Toubkal 2012 – Speed Ascent of North Africa’s Highest Mountain

Morocco, 15 March 2012. An exotic speed ski ascent of North Africa’s highest mountain. Speed mountaineers Benedikt Böhm, Schorsch Nickaes, Patrick Jost, Andreas Eisenmann and Sepp Willibald from Team Dynafit have set themselves a major goal: from the starting point at ‘Around’, they must cover 17 kilometres and climb 2,200 metres in altitude to reach the summit of Toubkal, at 4,167 metres, the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains.

The journey began in the village of “Around”, situated at an altitude of just under 1,900 metres. To the amazement of many passers-by, the route took us at a brisk pace, with skis and rucksacks on our backs, past the Muslim rock sanctuary “Sidi Chamharouch” and through the “Assif n’Isougouane” river valley. Near the “Refugio de Toubkal” at an altitude of 3,200 metres, the touring skis were strapped on and the steep ascent to the Toubkal saddle was completed on snow.

After 3 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds, the team reached the summit.