Route of the Week (1) Angour 3616m

A climber’s mountain with many routes on its south face, but these are rarely climbed due to historical access difficulties. This may well change now that there is a metalled road all the way from Imlil to Tacheddirt. The British climber Bentley Beetham was active here in the late 1920s after his Everest expeditions earlier that decade.


Map 1:50,000 Toubkal, Orientazion
Equipment Non-winter route described. Rope, slings for those uncomfortable with exposure.
Time 8hrs (assuming no car)
990m, PD
Start Oukaimeden (2630m)

If you are self-driving, you will save considerable time and energy by driving up
the road past the ski lifts as far as is feasible depending on the snow line and other conditions. Traverse under N slopes of Angour eastwards to a stiff climb through scree to Tizi n-Itbir (3295m) ("1" in the photo above)

From the col, climb a broad gully on the right-hand side (W) of the buttress to a
gap where a ledge exits out left. Follow this ledge running across the north face with care, as there are steep slopes off to your left. The ledge exits out directly into the NE couloir. Climb this without technical difficulties over scree to the summit plateau. The summit ("2" in the photo above) is reached by a final climb tending right up a short straightforward rockwall.

Descend by the same route. Do not be tempted to descend the prominent gully that splits the two summit towers unless fully equipped.

All 50 route and detailed practical information appear in the Cicerone published Mountaineering in the High Atlas. To buy a copy of this book for just GBP 15, follow this link.

Excerpts from Mountaineering in the Moroccan High Atlas book

Now that Des's book is available both as a hard copy and electronically, we plan to give you snippets of what's inside the covers by taking excerpts from the book and publishing this on our blog.

The book features 50 routes right across the range - i.e. one a week for a year! So starting this week and finishing in Spring 2012, you will be able to select your favourite routes to attempt on your visit to the High Atlas.

Approximately a quarter of the book is taken up with what we think(!) is invaluable advice and background info to help you with all the pre-trip planning. A lot of this information is already on our blog in prior articles but to save you time trawling through the entire blog, it's best to buy the book!

Snow levels

Current snow level at 2500m on N/NW facing slope aspects and 2750 - 2950m on other slope aspects depending on the area.

Above 3000m snow cover is skiable but thin compared to other years.

Hi i´m a guy from spain and we are a pair of students who want to go treking the jebel toubkal the next week. We need the equipament to go climbing the crampons and the ice-axe, you know where can we find a place to rent it? and one more question, how long would it take to climb it now? from imil?
thank you for your attention and all the information you gave would be so helpfull
regards
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You can rent basic crampons and walking ice-axes in Imlil (Hotel Soleil or other shops) - or at the Toubkal refuges.

Usually around 5 hours trek from Imlil to the refuge and from there to the summit another 3-4 hours.

Car hire / Self-driving

We've hired a 4x4 self drive out of Marrakesh, dropoff in Agadir. Yes there is a lot of driving but we will have had 4 days trekking. Is there a difficulty about not having a "local driver"? and is there a security issue about camping "wild"? Your reply prompts these questions. What are snow conditions like at the mo. In 2006 we waded through thigh-high snow!
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Self-driving in Morocco is fine. It's the most flexible choice and the one that will enable you to drive pretty much anywhere you want to in the country. However, driving in Morocco requires constant vigilence (as can be seen from the photo!) and distances will take far longer to drive than for similar distances on European motorways or autoroutes. Do not underestimate these factors in your overall planning.

Diesel costs are reasonable (at the time of writing just over 7 dirham / around 70 euro cents per litre) so this compensates for the long distances you may end up driving.

Make sure your are satisfied with the mechanical condition of the car before you leave, that there is both a spare tyre and the capabilities 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….

If driving at night, accept that you will encounter numerous unlight cyclists, donkey-drawn carts and a general attitude as regards personal safety that would been seen as "irresponsible" in Europe!

Lastly, the police are really keen on extracting fines for speeding - particularly in the 60kph zones - so beware! Getting fined is expensive and if you don't have the cash on you, your licence will be taken from you, entailing a visit to the police station the next day..... All this in French.

Camping wild is generally ok. Issues are proximity to villages / settlements. Children will come and stare at you for ages and again be vigligent for any light-fingeredness. Best to camp as far away from villages as possible and to use bottled water for drinking.

Lastly - snow conditions are light for this time of year - unless something happens you definitely won't be doing any wading!

Jebel Siroua

We are a group of five going to Marrakesh. Our plan is straightforward for first 4 days (two) 4000mts mnts out of Neltner. I have done Toubkal before. We are then doing a 6 day tour down to Erg Chigaga, a piste trip to Zguid, on up to Taliouine, Mazwad, Jebel Siroua and onto Agadir. I have been as far as Ouarzazate in 1968 but have no desert experience. A friend thought you might have some tips for us in general and specifically re Jebel Siroua (I have the Cicerone trekking guide). Thanks.
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Good itinerary - and a lot of driving! Presume you have organised this with a tranport operator and have your own vehicle and local driver? Assuming so, do not be afraid of telling him to drive slowly (if that is an issue)! Also presume you have / are arranging to stay in established campsites in the desert managed by local operators?

It will be cold at night in the desert so do not leave any of your mountain gear in Marrakech thinking it will be warmer than the mountains. It will be during the day but once the sun goes down.....

Taliouine is the usual starting place for treks / trips into the Siroua (pronounced "sirwa"). This town and region lives off the saffron trade. There is a 5 day circuit of the range (described in the Cicerone trekking book which you mention) including an ascent of the highest peak at 3300m. This is an airy scramble to the top but affords great views of the Toubkal region to the north. Incidentally when you are climbing Toubkal, the first views you get of the Siroua to the south are from Tizi Toubkal, 3900m.

The Siroua have great waterfalls, palm trees and bizarre rocky architecture and once you get off the piste, you will enjoy this area.

Hope this helps somewhat and have a safe trip.

Snow conditions for skiing

how are the snow conditions right now, we are coming from italy aroun the 14th february for a ten days ski touring around toubkal. tnx
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Snow conditions at the moment are thin and ice above 3000m - so not great for skiing - although NE facing slopes have the best cover.

At the moment the freeze level is down to 2000m or so.

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Toubkal/forecasts/3500