It was pitch black outside as we started up the mountain slope. Apart from our flashlights and faint starlight from the starry sky, we could just see the glow of lights from the towns far in the distance. Later we were to learn that we were seeing the town of Yallas.
The night air was crisp but clear. I knew it would eventually get quite cold so I made sure to cover my mole with light headgear. With that, 3 layers of shirts a sweat top and sweat pants, I was probably the warmest dressed of the group. PL as usual was comfortable in a tee-shirt and knee-length shorts, with a camp shirt in case he got cold. The rest of the group wore varying degrees of protection between his and mine.
Our first challenge was Jacob's ladder. Now I know the reason for the name....it is an almost vertical, steady climb, twisting and turning past the different "rungs"of the ladder in an "S" like pattern as you ascend the mountain. It was a good thing we walked at night because shortly into the trek, most of us began to remove some layers. We were sweating and you could feel the burn in your hamstrings and butt as you stepped up the high rocks punctuating the trail. After a sweltering 1- 1/2 hrs, we reached Portland Gap.
Portland Gap is a ranger station set up by the forestry department. There are cabins there where you could also camp, it's the last source of running water and restrooms, flanked by a nicely manicured grassy area. None of this could we see in our upward journey as it was still very dark. All we knew was there was a nice piece of dewy grass to sit on, take a break, have a snack, drink something and prepare to move on again. It was also an opportunity to consume some of the load we were carrying in our packs that was by now beginning to feel quite heavy!
After only about 10 minutes, PL, "the General" was moving us along once again.
"No time to stop", he said, "We want to see sunrise at the peak! Saddle up and let's go!"
After Portland Gap, the two youngsters, or should I say young adults, in the group moved ahead of the rest of us a a pace! We lost sight of their flashlights in the distance. The trail is very clear though, so we knew they would not get lost. We would meet them at the peak.The journey after Portland Gap was a steady walk in the dark. There was not much talking either as the older members of the group were now engaged in breathing heavily and focusing on that one more step! We couldn't even hear a peep from our usually most talkative member! One step at a time, one step closer to the peak...yes we had to beat the sunrise. As the sky began to lighten, we started to ask that dreaded question...."are we there yet?" Our friend and guide from the area just kept urging us on. We passed what looked like the top of the mountain several times, only to find we had further to go.
Dusk met us about an hour away from the peak...yes, we missed sunrise. But I was certainly happy to see the surrounding mountain scenery and foliage quietly appear and hear the birds awaken with songs I had never heard before. With the sunrise deadline out of the way, we were able to rest more at a few view spots, take some pictures and enjoy the journey a bit more.
Finally, at about 6:50am we arrived at the peak! It was a fantastic feeling of accomplishment. We made it! Yes! While perusing the grassy knoll that is "the peak", we met two other small groups who were just leaving. Some of us climbed the trestle marking the highest spot on the island. We took out our breakfast supplies and got rid of some more load from our packs.
It was a clear morning, cold and breezy with bright morning sun kissing the dewdrops on the shrubs, flowers and grass. We looked up to see the clouds whizzing by. You could see almost 360 degrees around for miles and miles with the mountains and sea in the distance. It was fantastic !!! After about half an hour enjoying the peak, we headed back down. The young adults who had been up there for a while and were freezing their butts off, were anxious to get back down.
And so began descent, a torturous one for me and another member of the group who began to feel the body weight and pressure on our knees, about half way down the mountain. So very gingerly we took our time, sometimes with stick in hand, one step at a time. Despite that and with several stops along the way and again at Portland Gap, I was able to enjoy and take pictures of the beautiful and unique foliage and scenery. Even the painful trek down was great!
After a longer descent due to injuries, we reached back at Whitfield Hall just before 2:00pm in time for a rest, lunch and then to head down the mountain for our drive back to civilization. It was the first and last time for some of us but me, I will definitely do it again!Blessings........
