Climbing Kilimanjaro - The Return to Africa PART 2

PART 1 Here

It was a right of passage to climb Kilimanjaro and something I knew I would do since I was a child. I had a big sign on my bedroom wall reminding me of my goal even when living 9000 miles (14,000 km) away. 

As a 17 year old testing the boundaries of the world, it felt like the first real life experience of seeing if I could accomplish what I said. To actually follow through and stand behind myself in wanting something in which only I understood. 

So, here I was, with my boots and my layers, ready to summit this 19,000 ft (5,500m) mountain with only strangers by my side.

I didn’t realize it then, how impactful this follow through was for me.  It set up my mentality for all of the goals and dreams I was about to discover on my global journey (which is still currently unfurling).  Chasing all of these dreams and opportunities is what has led me to being an artist here in Baja California Sur.

I hiked the Marangu Route for a total of 6 days (4 1/2 days up and 1 1/2 days down) with one other guest from New York, our 2 guides, and 2 porters.  Here I was a 17 year old girl going on a 6 day climb with 5 men I didn’t know and my climbing buddy just happened to have my father's name. How ironic.

It turned out to be one of the most fun and grueling experiences of my young life.

**A little background: I was a 3 sport Varsity athlete each year of my high school life with two of those sports being long distance track and cross country running so I understood a bit of suffering but this was a whole different reality of oxygen deprivation. 

Day 1: It was a hot and sticky jungle with a trail cut through the dense forest. There were some animals and birds out and about during the day of hiking.  It was an easy day to drink a lot of water and start the pole pole pace (slowly slowly) with a glimpse at some elephants from between the trees. The mosquitos were pretty rich so I was grateful for my full length hiking pants even though they felt oppressively hot.

Day 2: The Dr. Suess day.  There were these pineapple cactus looking plants towering 30ft (10m) in the air all around us and it was the most bizarre transition out of the jungle.   Each night, we were sleeping in the little A-Frame huts designated for us and popcorn was always waiting when we arrived as the porters hiked ahead.  That little snack felt truly luxurious at the end of everyday hiking 10+ miles before loading up on a hot dinner.

Day 3: A break day to adjust altitudes and we took a small loop hike to see the zebra rocks trying keeping the legs limber before our big push the following 24 hours.

Day 4:  With the air getting thinner, we stayed at a slow and steady pace, our two guides have been working on Mount Kili. for more than 50 years combined and were sure this was the best way to acclimatize the body. Slow and steady. 

In truth, many of the quick walkers didn't make it.  This was the day I witnessed 2 people carried down on stretchers due to bleeding from their ears.  The stretchers were normal except a bike tire had been attached under the center to allow for bounce balancing as they literally ran the patients down quickly down the mountain. The only real treatment is running to lower altitudes because helicopters don’t fly that high.

Arriving around 1pm, we immediately put on eye covers and tried to sleep all afternoon in the one room base camp as we would be leaving in the middle of the night to start the zig zag up the summit. It was not restful with hikers coming in and out all day but it was enough.

Day 5: Summit Day! As the alarm sounded at 11 pm, I put on all the many many layers from my bag and we hiked through the night at  -10°C to -20°C (-4°F to 14°F) before sunrise. SO COLD!!! (I strongly dislike being cold for those of you I don't know me.)

We started up the gravel scree which lasted for hours and hours as we created a skinny zig zag path up the steep slope until we met the boulder section. At this point it was still pitch black but let me tell you, those stars were more spectacular than I could have ever imagined.

I only had brief moments of awe looking into the night sky before a few bouts of vomiting from the altitude. Profit ( my guide) grabbed my hand and pulled me onto my feet to get us going again over the next boulder. He was a legend. He knew I needed to make it to the top. I would not accept turning around.

Reaching the rim of the glacier lined mountain crater is great and all but the walk to the highest peak around that rim on a steady incline at 19,000ft was extremely uncomfortable. I was functioning at 10 steps 10 seconds rest on repeat. DO NOT SIT DOWN. (At this altitude on Everest they already have Oxygen tanks)

But. I made it. We made it.

It was a the most beautiful sunrise I will never forget.

And then after a short time, we started the decent.

Locking arms like little kids skipping down the road, Profit and I “skied” down the gravel slope and we were quickly on our way back down to easier breathing.

Day6: The way down was where the blisters appeared as we sailed past all the pole pole hikers headed up with sparkles in their eyes as they looked ahead. We were stinky and tired and finally able to breathe and eat again so the hellos were quick and the base camp was near.

I spent 2 days sleeping and resting in the tropics again at the base before making my way back to Mtakuja where I would have more time with the legendary Shosho.   (Click Here to Read about my Countess Grandmother.)