Dades to Agoudal via Tizi n’Ouano in Feb 2017
 

A bit belated report on our successful crossing over Tizi n’Ouano in early February 2017. Toyota landcruiser HJ61.

It was after over a month of snowless and sunny weather so we thought we had a good chance. Started from our auberge in the Dades valley, driving up and looking for signs of snow. None at all until long after Msemrir, except a couple of peasants gesticulating that the pass is closed. We’ve seen that before, thought we and pushed on.

The first snow block was precisely where expected, at N31 54.385 W5 40.023. Here, the red clay piste makes a turn and hides in the shadow of a mountain slope. Three years ago we turned back here, and also had to help a tourist driving in front of us to recover his vehicle - he nearly slipped off the side of the mountain after trying to force his way through the snow and ice.

This time we were alone and more cautious. The snow-blocked section was about 100 m long. I removed as much ice as I could with a spade, and where there was too much if it I cut a “track” in it for my left wheels and filled it up with gravel to increase traction. In first low gear I drove carefully over, without problem.

The pass itself is about 1 km north of this point. There wasn’t as much snow on the pass, but there is a potentially dangerous large puddle of sticky clay, which may cause trouble if you tackle it carelessly. Only two motorcycles’ tracks were visible all along (knobblies, so must be tourists) and one car.

Descending on the northern side we soon came to an impassable snow block at N31 57.120 W5 36.960. Several hundred metres of piste completely under the ice and snow. We pulled back about 250 m and found a way down the valley, at the far end of which we would pick up the piste again in 1,5 km, at N31 57.257 W5 36.075.

After that the road starts descending and we didn’t see snow or places where one could potentially get stuck. Soon we reached Agoudal, surprising the multitude of villagers who were all out enjoying the sun - there’d hardly been a couple of vehicles crossing the pass since the onset of winter.

All this with photos in my blog, see link below.

Did it last week. In great condition now. Piste took < an hour.

Chris,

Lucky you. Looks like the snowfall in Imilchil you showed in a pic earlier had no effect on the condition of the high-altitude piste.

Here's what it looked like after I've done some shoveling just south of the pass in early Feb:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...8-img-2295.jpg

Peter

Looks messy - would not fancy sliding off that.
That snowfall I saw was a day later, but was gone next day.
I noticed doing it northbound, that track had an unusually shallow gradient, like the KKH.