Tried this route again today but I think I may have missed my chance.
The '
unusually good but little used track into the hills' is no longer unusually good; now just a moto trail serving a couple of remote small holdings. I got to a goat pound, the last dwelling (N30.80502° W6.37686°) by which point it looked like no vehicle had gone beyond for ages, unlike in 2019.
Whatever they were doing up there - prospecting? - they've stopped, and if the track has become disused on this side, it won't be any different on the other side until nearer Bou Skour.
I also noticed it's a 200-m climb in the 2km of the red link track (
sat image). If it averages 1:10, it's probably a lot more at times.
So I think I will take my exploring somewhere else. Loads of new-to-me tracks to check out on J Saro.
Fyi MZ1 has become really quite sandy on the axle-churned switchbacks since I first did in 2019. Only a problem for motos with road tyres.
When I was there last month I noticed regular piles of darker dirt along the track's edges at the eastern end, west of the palm gorge. Something may be afoot.
Pics: Descent to last dwelling;
Beyond last dwelling