Traverse
of the High Atlas of Marrakech (June 18-24, 2006)
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mountaineering-trekking-travel webpage
The
itinerary is shown below (red line). Click here
for a high-resolution topographic map of the area.
Notes:
This map is extracted from Montagnes du Maroc, by Herve Galley,
Editions Olizane, Geneve,
Suisse, 2004. ISBN 2-88086-302-3 (in French). This excellent book describes
several treks and ski trips in
June 18: Imlil (1700m) to Azib Tifni (2820m), through Tizi n-Tarharat (3460m)
I left Marrakech around 6:30am and start
hiking from Imlil at 9am. It was raining in
Marrakech, and it continued raining most of day in the mountain. The weather
was cool (but not cold), making the ascent of Tizi n-Tarharat easier than I had expected, despite the 1800m gain
in elevation.
My Berber guide, Brahim Ait El Kadi...
...the muleteer, and his mule.
Descent from Tizi n-Tarharat toward Azib Tifni.
June 19: Azib Tifni
(2820) to Asif Taroukht (2600m), along Asif Tifni and through Tizi n-Oumchichka (3000m)
This was an easy day, sunny in the morning,
but cloudy again in the afternoon.
Sunrise over the mountains above Azib Tifni.
Rock cliffs above Azib
Tifni (toward Djebel Aksoual). This looks like a good rock-climbing area.
Looking east to the Asif Tifni valley from the small pass above Azib
Tifni.
Large azibs
before reaching Azib Likemt.
Another view of the same azibs.
Fields at Azib Likemt.
View toward Jebel Toubkal from the Asif Tifni valley.
Between two
layers of clouds at Tizi n-Oumchichka.
The first azib below Tizi n-Oumchichka near Asif Taroukht.
June 20: Along Asif Taroukht and Asif
n-Oufra to Azib Assaka (2000m), through the village of Amenzel
(2350m)
This was a sunny day. As it was a relatively
short hike to reach Azib Assaka,
I started the day by hiking upward along Asif Taroukht,
before turning back. Later in the afternoon, from Azib
Assaka, I went down the gorge of Asif n-Oufra toward the village of Tamatert.
Juniperus on the rocks.
The village of Amenzel
(it does not seem well protected against rock falls).
Cultivated terraces below Amenzel.
View over the gorge of Asif n-Oufra below Amenzel.
At the pass between Amenzel
and Azib Assaka, with the Yagour plateau in the background.
Summit of mount Arjout
(3741m) in the background on the left, which we will climb on the next day,
seen from the pass.
Looking down at Azib
Assaka during the descent from the pass.
Asif n-Oufra near
Azib Assaka.
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In the fields of Azib
Assaka.
Some amazing water canals along Asif n-Oufra below Azib Assaka.
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June 21: From Azib Assaka (2000m) to Imi n-Tilst (2200m), through the Aguerskaoun
ridge, mount Arjout (3741m), and the high gorges of Asif
Zat
This
was the hardest day. From Tizi-n-Tamatert,
we climbed along the long (but easy) Agerskaoun ridge
to reach the summit of Arjout. Then we hiked down
into the narrow gorges of Asif Zat. Some short
passages in the gorges were quite steep and somewhat exposed. On that day the
muleteer and his mule took another path via the village of Setti
Fatma and Tizi-n-Tilst.
The trail above Azib Assaka (this picture was
actually shot the day before) from the other side of the canyon.
Morning view of the
village of Tamatert still in the shade, from the Agerskaoun ridge.
Looking north
while climbing along the Agerskaoun ridge.
View toward the
east from the summit of mount Arjout (3741m).
The source of Asif
Zat, just slightly north of Arjout.
Descending from mount
Arjout into the gorges of Asif Zat.
In the high
gorges of Asif Zat.
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June 22: From Imi n-Tilst (2200m) to Tillouguit
(1400m) along Asif Zat
This
was another cloudy day. It was a fairly long hike, but an easy one. We passed by
several villages.
Village
of Tarzirt.
Village
of Zrouene.
Another village.
Snack
along Asif Zat.
The
end of the gorges of Azib Zat
just before reaching the village of Imerguene.
June 23: From Tillouguit (1400m) to Aguerd (1600m), through Tizi n-Ikkis (2300m) and the plateau of Yagour
View
from Tizi n-Ikkis.
Views
of the Yagour plateau and some of its villages.
Azib n-Ikkis.
Adrar Meltzene (3595m).
Waterfalls in the small canyon descending
from the Yagour plateau to Aguerd.
June 24: From Aguerd (1600m) to Tazzitount (1250m) in the Ourika
valley
Mount Arjout
(again) viewed from the village of Anammer.
