author, mountaineering writer – books, blog, opinion
Are you keen to branch out and develop the skills to climb higher peaks? Here is a series of mountains further afield that more experienced hikers should visit if you are interested in reaching a challenging altitude.
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Some more of my dodgy videos for you to watch. These ones cover our week in Morocco at the end of December, bagging a few 4,000m peaks in the High Atlas. The full sequence is only 16 minutes long, so they’re good for passing the time.
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It was arranged at very short notice, but our brief visit to the High Atlas over Christmas and New Year, was as enjoyable as any week’s holiday I’ve ever had, as we based ourselves in Toubkal Refuge and picked off a few 4,000m peaks.
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I’ve seen all sorts of strange things on mountain summits, including crosses, prayer flags, statues of the Virgin Mary, radio masts, Ordnance Survey trig points, and even one or two restaurants, but this has to be the strangest thing yet.
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By the time you read this, I’ll be in the High Atlas mountains in Morocco bagging a few 4,000ers. We have hired a local guide and trekking agency, and are keeping our fingers crossed for a feast of winter mountaineering and a couple of days in Marrakesh.
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If you write about a subject that appeals to people of all political beliefs, then you should avoid talking about politics. But what if politics touches on the things you care about deeply enough to write about – do you say nothing? The answer to this is surprisingly simple.
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I thought I was done with the Atlas Mountains when I climbed Jebel Toubkal in Morocco 11 years ago. But the High Atlas in winter is very different from the sweltering dusty desert I experienced in the summer months, and I’m glad I returned.
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The title is not a line you expect to hear in a Muslim country, but I’ve made an exception. If all goes to plan by the time you read this I’ll be resting at Toubkal Refuge ready to make a Christmas Day ascent of the highest peak in North Africa.
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An idiot’s guide to topographic prominence Once upon a time paid employees of the British Empire went to extraordinary lengths to calculate the height of the Himalayas. It’s quite widely known that the highest point on the planet is named
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