| Skiing in Morocco |
| Oukaimeden - History of the ski resort |
| Since 1930, for the pleasure of Ski |
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Oukaimeden - History of the ski resort - 1
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| Since the birth of the Ski in Morocco in 1930, Oukaimeden aroused the interest of the first mountaineers, despite the difficulties of access of the former times: the rise from Asni on mules lasted 6 to 7 hours. |
In 1936, the French Alpine Club of Marrakesh built there a modest refuge which allowed, nevertheless, a more regular frequentation of the site and the organization of the first training courses of ski.
In 1938, was established a military garrison. And in 1941, a more roomy country cottage is arranged by the French Alpine Club.
In February 1942, the Moroccan championships of ski are organized for the first time in Oukaimeden.
In 1948, the first track suitable for motor vehicles |
connecting Marrakesh to Oukaimeden via Tahannaoute and Sidi Fares was opened.
About 1953 two hotels and about thirty private country cottages are built in Oukaimeden, the lanes as well as the electricity and water conveyances are carried out and the first two ski-lifts: Shouka (long of 1100m with uneven of 380m) and the "Moyen" (long of 297m with an unevenness of 78m) are established in the station which also obtained two springboards of ski jump.
In 1963, the station of Oukaimeden was equipped with a chair-lift of about 1960m length with an unevenness of 620 m and a flow of 600 skiers per hour, a new ski-lift and connection to the national electricity network which encouraged the resumption of real construction and the tourist frequentation.
In 1965, the new access road through the valley of Ourika is opened and enabled the easy joining of the Oukaimeden station which was equipped with two other additional skis-lifts in 1967 and was connected to the automatic telephone network in 1970.
In 1992 finally, the top of Oukaimeden was arranged, an orientation table and a restoring country cottage were built.
The skiable field in the Oukaimeden station currently covers some 300 hectares concentrated on the northern side of the Oukaimeden mount, it is located between 2620 and 3270 m of altitude.
During the fairly snow-covered years, this skiable field is practicable from mid-December to the end of March which is a period of approximately a hundred days. Taking into account its relatively modest maximum altitude compared to its latitude (31°), the skiable field of the Oukaimeden station does not guarantee a snowing up of quality during all this period. |
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