I wake round 7 AM. There is a sense of anti-climax, now that the summit has been completed, and we are all eager to get back to the hotel. We get started around 9 AM on a leafy, fairly well-marked trail. We're expecting about a 3-hour hike down to the main gate, where the vans will pick us up. The pace is casual, but soon enough, there's an opening in the green vegetation ahead, and we suddenly arrive at the main gate! There are buses, and a large number of people milling about., and various other people selling trinkets and offering to brush our boots (a futile task, I think.)
Dave and I get some cokes and sign the log (signifying, I think, that we have completed the summit of Kilimanjaro.) After we all arrive, the porters are assembled, and they do this wonderful, happy song of thanks. I am touched!
Eventually, we and our bags are loaded onto a minibus, and at last, we're driving away towards Moshi and our hotel! We pass through a large, bustling Moshi. (I had only caught a glimpse of the city on my arrival from the airport.) Back at the hotel, we deposit our bags at our assigned rooms, and gather in the courtyard to discuss the complicated issue of tipping Bruce and the porters and all the other helpers. Fortunately, Nitin and Dave have come up with a rough outline, so we quickly come up with the tip and the detailed breakdown, written out for Bruce. (Very involved!)
We eventually settle on $320 per person, totaling $1900 for the group. We present this to Bruce - a formal and serious business - and he promises to get certificates for us (proof that we summited!) as well as bracelets that each contain the flags of our home countries (a nice touch, I thought).
With that, we're done. We rush to the restaurant to grab a buffet lunch and some beers! Still dirty, but happy, and in a mood to celebrate...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Days 6, 7: to Uhuru Peak (5896 m)
Finally, after last-minute preparations are complete, we get on the trail to the Summit around midnight.
Left: leaving camp at midnight
There is very little wind now. We quickly cover the rocky area we had tried out earlier in the day. Soon, we get on to a more steady incline of gravel and small stones. The going is not too tough, with Bruce leading at a slow, steady pace. However, I'm finding it very cold on my face, particularly on the forehead and ears. Surprisingly, my feet, legs and torso are very warm (almost too much so).
The moon rises to our right, a flaming half-circle that looks like a bonfire in the distance. As it rises further, we see that it is a peach-colored crescent.
People are passing us, but Bruce maintains the consistent, slow pace. Looking up and down the mountain, I can see a string of lights, the headlamps of other climbers on the slope. There must be hundreds more on the summit climb this night.
We stop for a break, and I put on the balaclava Bruce gave me, and it immediately reduces my head's exposure to the cold. I am warmer and find the going fairly comfortable. We push on in the night up the slope. The trail goes consistently higher with no flat sections - the hike seems neverending. Eventually, Bruce tells us we are within 40 minutes of Stella Point, the first, lower, peak at the top of Kilimanjaro. To our right, a red line spreads across the sky. Dawn is coming. As we continue to climb, it broadens and begins to glow.
Right: Dawn at Stella Point
Finally, we reach Stella Point at about 6:45, just as the Sun is coming up. There is a general feeling of elation and enormous relief.
Left: Alisa, Brian, Nitin at Stella Point
We pause and take some photos. The brilliant glaciers are visible across the crater. Very quickly, Bruce gets us moving again, headed towards Uhuru Point. A quick climb up the crater rim, followed by a downward section, and another long, grinding haul upwards.
As we scale each rocky slope, another one appears, and I'm convinced this next one is the summit. Finally, we see the wooden signpost at Uhuru Point. It is at the edge of a small, wind-blasted, rocky area. There is a small crowd of people there, taking photographs, or waiting for the opportunity.It is extremely bright and cold. The glacier is to our left, seemingly close enough to touch. I fumble with my phone to take some photos. (The extreme cold exhausted the battery in my camera.)
Above: The group, at Uhuru Point
We get some group photos at the sign, and have a brief celebration. After 15 minutes, we are getting ready to descend - it is better to keep moving in this cold. Led by Fuat, we descend very quickly. Soon, we move off the route we ascended, and we start to slalom down a series of sandy switchbacks. We are racing! Eventually we see the Barafu Camp in the distance. It seems very near, but it still takes us another hour to get there. Eventually, at about 10 AM, we get into camp. We have been hiking for over 10 hours! A porter is waiting with an orange drink for each of us. I am exhausted and cranky, but very relieved that it is over. We get in to our tents and try to sleep for a couple of hours - we need to be ready to leave again at 1:30 PM for another hike to the lower camp where we'll be spending the night.
I fail to get any sleep in the hot noon-day sun, and at around 2 PM, we are on our way again, hiking down towards Mweka Camp. We trek through a barren, rocky area that soon gives way to some sparse vegetation. The dust that had been absent at Barafu and higher up is all along the path again, and soon we are covered in it. The terrain quickly changes, getting greener and more varied as we go. The trail follows a dried river bed -- the dust is everywhere! Eventually, the trail becomes more groomed and well-maintained. Suddenly, the green forest gives way to a large campsite, with several permanent structures. This appears to be the biggest campsite we have yet seen. We get to our tents, in a noisy corner of the campsite, surrounded by the tents of the porters. It is about 4:30 PM and we are finally finished hiking for the day, more than 16 hours after we started!
Later, we have dinner, with a couple of special items in honor of our achievement: special samosas, and a bottle of gin, from Bruce! (The gin stumps us. Nobody wants to drink it, but we dont want to insult Bruce. Eventually, Brian returns it to him, but agrees to have a meal in Moshi the following night, and share the gin then.) We quickly get back to our tents, and I fall into a deep, uninterrupted sleep. I sleep solidly till 6 AM the next morning, more than 9 hours.
Left: leaving camp at midnightThere is very little wind now. We quickly cover the rocky area we had tried out earlier in the day. Soon, we get on to a more steady incline of gravel and small stones. The going is not too tough, with Bruce leading at a slow, steady pace. However, I'm finding it very cold on my face, particularly on the forehead and ears. Surprisingly, my feet, legs and torso are very warm (almost too much so).
The moon rises to our right, a flaming half-circle that looks like a bonfire in the distance. As it rises further, we see that it is a peach-colored crescent.
People are passing us, but Bruce maintains the consistent, slow pace. Looking up and down the mountain, I can see a string of lights, the headlamps of other climbers on the slope. There must be hundreds more on the summit climb this night.
We stop for a break, and I put on the balaclava Bruce gave me, and it immediately reduces my head's exposure to the cold. I am warmer and find the going fairly comfortable. We push on in the night up the slope. The trail goes consistently higher with no flat sections - the hike seems neverending. Eventually, Bruce tells us we are within 40 minutes of Stella Point, the first, lower, peak at the top of Kilimanjaro. To our right, a red line spreads across the sky. Dawn is coming. As we continue to climb, it broadens and begins to glow.
Right: Dawn at Stella Point
Finally, we reach Stella Point at about 6:45, just as the Sun is coming up. There is a general feeling of elation and enormous relief.
Left: Alisa, Brian, Nitin at Stella PointWe pause and take some photos. The brilliant glaciers are visible across the crater. Very quickly, Bruce gets us moving again, headed towards Uhuru Point. A quick climb up the crater rim, followed by a downward section, and another long, grinding haul upwards.
As we scale each rocky slope, another one appears, and I'm convinced this next one is the summit. Finally, we see the wooden signpost at Uhuru Point. It is at the edge of a small, wind-blasted, rocky area. There is a small crowd of people there, taking photographs, or waiting for the opportunity.It is extremely bright and cold. The glacier is to our left, seemingly close enough to touch. I fumble with my phone to take some photos. (The extreme cold exhausted the battery in my camera.)
Above: The group, at Uhuru Point
We get some group photos at the sign, and have a brief celebration. After 15 minutes, we are getting ready to descend - it is better to keep moving in this cold. Led by Fuat, we descend very quickly. Soon, we move off the route we ascended, and we start to slalom down a series of sandy switchbacks. We are racing! Eventually we see the Barafu Camp in the distance. It seems very near, but it still takes us another hour to get there. Eventually, at about 10 AM, we get into camp. We have been hiking for over 10 hours! A porter is waiting with an orange drink for each of us. I am exhausted and cranky, but very relieved that it is over. We get in to our tents and try to sleep for a couple of hours - we need to be ready to leave again at 1:30 PM for another hike to the lower camp where we'll be spending the night.
I fail to get any sleep in the hot noon-day sun, and at around 2 PM, we are on our way again, hiking down towards Mweka Camp. We trek through a barren, rocky area that soon gives way to some sparse vegetation. The dust that had been absent at Barafu and higher up is all along the path again, and soon we are covered in it. The terrain quickly changes, getting greener and more varied as we go. The trail follows a dried river bed -- the dust is everywhere! Eventually, the trail becomes more groomed and well-maintained. Suddenly, the green forest gives way to a large campsite, with several permanent structures. This appears to be the biggest campsite we have yet seen. We get to our tents, in a noisy corner of the campsite, surrounded by the tents of the porters. It is about 4:30 PM and we are finally finished hiking for the day, more than 16 hours after we started!
Later, we have dinner, with a couple of special items in honor of our achievement: special samosas, and a bottle of gin, from Bruce! (The gin stumps us. Nobody wants to drink it, but we dont want to insult Bruce. Eventually, Brian returns it to him, but agrees to have a meal in Moshi the following night, and share the gin then.) We quickly get back to our tents, and I fall into a deep, uninterrupted sleep. I sleep solidly till 6 AM the next morning, more than 9 hours.
Day 6: to Barafu Hut (4600 m)
It's cold again in the morning. There is an amazing blanket of cloud covering Moshi and the plains, with Mt. Meru popping above them in the distance. We get the usual breakfast of porridge (well, really a sweetened rice dessert) and eggs. We're on our way by 9 AM, excited, because this is the day we'll start for the peak.
Left: a porter on his way to Barafu Camp
There's a gradual start over shale and gravel. We're all feeling good and the hike is enjoyable. Then it kicks up sharply. We soon see the campsite in the distance - deceptive, because it is still over an hour away. We get over the heart-pounding ascent, and make it to Barafu Camp by 12.
As we sign in, we see hikers coming the other way, down from the Summit. Many of them seem in bad shape, footsore and exhausted. The mists are rolling in and it's getting chilly, so we go quickly to our tents (and zip them up tightly - we can see rats running around in the rocks nearby.)
Left: Barafu Camp
Left: suspiciouly happy hikers (from left: Brian, Daniela, Dave, Nitin)
After lunch, a few of us take a quick hike up the path towards the summit, to get a feel for what we'll face later in the night. The route quickly gets steep, and we have to scramble a bit, and it gets much colder. (It will be quite a challenge in the cold and dark tonight. Nevertheless, we are excited about the night ahead.)
Video: arrival at the Barafu Hut
We get dinner of potatoes and (tiny pieces of) chicken. Bruce introduces us to his "team" for tonight: the assistant guide, Fuat, and a third guide, James. We each go though the clothes we'll be wearing tonight. I'm going to wear:
Left: a porter on his way to Barafu Camp
There's a gradual start over shale and gravel. We're all feeling good and the hike is enjoyable. Then it kicks up sharply. We soon see the campsite in the distance - deceptive, because it is still over an hour away. We get over the heart-pounding ascent, and make it to Barafu Camp by 12.As we sign in, we see hikers coming the other way, down from the Summit. Many of them seem in bad shape, footsore and exhausted. The mists are rolling in and it's getting chilly, so we go quickly to our tents (and zip them up tightly - we can see rats running around in the rocks nearby.)
Left: Barafu Camp
Left: suspiciouly happy hikers (from left: Brian, Daniela, Dave, Nitin)After lunch, a few of us take a quick hike up the path towards the summit, to get a feel for what we'll face later in the night. The route quickly gets steep, and we have to scramble a bit, and it gets much colder. (It will be quite a challenge in the cold and dark tonight. Nevertheless, we are excited about the night ahead.)
Video: arrival at the Barafu Hut
We get dinner of potatoes and (tiny pieces of) chicken. Bruce introduces us to his "team" for tonight: the assistant guide, Fuat, and a third guide, James. We each go though the clothes we'll be wearing tonight. I'm going to wear:
- 3 pairs of socks
- 2 pairs long thermal underwear, 1 pair regular underwear
- 2 pairs of pants
- 4 layers on top (including my down shell)
- 2 caps
Day 5: to Karanga Camp (3930 m)
The morning is cool, but not as cold as on previous mornings. Today, we have to scale the fairly imposing Barranco Wall. Bruce talks of starting early, to beat the traffic of other groups and porters all headed in the same direction, but we get started at 9 AM as usual. We immediately get caught in a crush of porters and other hikers on the way up.
We quickly reach a steep rock wall -- the Barranco Wall, and we start to hike up. Parts of the climb require a bit of scrambling. It's fairly tough but exhilarating. Everyone enjoys it, despite the fast that porters are climbing past and around us all the way. (They are taking astonishing risks to get to the top of the Wall with their loads.)
However, we get to the top inside an hour and take in the astonishing vista around us, with the peak and glaciers directly above us.
Left: taking pictures at the top of the Barranco Wall.
Take off again along a trail of scree and pebbles. We soon see the Karanga Camp in the distance ahead of us. This seems easy. However, Bruce tells us that we have a big descent into a canyon and an ascent back up before we reach it.
We struggle through the difficult, rather dangerous descent and then make our way up to the camp. (Bruce tells us that the descent is the most difficult part of the entire Lemosho Trail, even more difficult than any part of the hike on Summit Night -- but we're a bit skeptical...)
Anyway, in to camp by 1:30 PM and we're done for the day!
I nap for a while and we have dinner around 6 PM -- soup and some deeply fried chicken. Nobody is hungry. Bruce comes in and starts to talk about Summit Night (coming up soon -- late the following night.) Sounds like it's going to be very cold and I'm not at all sure I have enough layers for it. I'm getting concerned!
Bed again by 8:30 PM. I sleep well till about 4 AM despite a distinct slope on the tent floor! Up again at 6:15 AM and getting prepared for the big day ahead.
We quickly reach a steep rock wall -- the Barranco Wall, and we start to hike up. Parts of the climb require a bit of scrambling. It's fairly tough but exhilarating. Everyone enjoys it, despite the fast that porters are climbing past and around us all the way. (They are taking astonishing risks to get to the top of the Wall with their loads.)
However, we get to the top inside an hour and take in the astonishing vista around us, with the peak and glaciers directly above us.
Left: taking pictures at the top of the Barranco Wall.Take off again along a trail of scree and pebbles. We soon see the Karanga Camp in the distance ahead of us. This seems easy. However, Bruce tells us that we have a big descent into a canyon and an ascent back up before we reach it.
We struggle through the difficult, rather dangerous descent and then make our way up to the camp. (Bruce tells us that the descent is the most difficult part of the entire Lemosho Trail, even more difficult than any part of the hike on Summit Night -- but we're a bit skeptical...)
Anyway, in to camp by 1:30 PM and we're done for the day!
I nap for a while and we have dinner around 6 PM -- soup and some deeply fried chicken. Nobody is hungry. Bruce comes in and starts to talk about Summit Night (coming up soon -- late the following night.) Sounds like it's going to be very cold and I'm not at all sure I have enough layers for it. I'm getting concerned!
Bed again by 8:30 PM. I sleep well till about 4 AM despite a distinct slope on the tent floor! Up again at 6:15 AM and getting prepared for the big day ahead.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Day 4: to Barranco Camp (3940 m)
Wake again at 6 AM -- it's freezing outside! We get moving quickly. Our aim is to reach the Lava Tower by lunch, the highest point (at 4600 m) we'll reach before summit night. I'm finding the going to be fairly easy and I have no symptoms of altitude sickness.
Left: the Lava Tower
I ask Bruce about the Abramovich thing -- he confirms that the guy is indeed on the mountain & he registered at the camps along the way. (Apparently, lots of other celebrities have also been there recently. He mentioned Arjen Robben and Guus Hiddink from Dutch football - just a few weeks earlier, and even Justin Timberlake! Suddenly, my great Kilimanjaro climb doesn't seem so impressive.) Even the US Marines come here occasionally -- cutting off all telecommunications traffic on the mountain when they need to update their website...!
We reach the Lava Tower by about 1 PM. The early heat is giving way to much colder conditions, as it clouds over. After leaving the Lava Tower, it is a steep descent down almost all the way to Barranco Camp. There are rocky sections, and our guide, Fuat is racing down, seemingly in a hurry to reach the camp. Dave takes a tumble on the way down, and bruises his thigh. (Furtunately, it seems to be a fairly minor injury.)
We reach a grove of cactus-like plants (senecio plants) that grow to be up to 8-10 feet tall.
Right: Nitin next to a senecio plant
We finally reach Barranco Camp around 3:30 PM. It is a small city of tents with a view over the plain and the city of Moshi, and with the Kili peak looming overhead.
Left: the summit from Barranco Camp
There are lots of people at the camp - a number of different routes meet here, including the Lemosho and Macheme routes. I wander around after tea, and meet some folks from San Francisco (almost in the same neighborhood as me...) Dinner is getting a bit monotonous at this stage - another peculiar concoction of noodles and some sort of beef stew/curry. It's a bit warmner at this camp than it has been the past few nights. However, I still quickly get in to my tent & I'm asleep again by 9 PM. I wake briefly at about 3 AM - when I get out of the tent, I can see the lights of the city of Moshi below, and a bright sky of stars above.
Left: the Lava TowerI ask Bruce about the Abramovich thing -- he confirms that the guy is indeed on the mountain & he registered at the camps along the way. (Apparently, lots of other celebrities have also been there recently. He mentioned Arjen Robben and Guus Hiddink from Dutch football - just a few weeks earlier, and even Justin Timberlake! Suddenly, my great Kilimanjaro climb doesn't seem so impressive.) Even the US Marines come here occasionally -- cutting off all telecommunications traffic on the mountain when they need to update their website...!
We reach the Lava Tower by about 1 PM. The early heat is giving way to much colder conditions, as it clouds over. After leaving the Lava Tower, it is a steep descent down almost all the way to Barranco Camp. There are rocky sections, and our guide, Fuat is racing down, seemingly in a hurry to reach the camp. Dave takes a tumble on the way down, and bruises his thigh. (Furtunately, it seems to be a fairly minor injury.)
We reach a grove of cactus-like plants (senecio plants) that grow to be up to 8-10 feet tall.
Right: Nitin next to a senecio plant
We finally reach Barranco Camp around 3:30 PM. It is a small city of tents with a view over the plain and the city of Moshi, and with the Kili peak looming overhead.
Left: the summit from Barranco Camp
There are lots of people at the camp - a number of different routes meet here, including the Lemosho and Macheme routes. I wander around after tea, and meet some folks from San Francisco (almost in the same neighborhood as me...) Dinner is getting a bit monotonous at this stage - another peculiar concoction of noodles and some sort of beef stew/curry. It's a bit warmner at this camp than it has been the past few nights. However, I still quickly get in to my tent & I'm asleep again by 9 PM. I wake briefly at about 3 AM - when I get out of the tent, I can see the lights of the city of Moshi below, and a bright sky of stars above.
Day 3: to Moir Hut (4200 m)
I stick my head out of the tent at 6 AM, and there's frost everywhere! It soon warms up - it is very warm by 7:30 AM. I'm filthy - yesterday's trail and the campsite are covered in a fine dust that gets everywhere.
We consider Bruce's options and decide to head for the Moir Hut, the higher destination. Soon, we're off, on Day 3 of the trek. Today's terrain is more desert-like, similar to the Californian desert.
Everyone in the group seems to be in good shape, though some in the group are complaining about side effects from the Diamox medication we all took (that prevents or alleviates altitude sickness.) Dave is complaining about tingling sensations in the hands and feet. (We've started to refer to it as "doing the Diamox dance"...!)
Left: Dave (left) and Nitin (right)
Below: Donal (lying down) & Daniela
We stop for lunch in an open, rocky area, around 1:15 PM, and we have the (by now) usual lunch of soup and sandwich (consisting of carrot and some mystery fish). Going again, we trek through a rocky passage, and along a narrow ledge. Eventually we see the campsite in the distance -- a good thing. Some in the group are struggling a bit. Bruce tells me the camp, Moir Hut, is also called Fischer Camp, in honor of Scott Fisher, the famous climbing guide who lost his life on Everest in 1996.
Left: Bruce and Fuat looking at the elephant skull at Moir Camp.We're all tired but ok. We take a brief break and get dinner in a wind-swept dining tent. (Chicken! Though bizarrely small little wings and thighs...) There is a crazy duststorm blowing and the dining tent is getting engulfed in dust (and very cold.) We finish off quickly and go straight to bed.
We hear an interesting detail from Bruce: apparently, Roman Abramovich is also hiking the Lemosho Trail, and is 3 days ahead of us. Interesting...
Day 2: to Shira 1 Camp (3500 m)
Good breakfast of fried eggs. Get on the way by 8:30 AM through forested terrain that's quite different from yesterday.
Left: our guides, Fuat, the assistant guide (or Fortune, or Fortunata! -- Arsenal man, and also apparently a bit of a ladies' man in Moshi) on the left, and Bruce, our guide, on the right.
Feeling good -- Bruce sets an easy pace. We stop along the way to see an eagle eating a catch up above us. The terrain gets drier as we continue ascending. Eventually we reach the top of a ridge and can look out over the Shira Plateau below. In the distance we get a view of Kili under cloud, our first sight of the mountain peak. We descend down on to the plateau - we can see the campsite in the distance. We finally get in to camp at around 4 PM - a fairly early day. The tents have already been set up by the porters.
Fairly mediocre dinner of rice and a very suspect fish. It is freezing in the tent, worse outside. Bruce discusses our options for the following day - we have the choice of heading for a lower or a higher camp the following day. The advantage of going to the higher one is that we'll spend a night at much higher elevation (4200 m), and have a better chance of acclimatizing. We go outside and see a field of brilliant stars. It is too cold, though, so I flee to bed. I try to read for a while but I quickly fall asleep. I have a fitful night's sleep, and I an awake again by 6 AM.
Left: our guides, Fuat, the assistant guide (or Fortune, or Fortunata! -- Arsenal man, and also apparently a bit of a ladies' man in Moshi) on the left, and Bruce, our guide, on the right.
Feeling good -- Bruce sets an easy pace. We stop along the way to see an eagle eating a catch up above us. The terrain gets drier as we continue ascending. Eventually we reach the top of a ridge and can look out over the Shira Plateau below. In the distance we get a view of Kili under cloud, our first sight of the mountain peak. We descend down on to the plateau - we can see the campsite in the distance. We finally get in to camp at around 4 PM - a fairly early day. The tents have already been set up by the porters.
Fairly mediocre dinner of rice and a very suspect fish. It is freezing in the tent, worse outside. Bruce discusses our options for the following day - we have the choice of heading for a lower or a higher camp the following day. The advantage of going to the higher one is that we'll spend a night at much higher elevation (4200 m), and have a better chance of acclimatizing. We go outside and see a field of brilliant stars. It is too cold, though, so I flee to bed. I try to read for a while but I quickly fall asleep. I have a fitful night's sleep, and I an awake again by 6 AM.
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