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  Pico del Teide
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| Skiers traversing towards Jebel Toubkal in winter
(photo by Leo LeBon)

Jebel Toubkal
    13665 ft (4165 m)     Highest point in Morocco .
Location: Atlas Mountains, south of Marrakech, Morocco
Lat / Long: 31.1° N, 7.9° W
Volcanic Type: Non-volcanic
First Ascent: Marquis de Segonzac, V. Berger, and H. Dolbeau, 1923
First Ski Descent:
Skiable Vertical: over 6500 ft (2000 m)



Jebel Toubkal is the highest point in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and also the highest point in North Africa. Although non-volcanic in origin, it is included in this guidebook because the High Atlas is the only region in the entire continent of Africa which actually has good conditions for ski mountaineering. European (especially French) ski mountaineers have been visiting the area for decades. Despite the very arid climate near the Sahara Desert, the High Atlas does receive substantial winter snowfalls, and although there have been no glaciers here since the Ice Ages, there are a few small permanent snowfields on shaded north slopes. The standard trekking and skiing routes to Toubkal begin from the village of Imlil in a valley to the north, and climb to the Neltner Refuge, a hut at 10500 ft (3200 m) just west of Toubkal. Routes ascend to the summit via the north and south cwms, and numerous possibilities for high ski traverses also exist. The region is also home to one of the few ski areas in Africa (and certainly the best), Oukaimeden, located in a high valley about 10 miles northeast of Toubkal, with several lifts which run from 8500-10600 ft elevation (2600-3250 m).

Some useful links:  

    Club Alpin Francais - Casablanca (includes ski info for Toubkal)
    Ski mountaineering in Morocco, High Atlas
    GoSki Morocco - Oukaimeden (info about ski area)
    Oukaimeden, Morocco: Ski lift at 3268 m (info about ski area)
   
Topographic map of the Toubkal region (1:250,000 scale)
    from Carte du Maroc NH-29-3 Marrakech
    <click to enlarge>

More photos and info about routes, access, etc. may be added in the future ...


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