Half way to Mt Wilhelm

It was in August 2004 when we decided to make a casual hike up to the famousMt Wilhelm Lakes. A week earlier, our New Zealand pilot asked the four of us if we could join him and his wife on this trip. So we planned to take a hike to the lakes and back on a Saturday. I have heard so much about the mountain and the Lakes when I was a kid so when our pilot suggested this trip, I took the challenge.

Six of us made this trip. Myself and two other male colleagues, our pilot and his beautiful American Bible translator wife and a son of our senior English pilot.

It was a fine cool Saturday morning. We met at the hanger and the guys prepared the plane and the necessary paper work for the flight.

I was in the Highlands province for only a month when I took this life changing trip. I just got transfered from our city office to assist with the office administration at the base. I was very excited with the change of location and wanted to make the most of it. (After that trip I changed my mind and lived there for another 2years hehehe)..

I took some trips like this before when I was attached at our city office, where we would travel to some remote villages, park our plane at the airstrip and travel few miles inland for a gospel night with the locals. I felt fulfilled serving the people. But this trip was a little bit different. 

Traveling to another Highlands Province and climbing the Highest mountain was amazing.  Not exactly to the summit but halfway up the mountain was enough for me. The thought of seeing the lakes, the flowers, the grassland and the cool fresh air was very exciting. You get this opportunity once in a lifetime and to lose this would be regrettable.

According toWikipedia Mt Wilhelm is 4509 metres (14,793ft) above sea level. The mountain is at the intersection of three Papua New Guinea Provinces. It also reveals that many people died while trying to climb the mountain to the summit.

So when the plane was ready, our pilot led us in prayer, than we belted ourselves into our seats and flew off to the unknown. I say unknown because all of us were new to the place and climbing the mountain was going to be an experience of a lifetime. I was told that the mountain was cold, but they didn't mention that my body would be shaking too. I was to find out myself.

At 6am we landed at a small airstrip near a Primary school. We started tracking as soon as we got off the plane. A local girl who met us on the way decided to follow us, not as a guide but probably to see if we could make it to the Lake, or maybe because we had white people with us. I couldn't tell but silently thanked God for her presence. She was an angel since we didn't arrange for a local guide.

Our pilot had a camera. The rest of us didn't. Not even cell phones. That time the cost of the cell phones were too high that only few people had access to it.

The track was wide enough for us to walk up fast. We didn't carry much. Each of us had a bagpack with a water bottle and lunch box. 

By 10am we were already walking through the beautiful alpine grassland towards the first Lake. We passed a beautiful waterfall as we arrived at the base camp. It was so cold at the base camp. When I was walking, I didn't feel the cool breeze but as soon as I was at the Lake, I could feel the cold wind. I couldn't feel my fingers. They were numb. My face was so cold and my bones were shaking too haha!!

The lake itself was green and beautiful. We stood there admiring the lake for a while then went into the hut to warm ourselves before the boys continued the journey. The hut was small as I remember. Our girl guide knew what to do. She kept the fire burning to keep us all warm. We had our lunch in the hut. The girl was telling us stories about the mountain and what would happen if you didn't follow rules. I didn't believe it at first but as we returned, things happened just as she said.

I stepped out to enjoy the lake's scenery but not for long. I had to run back into the hut to warm myself. We were told to leave the hut as soon as we saw them track back. 

An hour later we saw them retuning from the second Lake to the base camp so we left the hut and made our way down when the boys caught up with us halfway down the mountain. Walking down was much easier than walking up the mountain.

Upon reaching the jungle track the four of us lost our way. I don't know how it happened, but we found ourselves in the jungle near a cliff. The girl realized what happened and made her way towards us. I can honestly say she was an angel. I heard the girl say to me "anti, yu holim sampla flaua stap ah"? ( "Aunty, do you have any flowers with you"?) At that moment I had a bunch of bush flowers collected on my way down. I said "yes, and she told me to drop them where I was. As soon as I did, we heard our pilots voice way up on the main track. We slowly made our way up towards them  and headed for the plane.

The girl had indirectly warned me back at the base camp by telling me stories, but I didn't want to believe her until it happened. 

I still didn't believe her so I collected some more flowers on my way down. But the next day back at home, I couldn't find those flowers from where I left them the night before.

We headed back to the plane which was already surrounded by local kids. We flew back to the base at 6pm.

As I reminisce on this trip now, I believe it was by God's grace that we made the trip to the lake and back. Especially when our pilots wife had difficulty tracking back at some point and us loosing our track back. I don't know if I will ever make that trip again.

To conclude, the two Lakes at the foot of the summit are amazingly beautiful. Anyone can hike up to the lake and back the same day. There are tour companies in the country who can help make your journey a memorable one.

If you have enjoyed reading this story, please leave a comment at the comment box below.

Thank you

myrosesdiary