June 29, 2015

Top of Africa

Always nice to be able to report on another successful Kilimanjaro summit.  The team is already well on their way down to Mweka Camp at 10,000’.  Summit day is a long one.  The first goal is Stella Point, where the route first reaches the Crater.  Then it another hour to the true summit at Uhuru and time for team and individual photos.  The journey from there is as much mental as it is physical.  Not easy, after a demanding climb, to make that 180 degree turn and hike back down to high camp at 15,300’.  Even after lunch and a short rest, you still have to ‘suck it up’ to put that pack back on and get down to the land of the thick air at Mweka Camp, 10,000’.

Tomorrow’s a relatively short day’s hike, maybe 4-5 hours, to the Mweka Gate.  Lunch will be waiting for the team and so will be the vehicles to get them back to the hotel and hot showers.  They’re staying focused now until tomorrow afternoon and then they’ll relax and let the climb and summit sink in.

Congratulations, team.

Phil Ershler

June 28, 2015

Sunrise High on Kilimanjaro

 
Spoke with Andy Politz early this morning, Pacific time. Everyone’s at high camp, Barafu, and ready to make a summit attempt in the early morning. Nice thing about our seven day itinerary, http://www.mountainguides.com/kilimanjaro-itin.shtml, is that the day moving to high camp is short, which allows us to arrive early in the afternoon and not overly tired. It is, of course, at over 15,000 ft. which isn’t easy on anyone.

Lots of hydrating, eating, resting and packing are on the agenda now with a very early bedtime. Wake up will be at midnight. Weather’s good so wish everyone luck.

Phil Ershler

June 26, 2015

Barranco Camp

A longer, but good day is in the books.  The terrain heading up from Shira Camp is gradual but just keeps coming at you.  They head pretty much straight towards the mountain from camp and then bang a hard right at a place called the Lava Tower.  From there, it’s pretty much all down to Baranco Camp.  Views will keep getting better.  A bit of ‘soup’ now but that was nice for walking.  No real ‘precip’ and it kept the dust down.  Winds have been quite low.  They’ll have a knock your socks off view when the soup does lift.

Phil Ershler

June 25, 2015

Day 2 on the trail took the team to Shira Camp at an altitude of about 12,500’.  Nice in that you have unobstructed views of the mountain.  Andy reported that the youngsters were, by far, outperforming the ‘oldsters’.  Well done, gang.

Tomorrow’s long, with the group heading up to about 14,500’ before dropping back down to Baranco Camp,at about 13,000’.  Nothing steep but just more distance to travel.  Pretty ideal from an acclimatization perspective.

As we often say – “so far, so good”.

Phil Ershler

June 24, 2015

And They Are Off

Combine a great group of climbers and a great guide like Andy Politz and it’s just hard to miss.  A couple of super nice families filled most of our 22 June Kilimanjaro departure.  Several teenagers in the group, too, and they’re all “tearing it up”.  They’re moving right along with zero issues.  People arrived and bags arrived right on schedule and they’ve completed their first day on the trail today.  4,000 vertical foot gain took them to the Machame camp at 10,000 ft.  First day is a big one and the views just get better each day.

Phil Ershler