The Simien Mountains Part 2

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

The temperature plummets overnight, and I’m staggered by just how cold I feel wearing all my cold-weather gear from Northern Canada. In reality it only drops to about 46F(8C), making me realize how utterly screwed I’m going to be when I next have a winter.

I get moving before the sun and am lucky to sit with a troop of Gelada Baboons as they move down into the sun. Typically Baboons are nasty creatures that I avoid, but these ones are very placid and even friendly. With all their different facial expression and their wild hairstyles they remind me a lot of the Chimpanzees I have spent time with on the continent.

Happily doing their thing in the mountains

I’m sure it was posing for me

Just like a model

So Magestic

This guy was the most majestic of them alll

Wanting to stay out of the vehicles today we decide to go for a hike, and so spend the entire day trekking up to a nearby peak with one of our scouts. The surroundings are simply stunning, and the warm sun warms us to our bones as we take in the immense views around us. It’s great to spend time away from the bustling towns of Ethiopia, and have some time to ourselves.

These cactus things popped up at the higher elevations

I always enjoy a good hike

After another chilly night drive further up the mountain, and after an endless series of switchbacks we reach a pass at 14,081 ft (4292m) – easily the highest I have ever driven the Jeep, and clearly the highest it will ever get on this continent. The wind is freezing, and I even spot a small patch of snow in the shade.

I started to get really nervous the rock would move….

I’m sure you can read that

Cactus leaves, which the baboons loved

After taking in the stunning mountains we slowly crawl all the way back down the mountain and back into the world.

The high point of the expedition

The switchbacks are impressive

The mountain views are stunning

-Dan