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Amezri - Agouti - Mgoun

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Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun

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Trail stats

Distance
55.24 mi
Elevation gain
18,780 ft
Technical difficulty
Moderate
Elevation loss
17,303 ft
Max elevation
13,311 ft
TrailRank 
81 5
Min elevation
5,855 ft
Trail type
One Way
Coordinates
3130
Uploaded
October 11, 2015
Recorded
October 2015
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near Imi n’Oulaoun, Souss-Massa-Drâa (Morocco)

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Trail photos

Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun Photo ofAmezri - Agouti - Mgoun

Itinerary description

I reached Amezri by bicycle via the wonderful pass of Tizi-n-Ouloun, 2768 m. This is the most scenic pass that I ever rode in the Atlas.
It should be possible to reach Amezri via the valley, starting from the asphalted road Demnate-Skoura.
At Amezri there is one gîte d'etape, where I left the bicycle for the four days that I passed on the mountain.
From the last village of the valley, Ichbachken, a path heads up to Tizi-n-Roghoult. My track does not follow this path, but ascends freely the flank of the mountain, where I slept in front of some shepherds with were making a fire. Little below the pass, it joins the path. Short after the saddle, I began a very long traverse high on the rocky flank of the Tarkeddid range. It is all moderate up and down, also with some slippery spot that requires care. Consider also that I did the tour in full winter, finding also snow and ice at this height.
After several hours of traverse, via a steep red side valley, I reached the main valley short after Kherfalla, which I did not even enter. Namely, I headed directly up to the last azib, located at nearly 3000 metres. From there I pointed directly to the nearby saddle and, via the snowy ridge, to the extremely panoramic top of Agouti.
I descended freely to the Tessaout source plateau, already fearing a night under the stars, in the extreme cold of this high place. Luckily, at a certain point I had the surprise to see a refuge appearing, It is the nice refuge Tarkeddid, run by Abdou Laaroussi, a man coming from the Ait-Bou-Guemez valley.
Restored by a good dinner, the following day at six I woke up and, in moonlight, I begin the ascent to the Mgoun, which I tackled via the evident saddle in front of the refuge. I believe that there is also a shorter way on the left, reaching the main ridge later.
When I was in the ridge there was a sudden interruption of the wind, following by a change in direction The new wind was so strong that I had to remain bent all the time, and I did not even have the chance to have a shot of the summit cairn. Namely, in I sought repair as quickly as possible in the nice valley hidden SW of the summit.
When the wind was beginning to blow snow which readily transformed into ice, I left the path in this valley to descend quickly to a lower plateau, where the conditions were better. From where I did not have problems to gain the Tessaout plateau again.
After a second night at the refuge, I crossed the whole plateau in direction Amezri, hoping to find the correct path descending into the valley. I found it, and it was indeed a spectacular finding, due to the scenic ambience where this wonderful thread develops. I reached the Tessaout gorge, which I followed back to Amezri.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: THIS TRACK IS DRAWN BY HAND, although with careful research.

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Waypoints

PictographMountain hut Altitude 6,081 ft
Photo ofImi-n-Ouloun Photo ofImi-n-Ouloun

Imi-n-Ouloun

Scenic village, with the very nice gite d'etape run by Brahim Boukyoud.

PictographIntersection Altitude 6,086 ft
Photo ofFork to Imi-n-Ouloun Photo ofFork to Imi-n-Ouloun Photo ofFork to Imi-n-Ouloun

Fork to Imi-n-Ouloun

You have to cross the river to reach the village.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 7,111 ft
Photo ofTamezrit Photo ofTamezrit Photo ofTamezrit

Tamezrit

Last village on the toad to the pass

PictographPanorama Altitude 8,008 ft
Photo ofSwitchbacks Photo ofSwitchbacks

Switchbacks

Spectacular place of red rocks

PictographMountain pass Altitude 9,155 ft
Photo ofTizi-n-Ouloun Photo ofTizi-n-Ouloun Photo ofTizi-n-Ouloun

Tizi-n-Ouloun

A pass 11 metres higher than the Passo Stelvio, and all in red gravel. The view opens scenically on the high Tessaout valley, with Amezri in the centre.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 7,784 ft
Photo ofFirst houses Photo ofFirst houses Photo ofFirst houses

First houses

At this curve the village of Amezri appears.

PictographMountain hut Altitude 7,629 ft
Photo ofIchbaken Photo ofIchbaken Photo ofIchbaken

Ichbaken

The last inhabited spot of the valley. Here starts the path to Tizi-n-Roghoult.

PictographIntersection Altitude 7,765 ft

Leave path

PictographWaypoint Altitude 8,669 ft
Photo ofBivac Photo ofBivac Photo ofBivac

Bivac

I slept on the flank of the mountain. below Tizi-n-Roghoult

PictographMountain pass Altitude 9,520 ft
Photo ofTizi-n-Roghoult Photo ofTizi-n-Roghoult Photo ofTizi-n-Roghoult

Tizi-n-Roghoult

The most important communication pass on this side of the high Tessaout valley.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 9,186 ft
Photo ofTraverse Photo ofTraverse Photo ofTraverse

Traverse

Long horizontal traverse on the flank of the Tarkeddid range. In some sections severely eroded sections the path is a bit tricky. I met some shepherds.

PictographRiver Altitude 7,651 ft
Photo ofKherfalla valley Photo ofKherfalla valley Photo ofKherfalla valley

Kherfalla valley

My traverse finally reached the river not far from the village. I found also a little mill.

PictographWilderness hut Altitude 8,598 ft
Photo ofAzib-n-Taziyt Photo ofAzib-n-Taziyt Photo ofAzib-n-Taziyt

Azib-n-Taziyt

Amazing as usual in Marocco to see where you can find shepherd huts, inhabited also in full winter! This one is at approx. 2750 m.

PictographSummit Altitude 11,578 ft
Photo ofAgouti Photo ofAgouti

Agouti

An angular summit on the long Tarkeddid ridge, dominating the trekking pass, which lies a bit north. Traversing the Agouti is surely not the quickest way to reach the Tarkeddid refuge, but it is indeed a very panoramic way!

PictographMountain hut Altitude 9,630 ft
Photo ofRefuge Tarkeddid Photo ofRefuge Tarkeddid Photo ofRefuge Tarkeddid

Refuge Tarkeddid

Lonely on the long and wide Tessaout Sources Plateau.

PictographMountain pass Altitude 11,936 ft
Photo ofTizi-n-Oumassine Photo ofTizi-n-Oumassine Photo ofTizi-n-Oumassine

Tizi-n-Oumassine

At 3600 m.

PictographSummit Altitude 12,919 ft
Photo ofForesummit Photo ofForesummit Photo ofForesummit

Foresummit

Near to this foresummit I think that there is the confluence of the more direct path starting at the refuge. However, I had been advised to follow the longer path due to better snow conditions.

PictographSummit Altitude 13,282 ft
Photo ofIrhil M'goun Photo ofIrhil M'goun Photo ofIrhil M'goun

Irhil M'goun

First summit of the massif and second of Morocco. On top one finds only a little cairn. I did not take many photos: namely, I had to rush away because of the incredible wind!

PictographWaypoint Altitude 10,501 ft
Photo ofRock yramids Photo ofRock yramids Photo ofRock yramids

Rock yramids

The point where I left the suggestive circus below the main summit.

PictographMountain pass Altitude 10,025 ft
Photo ofEntering the Tilibit Photo ofEntering the Tilibit Photo ofEntering the Tilibit

Entering the Tilibit

I returned to the plateau (Tilibit) following a little ridge rising in the middle of the wide valley.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 9,500 ft
Photo ofExiting the Tilibit Photo ofExiting the Tilibit Photo ofExiting the Tilibit

Exiting the Tilibit

Start of a short ascent, after the long flat stretch on the plateau.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 10,494 ft
Photo ofStart of descent Photo ofStart of descent Photo ofStart of descent

Start of descent

A key point not to be missed!

PictographWaypoint Altitude 9,485 ft
Photo ofRock ledge Photo ofRock ledge Photo ofRock ledge

Rock ledge

Spectacular stretch. Neither exposed nor delicate: actually, can be done also by mules.

PictographRiver Altitude 7,845 ft
Photo ofTessaout gorge Photo ofTessaout gorge Photo ofTessaout gorge

Tessaout gorge

Marked is the point where I reached the river. For orientation, this would be the key point doing the loop the other way.

PictographMountain hut Altitude 7,488 ft
Photo ofAmezri Photo ofAmezri Photo ofAmezri

Amezri

The basis of the loop.

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