Most Inspirational Moment
On the way up to the refuge and the summit of the mountain, you don’t get to see a clear sight of the actual summit. It’s not till you are quite close that you finally get to see the marker above you. However, once you are finally there the view is stunning. The panorama is breath taking, the snow capped flanks of Toubkal give way to the greens and browns of the foot hills and plains that stretch into the distance as far as you can see. What better reward can you ask for after a morning’s mountain climbing?I also found the second day to be just as exciting, as the summit day. We ascended the summit in clear weather with glorious sunshine, which made the views spectacular. However the next day was in stark contrast, plenty of snow had fallen over night and was continuing to fall all day. Visibility was dramatically reduced so we were unable to climb much higher than 3800m, but saying that we still managed to get to near the top of some adjacent peaks. This truly felt like a winter climb as we made steady progress both up and down the mountain in the falling snow. You couldn’t see much, but was a great day out from the refuge with fun being had by all who went on it.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader Hassan was really friendly and fun. He had a great sense of humour that ensured that we had a really good trip. Mohammed the mountain guide was also great, although his English wasn’t as good as Hassan’s he still made sure that we had a good time up the mountain. Both were really good and looked out for our safety, overcoming the changing weather and kit with a calm and professional demeanour. The cook always managed to rustle up fantastic meals that were so welcoming after a day of fun in the snow.
Advice for Potential Travellers
On arrival in Marrakech it is quite warm in the sun, so it’s a good idea to pack a few warm weather clothes. However, for a good deal of the time up the mountain it will be cold, so pack warm clothes too. As advertised the refuge is quite basic, so don’t expect too many mod cons. Whilst there is a fire in the main lounge area it can still get quite cold inside, especially with the lack of internal doors on the ground level, so pack some warm clothes to wear around the refuge itself. I took a down jacket with me that came in handy at various points on the trip. Take a good book, and a pack of cards, that way you can have a peaceful moment to yourself or have a social game of cards with the rest of your group, guides and other residents of the refuge. Definitely don’t forget to take some ear plugs, you will probably need them.When you arrive try to get a bunk bed away from the door and walls and if possible on the lower levels. I had an upper bunk for the first night and got a bit damp from all of the condensation in the room at night. Moisture also means that the floors in the refuge can get quite slippery, so take care, especially when going up and down the stairs. There is also a shower, but be warned, there is not an endless supply of hot water and it can run out, leaving you to have a cold one, and that is really quite bracing! Still, it is possible and well worth it if you want to clean up. There were a couple of plug sockets so you can charge batteries and phones (though you will have to share with everyone else). The refuge can also get quite busy, so despite not seeing may people on the way up to the refuge, it was surprising to see just how many people were staying there. When it is busy it does mean that it’s not always possible to get a seat in the lounge, but there are other places to sit and have copious cups of sweet tea - not always mint!
