Ascent of Jebel Anghomer on 2017-10-07| Others in Party: | Denise Mclellan
| | Date: | Saturday, October 7, 2017 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Motorized Transport to Trailhead: | Car | | Peak: | Jebel Anghomer | | Location: | Morocco | | Elevation: | 11841 ft / 3609 m |
Ascent Trip ReportWe drive from Ouarzazate taking the N9 east for 14km and then the Demnant road north. The Demnant road is single lane tarmac with rolled stone edges to allow vehicles to pass and is in reasonable condition up to the Tizi n’Fedghat pass.
The turn off for Anrhomer is 5km south of the pass at N31.31472deg W006.91045deg and signed to Tamerite. OK-ish dirt road descends to concrete bridge over gorge. Once across this, keep left and ascend through village and farms keeping to the main dirt track, there are a couple of concrete leats to cross but rocks have been positioned to assist. We stop at the village at N31.32139deg W006.93404deg, 2081m where we are directed to park in front of a house. Parking is easy here with plenty of space. The village is only 2.8km from the Demnant Road.
We walk up the airy main street towards the impressive E face of Anrhomer, a series of high dark rock buttresses capped by smooth pale rock. There are multiple paths and tracks heading up the gently ascending valley but the aim is to gain the upper valley between the prominent red rock conical peak and the cliffs of Anrhomer. (Best to keep more to the RHS as you ascend) We picked up a good mule track with green paint splodges and the occasional red arrow, this is a popular excursion to Lac Tamda. Reaching the first pass Tizi n’Imksal we decided the shoulder and rock band to the NW look OK to ascend and have an enjoyable ascent up easy rock gully to the 3070m peak. Crystal filled geodes in the crumbling basalt adding interest to the route. The 3070m peak provides a fine view of Anrhomer and its broad easy angled E ridge. There’s a 42m descent N from the 3070m peak before the E ridge is gained, pleasant walking over limestone fragments with abundant fossil Brachiopods. The lower E Top is first reached with 23m drop separating it from the narrowing ridge and true summit. Great views and lots of rock shelters. The GPS gives a height of 3619m and position N31.33694deg, W006.99688deg.
We descend via the scree path down the south face passing the steel survey pyramid presumably toppled from the summit. It’s a good descent route but would be a tiresome route up. As the terrain levels we leave the path and head SE to gain the wide dry stony valley. Heading up the valley we find a path up sloping rock ledge (easy walking) which ascends the SW side of the valley to Tizi n Tghaghayt where we rejoin the excellent mule track back to Tizi n’Imksal and down to Tamerite arrivingh at 19:15 in fading light.
We drive back to the Demnant road, turn N and from the pass follow a 14km section of road which clings to a tenuous existence crossed by gully wash outs and with crumbling cliffs both above and below, there is little in the way of tarmac and the driving is between bulldozed piles of debris. It may have seemed worse than it was in the darkness but it certainly added excitement at the end of the day. We had no problem in our 2WD Dacia Duster. Spent the night at the welcoming Gite d’etape Taufghine N31.42703deg, W006.87677deg 1732m where we enjoyed excellent Moroccan Lemon Chicken and chips.
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