Mt.Qua Qua.........

Neil

Sep 16 |09:37

Last Updated on Tue, 25 May 2010 20:34

View from Mt. Qua Qua

Today we decided to go hiking to Mt.QuaQua.......We should have gone to the beach instead! The trail is well marked and easy to follow.

If you ever wondered what the weather was like after Ivan, then i strongly suggest this scenic tour of the Grand Etang Lake with NO SHADE!!

The weather was absolutely perfect today, but it must have been in the 90's (check out the photos we took).

If at any time you get the inclination to go hiking this trail, then you need the following supplies:

umbrella (bring your own shade),
hat,
shades,
2 gallons of ice (don't worry, it'll be water by the time you get to the top),
suntan lotion (you are much closer to the sun, BELIEVE ME!),
camera (with extra batteries...nuff said),
cell phone (to call family and tell them you won't be back until tomorrow unless they can get a helicopter to come pick you up),
first aid kit (just think of the fun razor grass can be when you are wearing shorts),
parachute (trust me, when you see how far you have to hike back, after sweating all the way to the top, you will seriously consider jumping).

View from Mt. Qua Qua

Needless to say, we were not so well prepared. We brought the water (not enough), the sunglasses (kept fogging up), bag with camera and other stuff (just kept getting heavier and heavier) and one seriously pissed off dog!

Yes, we decided to bring Balu with us. After all, that breed of dog needs lots of exercise...i don't think she will be talking to us for a couple of days!

Several times on the hike, she just sat down and refused to go any further....and the way back, even though it was mostly downhill (thank god), did not improve her spirits any.

By the time we got back to the car, she crawled underneath it and refused to be coaxed a single foot further. (Had to lift her into the vehicle.)

View from Mt. Qua Qua

The hike itself was and is spectacular! The views may have been slightly spoiled by the dark blotches in our vision from the hiking and the heavy breathing. Even though you are only about 2000 ft above sea level, it feels like climbing Mt.Everest.

Its not the hike itself that gets to you, but the heat! Literally all the shade trees are gone from the trail. Yes, there has been a massive re-growth since the hurricane, but the trail itself has been laid bare.

When we got the top, the view was simply