Morocco’s Anti Atlas has been on the list for a few years. A place where you can enjoy UK style traditional climbing in good weather, on routes up to 800 meters, and all just a 4 hour flight away.
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The big selling point of the Moroccan Anti Atlas is the quartzite. Golden in colour, rough to the touch, and perfectly formed for trad climbing. It often gives up routes between VS and E2 on high cliffs a couple of hundred meters in length without the need for bolting anchors or runners. Combine this with short walk-ins, very few abseil descents (there’s no rescue service to speak off so getting the Ab rope stuck could seriously ruin your day), and a stable winter climate that rarely, if ever, produces electrical storms, and you have a perfect adventure trad destination….Chis, Ron, Jim and myself had two weeks in the area climbing nearly everyday and staying in the town of Tafraout at the comfortable Les Amandiers.
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| Tafraout - Anti Atlas backdrop |
Our first day, being a half day, we decided to have a play on the local granite around the village. Not really what people come to Tafraout for the granite is bolted, is of dubious quality, and is really only good for a rest day/ half day. Still its so close to Tafraout it should definitely be experienced if staying in Tafraout.
Fender Stratocaster (30m, 6b+) was unbelievably thin for the grade. Definitely for lovers of friction slabs.
 | | Jim being reborn |
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 | | Me on the thinnest 6b+ I've ever climbed - on the granite |
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Our second day was spent on Labyrinth Ridge (VS 4c, 800m). This involved an expedition to the amazing Samazar Valley (in itself a real adventure on an unpaved track). The route is mainly a long scramble but with a couple of pitches of VS this is top quality and perfect for getting into the place. Its easy to miss the classic "flop across the gap" move on The Priest (a tower graded VS) and I somehow went wrong and skirted around this classic pitch. Chris and Ron enjoyed on it however we topped out mid morning.
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 | | Starting the first proper route of the trip |
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 | | Ron flops across the gap - On the Priest high on Labyrinth Ridge |
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 | | Chris high on the route |
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 | | Aylim. Great piece of rock |
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We headed to Palm Tress Gorge the following day. A peaceful oasis in amongst the quartzite. Enjoyable mid-grade cragging ensued, bagging routes such as...
Farouk's Fundaments VS 4b
Fact or Friction VS 4c
Berber Buttress HVS 5a
 | Quartzite cragging
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 | Me ready for a mellow cragging day at Palm tree gorge
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We had a super adventure on Waterfall Walls the next day when Chris and I climbed To Tao (HVS 4c, 450m) and Jim and Ron climbed Under the Water (HVS). We were up super early as it involved a trek back to the Samazar. Both routes could be described as typical of Moroccan adventure climbing where the adventure and whole experience of the day is highly worthwhile and memorable whilst the climbing is actually a bit average – or at least only memorable for being a bit of a horror show. To Tao had two superb pitches on perfect rock with heaps of exposure, stepping out onto a fantastic arete. The preceding pitches were running-out mossy slabs for 30 meters with no gear whilst desperately trying to find some sort of belay. The walk-off also had its moments. Its amazing how thick with vegetation the landscape gets and losing the “path” can lead to a nightmare of bushwhacking for hours.
 | | Waterfall Walls |
|  | | Me walking out in an ampitheatre of rock |
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 | | Me belaying in a spectacular position on the arete |
|  | | Early morning approach |
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We cragged locally at the shady Black Crag the next day. A rare shady outcrop in the Ameln Valley it was a good choice. Tafrout is at a lower altitude than the north side and much of this side catches the sun. As such temperatures in the valley, at least for me, were higher than I would normally feel comfortable climbing in. Still staying in the town does have advantages (like a bar in the hotel).
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| Heading to Black Crag |
We knocked off single pitch routes...
Intergalactic Social Blunder HVS 5a
Bohemia E1 5b
Block Rockin Beat VS 4b
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof HVS 5b - One of Ron's routes. Was a bit loose. Pulled a block off.
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.jpg) | | Me in the shade |
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 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. HVS
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| Descending back to the base of the crag |
Being based in Tafrout getting to the North Side cliffs was more of an excursion. However we had to go to Ksar Rock at least once, a brilliant cragging venue in the Anfantinzar Valley.
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| Ksar Rock |
Here we climbed Aerobat (E1 5b, 2 pitches) and The Colour of Money (VS 4c, 2 pitches), before returning to crag on the South side in the Ameln the following days, climbing at Cheshire Cheese Crag and Tizgut Gorge.
 | | The lads on a neighbouring pitch |
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 | | Ksar Rock Abseil descent |
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Cheshire Cheese is scrappy looking but as with most the quartzite, is far better than appearances suggest. Whilst Tizgut gorge hosts some wonderful routes and even some Anti-Atlas classics (such as the brilliant Tizgut Crack E1 5b, 60mm)
 | | Me and Chris on Eggs Reward |
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 | Me on the Classic Tizgut crack E1
- A Joe Brown route |
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| The Almen Valley |
Week two had us attempt Crazy Horse (VS 4c, 300m) on the awesome Asseldra Thumb. We had a predawn start to head up north and approached the eye-catching rock face over a farmed landscape whilst local women farmed herbs. The unthinkable happened however. Rain! Rain in Morocco is pretty rare but it looked imminent on our route. Fortunately we could bail at the first stance from some spare cord we had brought with us. Jim and Ron also bailed too from their route - definitely not worth the risk here in the wilds of Morocco and it did indeed start raining shortly afterwards.
 | | Early morning at the Thumb |
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 | | Chris tackles the bold first corner |
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We finished our Morocco experience on the sunny (and hot) crags near the town. Crag G had two pitch routes in the mid grades. Some good, some of lesser quality but within easy reach of the town it was a good choice of crag.
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| Crag G cragging |
Whilst Robin Hood Rocks is a must visit crag on the western side near Tagmont, it is an absolute sun trap (and I suffered in the heat). However, as a cragging venue it is excellent for short pitches on perfect quartzite. Here we bagged routes like ..
Bishop's Balcony HVS 5a. Steep!
Owl Crack E1 5b No sign of the owl but still good fun. A Wide Crack
By the Beard of Zeus HVS 5a. Absolute classic traverse pitch. Got a wire stuck sadly
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| Owl Crack..Wide |
Morocco what a trip!. Looking forward already to go back.
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| Chris in Photographer mode with Eagle Rock Behind |
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