25 June

DSCN3941 Our hotel in Debark DSCN3943 Hans explaining our situation to the Park Warden who was that day on leave DSCN3944 We reaped problems created by other (American) researchers DSCN3945 Our plan was to head to Gich and then Chenke
DSCN3946 There are rules, Donny! DSCN3948 First stop inside the Park DSCN3947 The Simien Lodge DSCN3951 Ever the Escarpment to the north
DSCN3949 The road and the weather looking good DSCN3952 Hans and our ride DSCN3953 Looking down DSCN3954 The edge
DSCN3955 Luxurious plant growth where domestic animals don't go DSCN3956 Vegetation DSCN3957 Our first baboons DSCN3959 Picking rose hips
DSCN3960 A weather station DSCN3961 A very high waterfall DSCN3962 Sunny but the clouds increasing DSCN3963 Distant farms
DSCN3964 We stay high. DSCN3966 Hans negotiating with some locals for portage DSCN3967 Our driver gets ready to leave us DSCN3969 A lot of people, just to get us company!
DSCN3971 Off we go toward that distant village DSCN3972 All cultivated fields! DSCN3973 with signs of soil loss DSCN3974 Along the trail
DSCN3975 It will take us a while to get to that village DSCN3976 Look at the sediment in the streams! DSCN3977 To my eyes the slopes were just unraveling DSCN3978 The stream leading to the waterfall
DSCN3979 Detail DSCN3980 The stream crossing involved rock hopping DSCN3981 Hard to believe that these are/were fields DSCN3983 In many places, the soil is just gone
DSCN3984 Pedestals show where the surface once was DSCN3985 Field patterns across the valley DSCN3986 Grim! DSCN3987 Volcanic bombs!
DSCN3988 Flatter surfaces are not eroded but rather grazed flat DSCN3989 The rains arrive as we climb through animal trails DSCN3991 We have something like this in Swiss alpages, but not to this extent DSCN3992 Some of our crew coming up the hill
DSCN3993 This flash renders what was otherwise a dark, wet and gloomy room seem almost inviting! DSCN3994 The kitchen corner