Anyone know anything about bikepacking in the Atlas mountains....?

Good? Bad? Dangerous? Routes? Reports? Info?

Any/all input appreciated.

Gairy.

I think Slugwash might be your man here.

Nick Cranes book is also worth a read, you can buy a copy here for 1p - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlas-Biker-Mou ... 123&sr=1-1

Oddly, I got an email the other day from an outfit in the Atlas, wondering if I fancied teaming up with them for a few excursions next year ... must get in touch with them.

Always somewhere I like the look of ... but I like the look of lots of places :?

I haven't been there since the 1990s so my memories are a bit rusty and there's bound to be dozens of people with more up to date knowledge. However, it was probably my favourite bike trip of all time, sleeping out under the stars, staying in mountain huts and crossing the High Atlas and Anti Atlas into the desert and back. I've been trying to get back there ever since but keep on ending up in other parts of the world. We went around Easter so it was freezing at altitude with lot of snow up on the higher trails. This contrasted with blazing heat and the smell of orange blossom down towards the desert.

Anyway, go and do it :)

Thanks for that - I've got a few more quick questions if that's cool:

When you say "freezing" are will literally talking about it being genuinely and seriously VERY cold?

If this happens (very early stages of planning right now) it'd likely be in March which I'm guessing might be even colder than Easter - no?

Do you happen to have a route/distances for the trip you did (just so I can get an idea)?

How much snow? Are we talking un-passable or just pretty to see up on the peaks?

Was it dodgy at all? I've heard very mixed things about travelling alone there and very much want to come back alive (and ideally with all of my kit/bike).

Don't worry if you don't know any of the above but I thought I'd ask.

Cheers, Gairy.

A friend of mine has ridden there for a week (guided, but point to point) and he reckons it's the best riding he's ever done. Definitely on my bucket list.

Think mrs Fish went there just after I met her on a guided trip. Saddle Skedaddle iirc.
I'll ask her later.

When you say "freezing" are will literally talking about it being genuinely and seriously VERY cold?

Very cold at altitude at night and when it was cloudy but generally pleasant when the sun came out.

If this happens (very early stages of planning right now) it'd likely be in March which I'm guessing might be even colder than Easter - no? How much snow? Are we talking un-passable or just pretty to see up on the peaks?

I suppose the weather varies every year. When we were there the thaw was definately on. We had to wade across treacherous rivers on several occasions and in some places the bridges had been washed away. We also had to wade through snow on a couple of occasions to reach mountain huts or get over passes where it would've been an even more arduous slog to turn around and try a different route.

Do you happen to have a route/distances for the trip you did (just so I can get an idea)?

Three weeks worth of cycling if I remember rightly. I think I've got the route we did drawn onto the Michelin map we used somewhere. I'll have a root around in the loft.

Was it dodgy at all? I've heard very mixed things about travelling alone there and very much want to come back alive (and ideally with all of my kit/bike).

Someone tried to pick my pocket in Marrakesh shortly after we cycled in from the airport. However, they were drunk and just ended up pulling me off my bike with two fingers of their stuck in my jeans. The only other hassle we had was the constant begging from the locals and a police man trying to get some baksheesh when my friend allegedly jumped a traffic light. There were three of us BTW.

Somewhere on the other side of The Atlas Mountains.....

I was there at the end of January...we did a five day, point-to-point trip with Freeride Morocco. It wasn't bikepacking though, it was a guided route with a van taking all our kit to each nights accommodation. The van driver was the chef too, he would meet us halfway into a ride and make our dinner. It was an excellent trip and it did cross my mind that it would be a good bikepacking route...the only potential problem I could see would be where to get food. Ours was packed in the van and the chef must have sourced chickens (for the tagines) along the way. Speaking French (or Arabic) would certainly help, as I don't think any villagers spoke english.

Regarding the cold, as mentioned above, it was well below freezing in the mountains (at night) but was much warmer lower down. The gites we stayed in had no heating of course, most of us had sleeping bags rated to -10 so were fine...mine's massive and it would take a whole rucksack to carry it! This wasn't a problem on a trip like ours where we could sling stuff in the van. Maybe it would be easier carrying more clothing instead whilst bikepacking?

I'd be more than happy to answer any further questions and might be able to get you a GPS file of the route.

pedalhead wrote:A friend of mine has ridden there for a week (guided, but point to point) and he reckons it's the best riding he's ever done. Definitely on my bucket list.

mine too - am already getting carried away by what is only a preliminary idea at the moment.

flatfishy wrote:Think mrs Fish went there just after I met her on a guided trip. Saddle Skedaddle iirc.
I'll ask her later.

thanks, any info gratefully accepted!

Slugwash,

nice one. it'd likely be bloody cold then. :?

should be fine with the kit i've already got and sounds like it'd be one hell of an adventure!

d45yth wrote:I'd be more than happy to answer any further questions and might be able to get you a GPS file of the route.

thanks sir, i might well give you a shout for more intel!

also, the GPS file would be mighty useful for planning purposes if you can locate it.

cheers all - am trying not to get too excited but i'm now convinced that it'll be an eventual destination even if this trip doesn't come off.