Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[ QUOTE ]
the essence of the Blue Mountain Peak trek has not changed. The yearning to stop and go no farther, the realization that it is not an option, the digging deep into the mental resources so that you can finish the journey.
thanks for the memories, Magic!

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the essence of it in a nutshell. I'm glad to bring you back memories. Writing this is like climbing the mountaing again, except this time, the breaks are at my discretion. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


Nige, thanks for the mules info. I can see them getting to Portland Gap, but after that one would surely fall off the mule, if the poor animal could make it up in the first place. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

Loops & Laurel, you can do it too, just hit the gym/jog and next trip you'll get to climb. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[BND1999]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

Fantastic ((Magic))... glad you did it for those of us who won't..and to share the photos...

the flowers are amazing ...

i've often heard how cold it gets when you climb... and that folks are often unprepared....

between the cold and how strenuou8 it is.. i know i'll never get there... so thank you!!!

[swedishrasta]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

(((((Magic))))

Amazing pictures. They take my breath away.

I knew you and L could do it. I might have to start my training now since Ochi and I had mentioned we would still like to try it. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing.

[Sinco01]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

ok ... going good ...

but ...

ah hate de waiting [img]/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

darn it two almost three years in de makin an him have we ah wait again ... man ah hate dat ...

but yuh kno Magic .. most of my posse did it at least once in High School ... I think my ex did it twice .. we'd leave on a Friday night to Mavis Bank .. leave early the next morning fe Hardware gap ... come back Sunday night .. we were all teenagers and quite fit .. but Jacobs ladder is still quite a work out .. one year we went twice in one summer .. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70384-praying.gif[/img]

[jazzlvr57]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

Magic & L, fabulous report and pictures. Thanks for sharing. Although beautiful, I'm getting worn out just reading.

[DaintyBodyGal]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[ QUOTE ]
yes sah. the way stations may have gotten fancier, but the essence of the Blue Mountain Peak trek has not changed. the yearning to stop and go no farther, the realization that it is not an option, the digging deep into the mental resources so that you can finish the journey. especially a journey that started many hours ago on foot at the bottom of the peak.

thanks for the memories, Magic!


[/ QUOTE ]

You are sooo right about that, mt. girl. So many times on the final leg of the journey to the peak I just wanted to turn around and crawl right back into bed and tell the guys, "I'll see you when you get back", but then I thought, am I crazy! I'd be the only one at the camp site with the duppy of the man JDF couldn't rescue lurking about [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70384-praying.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70367-help.gif[/img] The climb was truly a test of physical but also mental willpower. I made it to Portland Gap and I wasn't going to miss the grand finale for anything...even if Magic had to carry me all the way [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[DaintyBodyGal]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[ QUOTE ]
now this looks like the best way to go up that mountain [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]



[/ QUOTE ]

Seveen, I agree whole-heartedly, but that only lasted as long as it took to take the photo...5 seconds [img]/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[DaintyBodyGal]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[ QUOTE ]
Part 15-"C" The Dream

L. woke me up in the middle of the night. She had to use the restroom and wasn't going to fight off the Duppies, wild boars, and Arawaks that she would surely encounter on her way to the latrine. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70367-help.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Help is right. Let's keep it real, Magic. Folks, it wasn't a restroom, it wasn't a latrine, it was an out-house pit toilet! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] And I was praying mighty hard not to encounter one a dem drumma roach on my way [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70384-praying.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

[Sinco01]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

[ QUOTE ]
You are sooo right about that, mt. girl. So many times on the final leg of the journey to the peak I just wanted to turn around and crawl right back into bed and tell the guys, "I'll see you when you get back", but then I thought, am I crazy! I'd be the only one at the camp site with the duppy of the man JDF couldn't rescue lurking about

The climb was truly a test of physical but also mental willpower. I made it to Portland Gap and I wasn't going to miss the grand finale for anything

[/ QUOTE ]

I think in Jul '70 .. one young lady in our group decided she couldn't go any further .. and another decided to wait with her .. actually, the one who stopped wasn't the one we expected to fall out .. the one who waited with her we kenw could have made it .. and who we expected to drop out went all the way to the "peak"

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

See Sinco, although physical training and fitness plays a big part, half of the energy comes from the mind that pulls you along. If you can't help convince yourself you can make it, then you're not.

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

... and that doesn't only apply to mountain climbing. It works for other endevours in life as well.

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.


These ferns have the appearance of palm trees.



Judging by the smile, this must have been on the way down...



...as opposed to on the way up.
Claus, Robert, and L.

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

Part 17 - Presshah Increase and the Top of the World

The sign said “500m to the Peak.” Ah lie! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70388-shameonyou.gif[/img] I tell you. It’s another half an hour before we can see that we are running out of real estate to climb. The trees here are very short and twisted. They call it Elfin Woodlands. The cold air and strong winds inhibit their growth. I’m expecting to see snow any minute. Despite attempts to convince myself this is Jamaica, my mind is climbing the Himalayas.

Just below the summit are the remains of an old stone shelter. The bunk beds have been used for firewood (probably in an attempt to send smoke signals to the JDF). We sit down and inhale breakfast. The temperature is now consistent with Duluth, Minnesota in January. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] The winds are howling at gale speed, making an eerie sound. Robert suggests that we wait out the weather before continuing the final 100 yards, or so, to the peak. But we can hardly wait. The narrow path through the Elfin Woodland leads to a clearing, a meadow, and a trig station. There is no more “up”! This is the Top of Jamrock. We have made it! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img]





From time to time you can see blue skies above, but from below a thin vale of clouds races up, swoops over us at a rapid velocity before plunging back down behind us. The rising sun breaks out for a minute revealing intricate layers of clouds below. There won’t be a view of distant parishes today, but it only adds to the locations mystique, and its out-of-this-world ambiance. I am happy to see the earlier despair in L’s eyes replaced with joy.

I am definitely not a morning person. Today, however, I can’t help but feel pity for the folks still sleeping at this hour. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] While their day hasn’t even started yet, we’ve already achieved heavenly conquests. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[wandaweberg]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

Quoting Magic
At one point we were traveling on the very crest of a ridge. On both sides the terrain dropped sharply into the milky abyss. Lightening illuminated the distant depths below us, yet no sound of thunder could be heard. The moon arose and suspended itself in space. The cold mist persisted and a surreal peaceful ambiance set in. If the ancient notion that the Earth is a flat disk suspended on four alligators is to be believed, then we have reached the end of the World. Either that or Heaven. Or at least the road to it. end of quote


This is absolutely lovely writing - you brought me right there and I don’t want to leave!

Beautiful photos.

Wanda (Be in the Mountains)

[Magician]

Re: Top of Jamrock! - The Blue Mountain Peak, Kingston, Negril and Ochi.

The Peak



The remains of a shelter just below the Peak.



The entire top was covered with these flowers.



Just a few yards away...



...and then you see THIS!