Stabroek News
April 20, 2001

The Roraima climb preliminary team should be at the mountain face by now. Rafel Downes and Alim Yacoob were accompanied by Wallace Daniels and 13 porters, a press release from Guyenterprise said yesterday.

However, Daniels returned to Georgetown after reaching the halfway point owing to pressing business obligations. He reported that conditions at first were so dry that they had to fetch water.

But on the third day it began to rain and this slowed their progress while heavy clouds obscured Roraima which had been clearly visible before.

Throughout, the team used a GPS tracker to fix their exact position.

The release said that it is not yet known whether the climbers have reached the mountain face but if they do and a suitably inclined ledge is located, they would return immediately to inform and gather the rest of the team, some of whom are in Georgetown while others are waiting in Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni).