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Campsite observers

We’d stopped simply because we couldn’t just drive through such an array of peaks. If the area were nearer Marrakech it would be very popular; if I’d seen it years earlier a few more of its hills would be described in this book. However, we did bag Fazaz (3023m) next day. We walked up to the head of our valley, south of the long 8km crest, to the Tizi n’ Enjar, and more or less up from there. Fazaz would become something special later. We had also stopped with another ploy in view – reaching the beautiful lake Isli by going through on foot from the east. Some of us had already camped by its shores, but had driven there – not the same thing. The Land Rover would go round with some of our party by Imilchil and be there for our arrival. Insh’ Allah.

Three of us set off at 06.00 and arrived 11 hours later. Starting at 2174m, a pull led up to the Tizi n’ Isswal (2600m), and we then made up onto a long, long crest that ran along to Msedrit (3077m), the highest point above the lake. Fossils littered the ground. The Assamer n’ Inouzane, as the crest was called, had very little in the way of trods on it (too barren). At one stage a green band just below the crest helped, but the going was rough generally. Crags forced us up again, horrified at how far off the summit still lay, wall after wall of rock between. We found shade to eat in, then carried on steadily, with no more nasty surprises, to reach the summit.