Morocco

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

La Classique

The classic of the gorge, first climbed in 1977. Sustained and physical 6a climbing up cracks, corners and short bulges on the big pillar at the gorge entrance. The first pitch is the 6a+ crux, straight off the ground. Watch for loose blocks on the last pitch, shared with Chibania.

6a+9 pitches300 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Tiwira

A long, moderate line above the Mansour palm grove at the upstream end of the gorge. Mostly steady 5c with a 6a crack to start and a harder, very abrasive finish. Big views up the valley.

6b7 pitches300 m★★★

Morocco · Taghia

Les babouches de Mostafa

The friendly way into Taghia, starting at the water's edge beside the springs. Seven varied pitches, well bolted by Taghia standards. Go left around the unstable rock below the second belay; fragile blocks are marked in red. In shade until midday.

6b7 pitches270 m★★★

Committing

Morocco · Taghia

Au nom de la Réforme

The classic first route at Taghia: steep, water-sculpted red limestone on the west face of the Taoujdad, with a 6c third pitch that is 6b until a short crux below the belay. It is better bolted than most Taghia routes and correspondingly popular, so some pitches are polished.

6c7 pitches300 m★★★

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Hannah chez les grands

Eight pitches up the middle of the Levant wall, with the 6a on the first pitch and steady 5a–5c above. Morning sun. Camptocamp rates the commitment a little higher than the gorge-floor routes because of the length.

6a8 pitches320 m★★★

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Une arête dans la gorge

The longest route in the gorge: 550 m of easy ridge climbing on the left as you leave the narrows. Sold locally as the beginner's first big bolted route. The first three or four pitches are in shade with a 7 am start; after that you are in the sun.

5c13 pitches550 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Berbertraum

Thirteen short pitches, mostly grade 4, with two 5c steps. The longest pitch is 45 m. A big day of easy mileage in the sun above the palm grove.

5c13 pitches340 m★★★

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Prisa Mata

The most approachable route on the Scorpion wall. A thin 6a slab move on pitch 3 (A0 possible), then a jug-haul over a roof into a fine slab for the 6b. Some loose blocks at the top of the last pitch.

6b6 pitches150 m★★★

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Morocco · Amellago

8anus

Seven pitches on very abrasive limestone beside the oued, with swimming holes below. An athletic start to the 6b second pitch; a couple of doubtful flakes on pitches 3 and 4.

6b7 pitches140 m★★★

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Morocco · Tafraout (Anti-Atlas)

The Silk Road

Bolted granite slabs to the top of a dome above the Tafraout valley, with a hand-traverse across a gully on pitch 3. Short, but a rest day from trad in an area that is otherwise almost all cams.

5c4 pitches95 m★★★

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Cœur de Palmier

Six pitches of technical wall and corner climbing one minute from the gorge-entrance guesthouses. Easy pitches alternate with three hard ones, and the 6b+ fourth pitch and the 6c last pitch are precise, footwork-heavy climbing on very rough rock. The route stops in the middle of the wall and you abseil off.

6c6 pitches160 m★★★

Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

China Perdida

Steep, fingery wall climbing that starts with your feet almost in the stream at the gorge entrance. The 7a second pitch is hard for only 2 to 3 metres and can be swapped for a 6b pitch on the neighbouring route, after which three pitches of 6b+ to 6c+ on pocketed and edgy rock lead to the top. Abseil descent.

7a6 pitches200 m★★★

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Morocco · Taghia

Champion du Maroc

Five pitches on new, very rough red rock just right of Au nom de la Réforme. The first three are steep, fingery and continuous with one short crux each; the last two are much easier. The original grades are 7a+, 7a and 6c+, now widely thought generous, and the cruxes are bolted closely enough to pull through.

6c+5 pitches200 m★★★

Morocco · Taghia

L'allumeur de rêves berbères

One of the easiest long routes in the Taghia cirque: nine sustained pitches of 6a to 6b+ on compact slabs and steep pocketed walls, starting from the bed of a canyon. The bolts are sound but airy, the obligatory grade is 6a+ and the day is long.

6b+9 pitches320 m★★★

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Morocco · Taghia

Belle et Berbère

Ten pitches of even 6b and 6b+ on compact rock ten minutes from the gîtes, mostly technical slab and wall climbing on your feet, with a 50 m sixth pitch on vertical edges that everyone singles out. It is among the most accessible long routes at Taghia, in the shade for most of the day, and a little polished low down.

6b+10 pitches330 m★★★

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Morocco · Akchour (Rif)

Spéléologie

Five pitches through tufa columns, a leaning corner and a lichenous chimney on extraordinarily abrasive rock. The first pitch is a three-dimensional 6a+ on jugs between columns and the 7a fourth pitch is an athletic, well-bolted column climb. Two short passages on the easier pitches are run-out.

7a5 pitches160 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

The first of Ela

Five long pitches of 5c in the centre of the Levant wall, sharing its first pitch with Tromba Bitonale.

5c5 pitches195 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Polo del Sol

The only multipitch on a pillar about 800 m up the road from the gorge exit. Sustained at 6a+/6b on new, very abrasive rock, with a walk between pitches 2 and 3.

6b5 pitches210 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Tik Sab

Four pitches of even 5b, five minutes from the road. In the sun all afternoon. A good short first multipitch of a trip.

5b4 pitches125 m★★★

Morocco · Amellago

Allah bri des toits

The most accessible multipitch at Amellago: four short pitches broken by a walk along a ledge under the roofs, finishing with an exposed traverse on rough brown rock. Some doubtful rock at the start of pitch 3. In shade from mid-afternoon in winter.

6b4 pitches80 m★★★

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Morocco · Taghia

Ibtisane

The easiest bolted line at Taghia: three steep 5c walls linked by two long, easy garden pitches. Goes into shade around midday in April.

5c5 pitches235 m★★★

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Morocco · Todra Gorge (Todgha)

Voie Tifégha

A wandering nine-pitch line up the left end of the big wall above Tizgui, mostly 5b to 6a with a superb steep corner on pitch 6. Well bolted but with a mountain feel: it is little travelled, the rock is very abrasive and not fully cleaned, and the belays and the walk-off take some finding.

6c9 pitches250 m★★★

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Morocco · Taghia

El Geonauta

A less-travelled neighbour of Au nom de la Réforme: a sustained 6b crack pitch, an unusual 6c that climbs through a hole and out left with one bouldery move, then three long pitches of 6a to 6a+ up a pillar. Getting off cleanly means either the sparsely bolted summit pitches or a short traverse to the Réforme abseils.

6c6 pitches190 m★★★

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