated price and you will not see any extras charged as such. Long may this situation continue.

Planning and Maps

As for all mountain trips, planning is vital before you leave your home country. There is a world of difference, however, between planning an excursion to the High Atlas and the Alps, where you can expect reliable travel timetables, the presence of hut guardians, accurate avalanche warnings and weather forecasts, and easily available high quality maps. In addition, other than in the developing Toubkal and Mgoun regions, in the High Atlas there is little in the way of mountaineering tradition or developed trekking routes such as one encounters in many parts of the Himalaya and in some parts of the Andes, for instance. Easy access from Europe can belie the fact that the High Atlas is a range of mountains still largely undeveloped for climbing or trekking, apart from in those areas already mentioned.

Although all the High Atlas has been mapped by the French at both 1:50,000 and 1:100,000 scale, the maps are difficult to get hold of. Exceptions to this are a set of four maps at 1:100,000 scale for the region around Toubkal.

There is a Spanish 1:50,000 (Orientazion) map of the Toubkal area (without any cliff markings whatsoever!) and a 1:100,000 sketch-type map of the Mgoun massif published by West Col.

There is also a series of Russian maps at 1:100,000, but all the place names are in Cyrillic. In addition there is a series of 1:160,000 scale maps based on another Russian survey published by EWP, but these are difficult to work off to any degree of accuracy due to their scale. However, they do give an overall impression of an area.

On the whole, the French 1:50,000 series is the most reliable for the whole range, but casual visitors stand almost no chance of obtaining copies as access to them is, in theory, restricted to the military. In some gites and CAF refuges there is often a single map for the local area on public display, but over time these maps have faded, and so trying to pick out contour detail is often impossible.

Maps of the region are rare (Photo: Bernie Rowlands)

The set of four maps at 1:100,000 scale for the general Toubkal area gives a reasonable idea of ridge and valley systems, place names and the like, but don't try micro-navigating from them!

The Mgoun map published by West Col is a sketch-type map covering main ridges, some mule tracks and the like. This gives a good general feel for the area, but, again, navigating to any useful degree from this is out of the question.

Another source of map copies for some areas is Hamish Brown (3 Links Place, Burntisland, Fife KY3 9DY 01592 873546), who has been exploring the High Atlas for the past 40 years.

The difficulties, therefore, involved in planning a route that includes summits outside the Toubkal and Mgoun massifs should be clear. On the basis that you will have no maps to hand except for these two regions, route descriptions are supplemented in this guidebook by an outline sketch map and, where appropriate, photographic diagrams. These sketches and photos are not intended as aids to detailed navigation, nor can they be used to go off on a side-route, as they cover only the main topographical features of the route in question and any necessary escape routes. They are, however, intended to be sufficient for completing the route when used in conjunction with the route description.

Tourist Information

There is a tourist office (Délégation du Tourisme) run by the Office National Marocain du Tourisme (ONMT) in most cities, and sometimes in smaller towns a locally funded Syndicat d'Initiative. They stock leaflets and maps, and can point you in the direction of official guides. In addition there are official mountain Bureau des Guides in Imlil, Midelt and Tabant (Ait Bougammez). The busiest, without doubt, is the Imlil office. As they are in the business of supplying a guide for you and helping sort out your logistical requirements, any ‘free’ information is limited.

Other sources of information are available online

 Imlil www.imlil.org

 Toubkal www.toubkalmountainguides.blogspot.com

 other areas www.nomadicmorocco.blogspot.com.

Telephone codes

The landline local code for Taroudant is 0528; Marrakech 0524; and Midelt 0535.

These are all then followed by a six-digit number.

Moroccan mobiles have a 06xx local code followed by a six-digit number.

If dialling from abroad, the international code for Morocco is +212 and the ‘0’ in the local code is dropped.

Getting to Morocco

Access to Morocco from the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe is becoming increasingly easy, with budget airlines such as Ryanair and easy- Jet flying into Marrakech and Agadir from a number of UK and European airports. Travellers from the US could take the Royal Air Maroc flight from JFK to Casablanca, but it would be far cheaper to fly to the UK or Europe and take a connecting flight to Morocco.

There are three base towns for all the routes described in this guide – Taroudant on the south-west end of the range; Marrakech west of centre on the northern side; and Midelt on the north-eastern fringe. The airport in Agadir is best for Taroudant, as driving time is less than 1hr. Marrakech has its own airport about 15mins drive from the city, which is very convenient. Alternatively you can fly into Casablanca, but this will add 3-4hrs to your travel time if your final destination is Marrakech, and a further 3hrs if your destination is Taroudant. For Midelt fly into either Fez or Marrakech (Fez is nearer but not very well served by flights).

There is an airport in Ouarzazate that has direct connections with Paris Orly. However it is really a desert access airport and is of limited use for mountain routes, other than for southern approaches to Mgoun.

For those with some time on their hands, an attractive overland option involves taking a ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar to Tangier and from there either driving overland or getting a train (www.oncf.ma) down to Marrakech.

Tizi n-Test road – caution required!

Getting Around Morocco

This is where the adventure often starts! There are a number of options for travel within the country and to/from the mountains. A lot will depend on your objectives, available time, budget and safety boundaries. Depending on your final destination, you may require a combination of different modes of transport, unless you are self-driving.

Self-drive

The most flexible choice, and the one that will enable you to drive almost anywhere you want to in the country, Tizi n-Test road – caution required! is to have a 4x4 at your disposal. Some people drive overland from the UK or mainland Europe, if they have the time available to do this. Others hire a 4x4 in the country. However, driving in Morocco requires constant vigilance (with hazards ranging from drivers weaving through the traffic, horns blaring, to unlit bicycles and donkeys in the dark), and distances take far longer to drive than they would on European motorways or autoroutes. Do not underestimate this in your overall planning. If your party is small in number, hiring a vehicle may be the most expensive (and tiring) option. However, diesel costs are reasonable (at the time of writing just over 7dh per litre), so this may compensate for the hire cost and for the long distances you may end up driving.

If you are driving your own vehicle into Morocco, you need to carry all your car registration papers, in addition to your insurance certificate, green card and national driving licence. It is also important to note that whoever is recorded as the person driving the vehicle into the country must be the same person that drives the vehicle out. This is a Moroccan government attempt to stop cars being sold illegally in the country. This is particularly relevant if that driver sustains an injury and has to be flown out early, in which case a lot of paperwork will be required.

Hiring a 4 × 4 in the country is commonly done. It is not cheap (around 1000dh per day), but if this is divided between four or more people the cost can be fairly reasonable. There are many local agencies to be found in the larger cities, and the usual well-known international companies (with whom you can usually pre-book) are located at the airports.

Make sure you are satisfied with the mechanical condition of the car before you leave, that there is both a spare tyre and the tools to change a wheel in the event of a puncture, and that any pre-existing bumps and scrapes are noted and agreed. Also, make sure you have an emergency contact number to use in case the car does break down.

Taxis

In all the main towns and cities, petit taxis operate within a certain radius of the town centre. The charges are distance based or, in the case of smaller towns, a flat fee applies. These taxis, usually Fiat Unos or Peugeot 205s, are licensed to take a maximum of three passengers and have a limited amount of baggage space.

Grand taxis, typically large Mercedes that have been well run in, operate on a collective inter-city or town basis, with fixed fees applying. These charges are based on six paying passengers (two sharing the front passenger seat and four in the rear). Every town has its own colour – Agadir white, Marrakech beige, for example – so it is easy to recognise where taxis are from. If you do not want to wait for a full complement of six people to turn up for your chosen destination, or if you would like more room, you can opt to buy as many seat places as you like, even up to an entire taxi. If you are sharing with locals and you pay for two places, you can choose where to sit. However, opting to have the front seat all to yourself may not be the safest, as there are often no seatbelts in grand taxis. You may feel it is better to have more space in the back!

Unfortunately, one of the most frequented destinations for tourists from Marrakech, that of Imlil, has no regular collective grand taxi route, so it is up to you to negotiate a fare. The time of day, and whether it is a Marrakech taxi going out or an Imlil taxi returning, will influence the price. Guide prices are anywhere from 250dh to 350dh for the entire taxi, one way. Alternatively, you can travel as far as Asni in a collective grand taxi for a fraction of the Imlil price, and from there negotiate local transport to take you the 17km up the valley.

Mountain piste

Most towns have one grand taxi place, but bigger cities including Marrakech have two, in which case make sure you know which taxi place is the correct one for your destination.

Buses