Guide for climbing Mt. Toubkal for those who are reasonably fit and reasonably motivated but not extremely fit or extremely prepared.

I know it’s a long title, but I wanted to make it very clear: this is not a guide for pros.  This is a guide for regular people, people who go on walks from time to time, people who like trail mix, people who think, “Yeah! Maybe I could give climbing Mt. Toubkal a go!”

Mt. Toubkal is, allegedly, the tallest mountain in North Africa.  Our little town is in the foothills of the same mountain range as Mt. Toubkal, and so it isn’t too far from where we live.  It is a popular place for trekkers, both foreign and domestic.  Before beginning our ascent, Pete and I read a lot of articles online claiming that anyone who is “reasonably fit” and “reasonably motivated” can tackle Mt. Toubkal.  So when our friend Kate came to visit, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to explore the mountain.  Online articles reported pleasant climbing weather in September, and we have hiking shoes and backpacks and Cliff Bars.  Perfect!

On day one, we hiked from the charming town of Imlil (where the trail begins) to the Toubkal Refuge.  According to the interweb, this walk should have taken us between 4.5-7 hours.  It took us every minute of those seven hours, and altitude sickness made the last few hours fairly miserable.  We spent the night at the refuge and hit the trail to the summit at 6:30 the next morning.  Nine hours later (again, much, much longer than it takes the average hiker), exhausted and frustrated but also proud, we returned to the Toubkal Refuge.  We spent the night there again.  Not everyone does this, but we just couldn’t imagine walking all the way back down to Imlil.  I’m glad we rested because our early morning hike back to Imlil the next day was cool, quiet, and beautiful.  Because we weren’t exhausted and cranky, we were really able to enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

Looking back, here are ten-tips for hiking Mt. Toubkal that I wish I had known:

1.  Nothing is as close as you think it is in Morocco.  As the crow flies, our town is practically in Toubkal’s backyard.  And yet, we still have to trek into Marrakech and then back out via a different road to get to the city closest to the trailhead.  Hours and hours of uncomfortable rides in squished taxis and bargaining with taxi drivers can make one grumpy.  And that summit?  MUCH further away than you think.  MUCH.

2. Mt. Toubkal is actually located in a national park.  But it’s not Yosemite, y’all.  Directional signs are impossible to find, and the trails are poorly maintained.  Bring a map and brush up on your Darija vocab for “lost” and “please help me.”

Excuse me, but can you tell us where the mountain is?

3. People might not help you.  Part of the local economy stems from foreigners who hire guides to help them navigate the mountain.  And some people even hire a donkey to take their supplies up.  So, if you don’t, if you are trekking alone and ask for directions, it’s possible that a local will simply refuse to help you.  We tried our best to charm everyone we met with both Darija and Tashelhit, but a few people just said “no.”  Or, they may say, “Give me 50 dirhams” and you will scoff at the injustice but eventually hand over 20 just to avoid dying in the cold, alone.

4. Plan to spend more money than you expect.  Carrying water is hard work, and they do sell it at the Toubkal Refuge.  You have to decide if it’s worth it to shell out twice the normal cost for a giant bottle of water or if you’d prefer to lug up several gallons on your back.  Want coffee in the morning?  It’ll cost you 10 dirhams for a glass of hot water, instant coffee, and powdered milk.  Keep in mind that all the refuge goodies have to be carried up by donkey.  But, still.  It stings a little bit.

Grateful for water, no mater how expensive.

4   5. Dress appropriately.  It gets really, really cold out there.  I ended up tying an extra tank top across my face to block the wind.  I wore a baseball hat to block the sun on day one, and I wore a wool cap to prevent frostbite on day two. It’s been said before, and I’ll say it again: wear layers.

Layers!!

     6. Altitude sickness is real.  And it’s awful.  Symptoms we experienced included fatigue, lack of appetite, headaches, shortness of breath, and (my favorite) general malaise.  My hands also swelled quite a bit, making my fingers look like little sausages.  Luckily, our symptoms were not too severe.  We made it to the summit, but you need to listen to your body and be gentle with yourself if altitude sickness rears its ugly head.

     7. Other people are going to be a lot faster than you.  We encountered people who flew from across the world JUST to climb Toubkal.  We met a man who was hiking Toubkal as training for an upcoming hiking trip in Nepal. There are some serious people on that mountain.  It doesn’t matter how slow you climb as long as you are safe and having a reasonable amount of fun.  Stop comparing yourself to other people and just do what you can.

A pace that works for us.

     8. Bring what you need to get a good night’s sleep in a room full of 25 bunk beds.  Its kind of fun to go to bed at 7:30pm at the Toubkal Refuge the night before you climb the summit.  It made me feel like I was sleeping at Everest Base Camp.  With lots of strangers who snore and have altitude-induced flatulence.   You may need earplugs and a pill to help you sleep soundly.   I did.

     9. Mountain climbing is not the same as hiking.  And I now know that I prefer just regular hiking.  Maybe that’s common sense, but it didn’t really sink in for me until we were gripping steep slopes with white-knuckles and then sliding back down on our bottoms.

     10. An unreasonable amount of determination can get you very, very far.

13,671 feet, fueled by the power of love.

Whether or not you make it to the top, spending time in Toubkal National Park will provide you with stunning views of Morocco’s landscape.  While these tips would have been helpful for me, they are by no means an official guide.  Do you research, be prepared for anything and everything, and trust yourself.  Trek Salama!