I am off to Morocco with some friends in a few weeks and as I have been recovering from an injury over winter I just wanted to know how strengous the trek up Toubkal is. I am an aviding hiker and climber but am not on form at the minute so not sure whether any training will be needed before I go.
Contact Huskeyman, he's off to Toubkal next week and has done a lot of training.
You need a reasonable level of fitness (and I realise this varies from person to person). The fitter you are the easier you will acclimatise, the commonest starting point for Toubkal is Imlil, itself up at 1700m
If you are unfit and drive to Imlil one day and expect to walk up to Neltner the next and then summit the day after you will struggle. Do a couple of days/walks from Imlil, you can go east towards Oukaimeden or west towards Ouirgane both of which will give you an idea if you should then go for toubkal.
Why not do some training now and enjoy the mountains a bit more rather than no training and struggle?
I am deffinitly planning on doing some training...I just was concerned that as the clock is ticking I might have to step it up a level depending upon what was required....
If you can hire a mule to carry your main gear then it will be easier, a lot of people do but I've seen people going up very slowly with a full looking 70l pack on their back.
If you've plenty of time to acclimatise in and around Imlil, always assuming that is the way you are going (?) then the going will be easier.
If you are reasonably fit and used to walking uphill and at altitudes higher than the UK there is nothing to say that you can't set off from Imlil morning day 1 and hike up to the refuge at Neltner, overnight there and summit early the next morning and then walk all the way back down to Imlil that day.
Going in "a few weeks" you should avoid the snow although there is more this year than for the past 20 years!
Off this sun. to jebel toubkal, staying over afterwards in Marakesh, back on 24th, will do my best to try and post, d/l pics, etc. but will post when back. If you are going after I get back Red B, will send or post what I thought. N.B. I read on an other forum that 'cos record levels of snow in past 20yrs, 2wks ago summit attempt was to dangerous!! hopefully I'll get to summit - but, in/on wilderness treks can't always be sure you can get to objective!! h
Well we are going to be carrying our own gear up and will be taking tents rather than staying in the refuge so will be carrying food as well. The route isnt decided upon yet but thinking the normal route might be a bit busy and are looking into alternatives.
Hearing about your trip Huskyman would be great......thanks
Thanks so much for the replies guys....alway good to hear from people who have been there before you
Red B, am not doing 'normal' route, which is up South Ridge. I will, hopefully, be going up by North Ridge and down the South Ridge. Of course this depends on weather, conditions, etc. I will try and post from Marakesh if I can. I hope to take loads of pics to U/L, can't wait to get there, h
Also, remember that you can't be to careful where altitude is concerned. Heights above 2000+m can and do affect the most healthy people if they are not used to hights above this. Take it slow as you ascend,until you get to @ 3500m you should be able to breath and talk normally, so a pace of, maybe 2kmh, is about right.If you start to get 'sevear' headaches slow down, but if they don't ease or get worse decend as soon and fast as you can!!! AMS can kill at what people think are not "really" high alitudes, At 3500m there's only about 40% as much oxygen as at sea-level and it gets lower as you get higher, so take it easy!!!
Trip went well, sort of, much harder than I was expecting, the route up from Imilil can be very steep, went from 1740m to 2900m ish then back to 1840m to Gite for night in 4 1/2hrs. on 1st day!! After that was up cols, down valleys to camp sites, traversing to NW ridge. I didn't do "normal route/s", which is the South col/ridge. Sometimes North col/ridge. The way I went needed 'full winter climbing gear', apart from last bit to summit, no snow, too late in season, sun had melted it away!. Just rock and scree. The summit can be done in 4 days by the "normal" route, but I would suggest spending a day or two at @ 1500 to 2000m if you can, can make it that wee bit easier. If you start from Imilil I can reccommend the Cafe Soliel, execelent food, nice rooms, and quite good English. Ask for Abdul, (manager), or Mohammad, HTMH. h
Thanks Huskyman! Sounds great. I am getting very excited now...we fly out a week today! We have a week out there so should be able to spend a night or two at height and not rush things.
I'm treking Toubkal in 10 days but have loads of questions. my brother reckons we can summit in 2 days from Imlil, is this correct? What gear to we need to take? I'm planning on carrying a 70l rucksack complete with 3 season sleeping bag. Do I need a coat or will of couple of fleeces do?
It is possible to go from Imlil up to Neltner (or thereabouts) on day 1, then summit and walk back down to Imlil on day 2.
If you are going to be carrying a 70l pack then you will need to be fairly fit to do this:
a) with no acclimatisation time at Imlil (or similar altitude)
b) in 2 days.
A 3 season bag, fine, where are you sleeping? In the refuge? In a tent?
Yes, you may well need a waterproof, it has snowed/rained a lot more this last winter than for the past 20 years so if I were going I'd carry one.
Actually, why are you planning to carry a 70l pack? What will you carry in it? Can you leave stuff in Imlil and go with a smaller pack for the two days? What will it weigh?
I wouldn't class myself as being that fit, where could I leave the big bag? Only away for 5 days in total, planning on spending the last 2 in marrakesh, so I just need 5 days worth of clothes, sleeping bag, and bits and bobs, what size bag would you suggest? I'm limited to the airlines 15kg anyway.
I think we'll be sleeping in the refuge, does it need to be booked in advance?
Have you been at 4,000+m in snow before? You won't, I don't think need crampons but if you have an ice axe and know how to use it to stop yourself if you slip!
OK, if I were you I'd overnight in Imlil, somewhere like the Riad Imlil (I"ve stayed there, it is DH600/night with supper and breakfast (was back in March) I'm not related to the guy! A night of acclimatisation is better then nothing.
Hi name is Rachid, he can get you a competent guide who won't rip you off, you can leave your extra gear at the Riad, I wouldn't want to be looking for public transport in the afternoon when you get back to Imlil so I'd stay there again before going back to Marrakech. I'm sure though that if you are determined then you could book a Grand Taxi to be there when you get back to takeyou back to M'kech.
I'd take a guide unless you've got a good map. A guide for 2 days will set you back min. DH1,000 but 1,200 is reasonable.
You can just turn up at Neltner and there is another refuge next door so I guess there will be space.
Full waterproofs and think about long johns too.
If you want to go cheaply with no guide then you better be able to look after yourself.
If you don't want to stay overnight (and I'd REALLY advise that you do) then a guide could find you somewhere to cache the stuff you don't want to carry.
I can't tell you what size bag to take, work out what has to go in it then see. I've never carried more than a daysack on Toubkal.
Spent 2 nights at the Toubkal refuge 2 weeks ago. Still quite a lot of snow, but no need for axe or crampons, or long johns! Refuge was busy, but recently refurbished & warm. If you care a competant mountaineer, you can do Toubkal without a guide, but if not you would be better with one.
Would always advise acclimatisation, spending a night at Imlil or nearby will pay dividends and you will enjoy it much more.
I agree with above, I went from sea level to nearly 3000m on first day before dropping to Gite to spend the night. I really suffered from alitude, it's much harder than I was expecting.
I would also advise a guide, depending on what way you go paths can be tricky and hard to pick right one. Maps of area are NOT relible!!
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