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What a productive stint in the valley. Outdoor recreation put lots of hard work and effort this week creating  a regulation size  volleyball court with a homemade net. After clearing the 36′x60′ court with a machete and hedge clippers, cutting down a couple strong post and hand weaving a net with twine; we are ready to move on to a much larger project. A hiking trail through the jungle that will meet up with the Pacora River and back to base camp. The last two days we were in the valley were dedicated to finding a great location for a trail, through the 10′-20′ tall grass and thick jungle. We did it. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it’s possible.  One thing that has brought our group close is all our love for hiking. We have all hiked through different elements and we will have the chance to create something amazing through our joint experiences.

We started scouting the closest mountain to base camp in hopes of finding a good location for our new trail. To our surprise we found a narrow cattle path that led all the way up the side of the mountain. We figured this would be an excellent place to start.

The first half of the trail is physically challenging, and will leave anyone who attempts it pouring sweat. On the way up, hikers will experience walking through dense jungle as the trees and grass are very thick and tall. Wildlife is abundant, we spotted lots of cool insects and intriguing vegetation. After a couple muddy obstacles and water breaks, we were able to make our way to the top of the ridge and on to the back side of the mountain. Reaching the top, we discovered what a phenomenal view there is! We have already started making plans to install a bench for hikers to take a break, enjoy the view and even do some bird and monkey sighting. The rest of the trail winds down the other side of the mountain, and follows a jungle stream all the way to the Pacora where it meets the road back to Basecamp. It is not quite as physically challenging as the first stretch, but the serenity of it is very rewarding. The vegetation through the last half of the trail is almost unreal. It’s through a stretch of wild, pristine jungle that most people will only experience through watching movies. Everything is bigger, thicker, taller and louder. The Outdoor Recreation ladies are super stoked to get this project started and share it with everyone! Keep an eye out for the videos!