The air is hazy from the swirling sand dust. The Berber village of Asni lies on a hill in front of us. Trees and bushes sprout around its red clay houses. Behind it, however, a mighty rocky desert towers up: the High Atlas, our actual destination.
My two mates from Innsbruck and I have set our sights on the king of this rock bastion, the 4167 metre high Toubkal. It is the highest peak in North Africa and a popular destination for ski tourers because of its "Africa firn". However, there has hardly been any snow on the Atlas in recent years. As a result, the Moroccan guides currently live mainly from the average hikers who march up here in summer. Toubkal once in two days on an all-inclusive package and in low shoes. High-altitude acclimatisation or not - guides and donkeys get people up there somehow.
We still need some provisions for our venture and are lucky that there is a weekly market in Asni today. All 3000 inhabitants seem to be out and about today. The crowds push past the stalls. It is almost impossible to stand still in the stream. It smells of people, animals, spices and freshly brewed mint tea. In the crowd, I bump my knee on a stool. I reflexively reach down to grab hold of it. But I recoil: there are two goats' heads still bleeding on it. We pull out at a wooden stall selling fresh tagine. The Moroccan national dish simmers in a huge clay pot on a gas cooker and is a kind of stew made from vegetables, potatoes and sheep's cheese. Very tasty. We are presented with our portion in colourful plastic bowls "Made in China".
25 kilometres further on, we can fill up with water for the last time in the Berber settlement of Aroumd. A path with knee-high steps leads through mud houses that date back to the Middle Ages. It is the main street of the village of 500 people. We follow a flock of startled chickens and are soon standing in front of a village shop. There are oranges, apples and Coca Cola. We can fill up with drinking water from a plastic bottle for 50 cents. On the outskirts of the village we also find a roof over our heads, the overnight stay in the new building costs two euros. There is sometimes running water and the electricity flows more regularly.
We set off at dawn, as the entire ascent is exposed to the sun. The mountain hiking trail is initially a relaxed ascent. Always alongside a stream. In principle, it's a path like the one we take in the Alps, only with more donkey poo. From Sidi Chamharouch onwards, the path twists and turns. We shoulder the bikes now. This makes it easier to make progress on the slightly bumpy but steep path. Locals sit by the wayside and sell soft drinks and sweets. After half a day's hike, we reach the Toubkal hut at an altitude of 3200 metres. It is roughly equivalent to an unfashionable Alpine Club hut here and is run in the same way. The food is prepared by ourselves or by the cook we have brought with us. Our guide is a muleteer, guide and cook all in one. His speciality is a variety of sweet and savoury nuts. He also serves mint tea.
We still have a three to four hour carry to the summit. The next morning, we decide in favour of a late ascent and watch the groups of hikers set off in a relaxed manner. It's not always the early bird that catches the worm. No sooner have we tackled the path up the steep side valley than the first German hiker approaches us again. He warns us. We should leave the bikes at the bottom, there is 30 centimetres of fresh snow at the top and it is brutally windy. A donkey had even fallen down the slope because of the storm. We pause for a moment and look at our guide. He grins. Okay, then it won't be so dramatic. We throw the bikes back over our shoulders and continue on. Now over loose scree, but the path is easy to recognise thanks to the countless mule tracks. Most of the sometimes coarse, sometimes fine rock is rideable again - we only have to trudge through 40 centimetres of snow for the last 600 metres in altitude.
In the early afternoon, we reach the highest point in North Africa. We look out over the endless expanse of the Sahara, but I can also feel a breeze from the Atlantic in my nose. The snow has already turned from African ice to firn on the north-facing descent. So our late start plan works. Ice only on the ascent, firn on the descent - and, of course, crampons for safety. Sometimes we push a few metres, sometimes we surf downhill. But sometimes it's just an unpleasant stumble. Due to the snow conditions, we have to switch to the technically difficult, very rocky path. As a hobby trialer, Nico has fun here, while the other two of us push about 50 per cent of the way. Our plan is not to take the quickest way back after Toubkal. We have worked out a larger loop on the map via the neighbouring valley with another overnight stay in a hut.
In the morning sun, we reach the entrance to a gravel gully. A true hairpin bend orgasm fans out below us into the valley. Around 40 degrees steep, over 600 metres in altitude. The path is narrow, the hairpin bends are extremely tight and steep. The slippery gravel surface makes the turning manoeuvres even trickier. Nevertheless, we only end up with bruises on the inside of our thighs - from shifting the rear wheel so much. In the end, it's difficult to estimate how many times we had to do this manoeuvre on this section of the descent alone. Maybe 150 times? Soon we come to a small mountain village. The chickens and housewives are equally surprised by our appearance. The children are the first to react: they want to sit on the bike too. On the 3000 metre descent, we often have to dismount and push because the path is too rough or steep. But we hardly encounter any hikers. Just a few donkey caravans. Then, shortly before the village of Imlil, the mountains flatten out again, the trails ease off and the groups of hikers have us again.
INFO MOROCCO
Journey By direct flight from Germany to Marrakech.
Best time to travel The best time to go by bike is in spring or autumn. In the summer months there are many hikers on the trail, and in winter it can snow from 1000 metres above sea level.
Tour guide A guide is not necessary if you have experience in the high mountains. However, the guide plus donkey only costs 40 euros a day. You learn a lot about Moroccan culture and get a decent dinner.
Guided tour: www.bergspechte.at
Maps The best topo map is available on site in Imlil from the local mountaineering association.
