Anyone going to climb Mt Toubkal on 30/12/12?
Hi Rob, yes I've booked up for this too. I haven't even looked into the injections! Thanks for the reminder.
Have you seen anything about what the temperatures will be like? Most of the material I've seen seems to relate to it being freezing at night in summer, so I'm imagining it will be pretty chilly!
Hi Doug, I have managed to do some research today. The Lonely Planet Morocco book (4th Edition) says it can get down to -20oC at night. There is a good description of the trip on Summit Post,
http://www.summitpost.org/another-african-adventure-toubkal-winter-ascent/796383
of someone climbing it in February. They talk of being down to -7oC at the hut during the day, and about -10oC on the summit the day they did it.
There is also a clip from a French group on youtube, who climbed it in January of this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=PElswOCfwW8
The clothing they are wearing gives an idea of the temperatures. I think Sam(my wife) and I will be taking our warmest sleeping bags and lots of warm gear! The name of the typhoid vaccine is Vivotif. Are you travelling in a group? According to the woman at Exodus there are meant to be 6 of us.
Rob
Hi Rob, thanks for that. From the look of the video - lots and lots of layers! I've been meaning to get some new gloves too so this seems a good time. I bought some new boots last week as I found my current ones aren't compatible with crampons. Have you done much of this sort of thing before?
I'm travelling on my own. From what I recall, there are two couples and two solo travellers which would be the 6 you were told.
Hi, Doug. Sam and I have done some winter walking as we live in Dundee and we have hills which are fairly accessible. Have you done much yourself?
Our main worry is how we will cope with the altitude.
A spare set of gloves is good, as it took ages for me to work out that my hands were getting cold on the top of a hill as even with breathable ones, your hands get sweaty. Putting on a dry pair helps keep the hands warm.
Will you have time to try your boots out before you go?
Ah that's a good location for getting into the hills! I'm in London at the moment so don't get much exposure to that. I've got a feeling that the new boots are going to see nothing more than a walk round the flat before I get to Morocco!
I've done some walking before, I was in the Himalayas a few years ago and my experience was that the thinner air at altitude makes it harder work, but other than that no problems with headaches or altitude sickness. I think we are staying at about 3200 and walking out from there so it should be fine. Gaining altitude during the days, then coming back down to rest the night helps with the acclimatisation I believe.
Hi, we are booked on the Toubkal winter climb over New Year. Is anyone else going? We have had the recommended injections apart from typhoid. Accoerding tp the practice nurse the injectable version has been withdrawn and we have to have an oral vaccine.
Rob