sniffing my way to Toubkal

The Flying Effect & Passion Paragliding on the summit of Toubkal. Photo: Ben Clowes

Being on team Passion this season gave me the opportunity to climb Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa of 4.167 meters, and everyone in the group had the same agenda on their minds, attempt to fly off the summit on paragliders.

11 UK pilots, Mr. Passion himself, Toby Colombé, our local tour guide, few porters, even more mules and I started the climb from Imlil after spending few days trying to acclimatize throughout the High Atlas mountains, including Tis’n Test, a gorgeous pass through the mountains at 2.100m. I had read in my travel book that Toubkal should be quite easy to climb for anyone that is in good physical condition although altitude sickness could kick in. I wasn’t to worried at all, had heard stories of tourist jogging up there in sneakers and t-shirts and I who brought all my winter/snow/glacier clothing with me from Iceland. I probably wouldn’t need those.

Trotting along after the heavily loaded mules, porters and guide we went. They do this trip probably every week in season so we lost sight of them from time to time, but no worries, if in doubt just follow the path with mule and donkey droppings all the way up to the refuge at 3.207m. If your eyesight is playing tricks on you use your nose and follow the smell of the droppings and you’ll be sure your on the right path.

The walk that day was very enjoyable, sun was shining and our leaders made sure we got plenty of peanut/tea stops on the way and half way up mats were laid out and delicious lunch of fresh salad, newly baked bread, tajine of kefta bil matisha wa bayd, followed by more Moroccan mint tea and newly picked fruits was served. We used the opportunity to dry out our footwear while eating and somehow the foul smell was lost int the mouthwatering aroma of the food. After resting for a bit we carried on sniffing our way up the smelly path again.

The night was spent at Refuge du Toubkal in a 20 person bunk-beds after another delish meal, cooked and served by our group of expertise and snuggled up between random people in the room I fell sound asleep thanks to, the travelers best friend, my iPod and headphones that blocked out the sound of rattling sleeping bags, snoring and farting.

5 AM we started to walk in the dark with our head torches on and while we climbed, slowly but steadily, the sun arose above the mountain tops and cast its gloaming rays of light all around us. This part of the climb the porters took over the role of the mules and were much faster than most of us with nothing but ourselves to carry. Since the odor of donkey droppings couldn’t lead the way this time, mother nature stepped in and aroma of rotten eggs filled my nostrils for the first few minutes and I made an effort of being in front so the people’s back wind would stay behind me…. you see, we got eggs for breakfast.

Altitude sickness is something I didn’t think too much about, It never occurred to me that I would suffer from it but I was proved wrong. For the last 200-300 meters I lost my balance, got a touch of dizziness and nausea and left my energy somewhere further down the mountain. There and then the power of a group was proved to me while three of them kept feeding me chocolate and glucose tablets every ten steps or so, put walking poles in my hands and made sure I drank enough water and encouraged me to make it to the top. “Thank you guys, I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Never before have I experienced the view of the world from over 4000 meters. It was stunning all around, snow on top and the wind so strong it almost blew me over. I forgot all about my problems with altitude and suck in the jaw-dropping view and the feeling of looking down on the mountains and clouds around. Howling north wind made it impossible for us to fly our paragliders down so around we turned and steadily followed our own footsteps back down the mountain.

We can always try again… next year.

Ben Clows let me use his awesome group shot on the summit, since my brain wasn’t fully working at the time and my photos are just random snap-shots off when I managed to press the button. Click here for Ben’s blog and click here for my photos from the journey.