Oukaïmeden (Berber language: Ukayemdan) is a ski resort in the Atlas Mountains near the Toubkal mountain, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) south-southeast of Marrakesh, Morocco.

Oukaïmeden
Ukayemdan / ⵓⴽⴰⵢⴻⵎⴷⴰⵏ
snow-capped mountain range
View from Ukayemdan Mountain in Morocco
Oukaïmeden is located in Morocco
Oukaïmeden
Oukaïmeden
Ukayemdan Mountain in Morocco
Coordinates: 31°12′19″N 7°51′44″W / 31.205167°N 7.862263°W / 31.205167; -7.862263
Websitewww.oukaimeden.org

The skiing area is at an altitude of between 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) and 3,200 metres (10,500 ft) and has six ski lifts. There are some hotels and ski rental facilities nearby.

Oukaimeden has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) with short but warm summers and long, chilly winters with a great amount of snowfall.

Bouldering destination

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Bouldering sector Oukaimeden

Oukaïmeden is an international bouldering destination with thousands of boulders. There are roughly 1,000 boulders documented. Oukaïmeden has been known as a bouldering destination since the 1970s; however it has only attracted international climbers since the early 2010s. In the early years of bouldering in Oukaïmeden a handful of mainly local climbers from the Club alpin français (CAF) visited the area. It is also the CAF that was responsible for the establishment of some of the first bouldering circuits in the area. The circuits were similar to those used in the well-known and established bouldering area of Fontainebleau in France. Most of these circuits have nevertheless now vanished. On some rocks one can discover a little paint; in some cases the actual number that was painted on is still visible.  

In 2013 the Imik'simik association[1] started to document the boulders in the area. Imik'simik published an online guidebook[2] with approximately 1,000 boulders. Because of the vast potential of the area, more first ascents are to be expected. The Imik'simik association has put Oukaïmeden on the map by organising bouldering trips on location.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) listed Oukaïmeden (as Oukaïmedene) on its Featured Story webpage as being 54 km WSW of the M 6.8 2023 Marrakesh-Safi earthquake.[3]

Climate data

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Climate data for Oukaïmeden, Morocco (1982–1994)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9)
5.9
(42.6)
8.0
(46.4)
9.7
(49.5)
12.7
(54.9)
17.4
(63.3)
22.2
(72.0)
21.9
(71.4)
19.5
(67.1)
12.9
(55.2)
9.0
(48.2)
7.4
(45.3)
12.7
(54.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.0
(33.8)
1.8
(35.2)
3.7
(38.7)
5.2
(41.4)
8.4
(47.1)
12.8
(55.0)
17.6
(63.7)
17.5
(63.5)
15.0
(59.0)
8.7
(47.7)
4.7
(40.5)
3.4
(38.1)
8.3
(46.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.3
(26.1)
−2.2
(28.0)
−0.2
(31.6)
1.4
(34.5)
4.0
(39.2)
8.2
(46.8)
12.9
(55.2)
13.1
(55.6)
10.3
(50.5)
4.4
(39.9)
0.4
(32.7)
−1.0
(30.2)
4.0
(39.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 55.4
(2.18)
78.4
(3.09)
75.8
(2.98)
56.9
(2.24)
47.1
(1.85)
23.0
(0.91)
26.9
(1.06)
18.7
(0.74)
25.7
(1.01)
39.2
(1.54)
50.0
(1.97)
39.2
(1.54)
536.3
(21.11)
Average rainy days 0.0 2.1 2.9 5.3 7.5 5.0 8.5 10.5 6.0 3.1 2.0 1.0 53.9
Average snowy days 9.0 10.0 10.0 3.8 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2 6.0 4.5 47.5
Average relative humidity (%) 56 61 62 61 63 59 51 53 53 61 61 51 58
Source: L'Association Internationale de Climatologie[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Imik’simik
  2. ^ Guidebook
  3. ^ M 6.8 - Al Haouz, Morocco, USGS.
  4. ^ Badri, Wadi; Gauquelin, Thierry (Jan 1994). "Données météorologiques nouvelles sur le massif de l'Oukaimeden (2570 m, Haut Atlas de Marrakech, Maroc): un exemple de climat de haute montagne méditerranéenne". Publications de l'Association Internationale de Climatologie (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2021.
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31°12′19″N 7°51′44″W / 31.205167°N 7.862263°W / 31.205167; -7.862263