Day 8: Climb to Summit Uhuru Peak
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UPDATE FROM THE GROUP
“The Longest Day”
Imagine you have decided to climb the highest peak in Africa. Now imagine that you are going to need five days to acclimatize. Now imagine that you are going to be awaken at 11pm and trek uphill endlessly in the dark. Would you still attempt the climb?
After maybe a few hours of sleep, we were awoken just before midnight and instructed to meet in the mess tent where our seasoned leader, John Simon, gave us a final prep talk. We loaded up our hiking packs with plenty of snacks and put on every piece of warm clothing we brought along. For some, this trip has been a lifelong dream and years in the making, so it was surreal that the moment was finally here. It was time to summit.
We began hiking only by the light of our headlamps, with our final destination completely shrouded in darkness. Ahead of us, it was difficult to know where the headlamps of other groups high above us ended and the brilliant stars began. It was disheartening getting a glimpse of how steep and long the upcoming climb was. Instead, we focused on moving our feet rhythmically one step at a time. Pole pole (slowly, slowly). Soon the cold and the wind began to wear on us physically, freezing fingers and hydration packs. But mentally we remained determined. Turning back simply wasn’t an option. Pamoja pamoja (together, together). At the coldest part of the night our guides worked another miracle, bringing out hot tea and coffee, saving many of us from hypothermia and dehydration.
Soon the first signs of sunlight began to emerge across the sky, a breathtaking and incredibly welcome sight for the group. Not long after, we made it to Stella gate, which sits on the rim of a giant crater. Uhuru peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro, was finally within sight. As we trudged along the craters rim, we were met by hikers returning from the summit. Shouts of “you’re almost there” and “the summit is right around the corner”. Be lied how far we still have to go. As for the majority of the trip, we remained together as we hiked, stronger together as a unified group. At last we arrived at the top of Africa. Celebratory hugs and photos were taken to prove that we had pushed ourselves to the near limits of physical and mental capabilities.
We the then retraced our steps back to the previous night’s camp for a brief rest before continuing our descent to our final campsite on the mountain. We were exhausted, but we reveled in our accomplishment. It will take time to process everything that unfolded on the longest day, but we can all confidently agree this was the experience of a lifetime. Would any of us do it again? Cannot guarantee!
~ Jeff & Ben Krieger
MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW
Summit is around a 11 to 16 hour day. Climbers go to sleep after an early dinner the night before and are woken up around midnight to being their summit attempt. After a light snack, they ascent into darkness, cold, and wind. Temperatures usually range from -4° to 5° fahrenheit. This is where climbers feel the altitude, so they’ll carry as little as possible, hike slowly, and take many rests to ease the symptoms. They’ll make their way up a trail that is flanked by the Ratzel and Rebman Glaciers. After climbing for around six hours, they’ll reach the edge of Kilimanjaro’s crater between Stella and Hans Meyer Points. They’re just an hour from the summit when they get here! After a hot cup of tea and rest, they’ll begin climbing on a rocky and icy trail to the summit, Uhuru Peak, at 19,344 feet which is the highest point on the continent of Africa. Once they reach the summit, they’ll spend a few minutes making sure they touch the sign, celebrating with the group, and taking pictures before descending to Kosovo Camp. Once they reach camp, they’ll eat lunch and take a short nap before continuing their descent to Mweka Camp. Once they arrive at camp, they’ll have dinner and go to bed early after a 13 to 19 hour day of hiking!
MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS
ASCENT
Starting elevation 16,000 feet
Ending elevation 19,344 feet
Elevation gain 3,344 feet
Distance hiked 4.5 miles
Average hiking time 8 to 10 hours
DESCENT
Starting elevation 19,344 feet
Ending elevation 10,200 feet
Elevation loss 9,144 feet
Distance hiked 8 miles
Average hiking time 7 to 9 hours