Married to the Mountain: Conquering Toubkal

When you go abroad, you want to do and see everything! When one of my friends in Morocco suggested we climb Mount Toubkal, I was a little unsure! Mount Toubkal is part of the Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech, in the central part of Morocco. At 4,167 meters, (13,671 feet) it is the tallest peak in North Africa and the second tallest in the entire continent, after Kilimanjaro. Eventually we all got on board and awaited our big trip! Living in Rabat at sea level, we were almost daily visitors to the local gym. We went in November, a time of the year that can be hit or miss. A few of our classmates went the weekend before and when they reached the summit, the snowfall created a whiteout so they couldn't see anything! Inshallah, we would have beautiful weather! After a lot of excitement we took the train to Marrakech and made it to our hostel.

Early the next morning we packed what we would need to conquer the summit during the next two days and started the drive into the mountains. Our guide Mohammed was awesome. He was about 40 years old and single; when we asked him how often he climbed Toubkal, he casually replied he hiked to the summit about three times a week, so we joked he must be married to the mountain! The first day was tough, the altitude change really got to me. Luckily, my favorite Moroccan beverage, peach juice, helped get me through (note photo below). We stopped for a delicious traditional Moroccan lunch next to a stream that came down from the mountains. The water was crisp and freezing cold. Putting our tired feet in the water was painfully enjoyable. Upon reaching the refuge, we were thankful for the roof over our heads, as some hikers opted to camp outside. There was snow on the ground! The next day we were up not bright and early. We needed flashlights so it was important to follow the leader. The sunrise over the mountains was beautiful. Eventually we stopped to put on (or struggle to put on) our crampons to help us walk through the snow.

The hike only became more difficult the farther we got with some pretty steep climbs and some spots where you would definitely not want to misstep! Still, seeing the famous pyramid marker of the summit ahead made it all worth it. Luckily the day was super clear and we could see for tens, if not hundreds of miles. Mohammed pointed out cities we could see in the distance that we had visited before. It was almost impossible to take it all in. No matter where you're from or what language you speak, everyone who climbs Mount Toubkal goes through the same experience. The way down was fun because I didn't recognize half of it, I had only heard - not seen - the huge waterfall just behind the refuge at 4AM, hours earlier. The hike down was easy and enjoyable and we befriended some baby goats! Even though at the end of the hike my body hurt more than it ever had, the satisfaction of the experience made it worth it.