Day 4: Climb to Shira Camp

MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW

Today is a shorter day that starts with climbing up a steep ridge to a small cliff named Picnic Rock. Climbers will start in the moorland zone which is above the rainforest and clouds. As our climbers hike up the steep ridge, they’ll be rewarded with a sweeping view of Machame Camp and Machame Village. The air will become increasingly thin as they reach the halfway point and vegetation will slowly give way to black lava and sand. The trail continues up and up pst small mountain streams, rocky walls, and deep ravines. Shira Camp is in the middle of the Shira Plateau. Climbers will have views of Mount Meru and Kibo from camp is the weather is good!!

MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS

Starting elevation 9,900 feet

Ending elevation 12,500 feet

Elevation gain 2,600 feet

Distance hiked 5 miles

Average hiking time 5 to 7 hours

Today on day 2 of the climb, we hiked from machame camp to shira camp, out of the rainforest and up into the heather. The vegetation got shorter as we gained wider views of the spectacularly vast mountain ahead of us and the blanket of clouds behind us.

We woke up this morning with a great view of uhuru peak and finished with an even better view at camp as the sunset reflected off the great rock face.

Some highs from the day were seeing the group gracefully advance from walking a wide trail in the rainforest to traversing rocks with sure footing, hearing Augustine’s loud lion roar behind me out of nowhere that almost caused me to trip over a rock, and periodically stopping to hear John Simon’s vast knowledge of the mountains and all the plants. The only low from today would be smacking my head against the underside of a rock trying to take a picture under a waterfall (all is okay though).

I attempted this climb 8 years ago when I was 14 and climbing it again reminds me how crazy of an experience this is. Our group commits to being on the mountain for this 7 day journey, placing all trust in our awesome guides to get us to the top, while our incredibly strong porters dash past us each day carrying everything we’ll need at camp. I’m blessed to be back on this special mountain and to share it with our team, guides, and porters all while getting to know each other better as we take it pole pole all the way!

⁃ Matt Knowles