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

Waking up in the mist is something that I will not soon forget. Sleeping in the clouds was a surreal experience. Today was shorter and steeper than yesterday, but it was a really good day. Once we got out of the clouds we got our first real look at where we are going. Man was that awe inspiring. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Mount Meru started to peak through the clouds behind us.

The hike itself felt like being on a stair master for hours. The mantra “polé, polé” kept running through my mind. Slowly, slowly we made our way to camp.

Once we got to camp we were greeted to a beautiful sunset. Seeing the sun set from above the clouds is a completely different experience that everyone should experience once in their lives.

Dinner was excellent as always. But the most spectacular moment of the day for me was seeing the Milky Way rise over Kilimanjaro. We had just enough moonlight to light up the snowpack on the peak without drowning out the Milky Way. It was a humbling experience.

So far every step of the way has been humbling on this mountain. Tomorrow we climb higher than I have ever climbed before. How exciting.

~ Tevin Jones