July 10, 2016

Kilimanjaro from Mweka Camp

Charlotte and team are off the mountain and back at the hotel in Moshi.  Everyone’s happy and healthy, nursing sore knees with burgers and Kilimanjaro beer.

Steve and Tiffany are on their way home tonight with Mark and Lauren heading home in the morning.  Charlotte will be taking off to climb Meru for the next couple of days.  It’s been a great trip with great climbers.  No safari this trip but Charlotte remains ‘psyched’ to meet our next team and climb Kilimanjaro when she returns from Mt. Meru.  Yes, it is that much fun.

Phil Ershler

July 9, 2016

“Jumping for Joy” on the summit of Kilimanjaro (from a prior trip)

Received two sat phone calls from Charlotte in the last 24 hours.  The first (evening of the 8^th, PT) was to let us know that everyone was standing on the top of Africa and the second (this morning, the 9^th) was to let us know that everyone was down at Mweka Camp (10,000 ft.), tired, fed and ready for a well-deserved sleep.  The hike out will take around 4 hrs. tomorrow and they’ll be getting showers, putting on clean clothes, eating and drinking, a bunch, and telling a lot of ‘war stories’ as they celebrate their success with a final team dinner.

Our congratulations to Mark and Lauren, Stephen and Tiffany for being super team members and for climbing with Charlotte and our Chagga crew to the summit of Kilimanjaro.  They totally nailed this one!

Phil Ershler

July 8, 2016

Sunrise on the way to the top.

I was at Starbucks when Charlotte called this morning.  Team’s at high camp (Barafu), packed up, fed and hydrated and ready to get up around midnight and head to the summit.  “Healthy, strong and gung ho” was Charlotte’s description of her team.  Weather remains good and we’ll let you know how they do on their summit attempt tomorrow.   Altitude is always tough and nothing is ever a sure thing at 19,000 ft, so we still keep our fingers crossed and wish them a safe, successful and enjoyable climb tomorrow.

Phil Ershler

July 7, 2016

Chaggas getting it done!

Another great day.  Right out of camp is the Barranco Wall – a couple of hours of fun scrambling and trying to figure out how the Chagga porters do it with a load balanced on their heads.  Then, it’s down, up, down and up and you’re at Karanga Camp (13,500 ft).  One of the advantages of doing a 7 day itinerary is that you have 2 relatively short days getting into high camp.  Weather remains great and everyone remains healthy.  Everything’s as it should be.

Phil Ershler

July 6, 2016

Barranco Camp

Barranco Camp (13,000 ft) is by far and away the most scenic camp on Kilimanjaro.  That’s where our team is sleeping now.  They had another day of great weather and no problems.  Group remains healthy, strong and totally psyched.

Phil Ershler

July 5, 2016

Shira Plateau Camp

“Great weather, a belly full of fried chicken and everyone feeling great” – the infamous words of IMG guide Charlotte Austin as she checked in via sat phone this morning (Seattle time here and bed time there).  They are at Shira Camp, approx. 12,500ft. and it’s the first night with completely unobstructed views of the mountain.  Her message says it all!

Phil Ershler

July 4, 2016

Next stop Machame Camp.

Charlotte was on the sat phone with me at about 8 am (Seattle time) to let me know the team reached Machame Camp (10,000’) in great style.  Good everything – team and weather.  Nothing to do but simply enjoy.  We wished each other a happy 4^th of July and she got back to work.  Couldn’t be going better in Tanzania.

Phil Ershler