The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

Mount Toubkal, Morocco

In August 2019 I posted photos from a two week trekking trip of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, on which our KE group attempted four 4000m (13,130 ft) peaks, including Mount Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa. Although I summitted the other three, Mount Toubkal eluded me due to an untimely gout flare up. Four years later I returned for a weekend (!) of hiking to complete that unfinished business. . .

Friday: Arrival in Marrakech

Flying from Milan via Lisbon required the best part of the day. Having no checked luggage, my biggest worry was having my trekking poles confiscated by the security. However, they – and I – made it to our Riad (traditional inn) located just outside of the Medina (walled city). An oasis in this chaotic city.

Riad Alida courtyard, Marrakech
Dar Marjana terrace, where I had my first Moroccan dinner and a glass of chilled white wine, about a two minute walk from Riad Alida.

Saturday: Approach hike to Mouflons Refuge

Following the path nearly everyone takes who wishes to climb Toubkal, we left the road head at Imlil Village late morning following a two hour drive from Marrakech. Our strong group of four clients and one guide had about 11km and 1500m of ascent to accomplish.

The hillside hamlet of Aroumd, near the start of our trek, heading up the Ait Mizane Valley
Hiking towards the Shrine Sidi Chamharouch (white dome in the middle of the photo). Our cook prepared a traditional Moroccan lunch for us here (the halfway point), with a salad and tagine – vegetable in my case.
Cascade Sidi Chamharouch. There was a lot more water flowing than 4 years ago, due to a relatively wet winter.
Mouflons (left) and Neltner refuges with the start of the Toubkal summit route seen here. The actual summit is far above to the left.
Toubkal as seen from the summit of Ouanoukrim (4089m). The climbing route is not visible here, off to the left. I took this photo in 2019.

Sunday: Summit day and return to Marrakech

Many summiters start at a reasonable hour, say 7 AM. However, this compressed weekend trip meant we had not only to summit – about 1000m of ascent on an often rough, bouldery trail – but trek back all the way to Imlil. A wake up call at 3 AM and departure before 4:30 was the solution.

Dawn on the flanks of Toubkal. By this time we were almost to the top.
Alpenglow on Ouanoukrim at dawn
The Vagabond Hiker on Toubkal summit (4167m). It was a chilly, windy hike in the pre-dawn hours, but probably not below freezing.
Goats and goatherd on descent. My biggest concern was my knees on the 2500m (8000+ ft.) of descent, but that proved unfounded.
Our group back in the shade, approaching Imlil after a long day.
Koutoubia Mosque at sunset from our Marrakech terrace restaurant where we celebrated a 100% success rate.

Monday: return home

After any endeavor of this nature, a let down is natural, and so it was with me as I headed home, a long day of travel back through Lisbon to Milan, followed by a 3 hour drive to my apartment above Riva del Garda. After a couple of days to decompress and wait for the weather to improve, I am back hiking and climbing Via Ferrate for another week before my summer adventures continue from my base near Windsor, England. I may do a short post at the end of my sojourn in Italy as it has been nearly three years since I’ve been in the Lago di Garda region, and then not during the spring flower bloom.

The Vagabond Hiker

Comments

  1. Congrats!! That is SO awesome and you look great! Such fabulous adventures. 🙂

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