Day 1: We reach base camp of around 9,350 ft. Climb is through the rain forest. Start to get above the tree line. Camp is cold and I'm feeling sick. The night sky is like nothing I have ever seen. Feel like you are in the stars with being so close and no light pollution.
Day 2: Managed not to throw up last night. Was freezing cold. Eating was hard. Today is a steep climb day. We break above the tree line and the landscape changes drastically. Feeling much better at night. Reach Shira camp 12,500 ft
Day 3: We are climatetizing today. We make our way to Lava Rock around 15,000 ft. Air is thin. Hard to breath. It starts to rain as we decent to camp at 13k to help get ready for the day from hell tomorrow. Summit day.
Day 4: We are up at 7 am. Mussa (The guide) Tells me we have to climb Barranco wall aka breakfest wall. I think hes joking. Hes not.
Barranco Wall
This looks insaine but we do it. Climb is hard. We get to Summit base camp, Barafu, which is 15, 331 ft up at around 4pm. We set up eat and rest for a few hours. Then we wake up at 11PM, dress and start the hardest climb to make it up to the summit after climbing all day at night with the wind howling. So hard its knocking you over almost. Its now midnight.
Day5: Summit continued. Its now around Midnight. We are climbing by headlamps. I stop and I start violently vomiting. The issue here is that altitude sickness can be bad. It can causes swelling of the brain and vomiting is a sign but I think its just food. Mussa asks if I wanna keep going and I say heck yes! I am not stopping. We reach Stella point at 5:30 am which is where Machame and the Marangu meet. Mussa says we have 1 hour more and hugs me. I start ballin. I cant tell you the feeling of pride I felt. I'm pushing to the summit as the sun rises. The glaciers light up as we summit at 6:20 am. We are the first people to reach summit. Its amazing. Words cant descripe so hopefully the pictures below can
Glaciers
Glaciers
Landscape
UHURU Peak- 19,333 ft Highest free standing Moutain in the world
We stay at the top for maybe 10 Minitues. Its freezing. I have on more layers then I care to count. We start to desecent and pass other climbers making the final trek. Its around 4 hours back to base camp.
Summit Base Camp- 15,331 ft
We get there at 11 am, rest for 1 hours time then have to go another 4 hours to the next camp. So we are going for around 22 hours now on a few hours sleep. We get down and crash! Its around 6 PM to the lower camp, same day as we summited.
Day 6: Its a quick trek down. We get back and I sign the book that I made it. Happiest and most proud I have felt. Back in Moshi Kimmy takes me out to an awesome Dinner in town . Get home, shower for the first time in a week and crash.
It was a good week :o)
Machame route
Barranco Wall
This looks insaine but we do it. Climb is hard. We get to Summit base camp, Barafu, which is 15, 331 ft up at around 4pm. We set up eat and rest for a few hours. Then we wake up at 11PM, dress and start the hardest climb to make it up to the summit after climbing all day at night with the wind howling. So hard its knocking you over almost. Its now midnight.
Day5: Summit continued. Its now around Midnight. We are climbing by headlamps. I stop and I start violently vomiting. The issue here is that altitude sickness can be bad. It can causes swelling of the brain and vomiting is a sign but I think its just food. Mussa asks if I wanna keep going and I say heck yes! I am not stopping. We reach Stella point at 5:30 am which is where Machame and the Marangu meet. Mussa says we have 1 hour more and hugs me. I start ballin. I cant tell you the feeling of pride I felt. I'm pushing to the summit as the sun rises. The glaciers light up as we summit at 6:20 am. We are the first people to reach summit. Its amazing. Words cant descripe so hopefully the pictures below can
Glaciers
Glaciers
Landscape
UHURU Peak- 19,333 ft Highest free standing Moutain in the world
We stay at the top for maybe 10 Minitues. Its freezing. I have on more layers then I care to count. We start to desecent and pass other climbers making the final trek. Its around 4 hours back to base camp.
Summit Base Camp- 15,331 ft
We get there at 11 am, rest for 1 hours time then have to go another 4 hours to the next camp. So we are going for around 22 hours now on a few hours sleep. We get down and crash! Its around 6 PM to the lower camp, same day as we summited.
Day 6: Its a quick trek down. We get back and I sign the book that I made it. Happiest and most proud I have felt. Back in Moshi Kimmy takes me out to an awesome Dinner in town . Get home, shower for the first time in a week and crash.
It was a good week :o)
Machame route
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Wow, what an exhilarating sense of accomplishment!! Makes being sick so worth it...miss you!
ReplyDeleteHey Ryan---Keep up the wonderful commentary--I'm jealous and proud that you're experiencing such awesome feats. Love ya, Aunt KAthy
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