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Getting there is half the fun - or so it is always said! Well in this case it certainly is true. Knowing that we were going to be climbing Gros Piton one day, we tried looking for the start point a couple of times in advance, but never quite found it. Got within a couple hundred meters one time... found sign posts north and south, but all the signs closer in have 'fallen down' - many still exist, but they are on the ground, which makes them really hard to see... On the day of, we came across some locals one of whom said he was headed there and would be happy to direct us - in exchange for the ride. A most agreeable arrangement.... Ten minutes later we arrive, and although I could go into great detail about the trek, it seems someone else has already done a much better job than I would. So have a read of:
http://www.naturalbornhikers.com/GrosPiton/GrosPiton.htm
The details are all very similar - even the guide Lucien was the same! - though he carried a banana this time instead of the rum (water) bottle.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw6xHBO8_9Ft7towpXnUBzz6SNHvY_U5BmWSII3PXfpQ_bHv0fJLdLspu0ZejiSVw-SwPRMo47gTc3MeXuLGUs-ePDyndImpcTV0yqmJsN8FsIpo4bjnZ4Umkg93gJpJuXIAsKDi0grY/s320/StLucia_GrPitonHike.JPG) |
Our GPS track and elevetion plot |
I notice the above link does not always function so you may have to use the
trail search page and select 'St Lucia' and 'Pitons Managment Area'.
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at the top! |
Starting out at around 200 meters elivation, you climb to just under 800 meters. We made it to the top in 110 minutes at a relatively leasurely pace including 3 or 4 rest breaks. Coming down was nearly the same.
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In these pictures the yellow lines are hikes and all the others are driveable roads. For those that were there, N and S mark the north and south facing viewpoints, A is a viewpoint where you get a great closeup of Gros Piton , B, another washed out bridge (under repair), C is the start of the hike near Fond Deux we didnt have time for, D a fabulous unmarked roadside/cliffside cafe.
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Viewpoint S - south -Vieux Fort in the far distance |
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Viewpoint N - north - Petit Piton in the forground and St Lucia's highest peak is in the clouds |
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