Sump To Summit

Breakfast at the Kasbah was excellent, so we set off well-fed and ready for the day. Our plan was to head to the familiar Samazar Valley for our first climb on this side of the Anti-Atlas. It was great to be back in the valley we’d explored the previous year.

The climb, Sisters of Mercy, was on Dragon Rock. After a short walk-in, we had to navigate down a tree-filled gully to reach the base of the route. El led the first pitch, a 4c, which was a solid start. I took the second pitch, which felt tough in places. At one point, a foothold broke off from the ledge I was climbing and tumbled down toward El’s belay ledge. Fortunately, she was on her feet and quick to step aside. The rock also missed where she’d been standing—lucky all around, given I was over 30 meters up!

El then led off from my tiny belay ledge, climbing a lovely pitch with great flow. The fourth pitch, my lead, was the highlight of the day. It started with a corner crack that eventually opened up to the Dragon’s Back—a narrow ridge with easy climbing in an absolutely incredible position on the rock.

We paused at the top for a quick bite to eat before starting the descent down a gully. The peaceful vibe didn’t last long—El let out a scream when a snake slithered under a rock right in front of us. (I think the scream was mostly because she spotted it first!)

After making it back to the car, we returned to the Kasbah for a well-earned dinner. Another fantastic day in the Anti-Atlas!