TAGHIA FEELINGS

I’m back home, after one month in Morocco, but my mind is still climbing and hanging around in the easy life of Taghia. For my friends and my family I’m kind of a storyteller; I have so much to say about our experiences that I could go and make a public presentation.

So, where to start? Maybe with the car ride to the starting point of the hike to Taghia. Well, it was interesting and also more than beautiful, because when we exactly reached the highest part of the mountain pass we crossed, the moon- actually it was full moon- was right upon the mountains, right upon us... .I’ve never seen a moon shining bright like this before!

But the farer we got the more I had to think about the fact, that we heading a spot from where it’s not at all possible to be rescued after an accident. For one moment I had a strange feeling in my stomach. But at this moment I also realized that we are in the middle of a real, small, but real expedition! Yeah. My first one and this with all my friends of the mountain academy and the great support from the mountain guides. Well, that made me feel secure again!

Now I’ve just described one special tiny moment out of thousands during our Taghia experience...

For sure I’ll return to this spectacular place. Maybe with Ferran...because we have some unfinished business left. I just say, that it is an ancient route and if you want to repeat, the guide book says, you need more than 70 pitons! And so far no one climbed it after it was made up!!! So, you see how rare, interesting and special Taghia is for rock climbers ;-)

And for sure, I know what to bring to Taghia next time: One rucksack with my stuff and one, big one just filled with candies and bracelets. All the nice kids will be crazy about it. You can make them happy just with one piece of lollypop... .I do exactly remember one girl’s face, as I gave my small bracelet to her: she was overwhelmed; I can hardly think about anyone smiling like this. The feeling was superb. And just because this little bracelet, which I bought for less the 50cents before...

Life Of Berbers

When we first arrived to the deep canyons of Taghia, I was looking at those native people there, building their houses in the center of nowhere, at the place where it is hard to raise any plants, keep animals and everyday life is the struggle in cold, wind and dust. Why do these people live here, I asked myself for several times...

We had a chance to stay there for one week, climbing around, but as well sharing living with Berbers and to feel a bit how is it to live such a simple lives. Lives without cars, televisions, newspaper, supermarkets and all those products of modern society without which we can not imagine our lifes anymore.

Even though we came there to climb and so we did, climbing on marvelous rock, beautiful limestone, long a and superb routes in great and picturesque surroundings, the more I got from this trip was the regeneration of mind. In a couple days in this place, man sees a world a bit different. You see how few you really need in life. Some sleep in the night, a bit of simple food, then the sun to shine in your face and couple of friends around to make you smile. That`s it. No money, no information, no greed, no envy. You can feel then the essence of life.

And then I got it. I know now why Berbers live there. Because they are happy there. They`ve got their lives and love for others over there and that`s all they need. They raise their kids, work for living and enjoy the pure life. Happy people.
But then you see the civilization changing their lives, making their lives more similar to ours, changing their values and creating new needs. And I`m just affraid that with the satelite TV`s, Coke, candies and other useless things, also the greed and envy will come and change their lives forever...

It’s so good to be part of The Mountain ACademy!

5th stage has finished 2-3 weeks ago, and me still dreaming about this magic place. Far away from all modern comfort, yet still very friendly and calm. During our week in Taghia, happened so many things in my mind… For a first time, a climbing place left stronger impression than just climbing. When I’m speaking with my friends here in Belgrade, I even forgot to mention routes I climbed… Ok, at the end, I just pass info about how I improve my level J - just because easiest route in Taghia was like a dream goal for me few months ago...

But more time I speak about all strange things I saw & experienced. For example, all buildings are painted in color of red, as I heard later – symbolic , because of red sand which is transported by wind from the desert… People in Taghia are far away from modern civilization – one day driving off-road piste from capital, but they are using solar cells and water - powered system for electricity. And drinking of Coca-Cola J. Of course, they are not the richest people in this capitalistic society, and result is less stressful life, but you cannot have everything in same time.

I think it was a great experience for the whole team, to leave “invisible” boundaries of Europe, and for a change, to see life from another perspective. Working just for survive, without any material pleasure… Days without watches and electronically devices, gave us lot of time, beside climbing, to speak with each other about so many topics for usually “we never have time”, and get to know more, and relax from all stress back home.

So, since me got back home, I’m trying to adopt “Inch Allah” way of life, and stop pressing myself with all every day crisis…

Baraka

When you have the opportunity to travel out of Europe, to the “second” or the “third” world you have to be insensible to come back home with no changes on your mind.
We are fortunate people, we must to be happy people, we try to be better people...

Morocco is really near Europe, near Spain, but is so different! Taghia is a hidden valley in the hearth of Atlas. Only 3 hundred people live there (best said survive). To arrive Taghia you have to walk two or three hours… no teachers want to do this, so the school is still waiting for one teacher with no problems to walk. But the water gives life to the valley.

Past April we have traveled to this little town with The Mountain Academy team maybe because there you can find some of the most beautiful sport long climbing in the world or maybe because there you can change a little bit your life and open your mind...

Baraka, the circle is closed

It’s impossible to describe all the impressions I have carried in my bag so I will explain you one of the most special moments for me.
It was the 7th day when Tito, Christian and me decide to follow the Baraka way, directly to the stars of the Oujdad. Baraka is a classic 680 meteres route in the west face of the Oujdad. Is one of the easier climbing routes in Taghia and one of the most recommended vertical walks to go up to the summit of Oujdad. In Sufi Baraka means “breath of life” but for me also means one of the most shocking films I have ever seen.
It’s a film with no words, only images. Instead of a story or plot, the film uses themes to present new perspectives and evoke emotion purely through cinema. The images and music explains the evolution of the earth, nature, the chaos of the cities and especially the fragility and the misery of humanity.



It’s a pleasure to find some sense, even very small, when you are a conqueror of the useless. It’s a pleasure to climb with “Dead Can Dance”, “Inkuyo” or “David Hykes” and remember sounds like “The host of seraphim”. Just thinking about it gives me goose pimples.

Definitely I really, really recommend you to buy the Baraka DVD. I really encourage you to travel to Morocco and I really, really wish you finally have the opportunity to walk or climb in Taghia.

Thanks to the MOUNTAIN ACADEMY we have change a little bit our life and we can see more far away...

back home from Taghia

I arrived 4 days ago in Innsbruck from this amazing trip to Taghia. But till now I'm not able to find back in my daily life. There exists so many work on my desk, but I can hardly find any motivation for managing all stuff, too many impressions of the climbing trip to Taghia that whir in my head. So I went for 3 days more of climbing at home instead of arrange my university affairs.

It seemed I internalised the mood of the local people (Berber) of Taghia: In Shallah!

About our climbing trip and Taghia I don't know where to start. To describe these beautiful place we have to wait for the pictures, but I hope they are coming soon...to round this post off.

But so far, we climbed a lot in the red brown and very sharp limestone. If you would see our hands totally scratched and buttered...

So a short selection of the realisations I was involved in:

Paroi des Sources: "Belle et Berbère", TD+, 300m, 6b+ (6a+) with Jirka and Seb
Paroi des Sources: "Le rêve d'Aicha", TD-, 255m, 6a+ (V+) with Sana and film team
Paroi d'Ifrig, Akka N'Tafrawt:"Canyon Apache", ED-, 280m, 6c (6b) with Corne and Remy
Paroi de la Cascade: "Haben oder Sein", ED-, 250m, 6b+ (6b) with Kurt
Oujdad: "Pilier Ouest", Td- 250m, 6a and the last pitch of "los ratones coloraos" 6b with Sana and film team

Patricia

Taghia Selections

This is a little selection from a Taghia begginer climber. I have to check with the "local guides" (The sheperds :-P). It seems they climb up to 5!!! Obiously with no rope, no climbing shoes...

STAE 500 m. V+ A1 (Taoujdad)
Voie de la Grotte, 500 m. V+ A3 (Taoujdad)
NW Pillar, 530 m. V+ (Taoujdad)
West Pillar, 500m. V+ A1 (Taoujdad)
Left Crack, VI A2 (Oujdad)
Les Folies Bérbéres, 350 m. 6c -6a obl.- (Akka n'Tzarate)
Le rève d'Aiche 255 m. 6a+ -V+ obl.- (Tadrarate)
Au nom de la reforme, 340 m. 6c -6b obl.- (Taoujdad)
Canyor Apache, 355 m. 6c+ 6b obl.- (Timrazine Canyon)
Vía del Sostre, 700 m. V+ A3 (Tagoujimt n'tsouïant)
Teixonera, 290 m. 6a+ (Tagoujimt n'tsouïant)
Istrid Astrif, 500 m. 6b (Tagoujimt n'tsouïant)
Soyez cool, mangez des moules, 400 m. 6b -6a+ obl.- (Akka)

Griaß eich!

Hi my friends,

time is running and the next stage is close at hand... Yeah!
Can"t wait to see and climb with you again.

I"ll fly to Morokko next wednesday with a friend of mine and meet you then at the 8th of April in Marrakesh.

In Tirol the ice climbing season is almost over and the rock is still very cold...
Yesterday I went climbing at -1 degree; I hardly felt the holds ;-)

(on the picture: "Metallica", 7C+)



My leg is getting better and better and so I hope to be fit again for the next stage .

For the moment that"s all...

All the best
Benjamin