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Oukaimeden buying powder

Utility Menu. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last Jump to page: Results 1 to 25 of Thread: High Atlas Antics - Oukaimeden. Posts Long trip report short, spent some time in Casablanca skip it and Marrakech 5 dusty days is good with the family for some cultural Winter break fun. Made a day trip to Oukaimeden to check off continent 6 and see if the 10 year old trip reports posted here still applied. Bottom line, yes, still rugged, still unpredictable, still worth a trip. They got a big storm the weekend prior, reports were the roads were impassible until Monday and the lifts broke down but were open again by the time we had a chance to go Wednesday or possibly travel uphill by mule was an option, even better. Website said open. Driver said open. Arrived to find not open. Luckily, I have a hearty crew, our 11 and 14 year olds are used to hiking and skinning before our local resort opens, and my wife, while not the hugest fan of skiing, loves exercise so hiking we went. Wish we brought touring gear, but the terrible reputation of Air Maroc for getting your checked baggage to you is very well deserved, so we brought our cheapest stuff with us and left some behind that was destined for the dumpster anyway. After around an hour, we topped out and had a nice descent through a couple inches of sun-softened hero snow. Good French wine, great French food, a killer view, and a blue sky awaited and was one of our best decisions of the day. Choucroutte, tartiflette, and casoullet with fresh bread plus the beating sun and some good exercise helped the crew pass out en route back to Marrakech. My wife told me over dinner later that it was one of her favorite days in her entire life. I have to agree, in the end it was a unique day for certain that did not suck in the least. After getting skunked literally waiting on the runway for Antarctica a year ago, this was a win. More on that later when my rescheduled date comes up. Some other notes, bringing skis into Morocco is easy. Getting them out, not so much. Almost missed the flight because of it. Give yourself an extra hour above the you will need to be there before leaving Morocco at the airport. If you have the guts, bring some perforated edge paper with some dot matrix printing on it and a credit card receipt - staple it all together, and just carry it with you. Not the airline check in guy, not the porter, not the baggage handler, no one. Wish I had known. If they want to extort me, I can pull the wool over them. That seems to be the motto of the place. I ended up trading my old pair of boots that were destined for the trash at the end of the day for 3 sleds to rent for me and the kids to give that a go after we skied. One of the best parts was seeing locals, many having ridden on scooters the 90 minutes from Marrakech, seeing snow for the first time. Many picked up second hand hats, mittens, and boots from the donkey carts lining the road for a few Dirham to stay warm as they had no idea what to expect. I can detail out the rest of the non-skiing trip if anyone is interested, have good recommendations on lodging, activities, and rules of thumb to make your trip successful. Attached Thumbnails. Originally Posted by tromano. Join Date Jan Location cb, co Posts 5, Skiing Morocco has been on my list for a while. I suspect there is also some great skiing to be had if you have time to explore the backcountry, too. Awesome BCR! What a great crew, cool spot and Dad of the year award man! Originally Posted by goldenboy. Love it! We're headed to Marrakesh and Essaouira in two weeks for a family trip and are hoping to pop up to the mountains for a day trip. Not sure if we'll ski, but we did miss 'skiing Africa' in Kenya and Lesotho, so maybe this is our chance?? Originally Posted by alpinevibes. Join Date Apr Posts 9, Fkin impressive! Join Date Dec Posts 11, Join Date Apr Location Between a rock and a soft place. Fantastic Cheers. Join Date Aug Location in the brew room Posts 2, Soap Co. Posts 3, Good stuff, thanks for posting. Full trip tr would be interesting if you have time. I was on the Ice Axe Antarctic trip, so this is the continent I haven't skied. While a cool experience, I'll have to say this report is a deterrent. Did you know before you arrived in Morocco that Oukaimeden had snow? Is there ANY source of information about its status and snow conditions outside the country? At latitude 31 I'd guess there are some seasons with almost no snow like Mt. Lemmon and Ski Apache. The airport ski situation is scary. I'd be inclined to rent skis and poles. That's what we intend to do in Lesotho July after a safari trip to Namibia in June. Originally Posted by Originally Posted by TonyC. Yes, I agree that exotic locations may not have reliable snow. Snow was good by North American standards on only one of my 4 ski trips to New Zealand and my Chile ski trip was 'warm temps, bluebird skies, and not a snowflake in sight. On most of our trips to the Alps, we compensate with flexibility. This been overall a poor season. We went to the southern Alps due to the heavy rain that hit the usually reliable NW at Christmas. We got lucky with an inch storm just before we arrived in the Via Lattea and so got 3 powder days there. The other 11 days in various southern French resorts were mostly groomer skiing but still worthwhile. Since we were there, we wanted to see the Mohammed V mosque. Worth the small entry fee. Casablanca is my favorite movie of all time, and while I knew it was a tourist trap, it was actually really nice. We used Linaya Transport, they were reliable and our driver was nice, even if he barely spoke English. Gave the kids a chance to practice their Moroccan Arabic. The olive groves look a little like Tuscany as they pass by, but not much between the two cities. Upon entering the Medina inner city of Marrekech walls through one of the several gates, it was a whole different experience. While Casablanca was very city-like, the center of the old city looked like it could have still been the year when it was built. Other than the motorized vehicles, it felt like an Eastern version of an old West town. We were greeted by the sound of blacksmiths hammering iron bars into farm and construction tools. Every section of the old city has a particular trade leather work, wool dying, lamp making, spices, olives, etc and our section was blacksmithing. Back in the 11th century, if you showed your wealth, it was likely to get plundered. Our door was down a small back alley populated by dozens of happy kids playing soccer with a ball made of hundreds of rubber bands tied together. Our son gladly joined in for a bit before we pulled him away to get checked in. Once inside, the plain exterior disappeared and we were in awe. There are only 5 rooms total and you will feel like you have it all to yourself. We spent time in the pool, enjoyed the rooftop terrace, and ate in the courtyard after a long day of travel. We ended up eating there 3 nights during the week as the food was so good, wine was easily accessible, and the staff became like friends we would hang out and talk with about their background and the country and Marrakech in particular. Day 1 to get to know our way around the twisty back alleys of the Medina, we hired a guide for a walking tour. Was a great day and after that we could navigate fairly well so it was worth it. The king at the time was too young to rule, so they appointed this guy and he leveraged his power into taking over 7 blocks of the city to make his palace and filling it with two dozen women to satisfy his needs. Ambitious to say the least. As I mentioned, each section of the city has a specialty, and we saw where each type of item is made. No cheap imported stuff here - everything inside the Medina walls is hand made here. Construction on the shops and Riads was all being done by hand as we walked around. Tools made here are shipped out to the countryside to farm and build roads and homes. As someone who does a lot of projects myself. I really appreciated all the handiwork, carvings in plaster and wood, detailed tile in even the humblest of shops and stalls. We spent time in the Souks alleyway markets looking at every type of product. Rugs, lamps, food, spices, etc. They will go back and forth unhurriedly as long as you can take it. If you shake on it, you better buy it. Be ready to pay if you throw out a price. Shops are more expensive than stalls or little tables, but may have better quality and more reliability if you are shipping something home. Spend a lot of time looking before deciding to get into a negotiation. No one is voluntarily helpful without something to gain. All the tales of getting held hostage for directions and all that seem to be a thing of the past with cell phones. We had no issues other than people trying to misdirect us. The kids favorite and my least favorite part of the day was our arrival in Jemma El Fnaa square, the original center of trade from the 11th century. What was once the land in front of the palace entrance where Berber farmers would travel 6 hours by camel to trade Olive and Argan oil for items they needed, is now snake charmers, guys with monkeys, water bearers purely for photos, aggressive food vendors, and everyone else who wants a few Dirham from you. I humored a couple of photos and then made them all move on. We had lunch at Mythe near the square, which was great food plus the rooftop gave us a view of the square. Tajina is meat and spices in a clay pot, covered, and cooked for hours in a community oven. People drop their food off in the morning to be cooked for dinner and tip the fire tender for baking their bread or firing their Tajina all day. They recognize their food by colorful cookware or strips of cloth that are color coded for their home. We finished with dinner at Nomad - make your reservation way in advance and ask for the roof terrace at sunset. Amazing food get the Lamb burger and view as the city goes from day to night. They do not serve alcohol, just a note. Most of the enclosed restaurants do at dinner time, this one does not but is worth the food anyway. We finished again at the square, where everyone seemed to have gotten even more aggressive. Do not walk near the pop-up restaurants unless you plan to eat. They mean no harm but their livelihood depends on them getting people to sit down. Once challenged, they will eventually back off. The next day was skiing more on that above , so we made our way to one of the city wall gates to get picked up with ski stuff in hand just as the blacksmiths were starting their day. Got a few chuckles for sure. Our last day was spent on an excursion to the Toubkal waterfall, a Berber village, the Agafay desert and a camel ride. It was anything but. A native Berber gentleman took us through his village, showed us the hiking trails and views, have us a lovely spot to eat lunch, and took us to the desert. The others in a small sprinter van were mostly European and lovely to spend time and have lunch with. What I expected to be my least favorite day was one of the best. Hiking the mule trail through the village to the waterfall. More pics were already posted above of the surrounding mountains and hike. Lunch tagine below the village. Desert and camels. After that last adventure, it was time to go home. One final meal at the Riad and then one more trip with Neil the donkey and back to Casablanca and home. A few additional notes to address some of the questions I have gotten by PM. It is a smoggy city. We found it to be generally safe. Covid hit tourism and everyone seems to be very happy to have it back. I asked the ladies to dress conservatively to prevent any confrontation, but the rules seemed generally lax and forgiving. We felt safe walking the alleys at night and had to, really, as our lodgings were buried deep in a non-tourist area. When they went out running in the early mornings, I begrudgingly went with them. We went around the outside of the Medina wall where there was more space and fewer people. Be prepared to have abdominal discomfort while there and for weeks after. We used only bottled water but ate the fruits and vegetables plentifully at our Riad and good restaurants only. And we were all still a wreck. I've been all over remote parts of Asia, South America, etc. I eat adventurously and am usually beyond good. I was most certainly not. Wine and alcohol are easy to get, but only in a few places. The 6am wake up calls from the speakers in the mosques and the regular calls to prayer during the day became more normal as the week went on. Even missed them when we got back. Our guide had to leave but the waiters did not. Don't take pictures of people you haven't bought something from or tipped without asking. They are happy to accommodate if you have done business with them, but otherwise might cause a confrontation. Several people recommended Palais Jad Mahal for the belly dancers and fire jugglers. It was overpriced and our worst meal of the trip. Entertainment didn't start until 10pm, it felt like a low end Vegas restaurant, and the staff was very brusque. Of course, the kids loved it in retrospect, but was torture at the time being exhausted from our day and waiting around several hours for the festivities. It's a scene for sure, just know that it will be a long evening. And to bring it back to skiing in the end, man I wish I found these to rent when we discovered the lifts were closed! They were in a shop on the other side of the pass from Oukaimeden where some people rented jackets for the hike as the temperature dropped overnight. Great tr. I spent a couple of weeks in Morocco, climbed Mt atlas went to the Atlantic, then rock climbed someplace near the desert. Really enjoyed it. Sent from my moto g 5G using Tapatalk. That was great, thanks for sharing! This is great, thanks for this. Planning a trip in early April with the family. Probably a bit too late for a day skiing but one can hope. If the resort is closed for the year any idea how easy would it be to rent everything in the village and hike up for some turns? Previously skied in Lebanon and skiing in Morocco has always been on the bucket list. Join Date May Location right behind you! Posts 5, This is great! Your pics brought back a lot of memories. My first trip to Morocco was in and I absolutely loved it. In I was lucky enough to spend 11 weeks traveling all over the country, well off the beaten path. Spent another four weeks exploring some new-to-me areas as well as the old standards. I've become really comfortable traveling there and look forward to returning. Happy to share recommendations for guides, restaurants, lodging etc. Incidentally, for 'real' Atlas skiing, look up Kris Erickson. He did a monster Atlas ski traverse a few years ago. He also just finished building a brand new via feratta near his home in Zawiya Ahansal. Originally Posted by CaliKid. Originally Posted by Pinner. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last Jump to page:. Bookmarks Bookmarks Digg del. The Stash Upload Your Own:. Featured Trip Report. All times are GMT The time now is PM. 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A Moroccan Odyssey – From the Archive

Oukaimeden buying powder

The email arrived in my inbox in early December of from my friend Doug Stoup. Would I be interested in joining a trip to Morocco this coming March for an exploratory trip with Ice Axe Expeditions, to establish an itinerary for ski touring in the Atlas Mountains? Greenland, Antarctica, and Svalbard have all been added to my resume through Ice Axe and the skiing combined with the chance to visit these remote lands to experience the culture of the region have all been rewarding life experiences that I cherish. On my upcoming ski calendar however, I had already committed to a 2-week trip to the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia Ascent Early Winter 21 , and with my responsibilities to my family and to the publication of this magazine would I be able to swing it? The previous winter I was invited by Doug to do a similar exploratory trip to the Altai Mountains of Northwestern China. I too was in for this rare opportunity, but the Chinese Government had other plans, and my visa was denied. It would be this same team, plus Sara Davidson, traveling to Morocco and I was certainly happy to make up for my missed opportunity to the Altai with this great group. Glen and Andrew have skied all over the world, and Frank and Mike were looking to add Africa to their list of continents skied, giving them turns on all seven of them with this trip. For me, adding Africa would be 6, adding another continent to my goal of skiing the planet. Skiing the continent of Africa gives pause, as it is not the first place one would associate with the sport. The Atlas Range however often receives ample snowfall with the highest peak, Jbel Toubkal, topping out at 13, feet. We had been watching the weather and snow patterns, and Glen was sending out regular updates on reported conditions. It was the same story all over the place that winter, as my trip to the Caucasus had been lacking in snow, and flying home, the spectacular views of the entire Alps of Europe from my window seat revealed high snow lines. Perhaps in the next month it would improve. Shortly before our departure to Morocco, Glen confirmed the latest, it was looking pretty grim, but we were going to give it a go. Frank and Mike were already in Morocco exploring the Sahara before meeting us in Marrakesh. As our AirFrance flight from Paris approached Marrakesh, the parched landscape sprawled beneath us. We could catch distant views of the Atlas Range, with some shades of white, but not much! On approach, we were all handed forms that we were instructed to fill out regarding the spreading Coronavirus that was starting to cause concern. Basically it was asking us if we had been to China recently, or had been in contact with anyone who had been to China recently- a concern for none of us, and the situation seemed like a distant threat. Upon arrival in Marrakesh, we walked out into degree heat, feeling out of place carrying ski bags. Our Moroccan liaison Jamal piled our gear into his van and drove us into the walled Medina of Marrakesh, where we had a minute walk with our ski gear through the bustling throngs to our quiet Riad , an oasis inside another set of walls where we met Mike and Frank. As is custom throughout Morocco, we were promptly poured a glass of mint tea. Saying the Medina is bustling is an understatement. It is a busy and hectic bustling, with scooters, cars, mules, and people all hustling through an incomprehensible maze of streets and alleys that are packed with merchants. Having Jamal to coordinate travel through this labyrinth was invaluable. Things slow down somewhat as the call to prayer Adhan rings from the mosques 5 times a day. We spend the next day getting a tour of this magnificent city taking in a great cultural tour with a local guide Mohammed who after lunch, takes us to one of the biggest and better rug merchants in town, and from what we gather, there are hundreds of rug merchants. We sip tea and enjoy the spectacle of having dozens of handmade rugs laid out before us. Shaina and I get lost in the fog as she buys one and I buy 2, Shaina takes hers with her and packs it into her luggage while I am pleasantly surprised when mine show up at my house a month later…as promised. We enjoyed our time in Marrakesh with the fine food cooked in the traditional tagines and the Berber hospitality. We would also soon realize the difficulty of obtaining more of the demon alcohol of any sort in this Muslim country. The drive to Oukaimeden is spectacular as we climb in elevation into the Atlas leaving dusty Marrakech behind. The range is spectacular, and Oukaimeden is a sometime ski hill with 2 lifts, not running. We drop our luggage at our quarters for the night, have tea and a tagine lunch of meatballs and pasta on the patio, and then gear up for an afternoon ski. Our tour today is going to consist of the main snow line near the ski hill, which looks to be our longest continuous option. At the base are several Berbers with mules and a small collection of vintage ski gear spread out as a rental option for tourists who might spontaneously give it a go. We skin up a steep slope nearly feet to the summit over a rotten and hardpacked piste. Eventually, we slide down back to the base area, with the satisfaction that Mike and Frank have now made ski turns on their seventh continent. Jamal will meet us there, and before we leave we give him a fistful of dirham with the order to buy as much Casablanca beer as this will afford. They also do not like having their picture taken by women. There is also no skiing around Tachdirt, despite the excellent looking but completely bare ski terrain. Andrew, Glen and Jamal converse, and sketch out a plan we all discuss over dinner. Imlil is a spectacular mountain town with a few beautiful mosques nestled at the foot of the High Atlas with Toubkal looming behind. After tea, we move our stuff into the comfortable Riad. There are also a few small mountaineering shops that though they look out of place, definitely cater to the European tourists who travel to Imlil specifically to summit Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa. Omar arranges a shuttle back into the hills and to our great surprise- we are treated to a great ride on smooth singletrack that winds back down 18 km to Asni. There are no mountain bikers here Omar tells us, except for him and a few friends. The trails are mostly routes used by mules to transport between villages. The next day we are up early and out of the Riad for our trek up to the Toubkal hut, a climb of nearly feet from Imlil to the hut at 10,ft. The mules are loaded down and are off the front before us. Omar leads us and points out his house in one of the small Berber villages along the way. Animals are still sacrificed here daily for healing mental disease, exorcising spirits, or simply for good luck and good health. Arriving at the spacious hut we strike a deal to have our group in a private room, and there are many other climbers and trekkers staying here to climb Toubkal. Glen and Andrew head off to have a look for potential ski lines, while the rest of us enjoy tea and relax. We head out in the dark early the next morning on foot, and are among the first to stand on the summit, and it is amazing. On the descent we pass several groups who are struggling with the altitude and exertion, some in tears, some curled up on the ground in exhaustion, but they will too press on to the summit to fulfill their own individual and group goals. We descend to the hut, square up with the hutkeeper, and start heading back down to Imlil with the mules wondering why they carried all of our ski gear to the hut. We promptly head for the hammam, the traditional Islamic steam bath, and then regroup in the tower overlooking the valley for a relaxing teatime. In the morning we hike down into town, the mules ferrying our luggage. We pile in the comfortable van for a long drive to the Sahara. We visit Ait Benhaddou, a historic fortified village along a caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. We continue to prod Omar about getting some beers, and he nods and rolls his eyes at us. As we blaze through Ouarzazate, the driver makes a sudden stop, and there it is, a small liquor store in the middle of town. We stock up on Casablanca and grab a bottle of rum and scotch as well, for good measure. Our desert thirst finally quenched. We reach Merzouga late in the day, check in at the hotel, and then cross the street where the golden dunes spread out as far as the eye can see, and tower overhead. Our camels await, kneeling before us, as you climb on, they rise up, back legs first. The ride is smooth, similar to a horse, and these elegant beasts carry our gear and us across the dunes for several miles where we witness an unforgettable Sahara sunset. Our desert camp that night is luxurious inside massive wall tents with running water, showers, and toilets, right in the middle of the dunes. Rugs are spread out everywhere. A fine meal, and then a late night jam session fueled by the rum, and the music played around the fire by our Moroccan hosts. We find one with a decent slope, and make the transition. We spend the night in a fine Riad in the busy Medina, and then the next day we start to go our separate ways back to the US, and back to a new reality. The pandemic now has taken hold around the world. In the two weeks since we leave, Morocco would be shut down, leaving hundreds of Americans stranded, as AirFrance would stop all flights back to Europe. The usually packed Medina would become a ghost town. Our time in Morocco was an escape from any normal, one of a lifetime, and one I hope to repeat again, given the chance. Ice Axe is resuming trips to certain parts of the world as Covid restrictions ease in recovering countries. They are now booking spots for the Morocco trip scheduled for spring Go to IceAxe. Collecting more great stories of adventure from around the globe, and making plans to pursue some of my own in the future. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Search for:. Ski the Sahara. Paul Oelerich. Plan A We had been watching the weather and snow patterns, and Glen was sending out regular updates on reported conditions. Plan C In the morning we hike down into town, the mules ferrying our luggage. Previous post The Party Line. Next post Global Weirding. Paul Oelerich What's on your backcountry radar this winter? Notify of. Inline Feedbacks. On Stands Now! Ascent Store. Instagram Feed ascentbackcountry. In an effort to reduce crowded slopes, and direct. Salt Lake City friends, pick it up now at your fav. Jackson Hole friends! Pick up the new issue in tow. Slopeside accommodations. Here it is! Now taking subscription orders for imm. Ruby Mountains days and cowboy nights. A great wee. Here we go. Just a couple of days until it goes to. A trip to Tahoe for some Sierra fun. Wind, snow, s. Besides the Ascent, there are some other good ones. Dreaming of Antarctica…. Thanks to the utavy for hosting the annual fundra. Instagram post Winter is taking her sweet time showing up in the. The biggest backcountry party on earth is back on. Load More Follow on Instagram. Upcoming Events. Would love your thoughts, please comment.

Oukaimeden buying powder