Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon is the highest mountain in West Africa, rising more or less straight from the coast through tropical rainforest to a bare summit which is cold and windy and occasionally brushed with snow. It is not dormant and sent lava flowing down almost to the sea only last year. Although it is so close to the sea it can rarely be seen from the coast as clouds gather round its lower slopes and Debuncha at its southwest corner is reputed to be the second wettest place in the world.
The climb is usually started from Buea at around 1000m where the compulsory guide and the very necessary porters can be obtained from the Mount Cameroon Ecotourism Organisation Office. There is no water on the mountain above the forest so large amounts must be carried, needed lower down to replace the sweat lost by a hot and humid climb through the forest and higher up to counteract the threat of altitude problems.
There are several trails on the mountain. We took the oldest and steepest trail which is known as the Guinness Trail since this company originally sponsored the annual race up and down by this route. It ascends the drier eastern slopes of the mountain. The way starts by Upper Farms, also known as Prison Farms as this farm, originally built by the Germans, is now used as an open prison where the prisoners cultivate the surrounding land and keep goats and cattle.
Cultivation slowly merges into forest. Song abounds but we saw only a few fluttering small birds disappearing into the branches. A couple of runners, practising for the race next month, stopped for a chat with our companions. We were told that they complete this arduous course in under 4 hours. A slight exaggeration perhaps but even the record time of about four and a half mentioned by coolrunning seems incredible. At hut 1 is the last water, an uninviting half stagnant trickle in January, the heart of the dry season and the hottest time of the year. Above the hut we met an English family coming down. The woman took one look at us and told us that we would not make it to the summit. We continued with renewed determination! Soon we climbed free of the forest onto the savannah which covers the bulk of the mountain on this side. Much of the grass has been burnt, merging slowly into the black lava slopes higher up. Slowly was the appropriate word as the slopes steepened and we started to feel the thinner air and panted our way to a resting point beside an isolated tree. Looking down from here the forest lay far below wreathed in cloud and we had emerged into the great clarity and brilliant sunshine of around 2000m.
The slopes continued unrelentingly steep despite our guide's assurances that the hardest bit was over. Eventually however we walked over what had been the skyline above us ever since emerging from the trees. Looking down from this point there was only cloud below. Ahead we could see equally daunting slopes and another skyline far above but on the flatter area between lay hut 2 where we were to spend the night. This hut lies between ribs of lava and a restful afternoon was spent scrambling around on them seeking a viewpoint to look down on the hut and generally relaxing and acclimatising to the altitude in a pleasant temperature. All this changed as soon as the sun disappeared behind the mountain. Temperatures plummeted below freezing and after a meal we soon retired to the sleeping bags. There is only a wooden bench to sleep on but our noble porters had carried up air beds and warm sleeping bags so we had a comfortable night but we didn't sleep much, as is usual after such an abrupt change of altitude. It would have been better to have spent the previous night in Buea rather than right down at sea level. Compensation for the long cold night was the remarkable clarity of the stars, above the coastal haze and away from the ubiquitous lights which ruin most European star gazing. The night was too long though and at the first glimmer of light we were up, shivering in all our warm clothes and longing for the sun to appear, sliding up blood red from the humid haze of the forest. In the other direction above the ridge of the mountain was a most remarkable cloud which looked as if it might be presaging some great storm but actually soon dispersed to leave unbroken sunshine.
Hot coffee was very welcome but I ate sparingly, being nervous of altitude sickness which had plagued me on other high mountains. Then we set out with our guide Peter and porter Fritz who was carrying today mainly water for there is none at all on this upper part of the mountain. We walked up one of the lava ribs towards another distant skyline. It was not quite so steep as yesterday but the skyline was further than it looked. The hut became a tiny speck below, appearing to be perched on the edge of the clouds. At last the gradient eased, we rounded a corner of rocky lava and there was a high bare mountain pouring out smoke. Despite knowing how recently it had erupted I was taken aback by all this activity but later a little disappointed that we got no closer higher up as we worked our way round the back of this new crater to the higher dormant summit behind. Our closest view of the thermal activity was through the zoom lens of the camera.
After a short rest at hut 3 we set out on the easy last leg of the ascent. Working round the back of the active area we passed a few warm spots with desultory puffs of smoke and were soon approaching the summit where of course we posed for the inevitable summit photo. Guinness have thoughtfully provided a board to display here although it gives a height of only 4070m whereas the accepted height is now 4095m (rounded up in some places to 4100m). The summit area is vast with at least three separate fairly rounded tops rising from a not very flat plateau of scree. There is no impression of being on the rim of a single crater. It is possible that the top nearer to both the hut and the active part of the mountain is in fact higher, perhaps having increased in altitude as the result of recent eruptions. However I felt that we were on the highest top although it may not appear so from my 360 degree panorama. The summit is in fact on quite a narrow whaleback ridge with distant views only in one direction. I think it is probably very rare to get a view right down to the coast but I gather this is most likely soon after the heaviest rains, perhaps in November.
We were in fact very lucky as the guide had warned us that we would be unlikely to linger long on the summit which usually has gale force winds but in fact it was fairly calm and very pleasant at the top. After a brief stay we descended to hut 3 where our cook Manfred had brought up a very welcome lunch. Then we returned by the same route to hut 2. It was a pity we did not have a little longer on the mountain as we could have come down by Mann Springs which is one of the few water sources and where apparently there is good camping. However we enjoyed a second afternoon at hut 2 perched above the clouds soon bathed in an evening glow, another long night, another lovely long awaited sunrise and a last look back at the mountain from hut 2 bathed in a sunrise glow. Then it was back down the uncomfortably steep lava and into the forest. Now we were a lot more relaxed and a lot less breathless so I took more pictures, southwards along the steep slopes of the mountain, down the steep lava, northwards as we approached the forest, down through the savannah and into the rainforest with the mist drifting through the trees.
The temperature rose as we entered the humid forest and oddly enough it seemed longer going down through the trees than coming up with the prospect of the summit spurring us on. Eventually we re-entered the agricultural region and arrived at Upper Farms with Buea just below. Almost as soon as we got down we were looking out at torrential rain from the Ecotourism office. We sat around chatting, bought a t-shirt and were then driven down to the coast at Limbe. Next day from Limbe port area we looked up to where we knew the mountain to be. Of course we didn't see it but just guessed that the top part of the mountain was still in brilliant clear sunshine.
For pictures of the climb please click on the highlighted links or use this [set of thumbnails].
Click here for a map of the mountain photographed in the Ecotourism office.
For information on the mountain and to arrange an ascent contact
The Mount Cameroon Ecotourism Organisation
P.O.Box 60 Buea S.W.P.
Email: mountceo@iccnet2000.com
Walking the World Index ..... 
my homepage
