Pico Mountain is 2351 meters (7700 feet) high and the highest mountain in Portugul. It's most recent eruption was in 1720. Most of the surface is rock. It has not had time to erode to other things.
The picture below is our guide. His name is Joao (almost like John) His family went to Canada in the 1950's but returned to the Azores for the quality of life. Joao gives tours of the island and takes people up the mountain two or three days a week.
The mountain is steep as the pictures show. The cone at the top of the mountain is a bit steeper and rather than using hiking sticks it is the type of climbing where you need you hands and feet. As you move up you move on limb at a time. That means hold on with both hands and move one foot. Then keep both feet on their holds and move one hand. Don't slip!!!
This picture has me and Ian and Fiona from the boat Ruffian. We met them is Hampton, Virginia and again in The Caribbean. We also met in the Azores and when I asked them if they wanted to climb Pico they said of course.
On top of the mountain you need to take hero pictures. By that I mean I made it and look at me.Woo Woo.
I was a little too tired to stand on top of the cairn. It is an official hero picture though.
This a picture of the cone at the top. Below the left ridge line you see some splashes of color. That is the party after us climbing the final cone. We are already back down.
I talking about the climb afterwards Joao said the the second day would bring the aches and pains. Usually it is the next day but I did OK through the next three days and the fourth day I could barely walk. I mean Ellie could not only walk faster than me but but we would set objectives and she would wait for me. All in all it was a good adventure and I am glad I did it.
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