DAY 7: CLIMB TO KOSOVO
MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW
As our climbers near the summit, they have another short day for acclimatization today. After breakfast, climbers leave Karanga Camp and make their way across moraine with a view of Mawenzi and Kibo to Barafu. The alpine desert terrain is full of boulders with lichen and moss. Upon reaching camp, climbers will spend the afternoon resting before packing for the summit and having an early dinner in preparation for their ascent to the summit to start at midnight. Summit begins at 5 PM EST!
MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS
Starting elevation 13,300 feet
Ending elevation 16,000 feet
Elevation gain 2,700 feet
Distance hiked 3.5 miles
Average hiking time 4 to 5 hours
DAY FIVE: Medical Report, To the Men Who Drive Us Places; and, The Song of Ascent.
Friday, January 12, 2024
Jambo-Jambo to our friends, family and sponsors,
We awoke Friday to morning sunshine and blue skies that lit up the snow capped Kilimanjaro like a crown. Also in the distance we could see the beautiful Mt Meru, for which our first night’s hotel is named. To stand between these two stunning mountains under bright skies was a highlight. Really quite amazing the impact of sunshine and beauty has on our spirits.
For those at home keeping score:
9:00am moving out (13,500 ft)
1:30pm arrive at Base Camp (16,000 ft)
2:00pm lunch
5:30pm dinner
7:30pm rest / “sleep”
12:00am wake up for ascent.
After another plentiful breakfast, Gabriel (trip guide) gathered us for a time of prayer and off we went to Base Camp and one final stay before the summit. Of course, the day quickly turned rainy. Before we were out of sight from the camp, the clouds had descended and a drizzle began. But we do have pictures of that glorious morning.
Medical Report
We all awoke anxiously to see how are sick friends were doing. Sadly, Josh our trip host, had digressed and it was decided he should hike down and meet us when we returned. It was difficult to lose him but we could all tell it was a good decision. Our other teammates flirting with altitude sickness (nausea and low energy) - while not fully recovered - stayed to play another day. Quite courageous, if you asked me, in light of what was still to come.
To the men who drive us places
My good friend Ben Rector has a song titled To the men who drive me places. The story goes that he gets driven to and from airports and concerts “where everyone knows my name but no one know I’m half the man of the men who drive me places” - as the song tells the struggling and honoring stories of several of those men.
In some way, I imagine we all feel the same… “we” will get credit and be “something” for summiting Kili, while the real heroes and more impressive people are the ones who drive us (or in our case, carry us) places. Like to the top of the world.
To rightly honor and respect our friends who make this possible let me add a section about those we rely on so deeply. Literally, not one of us could make this summit without the help of our guides and porters. Each one of us is assigned our own personal porter (mine is Dennis). The porter takes down our tents after we leave camp in the morning and carries our tent and duffle onto the next camp site. When we arrive, our tent is set up (which means the porters started behind us, hiked past us with much more gear and set up our tent all before we arrive). The food crew does the same with the kitchen and mess hall (big tent with a long table). Mishak and Abraham so kindly and happily serve us morning coffee at 6:30, breakfast, tea at 5:00, and dinner. It would be impossible to convey in words how happily, graciously, and seemingly authentically they serve and care for us. To the porters!
Our trip guides are Gabriel, John Simon and Samson. Gabriel is calm, capable, experienced - a true leader. John Simon’s personality is the size of this mountain and his singing, Shrek impersonations, and big laugh have been important ingredients to our week. Between them they have over 500 Kilimanjaro summits. That’s a 5 with two zeroes. Think about that. Samson (The Kili Squeeler) is a happy, friendly, caring guide who never goes anywhere without a smile. He is personable and kind and brings life. He is the guide who took Josh down today.
As friends, families and sponsors, you would be quite thankful for all of the above.
The Song of Ascent.
Tomorrow is D-Day. For most people in the world it will be just another Saturday. For us it will be the song of ascent. A midnight wake up for a 1:30am start and a 6 hour trek so that all eight might achieve our goal of reaching 19,341 feet at the tippy top of Africa.
Until then, we remain, One Team. One Dream.