Morocco - hiking Mt. Toubkal
Hiking Toubkal had been on our list for years. Unfortunately, just a few days before our visit, an earthquake had made the situation uncertain - and not in our favor. We were lucky that Hamid, the son of the local imam who had welcomed us to camp in his garden, is a certified mountain guide. (Since an accident years ago, hiking Toubkal alone is not allowed.)
We discussed our goal with Hamid, and he kindly offered to help. After consulting with local authorities, he obtained permission to guide us with a few restrictions. Normally, the hike is split into two days - ascending to the refuge and sleeping there, then summiting Toubkal early the next morning before hiking back to the valley.
Due to instability in the mountains (we saw several landslides) we were only allowed to hike to the closed empty refuge and back in one day (roughly 20km), catching just a glimpse of the summit without being permitted to go all the way. On the plus side, this was a good test for Lucas, who was still recovering from a complicated leg fracture just months earlier.
Although we weren’t allowed to reach the summit, we made it safely up and down - and it was an incredible experience. We’ll definitely be back, and next time we’ll go to the top!
