The Actuality of the Hidden Forest Adventure Hike (St. Maarten)

[Illiad]

Hey everyone, long-time lurker first-time poster.

 

A couple of years ago my wife and I took our first cruise ever on the Zuiderdam in the Caribbean. One of our stops was St. Maarten. Being the fairly adventurous people we are we selected excursions that were rated "Strenuous Activity." We chose the Hidden Forest Adventure Hike, described currently as:

 

Combine a rain forest hike with an island overview and some time in Marigot. The one-hour hike from Loterie Farm covers a trail through forest canopy up to the heights of Pic Paradis. Stop in Marigot at the market, where you will have time to explore and shop for local handicrafts, tropical art, Caribbean spices and Creole produce, returning to the ship by coach.

Note that when we went we didn't have the French Marigot shopping bit.

 

My wife and I arrived with small daypacks with bottles of water and the like. We're experienced hikers, as we live in Vancouver, British Columbia, home of the temperate rainforests and backwood trailheads. The excursion leader explained that we were about to go on "the most extreme hike you've ever experienced." Because of this, he urged us to leave our daypacks behind, which we did.

 

As it turns out, this "extreme hike" amounted to a pleasing approximately 2.5% grade walk (that means the trail goes up vertically 2.5 feet for every 100 feet it travels horizontally) for 30 minutes interspersed with frequent breaks near cool waterfalls, and a very moderate climb over a half dozen rocks as we reached the "peak." The way down was, obviously, much easier.

 

We had an 81-year old woman with us named Terry who needed help getting over the rocks, and she was tuckered and shaking at the top, but that's because she's 81...and she did it! We all applauded her spirit. Tough old bird, she earned my respect just by signing up for the excursion.

 

But back to my point. This "strenuous" and "most extreme" hike was unbelievably mild for even a beginning hiker. I understand that given the older crowd on HAL you can't overstate how difficult some of the physical activity can be for them, but when the excursion leader told my wife and I (at the time I was in my late 30s, she was in her mid 20s) that it was a grind, I expected that to be the truth. It would be obvious to anyone who looked at us that we were fairly fit. That he urged us to leave behind our 5-lb daypacks just makes me wonder where his mind was at the time. I don't think it was in his head.

 

My other experiences with HAL and the planned excursions were all excellent, so no beef there. Just thought I'd let folks know about the so-called "extreme hike" on St. Maartens. ;-)

[hammybee]

I am thinking HAL and other cruise lines do this to avoid liability, should the excursion prove too stenuous.

 

You might want to consider posting this under the ports of call area too, where more posters might see it and smile. :)

[MercedMike]

 

As it turns out, this "extreme hike" amounted to a pleasing approximately 2.5% grade walk (that means the trail goes up vertically 2.5 feet for every 100 feet it travels horizontally) for 30 minutes interspersed with frequent breaks near cool waterfalls, and a very moderate climb over a half dozen rocks as we reached the "peak." ...

(at the time I was in my late 30s, she was in her mid 20s)

 

Well, now, for you active youngsters perhaps it was not "extreme." I assure you that for my DW and I, both mid 60s and definitely out of shape, it would have been IMPOSSIBLE. You have to consider the tour descriptions as being aimed at the average cruiser, and that is, in general, NOT a young fit person like you!!

 

If you are really looking for "extreme" adventures you probably need to book with an independent company specializing in that sort of thing. Even the most strenuous ship's excursions will probably not give you what you want.

 

Now in 30 or 40 years, maybe you will be looking for those EZ bus tours like I am!!!;);)

[Illiad]

Well, now, for you active youngsters perhaps it was not "extreme." I assure you that for my DW and I, both mid 60s and definitely out of shape, it would have been IMPOSSIBLE.

 

Oh, no question, but I did take that into account in my post. The point (which I thought I made clear, but I guess I didn't) was that the excursion leader was looking right at me and my wife and he told us to leave our daypacks behind. Our five-pound daypacks. Because the hike was so "extreme."

 

So unless he was blind or had zero ability to discriminate between "fit" and "not so fit" the excursion leader must have been on drugs...

[Orlandocruiser]

Thanks for the heads up. DH and I have always avoided the tours that are classed as " strenuous" but now I think we'll reconsider our choices. While we are by no means young we have hiked in the Amazon rainforest in high summer so from your description I'm sure we could handle those high activity tours.:)

[makai 7]

We took the same hike (via the Noordam) last October.

We thought it was a nice hike, not overly strenous for us. We did this hike in Keen Newport shoes, not sneakers or hiking boots.

 

There were several people along who complained the entire time that it was too difficult (it was a bit wet and slippery) and that HAL UNDERSTATED how hard it would be.

They also complained that HAL described it as a 1 mile hike, not a 2 mile hike. These were people in their 60's who I would have considered "fit" (we were 50 & 45 at the time).

 

People just don't read descriptions, or interpret them the way we want.

Personally, I thought it was a wonderful way to see something in St. Martin other than the shopping (we could have done without the stop at Marigot). The best part was that Loterie farm was normally closed the day we were there, but they opened for the HAL excursion only, so the 8 of us had the entire place to ourselves!

[RuthC]

IMO HAL, if anything, underestimates how strenuous a shore excursion is.

I take great care to read and understand the description of the excursion, and ask exactly what they are talking about. I no longer accept an answer of "not far" when I ask about distance---tell me yardage and I'll decide if it's far. Don't tell me there's "a few" stairs when it's 20---give me the number and I'll know if it's too many for me.

In St. Maarten it's hot and humid. That puts a tremendous strain on the heart when walking. Someone who could walk a mile or two on a slight grade in cool, dry conditions might have a hard time there.

I sure have!

[RetiredMustang]

Illiad,

 

DW and took that hike this spring. I agree, if the guide was looking at you and made that comment, he was probably mistaken. However, we have seen people your age who appear and fit that we routinely pass on trails, so appearances can deceive.

 

We are in our mid-50s and not svelte. We got some looks when we decided to push on to the top of Pic Paradis hike. But, we are fitter than we look, snorkeling often on cruise, and at home often hiking in Shenandoah National Park.

 

The Lotterie Farm hike has a nice trail surface and although steep in parts is not really that difficult. For those familiar with Shenandoah, it is not as hard as Hawksbill, nor as rocky or hard as the ascent of Hazeltop from the Laurel Prong. It is about like Stony Man -- nice trail surface with steady but not really hard climbs.

 

But, I also understand that HAL has to pitch its descriptions to the demographic. We are probably a few standard deviations to the fit side of the curve, and you no doubt are much fitter. Just keep that in mind when reading the shore excursion descriptions and pick what appeals, or arrange your own private adventure tours. Enjoy!

 

Dave

[gooselace]

IMO HAL, if anything, underestimates how strenuous a shore excursion is.

 

I take great care to read and understand the description of the excursion, and ask exactly what they are talking about. I no longer accept an answer of "not far" when I ask about distance---tell me yardage and I'll decide if it's far. Don't tell me there's "a few" stairs when it's 20---give me the number and I'll know if it's too many for me.....

 

One of my pet peeves is excursion descriptions that say "a 15 minute walk" or "a short walk" for example. One person's 15 minute walk might well take another half an hour, and a short walk uphill on cobblestone sure isn't a garden stroll.