Atlas Mountain Packing
The group went hiking in the Atlas Mountains for 3 days and stayed two nights in Tidli, a small village in Morocco. Below is a short list of the things I found important from the hike.
1. The sun in the mountains is hot and without proper sun protection one could get into some trouble. Sunscreen, long-sleeve breathable material, and something to shade your head is important (burnt scalp is a thing).
2. Water is also a must. The locals have no problem drinking the water however we were given bottled water for our time during the hike. Toward the end we were rationing the water, so be sure to bring enough.
3. Bring sturdy shoes. The hike through the Atlas is beautiful but there are many loose rocks, warm sand, and thorns that can sneak in and cause your feet pain.
4. Bring an open mind. In Tidli we spent the second day helping the locals with their work. I was tasked with peeling root vegetables with a small group. We used dull knifes to cut off the brown skin and I was thrilled when I didn’t take off a huge chunk of the vegetable as well. After a few hours my hands were caked with brown dirt and dirt lodged under my nails.
Other groups were tasked with moving rocks. This involved shoveling piles of loose rock into sacks, throwing the sack over one’s shoulder, and transporting the sack full of rocks down the hill toward the river. One would then empty the rocks into a pile and make their way back up the hill to repeat the process. Oh yeah- pure manual labor. Another group was tasked with excavating a local’s house. The group were armed with axes and would take swings at a wall of rock inside someone’s house which was made on the side of the mountain. After a few hours the group made great progress yet were covered in black dust. The final group was taking care of children and doing laundry by the river. All around it was an impactful and unique experience taking part in the village lifestyle.
5. Bring sleeping material. The sleeping options in the house that we stayed consisted of: outside on the terrace in a sleeping bag, inside the salon on the couch, or in one of the sleeping rooms on the carpet. After long tiring days in the mountains sleep fell easily. On the first morning a few of us woke at the crack of dawn (around 5 am) and began hiking up the nearest mountain. We were stopped quickly by the front door of the house which was locked and no one had the key. We decided the hike was crucial so we scaled the side of the building and jumped down to the river. Bit dangerous, but worth it. The hike up the mountain was mostly dark with the moon still shining. Once we reached a stopping ledge (around 6 am) the sun’s rays were peaking over the east. The view of the shapeless mountains in the distance with the moon set in the background was nothing short of beautiful.
