Latest Toubkal Winter Conditions Report

On Friday I finished a six day 4,000m Peaks trip with a lovely group from England. Overall, we had fantastic winter conditions on Toubkal and the other 4,000m peaks in the High Atlas Mountains. It is proper winter now with the windchill being sometimes down to -25 C.

Toubkal with the North and South Col routes & Toubkal West with the big mixed lines – seen from the Tadat Col. 11-2-15

Ras (4,083m), Timesguida (4,088m), and Akoiud (4030m) – from the summit of Biguinoussene (4,007m) 11-2-15

Snowpack and Snow Cover

There is good consolidated snow on most slope aspects. We did find on more northerly aspects weakly bonded layers and pockets of wind slab, which is due to the S to SW winds we have been having. There is snow in the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday of this week, and the winds look to be coming from the NW and NE, so watch the more southerly aspects for drifting and windslab build up. Also, beware if the big drop of snow comes, as in places it will overlay on a harder layer and may need time for the layers to bond.

Take care on those more northerly aspects and areas where wind slab persists early this week and look for drifting and wind slab on more southerly facing slopes as the wind shifts directions later in the week!

Climbing Conditions

The routes on Afella are looking doable and Fountain Gully looks to still to be in condition. Last week Chockstone Gully, Curtain Call, some single pitch ice routes at the end of the valley near Tizi Ouagane, and one of the 600m routes on Toubkal West all saw ascents by a group of British climbers. They reported good conditions on most of the routes, but on one of the routes on Toubkal West near the top, one of the teams reported it to be hard going with loose snow, but the lower sections were in great condition. The Afekhoi cascades looked to be in good condition and again the mixed climbing on the left buttress was in good condition.

Ice routes at the end of the valley near Tizi Ouagane 9-2-15

Afella with it steep wall of mixed/ice routes 9-2-15

Afekhoi cascades 8-2-15

Potential route between the Lepiney refuge and Tamsoult refuge 13-2-15

For a Logistics Only Package please get in touch with us! Let us sort all the non-climbing and mountaineering aspects to your trip, so that you can focus on enjoying the culture, food, and peaks and routes of the High Atlas.

For a Logistics Only Package please get in touch with us! Let us sort all the non-climbing and mountaineering aspects to your trip!

Refuge Access

Access to the Toubkal refuge is normal for this time of year, with hard-packed snow starting above Sidi Chamharouch (2,350m). Crampons are a good idea to keep in your rucksack, especially if you are starting out early or arriving at the refuge later in the day. Porters are needed from Sidi Chamharouch.

The Lepiney refuge has snow on the track and from the frozen cascades you will need crampons.

Tazaghart Plateau 13-2-15

Winter Conditions Summary

Toubkal and the High Atlas mountains are in excellent winter condition with lots of the mountaineering and ice routes ready for the picking. It would be wise to avoid or take care on more northerly slope aspects and also southerly as the wind shifts directions and a big dump of snow is forecast. There are weaknesses in the snowpack on more northerly aspect slopes, so good route finding and watching the wind and weather will allow groups to enjoy the great winter we are having in the High Atlas.

For a personalised trekking, guiding or instruction service and/or logistics for Toubkal and the High Atlas, just get in touch with us here at The Mountain People!

Summit of Toubkal – well done boys! 10-2-15

Gully leading to the Tadat Col 11-2-15

Latest Toubkal Winter Conditions Report

Toubkal and the High Atlas have seen some pretty wild weather over the last week! I got back yesterday from a five day Alpine Ridges trip.

On three out of the five days it felt like we were in Scotland as we faced strong winds, low visibility, severe wind-chill and wind slab build-up on leeward slopes.

Walk into the Toubkal Refuge 15-1-15

Snowpack and Snow Cover

There has been a lot of fresh snow over the last week and, with the strong N to NW winds, lots of the S to SE slope aspects have a pretty heavy loading of wind slab. I found that the fresh snow in places was moderately bonded to the snowpack, but again lots of wind slab is weakly bonded.

It would be wise to avoid deep pockets of wind slab that have accumulated on S to SE aspects. The snowpack should start to consolidate over the next week as we enter into a more stable and less turbulent weather period.

The guys coming into the corrie that leads to Akiode (one of the classic 4,000m peaks) 18-1-15

Climbing Conditions

The routes on Afella for the most part still need to fatten up, but Fountain Gully looks to be in really good nick. Chockstone Gully and Curtain Call both looked in better condition than the last time I was up. There are small ice pitches around the refuge and some of the other ice lines heading towards Tizi Ouagane are in pretty good condition and should get fatter with the added snow. The Afekhoi cascades are buried, so a good thaw is needed, but again the mixed lines on the left-hand buttress are in good condition!

With all the new snow, the big lines on Afella and Toubkal West etc. should benefit if good freeze/thaw conditions materialise!

Toubkal West 17-1-15

So overall the climbing conditions are pretty good, but the big ice/mixed lines will need more time to come into good condition. As the snowpack consolidates the mountaineering routes will become a lot more accessible but at the moment it will be hard work to access them.

Afella – mixed and ice lines still need more time! 17-1-15

Curtain Call (left) and Chockstone (right) 16-1-15

For a Logistics Only Package please get in touch with us! Let us sort all the non-climbing and mountaineering aspects to your trip, so you can focus on what’s important!

Refuge Access

Access to the Toubkal refuge is pretty hard going at the moment with lots of fresh snow but as the snowpack consolidates good conditions underfoot will return. Porters are needed from Sidi Chamharouch (2,350m).

Winter Conditions Summary

Toubkal and the High Atlas mountains have seen a lot of fresh snow and there are some big deposits of wind slab on S to SE aspect slopes. It would be wise to avoid any slopes where these bigger deep deposits of wind slab have accumulated and there is a considerable risk of avalanches on these slopes.

Access to mountaineering routes and ice/mixed lines is going to be hard going until the snowpack consolidates a bit. The smaller ice pitches heading toward Tizi Ouagane are coming into good condition and routes around the refuge such as Curtain Call are beckoning ascents!

We should see the snowpack consolidate as we enter a more calm and stable weather period.

For a personalised trekking, guiding or instruction service and/or logistics for Toubkal and the High Atlas, just get in touch with us here at The Mountain People!

Looking back at Tizi Ouagane 17-1-15

Toubkal and Toubkal West 17-1-15