Last month, American Airlines made headlines when it punished a teenager for "skiplagging."
21.07.2023 - 08:08 / roughguides.com
On a paradise island in the Caribbean, there lies a deceivingly tricky peak that makes for a gruelling climb. In a risky and adrenaline-filled struggle to the top, Kia Abdullah scales Nevis Peak, Saint Kitts & Nevis.
Tell a local you’re climbing Nevis Peak without a guide and they’ll first laugh in your face and, second, warn you off such a foolish endeavour. “No chance,” they’ll say with a cluck of the tongue and a foreboding tone. Apparently, it cannot be done alone. If your curiosity leads you online, you’ll likely find a slew of reviews warning you away. One – written by an Ironman contestant no less – describes the climb as «treacherous»; others insist that you must take a guide.
On the surface, Nevis Island’s 3,232ft volcano looks much like a rolling hill – hardly a daunting prospect – and thus one evening I mentioned the idea to my prospective climbing partner, Peter. He, a relatively experienced climber, was clearly worried about taking responsibility for me so I quickly reeled off my credentials – jumping out of a plane without breaking a sweat, zip-lining across America's longest circuit, hiking the ruins at Beng Mealea – and managed to convince him that I could take care of myself.
And so we set off the next morning, innocently telling the receptionist and later the cab driver that we were «just going to trek the first 15 minutes». You know, «just to see what it's like». Our driver, Leroy, left us at the footpath, advising us to wait for a guide. «We'll be okay,» I said, sunnily waving him off. I glanced at my watch. It was 9.30 and I was keen to get going. Within 15 minutes, things turned scary. Parts of the trail were practically vertical and we had to hoist ourselves up using ropes that had been rigged to help climbers. On a dry day, perhaps it would have been fine, but it had rained all night and most of the morning. Everything was wet and slippery. Peter tried to manage my expectations from the very beginning, warning me that we probably wouldn’t summit in this weather. I was determined to, but as we climbed higher the trail became more dangerous. At certain points, a single misstep would have had us dropping off an edge. Trees grew on the side of the trail, offering a sense of security, but giving way to nothing but air. Every step, every grip for support had to be considered. An hour in, there was a downpour. Finding shelter beneath a tree, we spotted a guide descending with two tourists. One of them looked at us bleakly: «Turn back. Turn back now.»
I offered a nervous smile. “Is it that bad?” He nodded glumly. Peter and I spoke little for the next 15 minutes. When the rain subsided, we set off again, making slow and squelching progress. It was when we came to a cluster of sheer rocks
Last month, American Airlines made headlines when it punished a teenager for "skiplagging."
Imagine if your idyllic vacation to the Caribbean not only involved luxurious accommodations, pristine beaches and a lush tropical landscape, but also offered the one-of-a-kind opportunity to take part in a meaningful effort to save endangered sea turtles? Well, thanks to an incredible partnership between The Four Seasons Resort Nevis and the Sea Turtle Conservancy (with help from passionate members of the extraordinary Nevis Turtle Group), for a few days every summer, guests of the resort can take a hands-on role in saving sea turtles.
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