Kilimanjaro
My face, nose, lips are numb; my feet, my hands, they feel frozen. Most of all, I can’t breathe. No . . . I’m breathing, but there isn’t enough air and I feel like I’m sucking what little air there is through a cocktail straw. Three, four, five steps; stop; breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe. Altitude sickness – it’s been with me since about 17,000 ft. I figure. My stomach’s churning and head’s pounding. I have to stop every 20-30 steps to keep from heaving. But Chi Chi, my guide, says I’ll be fine: What’s happening to me is “normal.” I thought that what I had been living through in the months leading up to this trek was tough . . . Ha, what did I know?!
Three years ago, I summited Mt. Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route. The feat was the culmination of years of development from a former couch potato to a hiker of mountains. In the six months leading up to the trip to Tanzania, several big things in my life went very sideways. I had every reason to not make the trip; there’s was so much that needed to be taken care of in other areas of my life. So for me, summiting Kilimanjaro was more than just reaching the top of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. It was the embodiment of my belief in me and an affirmation that I could do ANYTHING I set my mind to.
In celebration of that life changing event, I’ve posted a new gallery on estawillmanphotography.com – Mt. Kilimanjaro. Below are some excerpts from my trip journal:
1/19/2013 – Jamie and I are sitting in the Amsterdam airport, our flight to Kilimanjaro delayed . . . Gives me time to think about what lies ahead. My hope for this trip is that I gain greater life perspective . . . build inner strength and character. I hope to take each moment with appreciation and gratitude for the blessings that have brought me here to stand upon the summit, the Roof of Africa, and to take away a sense of accomplishment, strength, gratitude and wonder.
1/20/2013 - After our flight delay, we arrived in Moshi only to discover that Jamie’s bag with her essential gear was lost! The response of the ClimbKili team was “hakuna matata” . . . no worries . . . ha, easy for them to say! We’ve pieced together what she’ll need in case her bag doesn’t arrive . . . I am so proud of her good attitude! She’s such a good sport. The Tanzanian people are so friendly and really live life in their own time. No hurry, no worry. Some Swahili learned today: asante sana – thank you very much; karibu – you’re welcome.
1/21/2013 - Jamie’s gear arrived! We met the rest of the ClimbKili team and our hiking group today and, after loading up the caravan, started for the mountain. There’re nine of us hiking with I can’t tell you how many porters, cooks and guides. There’re nearly eighty of us in all I think. . . . We registered at the Park station, gear was divided among the porters and we continued toward the start of the trek . . . the road became impassible a few miles before the start of the trail, so we had a longer than usual trek today, but a slow pace, “pole, pole”. . . we arrived at camp at nearly dark and had our tents set up by headlamp.
While standing in the rainforest waiting for my tent to go up, some things crawled up my pant legs and started biting me! When I stripped off my zip away pant legs to get the stinging little beasts off me, I discovered huge black jungle ants! One huge ant, almost ¾ inch long, had its pinchers embedded into the skin of my knee and he wouldn’t let go! In the battle between me and the ant, well, I eventually won. What a way to end my first day in the jungle - freaked me out a bit - reminded me of all those TV shows about jungle ants eating things alive! Swahili today: jambo – hello; poa – cool (porters said “poa” in response to my “jambo”); and, of course, pole pole – slowly slowly.
1/22/2013 – The trek from the rainforest to the health zone was amazing. We saw Colubus monkeys, beautiful flowers like none I’d seen before, thick green vegetation and moss . . . the bird and bug song were incredible. As we entered the health zone . . . it was there, as we rounded a hillside, that we got our first glimpse of Kibo, rising majestically above the Shira Plateau . . . clouds rolling in from the valley added to the magic and excitement.
Each evening after the hike for the day, the nine of us hikers and our guides gather in the meal tent for a popcorn snack and then dinner. It’s fun to be with these new friends, learning who they are, talking and laughing over the day’s events and what’s yet to come. We've given each other trail names. I'm Gadget Girl. Jamie's Ice. The lead guide, Emanuel, is so helpful and provides great information and calm reassurances. I feel great! I feel blessed, happy and thankful to be here.
1/23/2013 – Today we moved camp from Shira to Moir Hut Camp. My stomach was upset most of the day and I had to step off the trail a couple of times, nice. My headache wouldn’t go away . . . felt punky all day. I’m trying to drink plenty . . . We’re at 13,500 ft. so it’s certainly partly due to altitude, though I’ve never had trouble with altitude before. If I have trouble tomorrow with Lava Tower at 15,200 ft. I’ll have to consider taking the Diamox . . . Today we walked from the heath, through the moorland, into the alpine desert. The ground is dark with volcanic rock in stark contrast to the blue skies above . . . Predictably each afternoon the clouds come up from the Barranco Valley. It’s a beautiful sight. The mountain is magnificent. I can’t believe I’m here.
1/24/2013 – Left Moir camp under sunny skies for the trek to Lava Tower . . . views of Kibo to the left and Mt. Meru to the right were breathtaking . . . the clouds started rolling in as we reached Lava Tower. I feel great today. I must be acclimating . . . I’ve been to my highest yet at 15,200 ft.! The trek down from Lava Tower was rainy, wet and cold. I’m still cold in my tent and thinking I will be cold from now on. I just tell myself its temporary and worth it . . . I am so fortunate to have this opportunity. The Barranco Valley is lush and beautiful . . . It has started to snow, ugh. I hope climbing the Barranco Wall isn’t too slippery tomorrow.
1/25/2013 – Life on the mountain is boiled down to necessities followed by comradery as we make our way to the summit. My body is acclimating. I have gone from an O2 sat of 78% at 13,000 ft. to 90% now. We left Barranco camp under sunny skies and climbed the Barranco Wall! I was so scared! (I’m terrified of heights.) There are places of complete exposure with long drops . . .The human traffic was very heavy with trekkers and porters alike making their way to the top of the wall, jostling and passing one another. At one point, I looked straight up and the line of climbers directly above me, I mean directly above me, was just too much . . . I thought that if just one of them slipped and fell, many of us would be pulled off the face of the wall with them. But we all made it. And I am amazed with myself. I was literally shaking at times with fear, but I pushed through . . . We arrived at Karanga camp cold and in cloud cover, of course . . .
Tomorrow is the big day, day six: We hike to Barafu camp at 15,287 ft. where we’ll rest in the afternoon/evening and begin the summit trek at about 11:00 pm. We hope to reach the 19,341 ft. summit, a climb of 4,054 ft., by sunrise on 1/27. Immediately after summiting, we return to Barafu camp, rest for a short time, and then begin the long trek down to Mweka camp at 10,204 ft. – a decent of 9,137 ft. It will be a long and tiring two days that will run together with no real sleep. I miss my family. I keep getting teary and emotional. This is a big deal. I am proud of myself. Until tomorrow, its lights out.
1/26/2013 – We made it to Barafu camp. My pack is ready. My clothing is laid out, five layers. I’m in my tent. It’s snowing outside and thundering in the distance. I pray that it stops because I’m so cold. The cold is the only “bad” thing really. I enjoy the hiking and have adjusted to the altitude. Whoever called this trek a “walk in the park” must’ve been Hercules or a polar bear. The altitude is extreme; the cold is unrelenting; the hiking is steep and slippery in places; the only thing that keeps me from being wiped out each day is the super slow pace - pole, pole; the trek is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, and that’s before attempting the summit. This is not to be underestimated.
At the beginning of the journey, the nine of us hikers were strangers. Through the experiences of these six days together, where the only place to get warm other than one’s own tent is the meal tent, we have come to glimpse a side of each other that probably few in our lives have seen. Who am I? This person who eagerly puts herself through this discomfort, all to stand atop a mountain? And then I think of these Tanzanian’s who do this week in and week out with huge loads on their backs as a means to earn a living. Being a porter is a tough life. These men (and I have only seen men) are strong and agile and some of the hardest working, best natured men I have ever seen. My respect and appreciation go out to them.
More thunder in the distance. Emanuel wasn’t optimistic about the weather clearing. I’m scared and nervous of the cold. I can’t let my down layers get wet, that would be disastrous. This weather could be my worst fears come true. I will make it though. I am prepared. I will make it . . . time to rest.
1/29/2013 – I made it!!! We have been so busy since the 26th; I haven’t had time to journal! When I stepped outside my tent at 10:45 on the 26th, the weather had miraculously cleared and everything was frozen; a thin layer of glistening ice crystals covered everything. The first part of the trek was a steep rock scramble by the light of the full moon, followed by never-ending vertical switchbacks. The angle of rise had to have been at least 45 degrees. It was cold and windy. Even wearing five layers, I was the coldest I’ve ever been. I was afraid to stop moving. About half way up I began to wonder about frost bite on exposed skin, like my lips and nose.
At about 17,000 feet I started to feel like I was suffocating. The smallest exertion left me gasping for air. Each step was slow and exhausting . . . the smallest effort caused extreme nausea. Chi Chi stayed with me step for step . . . If not for his encouragement and insistence that I keep moving I might not have made it. Reaching Stella Point, on the crater rim, was such a relief. I still had a 45 minute hike to Uhuru Peak, but the going was much easier.
To get photos, I had to keep digging my camera out from under all the layers of clothing. (Note: Camera batteries freeze in the extreme cold at the peak. Many in our group didn’t get photos of their summit because their cameras froze. I feel fortunate that my little Olympus Stylus point-n-shoot continued to function at the top. What a terrific camera!)
. . . I reached the top at 6:22 am, in time to witness sunrise from the Roof of Africa! What a beautiful sight! And the glaciers of the Southern Ice Field, well, I had eagerly anticipated witnessing the passage of time evidenced in the glacial layers. I wasn’t disappointed; the glaciers were unlike anything I had seen. It was overwhelming. I was so grateful for such an experience . . . We didn’t stay long before we began the long journey down . . .
As I look back, I remember this trek was some of the toughest hiking I’d done. Actually, it’s one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, period. I know that compared to the demands of the world’s higher peaks, Kilimanjaro is “childs play.” But for me, this was a big deal, a life changer. Everything I had hoped for at the start of the trip came to be: I returned a changed person with an increased understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses, a keen sense of gratitude for my life’s blessings and a better perspective of my place in the world. On my return home, I told a friend that it was like, “God had picked me up, given me a gentle little shake and set me down again. Everything about me felt settled, in the right place, physically, emotionally, spiritually.” It is an experience and accomplishment that I will keep with me to the end of my days.
If you’ve made it to the end of this long post having read the whole thing, thank you. Please visit the gallery I have added for Mt. Kilimanjaro to see more of the photos I took with my Olympus Stylus camera.
