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-   -   Update MS6 in Morocco (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/morocco/update-ms6-in-morocco-50659)

Harrie110 5 Jun 2010 18:31

Update MS6 in Morocco
 
4 Attachment(s)
I just returned from a trip in Morocco where we drove the MS6 route from Chris' Morocco Overland. Great route with magnificients views which we started in Merzouga and drover to Tagounite.

When we had lunch at Hassi Ouzina, the friendly owner advised us not to cross the Oued Daourda at the regular piste. Two Land Rovers passing us told us that they had struggled for hours to get through a 6 km long stretch feche feche. When we stopped at El Remlia, a small village just before the oued, a french speaking local told us about an alternative track to cros the oued and which would bring us in a valley just north of the original track hoewever leading to Tafraoute as well. We followed his advise an got accross well. Due to the abundance of tracks near the oued we struggled a little to find our way down and we hit some feche feche as well, however not nearly as bad as the 6 kilometer long stretch.

This local also drew a roadbook in 3 A4s for the next 100 kilometer or so. And pretty accurate.

desertexpress 5 Jun 2010 19:45

Hi,
Last year i took this deviation myself. But in april i coulden't find it annymore. I had to cross the oued with the fes fes. Do you have any coördinats about it or track log ?
grts
Peter Penson
peter.penson@telenet.be

Harrie110 5 Jun 2010 20:07

Tracklog for alternative
 
1 Attachment(s)
Hi Peter,

Here is the tracklog. I added a waypoint to indicate the crucial way into the oued. We didn't find that at first glance. You will find in the track log some to and fro driving since we were unsure about directions. At some point we went back to the village to make sure we were doing the right thing. Other than that the drawn roadbook is surprisingly accurate.

Best,

Harrie

desertexpress 9 Jun 2010 18:57

big thanks. i will try it in november . I let you know how it was.
grts
Peter Penson

Maximus 10 Jun 2010 07:56

Many thanks for the update. Will be on this route in September with four Mitsubishi L200s.

Will keep an eye on this thread for updates.

CaBRita 15 Aug 2011 21:37

MS6 update
 
Hi,

The plan is to ride MS6 in October/November, we're a group of bikes and I'll be riding an Africa Twin.

Two questions, considering the above data:

1. Has anyone recently rode this track and confirmed that this alternative is a good choice?

2. Can I expect in October/November flooded oueds in this route?

BR,
Luis Cabrita

twenty4seven 16 Aug 2011 09:45

Hello CaBRita

We used the alternative route in April and also returned on the "normal" route later in the trip. We managed to do both without major issues although on the "normal" route it's easy to get a bit lost in the dunes.

The alternative route is not any easier and you also miss out on some of the fantastic views. I would just do the "normal" route again.

uknomad 13 Sep 2011 06:46

Hi,

Was unable to do MS6 with a group in April, looking to go back in mid/late Oct by myself, does anyone think it's daft to do by yourself? Also any news on this route?

All help gratefully recieved,
Cheers, Mark

Booger 13 Sep 2011 17:56

Just seen this thread, we went last year (April 2010) and were told by a policeman that the piste was closed due to drifting dunes. We found our own alternative route, which turned out not to be a road, but a riverbed.

It was great fun, unfortunately I don't have the GPS tracks anymore, nor can I remember exactly where we went. You can see us going into the riverbed and along it, here Part 4 - Morocco Overland by Land Rover Orgy Disco Adventure - 2010 - YouTube

Some locals wanted 200dh to take us the easy way, saying that the way we were going was impossible... there were about 5 of them on scooters, we told the little bastids that we wanted to do it the hard way. Turns out they had a place in the desert that they wanted us to camp at...

I even thought the road closed thing was a scam.. maybe they were just opportunists ?

grizzly7 3 Oct 2011 23:05

Moglet on MS6
 
Hi

I drove MS6 in May this year and don't remember any problems. The local kids directed us away from the worst bit of "feche feche" but we ignored them and didn't get stuck. Diary page, and the next few following, pics etc if you're interested;

2 May - MS6

And our GPS log

GPS

but as far as I remember it was either Garmin or Olaf all the way and had no knowledge of any nearby alternative on that route. The eastern bit was nastily corrugated though, and the last few KM (west end) onto the tarmac was convoluted!

:)

twenty4seven 4 Oct 2011 18:26

grizzly7

Your route though that area was different to mine this April, you took a more northerly Olaf track and then returned to the same track as me later on. EDIT just spotted that track on the Garmin Topo Morocco Map :)

There are lots of tracks across that area it seems, it's easy to lose your sense of direction in the dunes with poor visibility, well it was for me.

Found this short video which I recorded in 2009, which gives an idea of the area of soft sand on MS6 on the route that I took, which is the Olaf track marked Bad Dunes (more or less) if anyone is interested. :)

Bad Dunes.wmv - YouTube

pera 7 Oct 2011 19:45

I´ve passed more than 30 times this Oued and I think I´ve never passed it trough the same place.

It´s better ask an local because the "best" place to cross changes every year with the rains.

bugsy 8 Oct 2011 14:49

1 Attachment(s)
ere you go- track from harrie110 -

uknomad 12 Nov 2011 07:16

Unluckly again, this time due to bad weather and the odd flooded oued, but saw other parts of Morocco I wouldn't have seen. No troubles seen, just friendly people.

pjm300 13 Nov 2011 16:55

was fine a week or so ago, vaguely followed the olaf and got through the feche feche with some foot to the floor style driving.

well the girlf did. i was in the passenger seat praying we didnt bog down!


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