Joe's World Backpacking Trip Stories and pics from my travels.

Sorry it's taken awhile to write a new story, the internet dosen't work most of the time here.  I went on an 8 day trek into the Simien Mountains to summit Ras Dashen (14992 ft.)  I made it, but I ended up doing it alone, well just with a scout anyway.  Zorah the Canadian got sick on the first day and had to go back.  Sebastian the Norwegian got sick on the fourth day and had to go back.  It was just me and the scout.  Oh yeah, plus the two mules, mule handlers and the cook.  But the scout and I were the one's that did all the hiking.  Despite a few disasters along the way which I won't go into it was a great hike.  Gorgeous scenery the whole way there, we hiked through a couple families of Gelada Babboons and a family of Waila Ibex.  The hiking was tough, up and down mountains.  About 3 of the days consisted of about 800 meters of elevation gain and drop.  The summit day was 1200 meters (3960 Ft.) of elevation gain in four hours of hiking.  It was a tough few days but very worth it.  The mountains were populated with Amhara shepards and a couple small villages.  We followed mainly shepard paths through the mountains and most of the time were walking along cliff escarpments, or switchbacking up or down them when crossing mountains to get to Ras Dashen.  I'm starting to not mind camping and living in the wilderness now, since I've left the Army and it's voluntary.  Plus no guard duty at 2am.