It’s hard to believe, but it has already been 3 weeks since 10 climbers summited Mount Kilimanjaro for the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation. After months of training, organizing and fundraising, we all met, some for the first time, in Moshi, Tanzania to begin our climb.
Below is Kilimanjaro as I experienced it. (I know it's a bit long, but hopefully it's worth the read).
INTRODUCTIONS
Sunday, June 20
9 of the 10 climbers meet in Nairobi, Kenya. Introductions were made, some pleasantries were exchanged and within a few hours, we were behaving as if we’d all known each other forever. It’s not that surprising since we all already share at least 2 things in common: our friend Aimee-Noel Hartley and a belief in the power to make a difference. Our 10th climber met us the next day in Tanzania.
GETTING THERE
Monday, June 21
After a good night’s sleep, we all crammed ourselves into a bus from Nairobi, Kenya to Moshi, Tanzania. It was a tight fit and a bumpy and dusty ride, and although there were moments when we were positive that the suspension was going to give and our luggage fly off the roof, we made it safely.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Tuesday, June 22
The ultimate reason that our group of 10 came together in Africa was to make a difference – to represent the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation and demonstrate what it stands for. And so, we took a day trip to a small village in the foothills of Kilimanjaro to spend the day with the kids.
It was an amazing experience – seeing hundreds of kids happy to play soccer and hold your hand. I became friends with 7 year old Moussa who was supposed to be the goalie. Our friendship almost cost Moussa’s team a few goals and him the respect of his teammates, but it was worth it to hear him count to 10 in English.
THE CLIMB
Day 1: Wednesday, June 23
Machame Gate (1500m) to Machame Camp (3000m)
Habitat: Rainforest
As we set out to begin our climb of Kilimanjaro, everyone was in good spirits. We were energized and ready to begin what represented the biggest challenge many of us had tackled.
We walked for about 6 hours through the rainforest, surrounded by lush vegetation and a light mist. It was beautiful. We arrived at camp to discover that our team of porters had set up the tents and prepared dinner. Impressive.
As we ate our dinner, our Guide Antipas came into the dining tent. His took a few minutes to walk us through what the next day would look like, answer our questions and let us know how we were doing.
Antipas reminded us that as the days go on, we will begin to feel tired, that the altitude will begin to affect us and that we may lose our appetite. But what he wanted to get through to us is that these symptoms are not a death sentence. They are part of the process.
Antipas said, “You have the determination. That is why you are here. But now you must persevere.” It would only be days later that we would truly understand what this meant.
Day 2: Thursday, June 24
Machame camp (2980m) to Shira camp (3840m)
Habitat: Rainforest and Moorland
We got an early start, walking through the rainforest and transitioning into moorland. After walking for a few hours, we slowly got out of the clouds and got our first glimpse of the summit and the glaciers. It seemed so far away! We still had a lot of terrain to cover as we continued to circumnavigate the mountain from the Western Breach to the east.
We arrived at the camp to have an amazing view above the clouds. The weather was drier and comfortable and we were able to enjoy the afternoon outside relaxing.
Day 3: Friday, June 25
Shira Camp (at 3840m) to Lava Tower (at 4630m) to Barranco camp (at 3950m)
Habitat: Semi-desert
Over 8 hours, we transitioned from moorland to semi-desert. Most signs of vegetation disappeared and the terrain became rocky. I would say that most people still felt pretty good this day.
The sun was strong and we all did our best to make sure that we had sun screen protecting our faces, but it never occurred to us to protect our necks and ears. As the sun beat down on us, we all suffered pretty nasty sunburns on the left side of our necks and our ears that kept us awake as we tried to sleep. For the next week or so, my ears and neck molted … it was gross.
Day 4: Saturday, June 26
Barranco camp (3950m) to Barafu camp (4550m)
Habitat: Alpine desert
Day 4 was a day full of anticipation for most of us. We knew that after walking for 8 hours this day, we would begin our summit ascent over night and our concerns about making it to the top began to surface.
This day started out rough for me. We headed out in the morning and after walking for about a half an hour, we began to climb the Barranco Wall. It’s a pretty imposing wall to look at but nothing we couldn’t handle.
I felt physically capable to climb the wall, but about half way up, I became lightheaded and dizzy. I fought through it for a little while, but it became quickly apparent when I could not stand without holding on that something was wrong. With watchful eyes following my every move, I made it to the top of the wall. Once on solid ground, within a matter of seconds, the water bottles in my backpack were taken from me and my boyfriend was shoving a Reeses Peanut Butter cup in my mouth and forcing me to wash it down with electrolyte water.
And then, I broke down – yup, I spontaneously started crying. I wondered how I would make it to the top if I was getting lightheaded at 4500 meters. What would it be like at 5895m? But after a few minutes of rest, I began to feel better and made it through the rest of the day without incident.
Before the end of the day, our first climber got sick (no, it was not me). He first vomited around 4pm and would continue to vomit repeatedly for the next 30 hours.
We arrived at camp around 5pm. We ate quickly and were in bed by 7pm taking a short nap before we got up at 10pm to begin the summit climb.
Day 5: Saturday, June 26 - Sunday, June 27
(Summit attempt) Barafu camp (4550m) to Stella Point (5695 m) to Uhuru Peak (5895m) to Mweka Camp (3100m)
Habitat: Scree and Ice-capped summit
We awoke at 10pm to prepare for our summit climb. We had slept anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours. To say we were tired would be an understatement.
By 11pm, we were well on our way, scaling the rocks and making our way to the summit. We were walking under the bright moon light. As we looked up, we could see the head torches of other climbers moving slowly and steadily, an indication of where we were going.
The summit climb was by far the most challenging for all of us, physically and mentally. We had everything against us – accumulated fatigue, cold, wind, stress and oxygen levels of about 50%. Many of us were so exhausted that we felt that if we were to close our eyes, we might well fall asleep right there on the way. Every step was an effort, and any movement that required a physical exertion set our heart rates skyrocketing and demanded 15 seconds to recover. Something as simple as climbing a step seemed impossible. Part of the way, we were nothing more than drones moving along the path. As we got beat up by 20 mph winds and temperatures hovering around -30C/-22F with the wind-chill, we all encountered moments when we seriously questioned what we were doing.
Two of the climbers suffered much more than the others as they vomited repeatedly, about 12-15 times each. Our guides assured us that they would be ok to continue and the climbers pushed through it.
When we made it to the first peak, Stella Point (5685m), I knew that I could make it another 200m to the top. The sun began to rise and it was amazing. The deep red/orange hues slowly revealed the cloud line and as we continued walking, the rising sun revealed Uhuru Peak, our final destination.
I remember enjoying the view and being amazed at the opportunity I had to witness this first hand, but all I could focus on was moving forward and getting to Uhuru Peak.
At 7:00am on Sunday, June 27, all ten climbers reached Uhuru Peak! We had been warned by our guides that we wouldn’t want to linger and savor the moment, and the truth is that he was right. We were happy to take a few photos, enjoy the view and begin our descent.
A few hours later, we made it back to Barafu camp where we rested for a couple of hours, had some lunch and headed down to Mweka camp, where we arrived around 5pm.
In case you’ve gotten lost in the details, we essentially walked about 24 hours in a 32 hour period and slept about 3-5 hours. We were pretty tired.
Day 6: Monday, June 28
Mweka Camp (3100m) to Mweka Gate (1980m)
Habitat: Forest
Day 6 was amazing. We walked for about 3.5 hours down to the gates where we officially completed our climb. The walk was enjoyable and uneventful (but pretty rough on the knees and toes).
As excited as we were to have successfully completing our climb, we were all really excited to take our first shower in 6 days!
FAQ
Below are some of the questions that I’ve been asked most. I thought that I would share them with you all in case you are interested!
What was the weather like?
The weather varied as we ascended. The first day, it was mild but very damp as we were walking through the clouds hovering in the rain forest. The subsequent days were mild and dry. We underestimated the power of the sun and suffered sun burns of varying degrees. Generally, it was about 15C/59F during the day which was comfortable for walking. During the evening, though, it was quite chilly, getting down to 5C/41F.
What were the camps like?
The camps were a sea of tents. We were among many other groups climbing Kilimanjaro at the same time. The terrain changed from camp to camp, starting out in the damp rainforest, moving to the arid moorland to the rough and stony ridge.
What did you eat?
Given that everything we ate had to be carried up the mountain on someone’s head, it was a pretty impressive spread. Each morning we were fed porridge, eggs (scrambled or omelets), sausages, toast, fruit, coffee and hot water. Lunches were some sort of meat, fruit and vegetables. Dinners always began with soup and bread and were followed up with pasta with a vegetable sauce or some sort of meat. Dessert was always fruit. We even had watermelon on day 4 … of all things, the porters carried a watermelon on their head for 4 days.
Where did you get your water?
Our drinking water came from the streams on the mountain – usually run off from the glacier. The water was carried by the porters to the campsites and was used for cooking, for drinking water and also for water to wash our hands.
Some of the climbers used purifying drops and another had a UV stick that is supposed to kill any bacteria in the water. I went au natural and was fine.
What about the bathrooms?
Well … let’s just say that they left something to be desired. There were huts at all camp sites that were essentially old fashioned out houses. There were no toilets, no flushes, no chemicals treating the waste. There was just a hole in the ground, occasionally with some tile around it. I tried to use them but upon approaching the smell would send me heaving. Instead, I preferred to take my toilet paper and hide behind a rock.
What about hygiene?
We all started out with good intentions and a full package of wet wipes. But the truth of the matter is that after a day or two, you stop caring whether you smell or if you’ve brushed your teeth.
Did anyone get sick?
The climbers suffered any number of ailments including:
Nausea
Vomiting
Headaches
Constipation
Diarrhea
Dehydration
Dizziness
Frost bite (from the summit climb)
How was the summit?
The summit was amazing and beautiful. As the sun rises, you begin to see the impressive glacier in all its glory. The weather is cold but not nearly as windy as during the climb.
Everyone lines up to take pictures in front of the infamous Uhuru Peak sign and you have to be quick and to the point because there are other groups of freezing climbers waiting to get their quick shots and start heading down.
As we began to head down, I found myself with about 10 meters separating me from the closest person in front and behind me. I enjoyed the moment and celebrated reaching the top by reaching into the inside pocket of my coat and taking out a Reeses Peanut Butter cup. It never tasted better than at that moment. I savored my success before catching up with the others.
Why do you climb to the summit during the night?
There are 2 reasons that we were given for climbing at night.
1. The sunrise is amazing and people love to see it. I’ll go along with that – it was pretty fantastic.
2. When climbers can see what they are climbing, some get discouraged and will not make it to the summit. Apparently, it is believed that since we can’t really tell what lies ahead, we trust the process and push forward.
What would have happened if you couldn’t make it to the summit?
It does happen that climbers can’t make it to the top. Some get sick, some even die. But these cases are rare. In fact, most people who don’t succeed in getting to the top already have a preexisting condition (known or unknown) that hinders them.
On summit night, we had 6 guides with the 10 climbers. If one of us needed to make our way back down, we would have been accompanied by an experienced guide.
About 20% of all climbers do not make it to Uhuru Peak. Some of the climbers don’t even attempt the summit climb and some of the climbers stop at Stella Point (200m before Uhuru).
How did you deal with the altitude?
9/10 climbers were taking Diamox, a prescription pill used to treat altitude sickness. There are varying views on if the drug works and if/when to take it, but I started taking it 2 days prior to the climb. I suffered no altitude sickness – meaning I didn’t have headache, nausea or vomiting. Whether it’s because of the Diamox or if I wouldn’t have gotten sick will never be known, and the truth is I don’t really care. What matters is that I didn’t get sick.
The only negative side effect of the Diamox is that it makes you urinate … a lot … so taking it in the evening when you were planning to go to bed was a bad idea, unless you didn’t mind crawling out of your tent into the freezing temperatures a couple of times. I learned this early on; a very valuable lesson.
Who carried your things up the mountain?
For each climber, there are 3 porters. The porters are amazing and inspiring. As the climbers congratulate themselves for completing such a feat, we can’t help but feel small next to the incredible porters who carry climbers’ things over and over again up the mountain.
The porters carry each climbers’ rucksacks. The rucksacks contain our clothes, snacks, sleeping bags, mattresses and other miscellaneous things we’ve brought along for the climb. The bags weigh about 15kg/33lb each. And the porters carry them on their heads.
The porters also carry the tents, tables, chairs, food and water. They carry all of this on their heads too.
But it gets even more impressive. The porters are often poorly equipped – they are wearing loafers or sneakers. They aren’t always wearing good clothing. They receive no training. Yet each and every day, they get up before us, prepare our food, wait for us to leave, take down the tents and pack up the camp site and set off. They pass us on the way and get to the next camp site before us so that when we arrive, the camp site is set and dinner is ready.
What equipment did you need?
What’s most important is synthetic clothing that keeps the moisture away from your skin.
We had the following equipment:
- Hiking boots
- Day pack – weighed about 5kg/11lbs with miscellaneous things for the day, such as snacks, sunscreen and water
- Sleeping bag (at least -15C/5F)
- Mattress
- Walking poles (I rented these)
- Gaiters to keep the mud off your pants (I rented these)
- Rain coat, winter coat, wind jacket, wind pants, ski pants, warm socks
- Balaclava – I hesitated on this one, but it was absolutely the best investment I made. On the summit climb, it was so cold and windy that the balaclava made all the difference in protecting my face. 2 climbers who didn’t have a balaclava got frost bite on their lips and nose.
PICTURES
No trip to Kilimanjaro is complete without a photo diary to accompany it. Please enjoy pictures of this extraordinary experience.
View Photo Album
View Slideshow>
FUNDRAISING UPDATE
I am proud to say that collectively, we have raised over $70,000 for the Strachan Hartley Legacy Foundation. Thanks to your generosity, my personal fundraising is over $12,000! I cannot begin to express how grateful for your generosity and support of the SHLF.
If you would still like to make a donation, I invite you to visit my
personal fundraising page
All on-line donations will receive a tax receipt.
Thank you for all of your support and encouragement. This has been a truly life changing experience and to have been able to raise so much money doing it is inspiring.
All the best,
Trish
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