Description

This is the quickest way of getting between the Lepiney and Toubkal refuges but it's still fairly long (particularly in winter) and takes you through to a very remote part of the Atlas mountains. Say goodbye to the Lepiney refuge and make a long rising traverse up and away from the valley floor to the foot of some steeper, rocky ground.

Head up through this via some easy scrambling and steep hiking to reach a col overlooking the spectacular north cwm of Biguinnoussene.

The cwm is beautiful and at first glance it appears quite intimidating but once you've looked at it for a few minutes it looks a little more amenable.

In winter you will need crampons to cross the cwm but in summer it's an easy but exciting traverse on a reasonable path across scree.

In winter you will also need to be attentive to avalanche conditions and aware of possible stonefall from above in the afternoon.

At the far end of the traverse is the Tizi n-Tadat col, from where it's all downhill to the Toubkal refuges, which aren't quite visible from the col.

The descent is initially quite steep and takes a direct line down to the valley below.

100 vertical metres above the Toubkal refuges, traverse out right to reach them.

After a couple of days in true Moroccan wilderness, the Toubkal refuges feel like a big city! Provided you have time and conditions on your side, stay at the refuges for a few days a bag some nearby peaks.