High Atlas in Morocco

In April the Hertfordshire Mountaineering Club organised a trek to the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, in which 10 members of the club took part. After a night in the bustling city of Marrakesh we loaded our gear into four Taxis and drove to Setti Fatma, a ribbon settlement of brown mud brick houses clinging between the steep barren valley sides and the lush green scrub of Fatma River. Here we met Ohmar our guide and our mule handlers. Whilst our gear was loaded on to the mules, we sat in the shade of walnut trees outside a local eatery and had lunch of tajine, a tasty stew, bread and sweet black mint tea, the first taste of the food to come. Early afternoon with the hot sun beating down we set off into the Atlas Mountains for the first day of many. Over the next eight days we trekked through remote Berber villages waded through streams, climbed high barren passes, crossed green fertile alpine pastures and up remote valleys, sometimes camping and sometimes staying in village houses. The awe-inspiring views were continually with us and the towering snow-capped peaks gradually creeped nearer as the days meandered on. On the 8th day we arrived at the Toubkal mountain refuge and camped nearby for our final night before the ascent of Jebel Toubkal, our main objective. Before turning in we had a singsong in the cook tent with the mule handlers and crew, listening to traditional Berber tunes passed down through families for centuries. Ohmar woke us at 0630 for breakfast, the ground was covered in a fresh layer of snow, the sun was only just creeping its way over the snow covered peaks tingeing them in a pink early mourning glow. Departing at 0730 we zig-zaged up a large snowfield stopping occasionally to catch our breaths and take photos as the sun gradually rose. We stopped at large saddle with fantastic views of the steep barren valleys to the north. After a long rest we pushed gasping at the thin air and ascending final snow ridge to the summit of Jebel Toubkal. at 4,167m the highest mountain in North Africa. All 10 members of the group made the summit, we sat down to soak in the atmosphere. Panoramic views stretched from the fertile planes of Marrakesh to the north, the windswept plains of the sub-Sahara to the south and the rugged snow capped peaks of the High Atlas stretching as far as the eye could see to the east and west. A fast descent saw us back in camp in a mater of hours we then followed the valley to Imlil and the road head where we were transported back for a final 2 days sightseeing around the souks and palaces of the imperial city of Marrakesh. For information, the Hertfordshire Mountaineering club meet weekly at the Sun Inn, Lemsford, nr Welwyn Garden City, from 9.30pm every Tuesday. Regular monthly meets are organised throughout the UK and include hill walking, rock climbing, mountain biking, winter climbing as well as trips to the European Alps, Natal & the USA. For more info, see our website www.thehmc.co.uk or contact the secretary, email secretary@thehmc.co.uk Picture on the summit of Jebel Toubkal 4167m. From left to right- Alison Hopkin, Mark Bebb, Ann Noon, Gary Bebb (trek organiser),Geoff Deans, James Hargreave, Ohmar(guide) Anita Hutchins, Dave O,Gorman, Nick, Debbie Flisher.