Ksar Rock - East Buttress

Ksar rock offers great multi-pitch rock climbing up to around 150 meters with plenty of climbs in grades from Severe to E1. This is a popular destination for its quick approach, easy access and quality routes that get great winter sun on the south face. The East Buttress route is one of the easier climbs up Ksar Rock, graded as severe in some guides and hard severe in others, the route can be upgraded to very severe by taking some direct variations.

The Route Topography

This is the route East Buttress on Ksar Rock in Souss-Massa, Morocco. It represents 120m of Quartzite rock climbing, usually over 6 pitches, of a max grade of HS 4b. Clicking the image will load the full screen high resolution East Buttress climb topo.

Original Image: origina: The Mountain People

Approach & Descent Information

Approach: Park outside of Anammar Village, then follow the track into the village. The track ends at Ksar Rock Guesthouse (see references below for this accommodation option). Take the first obvious turn left down an alleyway and then follow this towards the base of Ksar Rock and the East Buttress climb.

Descent: Head over to the top of the cliff, here there will be some small walls and possibly even a traditional camping stove. From here descend down the north side with some scrabbling, which is steep in places, before heading around to the west and coming down the west gully.

See Ksar Rock on the climb map Open climb location in Google Maps

Pitch By Pitch Information

The East Buttress climb gets a mixture of sun and shade depending on the time of day and depending on what part of the crag the climber is on as the route weaves back and forth between the east and south faces. This route offers a little of everything but the technical difficulty goes up and down considerably from pitch to pitch. Linking pitch one and two together through the use of long runners will make a for a better first belay and a more logical route given the comparatively easy climbing on these pitches.
Pitch 1 –20m
Climb up the stepped slabs. With a good rack, a belay can be build on the 3^rd or 4^th ledge. Alternatively, moving all the way to the top ledge i.e. the end of ptch two, which is at the base of the crack on the east wall is a good option.
Pitch 2 –20m
If you haven’t linked this pitch, continue up the blocky slabs, taking the steeper right side of the final block, until you reach a belay at the base of the hand crack on the east wall.
Pitch 3 –20m 4a
Here the route takes a significant jump in technical difficulty with a short jamming crack. At the top of the crack you gain a ledge, from there take the right hand (east) corner of the large block. This gives way to another ledge where a belay can be made under the significant steepening wall.
Pitch 4 –30m 3c
Move left along the ledge to an obvious gully. Climb the block in the centre of the gully to the end. The last, steeper block can be climbed a number of ways either directly or via the wide crack on the right-hand side as recommended in the guidebook. A belay can be created on the large ledge.
Pitch 5 –15m 4a
In the North East corner of the ledge there is a large wide crack system running diagonally left (North-West) to another large ledge. This offers a short and enjoyable pitch.
Pitch 6–20m 4b
From the final giant ledge, the sixth pitch takes the right side of the wall up to a small ledge. From here the climber moves into an obvious grove. The grove narrows and the climb steepens until a large and somewhat hollow sounding flake of rock is used to gain the summit in a suitably epic finish to this interesting climb. A belay can be made amongst the blocks behind. A variant to this pitch, graded VS 4b is to take the wide crack directly from the belay ledge before gaining the obvious grove.

References & additional links

The following links will take you to external websites specifically related to this climb: East Buttress on Ksar Rock.
Note: They contained relevant information at the time of publishing.

Climb Info: Sample of Climb Tafraout | 100 Classic Climbs covering Ksar Rock

Article: Morocco Trad Climbing | Tafraout

Accomerdation: Ksar Rock Guest House