Tim,

Much of that new piste that goes along the valley of El Mrabitine doesn’t actually enter the “green” area visible on Google Earth. I’d also been sceptical about having to drive through somebody’s fields and gardens, but the new piste avoids all that. Instead it approaches the green valley at 31° 35.679'N 6° 18.139’W, then follows it’s edge westwards for 1,5 km, then continues further west following the riverbed indeed for about 1,5 km before beginning to ascend to Tizi n’Aït Imi. Much of it is visible on good earth.

It is true that the bit along the river bed was the least “constructed” - perhaps because a separate construction unit would be necessary to build the concrete bridge-dam road resistant to flood.

Our experience with the “riverbed” section was easy. The piste is obvious, well-beaten and goes in a straight line. The only crossing of the stream we had to do at 31° 35.643'N 6° 19.104'W was nothing to speak of. That was after a month of dry weather so perhaps different on a rainy day, but then you won’t venture into that area at all if it’s raining/snowing - definitely won’t be able to get that far on a wet muddy piste. One has to keep in mind that the valley of El Mrabitine is at around 2250m, and may well be buried under snow and ice for continuous periods in winter.

Peter

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