Morne Trois Pitons

Overview

Morne Trois Pitons is located on the tiny island country of Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic). The island is very mountainous and very little flat ground exists. The mountain is one of the most exciting climbs on the island and perhaps one of the more scenic as well.

Although some sources say that Diablotin is the toughest climb in Dominica (probably referring only to the trailed summits on the island), we found Morne Trois Pitons to be more difficult. Morne Trois Pitons, the second highest mountain in Dominica, is a spectacular mountain, but it’s usually shrouded in mist.

Morne Trois Pitons is none technical via its standard route, but it’s still a pretty challenging climb. Once on the summit and if the weather is clear (which is a rare occurrence) you will be treated with some fine views over the island of Dominica. More than likely you will be enshrouded in mist while on the summit, but the rainforest on the mountain is very pristine and the summit area is almost mystical.

The mountain is probably most often viewed from Boeri Lake on the south, but the mountain is very difficult to climb from that direction and the trailhead for the standard route is actually from the north and Pont Casse which is a long way by road from the Boeri Lake Trailhead.

The mountain is a volcano, but it has been highly eroded and doesn’t have the classic conical appearance of one. According to the Global Volcanism Program the mountain had its last eruption 920 AD +/- 50 years. Other sources say the volcano may have erupted in 1060 AD.

Getting There

To get to the standard trailhead, first you must make your way to Pont Casse (Pond Casse on the road signs). From Roseau, buses leave for Pont Casse (on their way to other places such as Mellville Hall, Rosalie, etc.) from the bridges on the north side of the town. Buses in the opposite direction can also be caught at the above mentioned locations, but I don’t know where the bus stops are.

At Pont Casse (which has no services and is more of a roadside stop with a few houses than a town), there is a four way junction in the road. You want the road heading northeast (right if coming from Roseau) to locations such as Castle Bruce, Emerald Pool and Rosalie.

Walk (or drive if you have rented a car) along the highway for less than one kilometer/0.5 miles) to the signed trailhead on the south side of the road.

Routes Overview

The standard route up Morne Trois Pitons begins just northeast of Pont Casse. Other routes are almost never climbed or even attempted.

Luckily a trail does reach the summit of Morne Trois Pitons from near Pont Casse, but the trail is quite challenging due to slippery log steps (which are getting more rotten as time goes on), slippery rock scrambles and one section of the route where you must climb above the ground on roots of trees. It can be a fun climb, but caution on the descent is advised because some of the logs are so slippery. Parts of the route are a little overgrown as well and some of the vegetation is sharp. I wore shorts on this one and my legs were pretty bloody by the time the climb was finished. Long pants are advised on this one.

See the Route Page for details.

Red Tape

To do this hike you are supposed to have a National Park Site Pass which is available for purchase in many locations in Roseau, Portsmouth and Laudat. The cost is $5 US for one day or $12 US for a week and is good for Morne Diablotin, Morne Trois Piton, Boeri Lake, Boiling Lake, Emerald Pool, Middleham Falls and Trafalgar Falls.

Camping and Where to Stay

Other than a few private campgrounds (one of which is in Laudat), camping is not allowed on Dominica. You can get a list of places to stay below:

Where to Stay in Dominica

When to Climb

There are no real dry seasons in this region, but some seasons are certainly wetter still than others. Needless to say, this region is very wet and heavy rains are possible at any time.

On average, February, March and April are the driest months, followed by December and January. June through November are very wet. From about mid-December through early May is the best time to climb, but even in the driest seasons, it rains almost every day up high.

Mountain Conditions

A supposed weather forecast is below, but it seems to be based on Roseau which is a much drier and warmer location:

Weather Forecast

In reality, expect rain (sometimes heavy) almost every day.

Weather averages for the Camp Jacob (Guadeloupe) at an elevation of 1750 feet/533 meters are below. Information is from the book World Weather Guide, page 323. Although Camp Jacob is on Guadeloupe, weather conditions at Camp Jacob are more representative of Trois Pitons than the weather station at Roseau on Dominica. Expect cooler and even wetter conditions near the summit of Trois Pitons than at Camp Jacob.

Month	High (° F )	High (° C)	Low (° F )	Low (° C)	in. Rain	mm Rain	Rain Days
Jan	77	25	64	18	9.2	234	23
Feb	76	24	63	17	6.1	155	18
Mar	77	25	63	17	8.1	206	20
Apr	79	26	65	18	7.3	185	20
May	80	27	67	19	11.5	292	23
Jun	80	27	69	21	14.1	358	25
Jul	81	27	68	20	17.6	447	27
Aug	82	28	69	21	15.3	389	26
Sep	82	28	69	21	16.4	417	23
Oct	81	27	68	20	12.4	315	24
Nov	80	27	67	19	12.3	312	22
Dec	78	26	65	18	10.1	257	23

Images

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