HP Closures

I read somewhere that Pidurutalagala (8K'+), HP of Ceylon or Sri Lanka, is now closed to climbers--something about a transmitter on top. When I climbed it in 67 and 73, there was nothing but grass up there; it was a pleasant and easy walk from Nuwara Eliya in the highlands. I think it's well clear of the dodgy Tamil Tiger stronghold around Jaffna. I hope it's still open.

I also climbed Adam's Peak, 7K+ near Maskeliya. It has a stairway up it and a little temple enclosing the summit which is supposed to bear a footprint of Adam or Mohammed, or maybe Buddha. It just looked like a rocky summit to me. Unfortunately there was a stupid sign about no photos and a guy sitting there, so I didn't get to take one. A trail led on down the other side to goodness knows where.

Efforts to climb Maunga Silisili, 6K'+, HP of Savaii and the Samoan Islands, in the 80s, were thwarted by a ridiculous ban on crossing village lands; the village of Aopo claims its lands extend all the way to the top. There was no sign of a path; you need a local guide, which they would not provide. I just got a total runaround. A plague on the place. This was long ago, and a national park has been established on Mt. Fito on Upolu (3600'), which I couldn't find a way up either--I kept getting lost in taro patches--so one hopes by now this extinct volcano is accessible.

I did reach the HPs of most islands in American Samoa, and made a nice traverse of Mt. Vaea on Upolu (W. Samoa), from Apia to Stephenson's tomb and down to Vailima, residence of the head of state (not open, alas).