I had a bit of a rest last night, I had to put on a jeans and a jacket though to stay warm inside the sleeping bag. In the early morning hours it started to rain and it was still raining when I took the first glimpse out of the tent. I wanted to stay as long as possible inside the sleeping bag and stay warm until the group would have had breakfast and would be ready to go.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album

 

It was a grey day and the camp was just below the clouds. Breakfast preparations were advancing and I prepared myself, built off the tent and got dressed. I walked towards the kitchen to watch the progress and held on to the coffee to warm my hands.

 

Today we did not have to wait for the carriers and cooks to pack up everything, after breakfast the group was released, no, was requested to leave.

I had seen Mount Roraima only very vague yesterday and had searched for the path but the clouds had covered pretty much everything. This morning the sight was even worse, rain and mist was everywhere.

 

The path up Mount Roraima today was much steeper than every hill yesterday, steeper than the “test hill” and I struggled right from the beginning. If I would make it today I would only barely make it. I needed numerous breaks to catch breath, lower the pulse and strengthen my legs and my will power. I was not alone.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

The struggle turned into a fight with yourself, with your mental and physical capacity, your limits. The track disappeared and you had to climb up plain rock formations or riverbeds, you had to decide which stone or root you wanted to step on and watch every step to not twist your ankle; you had to start using your hands as well to grab stones or trees to lift up your body just one more step.

 

This was no weekend or holiday hiking anymore this was mountain climbing through mist, clouds and rain on uncertain slippery surface.

We climbed closer and closer to the wall and were suddenly right in front of the mountain. The visibility had dropped to the minimum of sometimes five to ten meters and the rain falling down on you had mixed now with hundreds of small waterfalls.

 

I was not sure if I would make it to the top before sunset or at all. Returning to the camp was no option either; I had to pull myself together and squeeze all energy out of my body to make it to the top.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

The most difficult part was now in front of me, you had to walk up the “valley of tears” for hundred meters, water pouring down on you. The stones were immense and slippery and you had to be even more careful. The inclination had reached its maximum.

 

I needed more and longer breaks and had to recover while the water was pouring down on me. I only had a simple T-shirt and was wet, wet from the shower I was taking, I started to shake, and I was freezing cold and wet. I needed one hour and a half for the last bit and made it to the top.

 

I might have to wait at the top; the hotels, the camps for the night are distributed between the groups and the guides coming up and going down literally in the last minute.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

Team Enterprise was already at the hotel, but one of the carriers was waiting together with Juan and Sylvie to form another group to guide us to the same cave, to the same hotel. The space was very limited and the fight for a good, not exposed and covered location was a secret reality. I had arrived sixth and could just grab the last good location for my tent. I immediately started to build the tent; I was cold, shaking, no energy and no strength. The surface was partly stones and partly sand and I had problems to find a spot for the aluminum sticks to secure my tent, I used only four instead of ten but it had to work for tonight. We would probably stay for the next two nights in the same hotel and I could fix whatever problem then. I put on dry clothes and cowered myself in my sleeping bag. Day three was suicide.

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.

 

Group Gregory

Operator – Gregory

Guide – Omar

Cook – Cleidymar

Cook – Keila

Carrier – Julian

Carrier – Jesus

Doc McCoy – Alejandro Izaguirre

Chekov – Yanjos Ave

Uhura – Maria Jose Lopez

Rammstein – Omar Rivas

Dreamcatcher – Joselyn Godoy

Photographer – Gianfranco di Campo

Journalist – Mariolga Gomez

Ecuador – Juan

Belgium – Sylvie

Guacharaca – Claudia Valenzuela

Guacharaca – Yolanda di Sevo

Guacharaca – Yuli Viloria

Gringo – AlexK

Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.