Day 6: Climb to Karanga Camp
After a challenging third day of hiking that pushed us both physically and mentally we started our day to the sight of the sun rising behind the mountain peak behind us. Our mission today was to conquer Baranco Wall which many of us found challenging yet fun and it brought Isaac back to life as he struggled with altitude sickness the day before.
Resting atop Baranco Wall was satisfying and helped us feel like we were making progress on a journey that was starting to feel like it would never end. A few more hours of hiking brought us to Karanga camp. Although many of us have a reduced appetite our incredible chefs served us pizza and tomato ginger soup that was irresistible!
It really is remarkable what our porters accomplish on a daily basis. We are all exhausted and we do not do half of the work they put in. This journey would not be possible without our Beyond Adventure team.
We finished the evening with great fellowship around the dinner table and went to bed early mentally preparing for our most challenging day to come… Summit Day!
-Nick LeTarte
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MOUNTAIN ROUTE OVERVIEW
After breakfast, one of the biggest challenges for our climbers begins. They’ll climb up and over the Great Barranco Wall. Getting to the top of it will take 1 to 2 hours. After the wall, climbers will cross a barren and rocky plateau with views of Kibo and three glaciers before descending into Karanga Camp. As they cross the plateau on a trail of gravel and sand, climbers will pass streams and giant boulders for 2 to 3 hours. As they walk into camp, they have a good view of tomorrow’s route. They’ll get to camp by lunch. But this short day is planned for resting which helps with acclimatization!
MOUNTAIN ROUTE STATS
Starting elevation 12,900 feet | Ascend 14,000 feet to the top of Baranco Wall
Ending elevation 13,300 feet at Karanga Camp
Net elevation gain 400 feet
Distance hiked 3 miles
Average hiking time 4 to 6 hours