Mount Cameroon

13,255 ft. up and down in 2 days.  Mount Cameroon has been conquered by yours truly. 

Tuesday September 4, Andy and I rose at approximately 6am to be ready to make the trip to the nearby town of Buea to begin our climbing of Mount Cameroon.  We reached the base of the mountain and met our guides and porters and started to hike at just after 9am.  I was tired after 15 minutes.  I was A LONG way from being finished. 

The hike starts off up a steep hill and through a prison that apparently still has prisoners in it, I was not allowed to take pictures.  We then entered the forest.  It rained.  Our path turned into a river.  That is when the struggle started. 

By the time we reached Hut 1, we were wet, tired, and sweaty.  At Hut 1 we met James. James lives in the area and climbed up to Hut 1 under his own accord and has been living there for almost a month.  He came up there to pray.  He has a scrapbook full of people who gave him pictures of themselves or wrote down requests for James to pray for them.  I asked James if the Mountain holds some kind of significance with regard to prayer ... he said no.  I decided not to push any further.  He did make us the most unbelievable cup of tea ever.  So.....

Once we left Hut 1, we were totally oblivious to the Hell that awaited us in the Savannah of the mountain.  Once we made our way out of the forest the Savannah was beautiful.  After having your whole environment for 3 hours be crushed by trees and branches and dense forest, any open space is warmly welcomed.  After about 18 seconds of climbing the Savannah, we were all wishing for the forest.  The Savannah is about 5000 ft. of slippery rock and grass on a severe uphill slope.  Every step I just wanted to sit down and rest.  Everytime I caught my breath, I had lost it again after 2 steps.  Everytime I thought my leg muscles were going to explode I had to take another step, then another, then another, then about 1000 more.  At each resting point I welcomed the concept of sitting down on something that wasn't a wet sloped mountain side, but then we were off again in 15 minutes. 

The last 45 minutes leading up to Hut 2, I was struggling.  Our guide, Matthias, is 59 years old and beat Andy and I up and down the mountain.  He patiently waited for me and encouraged me along to Hut 2.  Once we reached Hut 2, the sight of where we were started to sink in.  The sun started to set and it was BEAUTFIUL. But the best was yet to come. 

We finally ate some dinner and was told that if we wanted to reach the Summit and then make it all the way back down again that we would have to wake up at 3:30am and start hiking by 4.  I was in my sleeping bag at 7:30pm.  Finally, 3:30am rolls around and my 28 minutes of sleep really got me ready for the long day ahead.  None of the porters of guides thought I was going to be able to make it to the Summit.  WRONG. 

We started hiking in the pitch black of night and still sore and tired from the day before, Andy and I were moving slowly.  The minutes and hours ticked on and the next thing we knew the morning sun was peaking up over the horizon seemingly at arms length.  It was beautiful. 

One thing I should mention is that the most amazing views we had while on the mountain were either so minute or of the stars at night so I could not even take pictures of them!  On that note, I have never, and would be shocked if I ever did, see such a beautful starry night again in my life.  Being 9000 feet up, there is no light from the city, no cloud cover and nothing at all that stands in between you and the trillions of beautiful shining lights in our night sky.  It was unforgettable, irreplaceable, and impossible to capture in anything but my memory. 

By the time we could at least see the Summit, nothing else mattered except reaching that peak.  Each step was agony and each step all I wanted was to be in bed with 2 people rubbing my freezing cold and sore feet, but nothing was stopping me from reaching this goal.  Andy reached the top first and waited just steps shy of the landmark so that we could conquer the mountain together.  WHAT A FEELING!  To be able to say that I climbed a mountain, is something I am very proud of.  Considering the physical and emotional toll that the mountain takes from you.  It was amazing! 

The way down, sucked.  It was rainy, dangerous, frustrating and physically exhausting.  Every step I could feel my leg muscles twitching and begging for a rest.  Every step I thought I was going to slip either from lose rocks, wet grass, or basic muscle exhaustion.  But with each step I could feel myself getting closer to my goal ... BED. 

The mountain had this very frustrating and almost rude way of presenting you with a landmark or resting point so that you THINK that it is close when really, after you walk and struggle for another hour, the resting point seems just as far away as it did an hour ago. 

But eventually you get home and get to bed and it is glorious!  Then you wake up this morning and you can not move your legs.  Small price to pay. 

So that is that, enjoy the pictures I can post from here and hopefully I can share the videos with you when I get home! 

Tomorrow I have my first day at the school and I am SO EXCITED!!!!  Can not wait to start working with and get an understanding for how physical education is taught here in Limbe!!!!! 

Off to bed!  Much love to all!


Also, in case any of you were wondering, I just received a facebook message from Leonel who has safely arrived in Bamenda and is excited to start school!!!