Toubkal Refuge - Toubkal Summit - Toubkal Refuge - Ilmil

Day 71
Sunday 6th September 2009

The all time low point of the 4167 summit climb would come around halfway up where we discovered we'd forgotten our bag of food, we were walking in a cloud unable to see anything ten yards in front or ten yards behind and our legs felt like alien objects.

What is it with us and summits? Both our Kinabalu and Toubkal ascents were clear blue skies on Day One but just when we needed a clear day to be rewarded with views from the summit....clouds.

Back on Day 19 and 20 of our trip we climbed the 4085 metre summit of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. Both this and Jebel Toubkal were two day hikes, both were over 4,000 metres in altitude but this is where the similarities ended quite abrubtly.

Whilst Kinabalu offered a walk with unforgetable moments and sights completely unique to that part of the world and that mountain, Toubkal did feel a more natural experience. It was quite simply a mountain in a range that you could climb - no guide, no signage (other than that of towers of boulders left by previous climbers), no steps and no frills.

We started at 5.15am down at breakfast. Many had already taken off but we waited for a slither of light which came through around 5.45am. The first part of the climb was scrambling up big boulders before hitting a more caring path but no less caring in gradient. To put this into perspective yestrday we walked 10km climbing 1467 metres. Today whilst only walking 2-3km we were climbing a whopping 960 metres.

Legs we weary just an hour into the climb which wasn't a good sign. And things got worse as the caring path turned evil with small stones zapping the energy from your legs like sand and causing a few slip sliding issues. The only motivation was having sight of people resembling ants in the distance marching up the final ascent after negotiating the quick sand track we were horrified to discover but not all together surprised to learn that the ants were climbing just one part of the final ascent. This was ridiculously steep and where moral was at an all time low - we discovered we'd forgotten our bag of food, we were walking in a cloud unable to see anything ten yards in front or ten yards behind and our legs felt like alien objects.

But we soldiered on hungry, hammered and halfway. It was here that things started turning for us. We pushed through the tough ascent and the pain barrier and were told by the first 'descenter' that we had only thirty minutes to go. Even though we had much longer to go the climb started feeling easier psycologically but the track was starting to level out comparitively. Eventually we saw the Majorca couple who slapped our hands and congratulated us. Slightly delerious from pain, hunger and the altitude we looked up to see the pyramid that represented the summit just 10 seconds from our grasp. It felt like a great achievement and everbody was feeling it shaking hands and slapping backs. The weather had even momentarily cleared for us rewarding us with clear blue skies and fantastic views of the high atlas mountain range. We were given some nuts and dried fruit and the energy started coming back to body and legs.

We waited around and had the summit to ourselves until we were ready for the descent. This was really tricky in patches. You'd lose concentration for a second and you were on you arse. The slippery small stones and the large boulders we'd encontered on the way up offered their own different challenges going down whilst all the time the steepness perplexed us on how we'd managed to get up the bloody thing.

We were accompanied by a dog for much of the descent who we whistled over when we spotted her scaring mountain goats into a huddle on the edge of a cliff. This dog was phenomenal tackling the ascent and descent everday. However, we were later to find out that this was nothing compared to the guides who took the trek five to six time a week during Ramadam meaning no food or water during the day.

Back at the refuge at 11am and we were greeted with a lunch which was more than the doctor had ordered. Layla had 40 winks and we were back at it on the 10km descent from the refuge to Ilmil. Body already beaten this was another four hour walk.

The walk would prove extremely tiring and tough especially when Layla' knee started playing up. 'Nothing a couple of painkillers can't help' she said striding on, big grin and eyes the size of dustbin lids.

We also had rain and thunder and lightening to contend with and when we though that was bad it started hailing huge pieces of ice. The hail hitting you felt like being the stag at a paintball activity centre.

But we made it back to Ilmil and YES the shower was good and YES the tangine was better and YES the 7.40pm to bed felt like heaven.

Imlil to Toubkal Refuge

Day 70
Saturday 5th September 2009

In Marrakesh we had been quoted 2400 Dirham to do a package tour to Jebel Toubkal. We opted out of that and were extremely glad when arriving in Imlil we realised we could do things a whole lot cheaper. We didn't need to stay in the riad, we didn't need a guide, and we certainly didn't need a mule.

So off we went early doors guideless and muleless on our lonesome with Toubkal refuge our destination at the foot of the summit climb and 10km in distance and 1467km in altitude away from where we currently were.

A couple of hesitant turns and directions from locals (Toubkal then point usually got the desired response) and we were on the right track to the refuge.

We past the town of Amound walking across a huge rocky riverbed before traversing steadily up into the high atlas and stunning scenery with Toubkal continuously our backdrop.

We pushed past the temptation of snacks in the last chance village and found salvation from the sun in the shape of an overhanging rock where we tucked on some fine Laylamade sandwiches.

This provided the energy to crack on and negotiate the toughest and steepest part of the day. After here the valley opened out and from this point on it was only distance rather than gradient that was going to kill us.

Highlight of fellow climbers had to be a group of oldies who persuaded us to stop and share some fresh orange juice with them. Brits, they'd met at a mountaineering club in the 70s and had become good friends visiting amazing places ever since.

Eventually after five hours of walking, legs getting tired and body getting weary we caught a glimpse of the refuge. This was enough incentive to push on and reach our first day destination with the hard work still to come.

The refuge was buzzing with excitement and full of nationalities and ages which was quite strange as we'd hardly seen a sole on the walk. Everybody was happy to chat.

We shared dinner with a couple from Majorca and agreed to start the climb with them the following morning at 5.30am.

The High Atlas Mountains

Day 69
Friday 4th September 2009

Armed with a whole load of information we set off today to Imlil, set in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco and the base of many treks including the two day Jebel Toubkal summit trek that we would start tomorrow.

Jebel Toubkal at 4167 metres is the highest mountain in North Africa so this wasn't going to be easy.

Ilmil was a beautiful alpine village with a sprinkling of restaurants and accomodation. We opted for a budget option that still had views of the range from the courtyard cafe and our room. Alternatives were the riad of Ilmil which was a beautiful old building with roof terrace looking out to the mountains. Next grade up and king of Ilmil accomodation was the kasbah which was a grand building perched on a cliff above the village.

We met a nice English chap staying at our accomodation who had just got back down. He had some great tips for the climb and also gave us his map. Bloody nice bloke.

We wandered the town and I bought a ridiculous hat as protection from the sun. I looked like Hugh Jackman. Not because of the hat, more the build ; )

We had an early night with a big day of walking ahead of us tomorrow.