Climbing Kili: Summit Ascent!

Moto woke us up on summit night at 11pm.  After putting on an extraordinary amount of clothing, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and made sure our day bags were ready.  At 12:15am we began the pole pole ascent.  We joined the procession of hikers whose twinkling headlamps could be seen stretching in zigzag lines up the slopes of the mountain.

For the next six and a half hours we focused on putting one foot in front of the other.  We slowly passed groups.  The camaraderie among all climbers was high as people asked "Are we there yet?" to the laughter of all climbers within earshot.  The endless switchbacks continued up and up, the frozen skree getting deeper the higher we climbed.  Many hours later, we paused for a break.  There were only a few headlamps ahead of us.  Looking down the mountain into the clear night sky we could see all the lights of Moshi on the plains.  On the left, a sliver of red moon was rising.  Above, thousands of stars shone in the sky.  Still we climbed up.  For each small step forward, we breathed in and out, in and out.  It was like running a long distance race for each step forward. 

The skree deepened and finally Tumaini, our guide, announced that we were half an hour from Stella Point.  Breathing hard, it was still dark when we reached it.  The faintest lightening of the sky was visible along the horizon.  After a short rest during which I wanted nothing more than to close my eyes and sleep, we continued up to Uhuru Peak.  At 6:30am in the morning we arrived.  It was freezing and windy, and I was out of breath, but we had made it.  We watched the last of the sunrise from the tallest point of Africa.  Mawenzi was silhouetted, its black peaks jagged against the morning sky, and the glaciers looked foreboding and beautiful as they caught the first light. I felt on top of the world, and more awed than ever by the dangerous beauty of the natural world in which we live.

Unfortunately, what comes up, must come down.  We spent the next several hours pounding our knees as we slid down the skree slopes back to camp.  By the time we arrived, we had been walking for 10 hours.  An hour rest and lunch later, we were packing up and walking down again.  By 6pm we were at Mweka Camp, a mere 3080 meters as opposed to the 5895 meters of Uhuru Peak.  The next morning, our trip ended with a surprisingly good Tanzanian cheeseburger and the presentation of our certificates which stated that we successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the Highest Mountain in Africa.

Our acclimatization hike the afternoon before our summit climb.
Mawenzi is in the distance.

Sunrise from Uhuru Peak at 5895m.

I think the picture says it all!

Eerie looking glaciers in front of Mount Meru.

Looking into the crater at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Mawenzi in the distance as climbers walk towards Uhuru Peak past the glaciers.

Amazed to be back in the heather and moorland zone when a few hours
before we were standing on that snowy peak above our heads!

The last view of Kibo through the dense canopy of the
rainforest as we walk down to Mweka Gate.

The adventure is officially over, which, although sad and disappointing, does
mean that hot showers are just around the corner!

Climbing Kili: Scaling the Barranco Wall to Base Camp

The sound of people moving around camp woke me up early at Barranco Camp.  After a big stretch, I paused in my sleeping bag and listened carefully - there was no pitter pat of rain!  Jumping out of bed in my fleece pants and down jacket, I left Natacha sleeping in order to see what camp really looked like when not obscured by rain and mist. 

Everyone was excited that morning, partly because it was sunny, but also because today we were tackling the Barranco Wall, also known as the Breakfast wall - the imaginative name it acquired because it is usually tackled after breakfast.  This climb broke the slight monotony of the pole pole of the past few days.  Carefully placing feet and hands, we scaled the valley wall.  We passed the kissing rock, so named because you had to place your hands in a bear hug position, hug the rock and edge across a narrow ledge that had an impressive view down if you we brave (or stupid) enough to look.  The views from the top were well worth the effort of the climb.  From the flat ledges at the top you could see the banks of clouds spread below, Mount Meru emerging hazy from them and darkening to a deep mountain blue at the peak.  Behind, Kibo felt so close that I wanted to reach out my hand and touch it. 

Continuing on, we passed a second grove of tree groundsel (see the picture below) and through the Karanga valley.  The cold water was the last water on the way to the summit.  Karanga camp was a windswept camp on the mountainside brightened by the views of Meru and the colorful tents of different companies flapping in the wind. 

The next day we hiked to Barafu (Kiswahili for "ice") camp, our base camp for attempting the summit.  The way there was barren desert and would have been silent except for the flat rocks that lined the trail.  As boots passed over the rock pieces, they clinked together sounding like wind chimes blowing in the wind.  Barafu camp itself was perched at the edge of a cliff, the different tents nestled among the boulders.  We prepared our packs and gear in the afternoon and tried to snatch some sleep as our minds focused fretfully on the summit night a couple of hours away.

The view up Barranco Valley towards Kibo.

Working our way slowly up the Breakfast Wall.

At the top of the Barranco Wall.  Kibo is so close,
but so far.

One of our group members looks out towards Mount Meru from the top of
the Barranco Wall.

I feel like a midget next to this huge tree groundsel.

En route to Karanga Camp.

Last water before summiting.

The many colorful tents of Karanga Camp.

Sun sets on Mount Meru.

Climbing Kili: Shira Plateau to Barranco Camp

The morning of day 3 dawned white with frost - something I haven't seen in over 2 years.  Brrr!  I had forgotten how hard it is to get out of a warm sleeping bag when it is cold outside.  I shivered as my boots crunched a circle in the grass to face Kibo.  There wasn't a single cloud in the sky to distract from its imposing mass.  It's relentless gaze followed us as we worked our way across the plateau.  Shira was the first volcano of Kilimanjaro to erupt, and it formed the caldera through which we were walking.  Mawenzi, on the far side of Kibo was second to erupt, and Kibo, the highest was last.

White everlasting flowers with yellow centers covered the plateau looking (as one of our group aptly observed) like sheep hunkered down in the grasses to escape the wind.  Except for the illusion of sheep, and the scat of jackal and buffalo, the plateau was empty of animals and other hikers.  We reached the far side and climbed up the narrow ridge until we reached the top where we could see the spire of rock called Shira Cathedral.  Facing away from the plateau you could see the ridges and peaks of the mountain's roots spread down to the plains.  Clouds floated between us and ground - a view that would become familiar the higher we climbed.

We arrived at our camp in time for a late lunch and an acclimatization hike up to 4100m.  The next morning, we retraced our footsteps up and beyond.  All the vegetation vanished as we walked "pole pole" (slowly slowly) up to Lava Tower through the boulder fields.  Clouds engulfed our camp where we had spent the night, moving at a pace much quicker than ours.  Soon it began to drizzle, and then to sleet.  We arrived at our lunch stop at Lava Tower at 4600m frozen and hungry.  After thawing out with soup, grilled cheese and fried bread (healthy, I know) we headed back into the icy weather on our way down to Barranco Camp.  The sleet changed to rain.  The Barranco valley was beautiful although unphotographable in the rain.  Wisps of cloud floated in and around the groves of tree groundsel, a bizarrely shaped plant which keeps all its dead leaves in order to stay warm - smart plant!  A stream cascaded down the center and to complete the picture, a rainbow appeared.  We went to sleep with the rain sounding on our tents.

Rising and shining at Shira 1 Camp with Kibo in the distance.

Walking across the Shira Plateau towards Shira Cathedral.

Everlasting flowers everywhere!

Admiring Shira Cathedral from the top of the ridge.

Smiling for the camera!

Almost at Shira 2 Campsite.  Loved how the clouds hovered around
Mount Meru in the distance.

Acclimatization hike to 4100m.  Kibo was looking closer, and I was feeling colder!

Last light on Kibo before the sun set.

On the way to Lava Tower...before the rain began.

Lava Tower in the distance (the blackish ledge below Kibo),
and a wheeled stretcher in front - just in case.  

Tree groundsel in front of an eerie Kibo in Barranco Camp. 

A new bus for KEMPS!

I am taking a short break from posting about Kili, because there was a very exciting moment on campus today.  I was hanging laundry up to dry outside when I heard the beeping of horns and cheering.  My first thought was that a wedding must be driving by; however, looking more closely, I noticed that the teachers were cheering and students as well.  The honking drew closer, and students came running in next to the car of the General Secretary.  And behind him, came a new white school bus for KEMPS!

As the driver pulled in and parked, students and teachers placed branches and flowers along the windows to celebrate its arrival.  To further commemorate the moment, a tree was also planted on campus by the General Secretary.  It seems that the days of multiple trips in the land cruiser every morning and evening are finally over. 

Students and teachers decorate the new bus with flowers.

Teacher Joyce, the headmistress, and the General Secretary in front of the new bus.

Climbing Kili: From the Rainforest to Shira Plateau

I have spent the last couple of days pondering how I will share my Kili experience on my blog, looking through pictures and wondering how I will choose just a few to post.  As a result, I will break the hike up according to days so that you can see as many pictures as possible and decide which are your favorite for yourself!

I am a map person, so the first "picture" below is actually a map of the route we followed.  I have included the camps were we stopped at the end of each day as well as the altitudes.

We began our Kili climb with one long, bumpy, and dusty car ride.  There were five climbers in our group, 1 head guide, 2 assistant guides and 16 porters.  It was an astonishing number of staff for five climbers.

After our free car massage, we arrived at Londorossi Gate where the nervous energy of beginning the climb was palpable in the chatter of climbers and the busyness of the guides and porters.  Our porters quickly formed a line, each with a rice sack of equipment.  An official, together with our head guide, Tumaini, weighed each sack to make sure that our porters carried no more than 15kg.

Unfortunately by the time we started hiking, it had begun to rain.  I suppose it is to be expected in the rainforest.  Water poured down in sheets turning the trail into a slippery and treacherous river.  Up we went, thankful for the rain gear and hopeful that this would be our first and only day of rain.  By evening we had arrived at Mti Mkubwa ("Big Tree" in English), our first campsite.  Moto, our soon-to-be best friend brought us warm water for washing, showed us our own personal toilet tent and announced hot tea and popcorn before dinner in our dining tent.  We were definitely roughing it!

Moto woke us up on day 2 with a lyrical "Good Morning.  How are youuu?" and a hot drink while still in bed.  Our hike began in the rainforest, where it was sunny.  Silver mosses draped the trees and the cool green light of the sun through the leaves was warmed by the reds and browns of the forest floor. Porters packed the camp after we left and passed us on the trail, packs on their backs and baskets on their heads.  The transition to the heather and moorland vegetation zone was abrupt.  White flowers dotted the heather and the trail was lined with wild sage, St. John's Wort and the beige flowered and flame tipped leaves of the Protea.  Fog began to swirl around our heads as we climbed higher and higher, tendrils of cloud chasing us up over the ridge and onto the Shira Plateau.  Looking behind, the fog spilled over the top of the ridge like a cauldron boiling over.  Our guide observed matter-of-factly that those in the rainforest would be getting wet.

A short traverse of the Shira Plateau brought us to our campsite for the evening.  Surrounded by everlasting flowers and bathed in sunlight, the camp was perfect for drying out our wet gear from the day before.  Kibo sat in the clouds above the plateau and looked miles away.  Keeping vigil on the summit we saw the clouds slowly begin to clear, exposing our first real view of the snow and rock of Kibo.  

Porters in line to make sure their packs were the correct weight.

Reading this now, I wonder if I should perhaps look
terrified as opposed to smiley...

Washing hands in our dining tent before our meal.

A porter passes us on the trail.

Mosses!

Some gnarly trees as we walked through the woods.

Walking through the heather.

One variety of everlasting flower.

Protea flower.

Ready to enter the mists!

Being chased onto the Shira Plateau.  Watch your back!

Walking across the plateau towards Shira 1 Camp.

Looking across the plateau at our first view of Kibo.
One minute it was in the clouds, and then, voila!

Climbing Kili for KEMPS

The last post on this blog showed the latest progress on the bath house for the boys' dormitory at KEMPS.  As many of you have commented, it has been a long time since I have posted anything new.  Unfortunately, the bath house is in the same state as my blog.  No further progress has been made to complete the bath house and toilets as there are no more funds for construction.

Thanks to many of you, this will soon change.  Last week, I spent 8 days climbing Kilimanjaro, and many of you who love KEMPS as much as I do sponsored me a penny a meter climbed ($58), in order to help complete this project.  Thank you!  You will be pleased to know that on the 13th of August at 6:30am, I reached Uhuru (meaning "freedom") peak of Mount Kilimanjaro at 5895m.  After six and a half hours of bone-wearying trudging through the cold night, watching the sunrise from this monumental peak was breath-taking.

Over the next couple of days, I hope to post pictures to share my favorite parts of the climb, so stay tuned!  If you were waiting to see if I would really make it to the top before sending your own donation, see the picture below as proof!  Donations of any amount are welcome until September 30th, 2012.  Please make them out to St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 308 W 46th Street, New York, NY 10036 with the designation "Steph's Kilimanjaro Climb".  

Thank you again to all who have supported my climb with your thoughts and prayers, and the boys I teach with your generous donations.