Camp Site on Bintumani - March 1970

photo © by Chad Finer

Fellow Peace Corps volunteer Lloyd Ziegler (secondary education at Holy Trinity in Kenema) and I hiked in the Loma Mountains in March of 1970. This photo shows us (Lloyd on the left) at our camp site just below the summit of Mt. Bintumani. It was in Kurubonla some 20 or so miles below that we hired a guide from the Paramount Chief there - I remember his last name as Marrah (Chief Marrah).  I remember our guide as a quiet man. He led us first to the village of Sokurella where we stayed for several days, and then on up the trail to this location. I had been up the previous year and convinced Lloyd to hike in 1970 on our March break from teaching. As previously noted the ride to the area was arduous. Situated along the border with Guinea the area was savanna country, and during this season hiking down below was very hot, with mid-day temperatures above 100ºF, However, up on the mountain it was quite comfortable with temps in the 70's and the humidity, which was fierce down below, was quite tolerable. The tent behind us had been a wedding gift for Susan and I (in 1968 June) - and proved useful.

Location: Just below the summit of Mt. Bintumani in the Loma Mountains of Sierra Leone

in this picture I had set my camera on a solid surface in order to take the picture - it was put on automatic timer