December 28, 2014

The view from Stella Point looking across to Uhuru

IMG guide Max Bunce called to report that the entire team reached top! They hit the crater rim at Stella Point, then traversed around to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. Weather was excellent. The descent also went well, and they have now descended safely to Mweka Camp. After a well-earned rest, they will be heading for the Mweka Gate where they will say goodbye to their Chagga porters and staff, and climb aboard the vehicles for the drive back to Moshi for a celebration dinner.

Eric Simonson

December 25, 2014

Looking up at the glaciers from the Karanga camp (Eric Simonson)

IMG guide Max Bunce called on the sat phone to say that the team had a beautiful Christmas hike today. They got up early and were rewarded by being among the first on the trail up the Barranco Wall. This is the steepest part of the climb and is very spectacular. The weather was clear and they had great views of the glaciers, before continuing around to the Karanga camp. This will be their third night spent in the 12-13,000 foot range, which is excellent for acclimatization. Tomorrow they will ascend to the 15,000 ft Barafu Camp and prepare to for the summit bid.

Eric Simonson

December 24, 2014

Barranco Camp and Breach Wall (Eric Simonson)

The Barranco Camp at 13,000 feet is one of the most spectacular places to pitch a tent on Kili, with the Breach Wall above and plenty of strange plants in the area. Max called to say that the team reached here today. They had a little rain along the way, but it cleared up by the evening. Tomorrow they will get an early start to get up the lower Barranco Wall before the clouds come in. There is a great viewpoint up there of the glaciers which descend from the south side of the mountain.

Eric Simonson

December 23, 2014

IMG guide Max Bunce called in to say the the team had reached over 12,000 feet up on the Shira Plateau.  The weather was nice today and they had a good hike up from the Machame Camp, starting at the top of the forest zone and then traversing the heath and moorland zone with lots of moss in the trees and brush.  We also start to see the lobelia and groundsels, among the strange plants on the edges of the alpine desert above.  This wide expanse on the west side of Kili is actually part of another older volcano, with the Cathedral Peaks also being a remnant of this volcanic activity.

Now they are getting the big views of Kili, and tomorrow it gets even closer (they will hit 14,500 ft at Lava Tower before dropping down to Barranco Camp at 13,000 ft).

Eric Simonson