July 9, 2011
The approach. (Photo by Terry McClain)
IMG senior guide Jason Edwards called on the sat phone to report that the team was doing well, and had reached 10,000 feet. The weather has been excellent, with clear skies, but they were still glad that they brought rubber boots for the trek, since there has been plenty of sloppy footing.
When I asked him about the terrain they were dealing with, he said Machame X 3, meaning three times tougher than the trip to 10,000 feet on Kilimanjaro! So far they have waded across a river, scrambled across slabby rock, climbed over logs, and bushwhacked through the forest. He said that the Dani porters were tough as nails and totally at home in this environment.
So far so good!
Eric Simonson