We Got High Today!

A view of Gros Piton from the Sugar Beach Resort

A view of southern half of island with the sea in the background

A view of Petit Piton and the northern half of island

That is we got high at Gros Piton where we climbed nearly 3,000 feet! The western island of St. Lucia has two large mountains. The Gros Piton reaches 2,619 ft while the Petit Piton is only 2,461 ft but a much more difficult climb. It was truly a beautiful day to enjoy this island from a lofty view. We were smart enough to get a trekking pole at the base of the mountain. The footing is tough and very difficult to get into a rhythm and impossible to reach a steady state. The ascent is physically challenging and the descent is tricky. It is roughly 2 miles up and 2 miles back down. The entire hike took about 5 hours with about 45 minutes spent exploring the views at the top. From one end you could view the entire southern end of the island all the way to the sea and from the other end we had a marvelous view of the neighboring Petit Piton as it drops off into the sea.  One of the guides we met was bragging that he could go up in 45 minutes and come down in 30 minutes and could run the whole way.  Whoa.

Just keep hiking....just keep hiking...

Each group that ascends this Piton (and Petit Piton) is required to have a guide. Barb decided the guides were the most in shape people we have met! No diabetes here!

Gros Piton is in the community of Fond Gens Libre (valley of free people). During the 1748 slave rebellion, Gros Piton was a “safe and secure haven” for the black freedom fighters. It is still difficult to find and is accessed along dirt roads with switch backs, bumps, and pot holes. Becca may take a job here as a taxi driver!

 

We then headed to find Jalousie beach as recommended by a woman we met along the hike from Holland. It too was well hidden. We were looking for Jalousie but it is now called Sugar Beach Resort. After a few times passing a broken sign reading “S U _____ Beach ____” we finally found it. There Becca, Frances, and Steph enjoyed a pizza while Barb enjoyed the beach. The resort life is quite luxorious. We sat at a restaurant on the white sand beach overlooking beautiful blue waters while each of the pitons overlooked us as they towered either side of the valley. The resort residents sat on plush elevated beach chairs and many donned snorkels for a better view of the pretty fishies.

Was a great day!