After our incredible rock climbing trip to Wadi Rum in Jordan last year, Carol, Amy, Ian and myself wondered if we would ever find anywhere else that would come close to being as amazing.
A bit of research suggested that Tafraoute in Southern Morocco might be just what we were after. Interesting culture and beautiful landscapes, with multi-pitch adventurous trad routes at amenable grades and good weather in November. So the stage was set, and we went about organising our trip, acquiring a few new trip members along the way, until four became eight.
Flying out from Gatwick with such high expectations of just how good a climbing trip could be. We wondered if we would be disappointed. We arrived in Agadir in the dark and drove for two hours to our home for the week- Kasbah Tizourgane on the North Side of the anti-atlas mountains. We certainly weren’t disappointed with our accomodation, climbing the winding stairs to the fortified town in the dark, with the beautifully clear starry sky above our heads. We were also treated to a very hospitable welcome and of course the famous Moroccan mint tea. We were excited to wake up the next morning to our high vantage point, and views of orange quartzite mountains rising across the Southern skyline.
We had a relaxing first day climbing some short multi-pitch routes at Ksar Rock, getting used to climbing outside again and placing trad gear- it has been a while for some of us!! Lots of fun was had by all and our first taste of Moroccan rock, had us all excited for more!
So brimming with confidence and enthusiasm after our first day, Adrian, Amy, Maria and I decided we would attempt Scimitar Ridge a ten pitch VS on Safinah down in the remote Samazar valley. I’d picked out the route as my key objective for the trip. Driving the 10km down the winding dirt road and then bushwacking through a multitude of pricky bushes to get to the climb, meant that it felt like an adventure before we even got to the base of the route. The climb itself was lots of fun, and even the overhanging VS 5a crux just flew past, and before we knew it we were at the top.
What to do now that I’d accomplished my objective for the trip on the second day? Fortunately there was so much rock and so much good climbing, that it was impossible to achieve all objectives in just one trip, or even in many. Between us we climbed countless routes at lots of different venues. The climbing was so good that we couldn’t tear ourselves away for a rest day during the eight days of our trip and we’d only drag ourselves away from the crags once it got dark. Jonnie and Carol in particular displayed levels of enthusiasm never before seen on a climbing trip! With so many good routes it would be impossible to recount them all, but the most memorable moments of our trip included:
– Koon, Adrian, Jonnie and Maria climbing Firesword a stunning top end E1 at Dragon Rock with four sustained and interesting pitches of climbing
– Climbing Saladin, my favourite route of the trip, with Adrian, a steep and sustained HVS, through incredible scenery for the grade in the atmospheric Sanctury.
– Some extreme bridging by Koon on Giant at the White Domes, levels of flexibility never seen before!
– Carol and Jonnie climbing a new route at the white domes on the last day of the trip and naming it ‘Fur Elsie’
– Finding the most extravagant belay ledge with Amy on South Ridge Direct
– All summiting together after climbing different routes on Dragon Rock
– Speeding up Pink lady with Ian
– Racing up to Afantizar col to watch the sun go down on the last day of our sensational climbing trip.
This time I’m really sure it can’t be beaten…..
Looks like a fantastic trip. Lovely rock.
The CC are doing another meet out there next spring, stopping in the same place.