High Atlas Bike Packing: Enduring Heat, Rain, and Hidden Routes
It was excruciatingly hot for most of the day, until the last 15k when we were treated to a wonderful shower of rain… and hail. We sought shelter underneath a hanging rock and enjoyed the relief from the heat. We finally arrived, soaked and covered in dirt, at the refuge at La Cathédrale. The owner asked us where we had come from. “Anergui”, I told him. “Anergui?” he exclaimed, “But there are no tracks there anymore.” The confused owner was right, there’s no road anymore, not even for 4 x 4’s, but on a mountain bike it’s possible to ride there – but it’s not easy. Especially not after the ride we had the day before.
We were on a 550km bike-packing adventure through the High Atlas. We started in Tinerhir, and went through the Gorge du Todra, over 8 days. We crossed the High Atlas from east to west, then went back to the south over the M’goun mountains to Boulmalne de Dadès, our finish.
The views in Morocco are fantastic. Everything seems so desolate, no houses or other buildings. Occasionally we’d see a shepherd surrounded by sheep and donkeys. Around the villages, kids would chase us on foot, their main interest not in us but for cigarettes.
On the third day, we were up early and left the small village of Bou-Zemou and began the very long, but gentle climb into the mountains. We could see remote houses in the distance – these people probably didn’t see tourists that often, let alone bikers.
A narrow cut track (piste coupée) was the only thing that was separating us from our pass and the valley far below. The route down is a 5k track losing 1200m in altitude. The track starts with a steep downhill path. It seemed to have been used before, so we figured we were on the right track. Soon, however, it became impossible to cycle. Plants, branches and large jutting rocks littering the tracked resulted in us changing the plan and continuing on foot. In the extraordinary heat of the day, we quickly tired and our water rations were depleting rapidly.
Despite knowing our destination for the night was not too far off, we were in trouble…
Getting off the mountain was draining us mentally and physically. The descent took a huge a toll on my shoulder and arm, which is held together with titanium nuts and bolts after a riding accident in Belgium earlier in the year, so I took a break, and sat there enjoying the view, and considering my options.
I could seriously use some help, but my three friends were having their own problems so I was pretty stuck.
