Guidebook research trips and routes

We have a number of trips / routes we wish to do for our forthcoming guidebook on Mountaineering in the High Atlas. 

The majority of these routes will be in winter (conditions) and so whilst we will be organising the logistics etc, these research trips are not in any way a guided trip. Rather they should be treated as self-supported mountaineering trips and as such any person that wishes to accompany us on these trips should be a proficient mountaineer in their own right.

To reflect that these trips are not guided per se but nevertheless all the planning, logistics, transport, food and accommodation will be organised and covered by us, the daily rate we would see as appropriate for these trips would be € 50 per person / per day. 

The trip length can be as little as 2 days and up to a week or more and will cover the entire spread of the High Atlas range.

If you would like to join us on this basis, then please follow this link and give us a brief resume of your mountaineering experience; the time of year you are available / would like to join us; how many days you are available for; anything else that you think may be important!

Lammergeier alive and well in Oukaimeden

We've written about this fabulous bird before in various blogs. So it is great to receive an email from a Spanish ornithologist who spotted them recently in the ski resort area of Oukaimeden in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains - not a million miles away from the Toubkal massif.

Some great photos on Teo's blog (like the one above!) 

Take a look on this link.

Thanks Teo for your photos and email.

Refuge below Mgoun 4068m

The mountain refuge situated on the Tessaout plateau on the south side of the Tarkeddit ridge is a good base for tackling the north side of Mgoun 4068m, the highest peak in the Moroccan High Atlas outside of the Toubkal massif. This area which is prone to large snowfalls in the winter, creates its own weather patterns regardless of the time of year and temperatures others are experiencing in different areas of the country.

 

I well remember the time one August when I was experiencing daily (cold!) hail storms that were producing impressive flash floods in the Mgoun region whilst my family on the southern side of the mountains were wishing they owned a swimming pool such was the heat!

The Terkeddit Refuge is privately owned by a Marrakech based company and has been built beside the sight of an old refuge which is now only evidenced by some low stone broken down walls. Whilst the new (5 years or so) refuge is comfy, it is bearing the brunt of the cold and damp climate and its flat roof has allowed significant damp discolouration and peeling of paint etc on most of the internal ceilings. It's still better than a tent though!

The warden of the refuge has now been issued with a Thuraya satellite phone which unless you have your own satellite phone with you (we always carry one to this region) is the only communication to the outside world. Technically therefore it is possible to phone the refuge direct - the company's website suggests between the hours of 9-10 in the morning and 4-5 in the afternoon (local time).
The satellite number is:- 00 88 216 51073576 and again as per the company's website it is "Il est gardé toute l’année"

All that by way of introduction to a recent story we received by email from an independent mountaineer:-

We had a great trip, v intense for just 6 days ; found a great gites in Agouti recommended by a mountain guide we met on the bus from Marrakesh.

It took us about 11 hrs to get the hut, just as it was falling dark , with a howling wind, only to find out that there was no warden there and the doors firmly locked (despite assurances we'd been given at the gite, and the huts web site!). This was a disappointment I can tell you. My partner was all for breaking the door down but we did have a small tent and stove etc and were fairly comfortable apart from a bit of a battering from the wind.

Next day we felt a bit alone and exposed and still had the pass to get back over so instead of tackling MGoun we hightailed it out. Once down in the Arous valley we asked a Berber farmer to give us a roof over our head for the night and were treated like visiting royalty, quite an experience: lovely people admiring our expensive kit, slept over the goat herd in the barn, great bread , argan oil ; mint tea, lamb tagine and scrambled eggs for breakfast! Next day wandered back to Agouti, and flagged a taxi down for a wild ride back to Azilal.

Feel free to give the hut people feedback!

So there you have it - make sure (somehow!) that the guardian is at the refuge before you head off.

Or bring a tent!.....

John Evans

John David Evans, an experienced mountain rescue team member died tragically in a fall whilst climbing in Snowdonia, North Wales. The accident took place 2 weeks ago at Clogwyn Y Grochan in the Llanberis Pass.

John aged 54, was a member of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team. He was out enjoying a social climb with his partner Lynne when the accident happened. They had just climbed the route Nea, when John fell a considerable distance whilst descending a gully. Fellow rescue team members rushed to his aid but were unable to save his life. North Wales police are currently working with the Mountain Rescue Team to establish the exact cause of the accident.

John lived in Capel Curig and was an accomplished and experienced climber, having spent time as a mountain guide in Alaska as well as being a knowledgeable instructor in technical rescue rope work. 

He was largely responsible for encouraging the writer, Des Clark to gain the Wilderness EMT award last year in Glenmore Lodge, Scotland.

More information and photos can be seen on the following blog post:-

2009 Mountaineering Season: John Evans