Hiking Ghost Mountain in Papua New Guinea 5: On the Trail of the Ghost Mountain boys WWII soldiers
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 เม.ย. 2024
- This is Episode Five of my trek on the WWII Kapa Kapa Trail in Papua New Guinea, following the same path as the 32nd Red Arrow soldiers - including my grandfather - in World War II.
I knew this hike was out of my league when I decided to do it, but I didn't fully realize just how far out of my league it was. But I felt called to do it, following in the footsteps of my grandfather who had to trek this same trail in WWII. As a middle age weekend backpacker, I'd never done anything even remotely close to this level of trekking, and I was struggling. The trek leader, Peter, said we could work something out in the village of Laronu where we would have our one rest day of this three week hike. I knew a helicopter was coming to Laronu, brining supplies, a reporter, and someone from the U.S. embassy. I was worried that Peter would ask me to go back on the helicopter, that maybe he thought I wouldn't get through this. Shortly after Laronu we would be crossing Ghost Mountain, the hardest part of our trek. I already struggled with the climbs, how would I get over Ghost Mountain?
We enjoyed our one rest day, and as I watched the helicopter leave, I knew I was in this until the end. There was no other way out.
In this video, see the village of Laronu, watch the climb through the ghost forest, and hear about how things got worse after that, with pain, weakness, and a fall.
BOOKS:
*The Ghost Mountain Boys: amzn.to/3wLga9t
* The story of the American WWII soldiers who trekked through here on their way to Buna
* The Kapa Kapa: amzn.to/4adVLbw
* What you need to know to hike this trail today. Elevation profiles, information on the villages along the way, and more.
* Victory in Papua: amzn.to/4adVLbw
* Part of the official history of the U.S. Army in World War II series, chronicling the strategic efforts to defeat Japanese forces in Papua New Guinea.
* Our Jungle Road to Tokyo: amzn.to/43QsFND
* A memoir by General Eichelberger who commanded the troops in the Battle of Buna, detailing the challenges and strategic victories of Allied forces in the Pacific.
Note: Some links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything and helps support the channel. Please consider purchasing from one of these links - thank you!
This journey is more than a hike; it's a personal quest that tests my limits, connects me to my grandfather, and delves into the heart of history, struggle, and resilience - all set against the stunning backdrop of the jungles, mountains, and vibrant culture of Papua New Guinea.
Subscribe to my channel to join the adventure!
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Love the heart and dedication!
What a beautiful scenery, this looks and feels brilliant my friend!
wow what trip, glad you made it
Absolutely fabulous presentations Donna! I have seen many attempts to convey the rigours of trekking in the Owen Stanleys - these are by far the best I have ever come across. You capture the mood and feelings of the modern day trekker, that as a fellow traveller I can fully concur with, whilst all the while referencing these to the far greater endurances that the American and Australian soldiers of WWII had to suffer. I look forward to more episodes and, moreover, to joining you out there again later this year.
Thanks - I think the next ones will be better as I'll have more video! I bought the GoPro specifically for this first trip but didn't use it much since I needed to focus on finishing 😊
I hadn't heard for sure that you were going again this year - I'm so happy to hear it!
Thanks for your video, Donna. Love your Red Arrow clock !
Thanks - the clock was my grandfathers
You can do it Donna, the key is, you have to do is embrace the suck and you can endure anything.
I don't know if I ever learned to embrace the suck, but I at least got to the point of 'accept the suck'!