The ascent of Jebel Toubkal

For: Nacho Melero (text and photos)
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The legendary Atlas runs from Tunisia due west to Agadir and separates the fertile lands of the largest northern and scorching desert there. Sahara are the prelude. Imagine yourself on a commercial plane about 11.000 meters, with his face to the window and looked lost at any point of the vast landscape that is under your feet, to see how those mountains are the oblique border between the greenish and the yellowish. If imagination is not your thing, Google "satellite world map" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

With the occasional cramp in addition to two great friends, I stepped on the last meter of its highest peak, “El Jebel Toubkal”. A National Park protects your 4.167 meters, and a tiny village called Imlil watches who pass through its foot in search of conquest.

This article aims to provide a planazo, not expensive, more of the less 5 or 6 days.

Between Madrid and Marrakech is an hour and a half flight, and when you disembark and observe the difference, never think you're so close.

Many think that since Spain to exotic location nearest you must fly at least four hours. That may be true in some cases, but never in Morocco. Between Madrid and Marrakech is an hour and a half flight, and when you disembark and observe the difference between the capital of Spain and where you are, never think you're so close. A bad traffic jam on the road to La Coruña (N-VI) at peak and crash, and you are in another world!

The city welcomed us with countless papers and debris drawn anywhere on the street, their odors, their rickety street stalls and the ever curious and opportunistic inhabitants look. From the central station take public transport towards Imlil would only when travelers were filled, be they tourists or locals.

Sixty-three miles separate the famous capital of unknown people, and although the first ones you travel along some well paved roads, as mountains approaching stately, the path becomes more tortuous and slow. Some local opined down in what was the middle of nowhere, but it is clear that what a human being can come to assume as "home" is completely inscrutable.

Imlil is no road slope and beyond. It is the gateway to the "trekking" that will take you to the top of Toubkal, and its neighbors, ignored his gentile, and do not overwhelm them or tourists, nor its sophisticated equipment.

It is clear that what a human being can come to assume as "home" is completely inscrutable.

The ascent we did in September. Eye! if you delay the trip for the winter months you should know that at its peak expect snow and ice more typical of 4.000 m having. It was my first four thousand! and a powerful emotion that I ran through the body.

The tour starts up a tiny soft town called Aroumd. From there, cross a huge tongue of gray rocks to reach the path that announces the entrance to the park and in the beginning the climb up the Valley Isougouane. Until then was very lively, did not know that from that point to the rock shelter there to 3.207 meters, I still had a 5 saving hours of suffering a sharp slope.

I confess that my inexperience in the mountains and because that trip to Morocco would take a few weeks, wearing a backpack over 10 weight kilos, and that in these cases is a mortal sin. If you also refuse the help of any carrier with his mule, in order to show your "honor" to your cronies by saying that what I brought here, I upload it, learn, irretrievably, to make a lighter one for next time. Goya would have said that "the letter with blood enters", famous painting ever there.

The color green is the valley becomes gray and yellow staining on as you gain a bit of height. The reddish brown rocks and defend his legacy while slowly you go into the mountains.

The color green is the valley becomes gray and yellow staining on as you gain a bit of height. The reddish brown rocks and defend his legacy while slowly you go into the mountains. Muscle aches I will remember. I arrived exhausted at the shelter. Overweight and the slope almost could me, but I was still fresh enough to feel like a nerd when entering that warm abode I found a huge group of European mountaineers, retirees, and fresh as lettuce.

My inseparable friend Charli told me: «It seems that youth is always synonymous with strength, but the mountain does not respect that rule at all». Never forget the aspirin I took to relieve the headache that had, or the vegetable and meat, Pig no, The cooks of comfy hostel cooked us all who were there.

Before going to the bunk room willing to protect with good plugs snoring other hikers, I was extremely sheltered from that den willing to observe the sky. It stood as the largest ever built vaults. In its frescoes were drawn Cassiopeia and Ursa Major, the belt of the hunter Orion, Sirius the brightest and white cloud hugging millions of twinkling white dots. My friend Jacob, great lover of astronomy, He explained to me that this was the "Milky Way". Yes, the Milky Way, the host galaxy to Earth. A deep sleep came over me that night, do not know what I dreamed, do not remember, but it sure was something restful.

When touching the vertex geodesic, that milestone that marks you just the highest point, you feel free, happy, and made.

The next day I became pure energy and devotion. He was on the verge of conquering a summit. He further impetus was reinforced by the fact that heavy backpacks left in that building to make the final ascent apace. It was early in the morning and cold was needed to shake up any sleeping mind. My explosiveness was that I was wrong when taking a shortcut, walked twice, but that I did not care because the goal was near.

By this sudden yet smooth race can cost a good migraine. I learned in situ. But no evil is when you get up there. It's like passing the exam hard race, as touching the trig, that milestone that marks you just the highest point, you feel free, happy, and made.

For the times I thought it was good idea to talk about freedom, happiness and self-realization, and if you thought about a getaway in five or six days, not expensive, but yes something "expensive", do not forget that a good possibility may be treading the top of the oblique border that separates North Africa from the yellowish green.

 

 

 

 

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Comments (4)

  • Julia Ines Paradis

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    Nacho, nice description of a remote part of the Atlas, durillo verdad board a 4.000? but the effort to complete a summit is one of the most wonderful feelings that exist, despite the exhaustion.
    As I have always loved, is a pleasure to read your articles.
    Ines

    Answer

  • Liana Esclapez

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    Hi Nacho, Today I had the pleasure of flying with your great father, a man as they come, talking and getting to know during the day encouraged me to continue your adventures, and was right, I loved and enjoyed each of your items. I will wait for your next trip through you discover unique places on the planet.

    Greetings from Barcelona, Liana

    Answer

  • Juliana Leal

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    Nacho, great as it accounts, me want to see the Big Dipper from there!!!!

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  • Nacho, the author

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    Thanks Ines. The only secret in the mountains is the mind and the ability to have one to calm the anxiety that has to rest. The rest is getting caught up in the wonder that always lets you.
    Thanks Liana, VaP. tell you that we inspire people to travel so it would be a success you enjoy them through the equipment we make possible this page.
    Ju… you really are a BIG STAR!
    HUGE KISSES TO THREE, and THANK YOU.

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