Blue Mountain Peak

Highest Point in Jamaica - Blue Mountain Peak

 I woke up at 5am and started on the trail in the dark leading to what is known by locals as “The Peak”. The trail was straight forward with permanent signs leading the way and steeply traversed its way up the initial slope. As morning came, the landscape revealed itself in a lush green blanket and sweet aroma with a mixture of coffee, bananas, and tropical flowers. In the countless hours I’ve been deep in the wilderness, I’ve never experienced such a distinctive aroma. The trail lessen and made a long traverse across the lower front of the mountain range until it reached Portland Gap at 5100 feet and still 3.5 miles to go to the summit. At this point I saw the first glimpse of the peak even though much of the summit was covered clouds. I refilled my water bottle with the piped facet and made my way on the trail heading east anticipating the trail to steepen the rest of the way.

From this point the jungle become mystical in its depths and I become engrossed it’s beauty. It seemed like minutes until I reached upper plateau at Lazy Man's Peak (also know as East Peak) at 7000 feet with a sign confirming I had only 500 meters to go. The clear morning sky offered a brilliant view of Kingston in it's entirety, Port Royal, site of an earthquake that helped form the island's Palisadoes formed be sand deposits where waves meet, and Kingston Harbour one of the largest natural harbours in the world. It is at this point I read many hikers turn around and head back down due to the difficulty but in my "jungle zone" I reached to summit soon after where I hoped for a spectacular panorama at the top. The summit of every mountain usually holds a surprised and Blue Mountain Peak was not different as a triangular structure and monument marked to spot of my adventure. The summit was still engrossed in a thick clouds preventing any chance of a view so I waiting for about 30 minutes while eating the last bread and bananas Vinnie gave for the trip and decided my chances were slim to none for a glimpse and started to head down. I’ve seen many spectacular summit views and was not disappointed in the least as the fog itself offers the mind a chance to sense the depths like a ocean and I could envision what it would be like on clear days when one can see Cuba in the distance over 130 miles away. I enjoyed the “Doors” on my iPod on the way back to the Portland Gap which enhanced the mystic of my surroundings. From there, I slowed the pace and soaked in my final lifetime experience of the Blue Mountains including eating some unripe fruit from a bananas tree...

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