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.
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.
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 fit for a rest day/ half day. Still its so close to Tafraout it should be experienced for a bit of fun if staying in Tafraout.
 | | Jim being reborn |
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 | | Me on the thinnest 6B Ive ever climbed - on the granite |
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Our second day was spent on Labyrinth Ridge (VS, 800m). 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 mis 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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The rest of the trip was spent cragging around the southern side of the massif or getting up early, and leaving the hotel at silly o’clock to do longer routes on the North side. Being based in Tafrout getting to the North Side cliffs was more of an excursion. Tafrout is at a lower altitude than the north side and much of this side catches the sun. As such temperatures in the valley here, at least for me, were higher than I would normally feel climbing in. Still staying in the Hotel Amandiers in the town has advantages (like a bar).
Memorable Cragging day were spent on crags such as....
Cheshire Cheese Crag
Robin Hood Rocks
Tisgut Gorge
Palm Tree Gorge
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 | | The Almen Valley |
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 | | Climbing at Cheshire Cheese crag |
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 | | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof HVS - One of Ron's routes - Pulled off a block! |
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 | | Me on the Classic Tizgut crack - E1 - A Joe Brown route |
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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 when Chris and I climbed To Tao (450m HVS) and Jim and Ron climbed Under the Water (HVS). This involved an expedition the amazing Samazar Valley (in itself a real adventure on an unpaved track). 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.
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 | | Waterfall Walls |
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 | | Me walking out in an ampitheatre of rock |
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 | | Me belaying in a spectacular position on the arete |
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We finished the trip with an attempt of Crazy Horse on the Asseldra Thumb (VS - 300m). 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 caught us out. Fortunately we could bail at the first stance.
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 | | Early morning at the Thumb |
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 | | Chris tackles the first corner |
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 | | Tafraout - Anti Atlas backdrop |
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