Oukaïmeden, Morocco

Jeremy from UNITED KINGDOM writes:

Oukaimeden is located 70km or an hour drive south of Marrakech in the Atlas Mountains. The easiest way to get there is a taxi from Marrakech which can cost any where between 300 to 400DH (30-40 Euros). As there is no scheduled bus service you can arrange for the taxi to return to pick you up if you know the day and time you wish to return. Oukaimeden offers a true taste of adventure & a cultural experience along with consistently steep mountain terrain where other tourist's other than Moroccan's are not often found. The small village is set into the side of the red coloured rocks 1km away from the Chairlift and occasionally a donkey can be found to help you make the short trek across.

Because the temperatures still reach mid 20's in the middle of winter the season is short, so the best time to go is January to Mid-February. The chance of new snow is very slim, however mid-week very few people are there and after a dump long fresh lines can be found inbounds for many days after, with little more than a 5 minute hike back to the base of the chairlift. There are a few short platters at the base for beginners, but the modern new double chair takes you 600 vertical metres to access the mainly advanced steep runs, unless you get off at the mid station for one of the few intermediate runs available. Due to the African sun, the terrain aspects facing the sun all day do not tend to hold the snow and even the chutes and gullies and bowl aspects tend to have hidden shingle rocks as well so it is best to bring one of your old sets of boards or skis unless you have sweet sponsors to hook you up.

Facilities
Please be aware this is a very poor country and there is no shelters or developments of any kind at the base. The lift ticket office is a box 2ft by 3ft, there is a small shack 10ft by 7ft that sells refreshments and light snacks, the ski/ board hire is a limited supply of gear laid out on the dirt bank by the car park and don't expect to see any piste groomers other than a heard of goats passing by.

Accommodation
There is a couple of hotels (one expensive and one reasonably priced) and for a small fee to a local 'guide', they will take you round some more authentic & traditional style cottages or private houses where you can rent a flat / apartment type set-up with if your lucky a balcony & sun lounges, etc.

Tips
- When you are traversing across from the top chairlift, don't be afraid to un-strap and walk across short sections of exposed rock to get to wider out chutes & gullies as this is where you will find your virgin lines with a short walk again back to the base.
- When done on the mountain for the day, the ridge 10mins walk up from the village has remarkable views at sunset with horizon line upon horizon line stretching down to the flat lands and if you follow walk along the ridge for another 20mins you can sit on the edge of some vertical cliffs looking out over Africa.

2004-06-16