Craters, camping & Katwalks

Many of the mountains around here are actually extinct volcanoes - including the ones directly behind our apartments. Several in the area are craters and I'd love to do a helicopter tour to see exactly how many there are! Just a few weeks ago we hiked into a large crater that is not at all visible from the road - we never would have found it without having directions. About 40 minutes from our home, we like to visit the Michliffen crater which is actually supposedly a ski resort. We've heard the lifts haven't worked for a while and we don't know of anyone who has actually skied into the crater, but it's a nice thought! On one side, King Mohammad VI has a home (one of 37 in the country) and near the bottom is a hotel.

In September we camped just behind and to the right of the hotel with our friends the Millers, Ron, Tamara & Nakoma (nieces). Ron, Gerald and I went for a night-time walk and discovered the entire crater floor was covered in a thick shroud of mist. Descending into the surreal cloud in the moonlight, the mist soon closed in over our heads. Later we fell asleep to the sound of screetching monkeys - much better than lying awake thinking about bears as I do in Western US! Monkeys and wild boar (who are scared of humans) are the only wild animals in the woods here.

The next morning, we visited a ropes course we had found the day before built by a wealthy Moroccan living in France. Ron, ever the true Friesen, just "happened" to have several climbing harnesses and ropes in the car just in case we found a good rock to climb. So we all took turns strapping ourselves in and doing the course (well, Gerald and Ron ended up doing it several times without being strapped in). Pictured is Katrina who amazed us by zipping through with little effort - until the way back, that is! She had to be rescued, but was ready to do the whole thing again a few minutes later.

Every time we come back from an outing like this to the woods, I find myself in awe of living in such a wonderful place!