HAUT ATLAS

English High Atlas, or Great Atlas mountain range in central Morocco. It extends northeastward for 460 miles (740 km) from the Atlantic Coast to the Algerian border. Many peaks exceed 12,000 feet (3,660 m), including Mount Ayachi (12,260 feet ), Mount M'Goun (13,356 feet ), and Mount Toubkal (13,665 feet ), the highest point in the Atlas Mountains. Well-known passes include Tichka (7,438 feet), Test (approximately 7,300 feet), and Talrhemt (approximately 7,250 feet). The northern sides and tops of the lower peaks are clothed with forests of cork, oak, pine, cedar, and other trees, including walnuts, which grow to the limit of irrigation. The lower slopes enclose well-watered valleys in which the Berber peoples cultivate tiny irrigated fields. The mountains' southern flanks, exposed to the hot, dry Saharan winds, are generally destitute of vegetation. Minerals extracted include copper, iron ore, lead, zinc, and manganese. Skiing is popular when snow covers the peaks, and many tourists visit Toubkal National Park.