In December I went to the Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco with a few friends. I was there for 18 days, most of which we lived like nomads; wild camps, cooking on a fire and some of the best climbing I have been fortunate to do. This short blog is about two sensational routes in Jebel Taskra. The first on the Tifghelt Buttresses Upper West Walls, Temptress E1 5b *** and the second on Echo Wall, Echo Corner E1 5b **. Both are fantastic routes in the lower E grade which are polar opposites to one another in styles and commitment.
Both can be reached by driving from Tizourgane, a small town that has shops to resupply. A right turn is taken after passing the Hotel Kasbah which is followed for approximately 8 km until a suitable parking spot is available at the side of the road. The newest edition of Steve Broadbent’s Morocco Anti-Atlas guide from Climb Tafraout, contains QR codes and maps to aid reaching the parking area for each crag. From the parking a vague path is followed up the broad gully between Tifghelt Buttress and Echo Wall. Temptress is high on the left and passes Echo Corner on the right.
Temptress E1 5b ***
First climbed in March 2011 by Don Donovan and Neil Adams, from the ground the 30-meter route looks worryingly blank and quite improbable. The route climbs the clean face in between the 2 cracks of New World HS 4b and Dead Parrot Crack VS 4c. Although it is escapable, it should not be underestimated and is no push over.
From the ground the protection looked sparse and the movement was not obvious. With trepidation I pulled onto the climb. It was well inside my grade, but the remote seriousness added to the ominous feel.
I weaved across the face, keeping clear of the safety either side trying to find adequate protection to enable onward progress up the wall.
A cool head was required to manage the run-out sections. Never desperate but never clear. Creative use of protection was a necessity.
The final headwall had a big fall potential, but I grabbed the top and pulled over the wall. My focus dissipated and the adrenaline caught up with me. A big realise of breath and a shout later and James was seconding up behind me.
What a line. I covered the full width of the face to find the hard-won protection. After each break you would leave the safety of the last gear behind until another was reached. Interesting, complex, and satisfying. If you come to Jebel Taskra, this route should be high on your list.
Echo Corner E1 5b **
In complete contrast to Temptress, Echo Corner is a 65 m route which climbs a magnificent corner in 2 pitches. Again, first climbed by Don Donovan and Neil Adams in March 2011, the corner is deep, dark and soars impressively into the sky.
Si and I were roped up this time to climb the corner. We were a bit apprehensive at the start due to recent rain and a couple of UKC logs saying, “Nice route, ruined by the huge amount of mud and moss making simple bridging a terrifying affair!” and “…Some desperate feeling moves at times on the water polished quartzite or mossy alternative footholds…”.
We had expected the route to be a bit slimy but nonetheless we were at the bottom of the long corner. As it turned out, the corner was slim free and the mossy parts were easy to avoid.
On the approach we past a pair of sheep herders who then sat and watched as we climbed. Si was leading the first pitch, he climbed easily up the slanting block before entering the corner. Unlike Temptress, progress was made via bridging, thrutching and all manner of awkward body positions.
Once on the climb properly, the climbing is steep until it reaches, what from the ground looks like a reduction of the angle, where we expected to build a belay. Si kept on climbing, even with the monstrously big rack, he was going through the larger gear quickly. Upon reaching the less steep section, we shouted to one another trying to decide whether to build the belay. Si could see a better spot up ahead so climbed up to it. I later found that he had ran out the top quite alarmingly.
I followed; the climbing was never difficult but required thought to decide how to overcome each block of movement. Should I have my back to the wall? Should I face into the corner? Soon enough I reached Si at the anchor. We estimate that about 45 meters of climbing lead to the belay. Whilst climbing it was clear why the route had been given the name, the echo of our voices and the gear clinking on our harnesses could be heard clearly whilst on the route. Made for an interesting climbing experience.
The next pitch involved 2 wide chimney/corners interspersed with a ledge. The first was relatively straightforward but the second was a tricky puzzle. I initially had my back to the outside of the main wall and the corner to my left but found this difficult as I needed to turn around to reach a hold. I climbed back down and rather counterintuitively climbed with my back against the main wall so I could reach the hold. With a DMM no 6 cam deep in the corner, I thrutched and wriggled my way to the top where I belayed Si before we set up the big 60 m abseil from the top.
Temptress and Echo Corner are two contrasting routes which are equally challenging and brilliant. Temptress is strenuous face climbing up an immaculate face whilst Echo Corner is big and beefy, requiring old school techniques with complex and thought-provoking climbing. When in the Jebel Taskra area, I highly recommend climbing either or preferably both routes. This is such a small drop in the ocean of the spectacular range and quality of amazing climbing in the Anti-Atlas Mountains.
In the future I will publish my post “notes from morocco”. I kept a diary which contains some useful travel tips for those visiting the area.
Sources
- Climb Tafraout, Moroccan Anti-Atlas, 2nd Edition Published by the Oxford Alpine Club, 2020
