Jbel Ayachi is one of the highest mountains in North Africa, and anchors the Eastern High Atlas

High Atlas

High Atlas, also called the Grand Atlas Mountains is a mountain range in central Morocco in Northern Africa.The High Atlas rises in the west at the Atlantic Ocean and stretches in an eastern direction to the Moroccan-Algerian border. At the Atlantic and to the southwest the range drops abruptly...

 in central Morocco

Morocco

Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...

. Jbel Ayachi rises to 3747m above sea level.

Rather than denoting a single peak, Jbel Ayachi refers to a mountainous massif more than 20 kilometers in diameter. Conceptually a ring, the Ayachi region harbors a seasonal lake at its center and is surrounded by peaks and passes that often surpass 3000m in elevation.

During the 20th century, American climbers erected a large metal cone to mark the peak. Jbel Ayachi's second-highest peak is located in the southeast.

Despite its proximity to the Sahara Desert, the peaks of Ayachi remain snow-covered and cold late into the year. Snow remains on most of the peaks until late May or early June, and in a few sheltered spots may survive the entire summer.

Formerly forested, the landscape is now dominated by sparse brush, loose stony soil, and sharply defined wadis and ravines. Nomadic Berbers

Berber people

Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...

 have inhabited the mountains for many years, raising sheep and goats and remaining largely isolated from the sedentary farmers and market towns of the plains. The nomads often come into conflict with government foresters over the use of natural resources, especially trees.

The heart of the nomadic community in Ayachi is the village of Tarhirat, which has no permanent dwellings but is centrally located and well-watered.

The government of Morocco published accurate topographical maps of the region in 1968, including contours, peaks, and some of the paths and springs. This can be purchased from the Division de Cartographie in major Moroccan cities. The Ayachi region is covered by the maps of the Midelt

Midelt

Midelt is a town in central Morocco, in the high plains between the Middle Atlas and High Atlas mountain ranges. With an estimated population of 44,780, Midelt serves as the commercial center of a large agricultural hinterland. It is also one of Morocco's principal cities for the mining of several...

 and Er-Rich districts.