Traverse of the High Atlas of
Marrakech
June 18-24, 2006
The itinerary is shown
below. Click here
for a high-resolution topographic map.
Notes:
This map is extracted from Montagnes du Maroc, by Hervé Galley,
Editions Olizane, Genève, 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
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.
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
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
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
The
Cultivated terraces below Amenzel
The
small 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
Looking
down at Azib Assaka
In
the fields of Azib Assaka
Some
amazing water canals along Asif n’Oufra
below Azib Assaka
June 21: From Azib Assaka (2000m) to Imi n’Tilst (2200m), through the Aguerskaoun
ridge,
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.
The trail above Azib
Assaka (this picture was actually shot the day
before)
The
View looking North while climbing along the Agerskaoun ridge
View looking East from the summit of Arjout
The source of Asif Zat, just slightly North of Arjout
Descending from Arjout into the gorges of Asif Zat
In the high gorges of Asif Zat
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
near a number of villages.
A snack along Asif Zat
The end of the
gorges of Azib Zat just
before reaching the
June 23: From Tillouguit (1400m) to Aguerd (1600m), through Tizi n’Ikkis (2300m) and the plateau of Yagour
View from Tizi n’Ikkis
Plateau of Yagour
Azib n’Ikkis
Adrar Meltzene (3595m)
Waterfall
in the small canyon descending from the Yagour
plateau to Aguerd
June 24:
From Aguerd (1600m) to Tazzitount
(1250m) in the Ourika valley
