FOR as far back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to climb the Blue and John Crow Mountains. It was after all the highest point in Jamaica standing at 7,402 feet. And after years of dreaming, hoping and anticipating, the opportunity was HERE.
I remember it like it was yesterday, the stage had been set, I would travel to Papine in St. Andrew and meet up with the hiking team – a couple of whom were very experienced hikers. But there was no fear, no thought of my being unable to manage the mountain’s terrains. I was an active student throughout high school and I pride myself in being mentally strong. I could do this! I was ready!
The Blue and John Crow Mountains is considered one of 78 most irreplaceable protected areas for the conservation of the world’s amphibian, bird and mammal species. It is a globally important site for the conservation of plant biodiversity. Its steep slopes form the upper sections of ten of the island’s 26 watershed management units; 10% of the park is nestled in the Yallahs and Hope River watershed management units; and it is the source of 42% of the water used in the Kingston Metropolitan Area.
So there we were at the Mavis Bank Police Station, taking picture by the trail sign to remember our excitement before the trek. Sneakers – check –rehydration – check, warm clothes – double check. Where would this trail take me? Would it be along the route traversed by my African ancestors fleeing the plantations in pursuit of freedom? What beauty would my eyes behold at the top?
Well, after close to what seemed like eight hours facing this rugged trail that saw me skip through rivers, pin myself to hillsides to prevent from falling over many deep dark precipice. After close calls holding on to shrubs for dear life, changing walking sticks to support more of my increasing body weight that would become too much for a rod, and after feeling the piercing cold of the early morning breeze hit my body like twelve swords… I would never see the top.
The peak ain’t no walk in the park. My strong confident pronouncements of “Yea man I can do this” or “Let’s start at the lowest point so I can get the full experience” and oh my favorite, “It’s all about mental strength,” quickly turned into a whining 3 year old whose cries for help, water breaks, rest stops and just an end to the ordeal being the sounds of the night.
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The Peak Ain’t No Walk in the Park
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