The path towards Mount Roraima
The first of three posts about climbing Mount Roraima: Hike up Roraima, Top of Roraima, Hike down Roraima
Arriving weary after the overnight bus, we transferred to the Backpacker Lodge in Santa Ana. Our rooms wouldn’t be ready for some hours, so the owner gave us a suggested shopping list gleaned from years of experience of the demands of groups of would-be mountain climbers. Inevitably we ignored this and went for a 9am beer then off to the corner shop to stock up on hiking essentials like Oreos and M&Ms.
After dropping off our supplies we went to carb load at the local Chinese restaurant. There were actually two Chinese restaurants on the main square and we picked the wrong one – they were out of rice and noodles, but we persevered and filled ourselves with undercooked vegetables and dirty prawns.
Back at the hostel we had our final briefing for the mountain. In short, set off from as far as the 4x4s can take you and walk uphill for 3 days at up to 50 degrees incline, camp by water sources and try not to die. As there are no facilities we were then given the blue plastic bags to poo into. Used or not, these had to be carried all the way up the mountain and back again. Suddenly the dirty prawns at lunch seemed like a really bad idea…
The evening was spent packing, then eschewing an early night for beer and pizza in front of the Brazilian football on cable TV.
The following morning we realised it was too late to back out and set off on the 3 hour jeep ride to the end of the road, about 30km from the base of the mountain. I may have been wrong but it looked like the 4x4s could have gone considerably further if they were pushed, but apparently that’s not what we were paying for so we bundled out, strapped on our packs and set off walking. We started at an altitude of 2000m and only had to reach a peak of 2817m, which wouldn’t be so tough if the ground didn’t roll up and down with all the intervening rivers. Very rarely were we walking on flat ground, either dropping down to a river crossing or climbing the hills in between.
After the first river crossing we stood at the base of a huge and very steep hill. This was the first of many occasions I got to gloat about packing a day pack for 6 days with an absolute minimum of equipment, clothes and comforts, instead opting to adapt, smell and generally suffer. I wandered up the hill whilst those with oversized rucksacks slowly made their way up, cursing every extra sock and plaster they’d packed.
Minimal Roraima packing list:
- Hiking shirt and zip off trousers.
- Hiking boots and 2 pairs of hiking socks
- Dry shirt and trousers
- Flip-flops for around camp
- Waterproof coat
- Towel
- Deodorant – out of politeness toward my tent-mate. Antiperspirant is would be futile
- Industrial quality biodegradable bar of soap – to be used for skin, hair and clothes. The trekking company will supply the soap
- Wet wipes – my only luxury, as there wasn’t always water for soap
- Snacks – to cut down on volume I stuck to nuts and crackers. The others might now admit that them taking 3 family packs of Doritos each was never a good idea, although the glass jar of gherkins was a welcome surprise.
- Water bottle and aquatabs – the rivers are the only source of fresh water
- As much sun protection and insect repellent as you can fit – everyone burnt and everyone else got bitten terribly. I seemed not to get bitten that much, but that could be down to the smell from carrying so few tops…
The first day was up and down under glaring sun with no shade, but the rivers were relatively low, meaning we could cross quite quickly. In the event of rain some people have had to wait overnight for the waters to subside.
We reached the first camp and after a good wash stood about looking up at the hills to come and watching the wonderfully clear stars emerge. Shortly after dark, about 5.30, we noticed some of the stars weaving their way down the hill. These continued until gone 11 when they turned out to be some very slow people still walking from the base of the mountain back to the first camp. They arrived and promptly told us to shut up and go to bed as they were tired.
The next day started with breakfast at 6.30 and instructions to walk to the river at the base of the tepuy, where we’d next get something to eat.
The first day had used all the bought water so we added Micropure Aquatabs to the somewhat yellow river water to make what looked like drinkable urine. Fortunately it tasted OK although it’s worth noting that a tiny Aquatab is intended for 5 litres and needs to be broken into 3 for the usual 1.5l bottles. Putting a whole one in won’t kill you but does taste a bit chemically. The larger tablets are considerably cheaper, but intended for 30 litres, so good luck breaking them into 20 pieces. Tang style flavouring is also good if the taste bothers you, but is a lot of packaging to carry up and down the mountain.
The second day was really the hardest, with just 2 hills to climb, but both comprising of a seemingly endless series of false summits. As soon as you think you’ve reached the peak another upward stretch lays ahead of you, usually with a transvestite red Jesus far, far ahead*
* that probably deserves an explanation…Dan had decided to do the walk for charity in bare feet and we’d bought him a red see through belly dancer outfit just to make it that bit less enjoyable. Everyone we passed had noticed a barefoot chap with a beard and long hair prancing about in a red dress some time earlier and were checking the contents of their water bottles for hallucinogenic substances.
The second camp was far less organised – more a collection of tents within a 5 minute walk of a watering hole. By now the water was near freezing and washing became a necessary chore rather than a pleasure at the end of a hot day.
After lunch and the washing were completed it was still only 12.30 and we had nothing to do but wait for the stragglers. Bored I suggested we go for a walk to see what was up the big hill, but that seemed an unpopular suggestion so we played cards for a bit and were ready for bed at 6pm. That night was pasta and sausage, and we looked on with envy at the group of Italians who’d had the energy to carry up a sachet of Parmesan cheese to complete the dish.
The third day was 4 hours straight uphill climbing over mud and boulders, in some parts near vertical. There isn’t really much that can be said about it as it was quite a hard slog and I had to bribe people with 2 M&Ms each to reach different way-points. We climbed up a narrow strip of jungle passing along the wall, with the overhanging rock above creating a gentle waterfall along most if the way.
Once we got to the Mirador viewpoint at the edge of the vertical wall the hardest work was done and every step led forwards and up towards the summit. Eventually we reached the last water refill point, a stream diverted by a large rock fall and made our way over the wet steps and boulders up the last 400m.
Dragging myself over the series of 2m high rocks the last 40m to the top I finally reached the summit to once again be greeted by transvestite Jesus dancing on an outcrop on the edge of a 1km precipice. It was probably worth a photo but I sat and ate the remaining M&Ms and congratulated myself on not dying on the way up Roraima.
Pingback: Descent from Roraima - Venzeuela, Guyana, Brazil
Pingback: On top of Mount Roraima in Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil