Shalom Camp | Mountain Pine Ridge

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   Shalom Camp is a neat camping spot in the Pacific Heights area of Mountain Pine Ridge. Surrounded by groves of pine trees, sparse grass and mountain ferns, and with weather at a perfect 70°F during this time of the year, it was the ideal place for a weekend of fun and fellowship.



Some of the wealthier Mennonite families in Spanish Lookout have built lodges and private cabins at various places up in the mountains where the weather is much cooler and the setting more isolated.

   We were invited to join a Mennonite church from the Cayo District who had reserved the camp for the weekend. It was a memorable occasion, with plenty of laughter, not much preaching, lots of eating, hiking, swimming, and climbing steep, almost 90 degree trails with fourwheeler bikes. I learned more facts about this particular Mennonite church as well as established new friendships.




The Kleine Gemeinde Mennonites from Spanish Lookout had a 2-story house on top of this cement building. The house was used for Bible School and other church events. About a year or two ago, it was hit by lightning and completely burnt down to its foundation. Later, they dug out the foundation and closed it in with glass windows, which is what you see above.


An idyllic waterfall with a natural swimming pool close to the campsite. The water is the coldest that I have ever felt in Belize.

 Only one event marred the outing. 
  On Sunday morning there were conflicting reports from several persons who claimed to have heard an airplane circling low in the sky around midnight. Illegal airplanes full of drugs landing in the middle of the night on remote country roads is all too common in Belize. So the subject was briefly discussed then completely forgotten until suddenly, in the midst of church service a few hours later, police trucks showed up at the door. We held our breath expecting the worst. What could have attracted the cops to this isolated camp way up in the mountains? But this time it wasn't about Covid regulations. They spoke to some of the men and said they were looking for an illegal air strip. Apparently they knew the area even less than we did. A young man from our group who had gone for a walk was thoroughly searched and questioned by another police patrol passing by, then released. We were all puzzled about this behavior from the police until later in the day (due to very poor cellular service) when we found out that the narcs had landed and burnt an illegal plane close to our camping area. Several men, including a white man, had been arrested but the cargo had not been discovered yet. Just before we left the campsite, a military plane began circling the area. Now the situation made more sense.
  Except for that disturbing encounter with the military police, the weekend proved to be much more fulfilling than I had ever expected.

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   The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is located in the west central region of Belize and is one of the most scenic places to visit in Belize. Several popular natural wonders are found there. Rio on Pools, Thousand Foot Falls, Big Rock Falls, among others.





Believed to be the highest waterfall in Central America, Thousand Foot Falls actually has a total drop of 1,600ft.



Most visitors only see the falls from a distance. To actually arrive at the bottom of the waterfall requires several hours of hiking.


Big Rock Falls, one of my favorite places to swim when I was a teenager. We would jump and dive from one of the rocks near the top of the falls.
Photo: Ambergris Caye

Rio on Pools, a series of pools carved out by nature. Sliding over some of those falls was exciting. Photo: Ambergris Caye

Five Sisters Falls
Photo: Ambergris Caye


  Farther south can be found other wonders, such as the natural stone bridge pictured below, as well as the Chiquibul caves, one of the most extensive cave systems in the world containing the biggest underground chamber ever discovered in the Western Hemisphere.



   









                                           A. Mendoza

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