This expedition brought a five‑member climbing team to the remote limestone walls of the Taghia Gorge in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, an area renowned for long, sparsely bolted big‑wall routes but still containing vast expanses of unclimbed rock. The team spent the month of September establishing a major new 600m route on one of the large buttresses above the gorge.
After delayed flights and lost bags in Marrakech, the team reached Taghia via Zawyat Ahansal and began scouting lines. Initial storms, flooding, and logistical challenges set the tone for a highly demanding trip. They established a base at the so‑called “Bat Cave” inside the gorge and began attempting their chosen line, which involved difficult aid climbing up to A3+ and traditional climbing to E3. Early attempts resulted in falls, rock‑impact injuries, malfunctioning stoves, and rapid weather changes that repeatedly forced retreats.
Over several days they fixed ropes, bolted anchors, shuttled supplies, and endured multiple severe storms that flooded the gorge within minutes, caused dangerous rockfall, and made retreat down the canyon impossible. Portaledge bivouacs were soaked and storms destroyed planned ledges, nonetheless, the team pushed upward, establishing pitches in difficult conditions and hauling loads through exposed terrain.
After more than two weeks of effort, they completed and free‑climbed the full route in a single push, topping out after leading all pitches cleanly under perfect weather. They descended ahead of another major storm, evacuated supplies, and exited the gorge exhausted but successful.
Their final report highlights new‑route potential across multiple walls—particularly in the long, less‑accessible Agoudal N’llamchane gorge—and stresses the serious flood and rockfall hazards inherent in the area.
