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<\/p>\nThinking of climbing Mount Toubkal? I’ve taken on the challenge myself and, well, you can barely imagine the scene.<\/p>\n
Staring down at an unforgiving cliff face, clouds forming and birds circling below. Standing tall despite utter exhaustion and the kind of hysteric elation that should knock you to the ground, head first.<\/p>\n
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Forevermore emotions will struggle to match this sense of pride and achievement, save for kids being born and a handful of other \u2018major\u2019 life moments.<\/p>\n
The hours leading towards the summit have been something else \u2013 and, whatever that was, it wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
As sunlight and (possibly) the world\u2019s purest air hit your face, you finally fully take stock of the epic surrounds and realise \u2013 this is Earth\u2019s rooftop. It\u2019s unbelievably impressive.<\/p>\n
As the highest in Morocco\u2019s Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal may be smaller than Asia\u2019s giants, but it\u2019s the furthest up anyone gets in North Africa without getting airborne. At 4,167m, it\u2019s taller than the majority of peaks<\/a> in the Americas, Europe and Oceana. Amazingly, though, you don\u2019t have to be an expert to get it done.<\/p>\n Read more: Solo travel cures a very modern insecurity<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Some preparation is advisable\u2014 I did none aside from a leisurely walk ending with a pub dinner in northern England. I’d have probably benefited from a more responsible approach.<\/p>\n But the most important thing is being mentally ready for what\u2019s ahead. So here are some pointers on how that could be done based on my own experience of climbing mighty Mount Toubkal.<\/p>\n Get your mind to the finish line \u2013 before setting off<\/strong><\/p>\n Is this the most cliched thing anyone has ever written? Maybe, but it\u2019s also true.<\/p>\n Looking at Mount Toubkal as something that could beat you defeats the object. There\u2019s little chance anyone will give up, but understand that some do and it\u2019s usually born from mental as much as physical surrender. Reassured determination puts your best foot forward.<\/p>\n Get into the group mentality <\/strong><\/p>\n Few people have the privilege of a private sherpa, but on a Flash Pack trip you do. That said, the sherpa isn’t what you’ll rely on the most \u2013 it’s your group of like-minded comrades taking on the Toubkal trek by your side.<\/p>\n A problem shared is a problem halved, and the same goes for struggle. A good group encourages and is patient with one another, understanding some will find it harder than others. Weights on shoulders, aches in legs and weary spirits can be lifted as a team.<\/p>\n Get ready to listen<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you arrive at the bottom of the very bottom, with everything ahead, you will have already made memories. From hereon out they come thick and fast, the landscape ahead changing from verdant green to dry red, onto grey granite and white snow.<\/p>\n As this happens, animals grow fewer, so too historic sites and variety of flora, but you\u2019ll catch all those en route so remember the guy leading the way isn\u2019t simply here for directions. Guides have a wealth of knowledge about where you are, what lives and what has happened there, so ask questions and learn stuff. And don\u2019t forget to keep an eye out too\u2014 an eagle spotted yourself is worth five from someone else (or something).<\/p>\n Be disciplined <\/strong><\/p>\n Endurance anything is all about pacing\u2014 from bar crawls to marathons. Your guide will be setting the speed for the group, but this isn\u2019t a frogmarch either. It can be tempting to go on ahead or set about exploring solo, not out of competitive spirit but the buzz of the moment. My advice is be careful.<\/p>\n Read more: 4 ways to send your fitness soaring with adventure travel<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Don\u2019t exert much more energy than is necessary as you\u2019ll need it later, and if there\u2019s heavy snow this can also prove dangerous. I spent a minute or two waist deep in a drift, legs flailing freely below unsure where the ground was after opting to head off to the left of the recommended route\u2014 ignorant king of the hill until the incident struck.<\/p>\n Be prepared to dig very deep <\/strong><\/p>\n How hard is Mount Toubkal? Very. But it’s not unachievable \u2013 you just have to dig deep.<\/p>\n On summit day, you\u2019ll wake at the crack of dawn with a 10-hour trek up 22km of mountainous terrain ahead of you. You\u2019ll stare upwards at a near-vertical incline, snowbound in winter, terrain slipping away beneath shoes during warmer months.<\/p>\n Before all that there\u2019s a full day trekking through some of Morocco\u2019s most unique rural scenes. There’s the pretty village of Aroumd, hanging off the hillside, where you’ll pause for lunch on a Flash Pack Toubkal adventure. Or Sidi Chamharouch, an isolated site of religious pilgrimage by a rocky mountain river, shacks next door used by shepherds as seasonal bases.<\/p>\n Put simply, Climbing Toubkal will be an amazing experience and you\u2019ll see incredible things en route, but be ready to work for them, not least given the altitude.<\/p>\n Be accepting when you get a bit emotional <\/strong><\/p>\n The introduction to this article may sound OTT but it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a hugely moving, contemplative atmosphere at the top of a mountain. A place where reflection comes easy because you\u2019ve beaten a tough challenge and got to where very few things ever do.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Morocco_Mount_Toubkal_Hike_adventure.jpg\")
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