We made it! After weeks of anticipation, Reuben and I made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro at 6:42am on January 12. They say Kilimanjaro is one of the most underestimated mountains in the world, and I completely believe it...our summit push was one of the more mentally and physically challenging things I've done. After 5 days on the mountain, we woke at 10pm to start our summit hike. After 7-8 hours of slowly trudging uphill in 10deg F weather with 40mph winds, we arrived at the summit just in time for sunrise and stunning views. We covered 4000ft of elevation in those 8 hours, and in the next 8 hours, we descended 10,000 ft. One of the longest hiking days in memory.
At the top of Africa
There's really too many stories for me to post on the blog, but I will make a note about our climbing crew and the experience. Between Reuben and I, we had a staff of roughly 12 guides, cooks, porters and other helpers who ushered us up the mountain. They carried fresh fruit, water, camp chairs, tents, sleeping pads, and most of our things. For Reuben and I, this was a luxury camping experience... we're used to carrying our own things, cooking our own food and setting up our own tents when we backpack. We had 2 guides who hiked with us during the day and pointed out interesting facts about the mountain and African life in general. When we arrived to camp, our sleeping tent and mess tent were up, and fresh popcorn and hot tea were waiting for us. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner usually consisted of fresh vegetables or fruits, local honey and peanut butter, hot chocolate, and LOTS of carbohydrates. I am grateful to our crew from Team Kilimanjaro for taking such good care of us.. we wouldn't have made it without their support. I can't say enough good things about this little company, they know the mountain well and are well respected on the mountain.
Team Kilimanjaro Website
Kilimanjaro Climb Photos
Safari Photos
Our crew from Team Kilimanjaro
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