UKC

Starting to drum up interest for a trip to Morocco in mid February and looking for a few tips and suggestions!

We're all generally in the VS-HVS lead range (we've all lead E1 and in some cases E2 but being on an alien rock type, out of season, in a different country I would say VS/HVS is a safe bet!). I have the 100 classic climbs guide book that came out last year but that's still a lot to choose from (will be going for around a week). Is there any absolute must-do routes in that kind of grade range? I've heard the White Tower is one to do, for example. Would be open to suggestions in the 5b range as well, just maybe well-protected and/or infrequent E1 territory rather than solid Extremes. 

Gear-wise, what kind of stuff works there? I've not climbed on Quartzite, I don't think, but from what I hear of Quartzite crags in the UK cams are king? What is it similar to in climbing style/gear? Is it the sort of place where you'd want a double set of cams and taking hexes would be mental (on limestone I'll always carry medium hexes for joggly cracks but wouldn't bother on grit or granite as a cam will do the same job). Double sets of wires? Offsets work? Worth carrying micros? Will we need BIG cams?

I think most of us have 50m half ropes rather than 60s. Is that an issue?

Was there much abbing? If so what were the stations like? Did you take a lot of tat? What thickness tat did you trust your life on?

For anyone who's climbed there in mid Feb - how much water did you carry for a big multi-pitch? From what I can see it averages around 15 degrees in the day, so a litre between a pair on route (after camelling at the bottom) would seem sensible?

Thanks

Lots of good routes to go for, to start the list with some uber classics:-

 The Golden Compass (E1 5b)

Crazy Mushrooms Ridge (Direct variant) (E1 5b).   Not really E1 

Brisingr (HVS). Top end HVS

Firesword (E1)

On the other had I thought that Pink Lady (VS 4c) was completely overrated as a climb, as a day out for a VS tyro it may have some merit.

Ropes, many of the new routers use 60m routes and the belays are described on that basis, some of the abs depend on 60m ropes, but I'm sure you will survive with 50m ropes and some tat as long as you keep this in mind.

Gear, I don't bother with hexes, but Paul Donnithorne swears by them.

Tiny wires are useful. Take big cams, I take a camalot 5, and did one route where a 6 would have been nice, there are lots of chimney/off width routes. I don't know about offsets, I don't own any, but have survived so far! Double cams are really useful, as are double wires and loads of slings, those 60m pitches need some gear. The Rocks 11-14 are really good on the quartzite, I wouldn't be without them.

Most of the ab points are really well set up, with thick rope or Steve Broadbent provided steel strops in popular areas. If you take tat  take long bits (3m or more) to get round three big boulders at the top. Old 9mm rope is reassuring and will last well, take a few leave biners as well.

The air temperature may look low but it can be very hot in the sun, the air is very dry and some routes finish at the 2000m mark, I think you would drink your 1/2 litre per person in the first hour. I'd be carrying 2 litres, you need to be well hydrated for the walks down, which are often long and difficult. I drank 3 litres climbing a 180m route in January.

Take a couple of packets of muesli bars to supplement the bread based lunch diet. Take a down jacket, the nights are cold in the mountains and benightments more common than you might think, darkness comes very swiftly that close to the equator and a head torch doesn't work well in a thorny thicket! 

I agree with all that Scott has said.  I've only been a couple of times and climbed mostly E1 and E2.  We found them to be a bit on the soft side, others we met felt the same, but I suspect that this may be intentional because much of the time you are in a remote and considerably more serious situation than in the UK and arguably the Alps. We had 60 metre ropes and found them essential on some of the routes but having said that we were there at a time when it was less travelled and there were several discrepancies in the descriptions. Keep on the lookout for snakes and scorpions and goats in trees. I was led to believe that the black snakes you see are one of the deadliest on the planet but then I don't like snakes nor scorpions for that matter. Neither should be a problem if you are noisy in your approach and don't go ferreting about under boulders we also encountered some families of wild boars which were not too happy about our presence. Don't let any of this put you off, it's fantastic and I really must get back there soon.

Al

We've mostly climbed in the VS/HVS/E1 grades in our many many trips. Our rack is what I'd call a normal UK one - 2 sets wires to No 10; I set DMM offsets making 3 of each in the mid sizes; 1 set micro wires; Friends to size 4 (many carry bigger ones but I studiously avoid off widths!) maybe double up in 1.0 to 2.5; Slings; Hexes? I'm never sure; Loads of tat for getting down - I like 7 or 8mm these days; knife.

Routes to do? Here's a list I did for my fellow club members:

Ksar Rock is beside the road and gives a good taste of the rock to be found. Many high quality steep pitches in the Brit cragging style. Sahara (MVS)/Jedi (HVS) combination is a good start. For a nearby taste of the bigger stuff across the valley is Lower Eagle Crag with routes of around 6 pitches. I've only done Pink Lady (VS) and Black Beauty (E1) so far; both worthwhile. Around the corner to the left is The Sanctuary with many HVS/E1 routes with mossy starts but airy finishes, e.g. Saladin.

Adrar Umlil (The White Dome) which has 5 towers provides great climbing. Of particular note I'd list Lion King (HVS), Golden Compass (E1), Vanishing point (VS) and Event horizon (HVS), There's a crag called icebox canyon which is actually described under the Samazar section of the guide books but which is accessed from upper Afantinzar valley. Only done Polar Bear (E1) and Bitter Days (HVS). Both good. Further up the Afantinzar Valley you get to the region known as Tagzene and Babouche Buttress with Crazy Mushrooms Ridge (HVS or E1) which is excellent.

Then there's the Samazar Valley which begins (at The Kasbah Tizourgane end) with Rainbow Buttress - a very easy approach to many good climbs S - E1. My favourite so far is Route 66 (VS). After your awe struck drive down the valley with huge crags both sides you couldn't do better than to seek out Dragon Buttress where Brisingr (E1) is one of my favourites of the whole region - the adjacent Firesword is said to be yet better at E2. Opposite the parking for Dragon you'll have a great view of the 500 metre Waterfall Walls. I've only done To Teo (HVS) on there; it gives a great adventure with easy approach and descent, if it's still daylight by then! In the same area is Safinah with Scimitar Ridge (HVS but only just), a compelling line.

If you continue driving from there leaving Samazar up the notorious zigzags, at the col you'll be between a number of good crags with delightful airy climbing - Agouti and Fig Tree Wall stand out in my memory as providing splendid climbing especially Braveheart (HVS) and Honeycomb Buttress (S)

For a taste of the Taskra massif in the opposite direction from The Kasbah you can't go wrong with Taskra East Pillars - Multiple Pillars of Pleasure (HVS) and Keep Taking the Pillars (HVS) are very good; at an easier standard Pan's Labyrinth Direct (HS) has its moments. On the way there you'll pass many crags the most impressive of which is the 1000 foot The Thumb. I've only done the flanking VSs, both good adventures. There are some mighty climbs up the middle.
 

On the way to Tafraout you'll pass loads of crags in the area known as Sidi m'Zal. Here you can't miss the striking line of Saif Din on Arched Wall. Too many for me at E3 but the adjacent Great Corner is excellent and not E2. Further along is Greek Buttress with loads of 6 pitch routes at HVS to E by gum. Done Gamma and Alpha both HVS and want to go back for more. Further yet you can seek out the hidden gem that is Fylde Crag. It's a bit of trumpet blowing but people speak highly of Sez Les (VS+) named in honour of our Anti Atlas mentor in the early days, Les Brown.

And that would bring you to the col over which is "The South Side" - The Ameln Valley and Tafraout with a host of very good climbs. I'd look look first at The White Tower - you can't choose for quality between Original and Direct as both are 3 star HVSs. Crag W is big and has adventures for all e.g. Spacewalk (HVS) and Original (HVS but only if you don't go too high on pitch 2!). The crags up in the beautiful hanging valley of Anergui have loads to go at in the grades you suggest including Naseby (HVS) Ride The Wild Wind (HVS) Eagle's Perch (HVS) and White Mischief (HVS). There's also, on the far side of Tafraout, the granite area with some quite nice multipitch routes and many sport climbs - but that's not what you came all this way for now, is it?!

As Gridnorth said I thought the grades were a little soft in the main, generally the gear was excellent and climbs felt pretty safe. It's been ages since I've been so I can't remember many routes but firesword is top end e1 imho.

I felt fine with a rack of double nuts and a single set of cams. I remember medium to big nuts being most useful.

+1 for hexes! Much lighter than a second set of big cams

We found the granite to be a useful refuge on a couple of days when it was claggy up high in November, Flake Quake and High Sierra were both really good (both wanting a single set of cams to Camalot 6 along with a huge hex for Flake Quake (something a little larger than a size 4 Torque Nut).

If the OP likes chimneys/ offwidths I would strongly recommend Jaws on Adrar Umlil as well. There is an unprotected fairly difficult move at the start but the climbing is utterly brilliant, definitely something to get in rather than dicking around trying to bridge the face of! I also very much enjoyed Michael Burkha which I reckoned to be soft for E1 but really good.

I found it easy to get tins of tuna/ mackerel in a spicy tomato sauce in the shops there which went down really well with the flat breads.

Beware the rug man in tafraout, he is very friendly and will try to coax the OP into buying a rug!

My pal, not liking the look of the off width on Flake Quake, nor having any big cams, just lead (solo'd!) the slab to the right, slippery paint streaks and all. I was very happy to follow it that way. 

Yeah - Nice bread and a tin of fish is my staple lunch too. Not fond of the spicy options though.

There are two carpet families buzzing around meeting you on every corner on their mopeds in Tafraout - Maison Troc which has other businesses in the town including Kasbah Restaurant and Hotel Les Amis, and Maison Touareg, Sayeed being recognisable by his white robes and Hollywood smile! 

When we were there, he seemed more interested in trying to purchase my mate's very attractive blonde partner off him!

We had a week at the Kasbah in early December which I'd guess would be similar to February in terms of temperatures etc. We alternated between single pitch crags and longer routes, visiting most of the nearby venues  You'll find specific crag and route beta, plus lots of photos, in the following blog posts

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/category/morocco/

Enjoy! 

Cheers, Dom 

Thanks all.

A lot of E1/2 suggestions there, that will generally be out of range.

May have to be very selective if we don't have enough 60m ropes! The guidebook I have has pitch lengths; hopefully these are reasonably accurate or there will be opportunity for intermediate belays.

If your competent at hvs and happy in the mountains you may find E1 in tafroute ok

I'd be wary of trusting any of the in situ ab tat, with the exception of the metal chains that are in situ on a couple of crags. The sun bleaching very quickly weakens rope / cord out there so would recommend backing it up.