Africa 2014 - Kilimanjaro Day 5 - Barafu High Camp (13,250' to 15,360')
Although we were allowed to "sleep in" this morning until 7:00 am, today is when it starts getting serious. We've grown accustomed to Joe sticking his head into our tent each morning asking about our physical and mental states. As for me, I feel good and anxious to get this day started.
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| Breakfast at Karanga Camp |
We begin by having our typical breakfast sans mess tent below our ultimate destination. The sun has already warmed the temperature up to the low 40's and we're looking forward to a half-days hike to Barafu High Camp. The weather continues to be completely cooperative and we hope that this trend continues for a bit longer.
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| Day 5 Hike to Barafu begins - Summit Route is up the right side of Kili |
The hike was 3 miles of mostly a gradual incline crossing over a couple of ridges until our final steep ascent into Barafu High Camp. The sun stayed out most of the day and everyone is dealing well with the altitude.
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| Our Group |
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| The final ascent to Barafu High Camp |
We arrived at Barafu around 12:30. It was a busy place with many teams either staging for tonight's summit departures or vacating camp having completed last night's summit climb.
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| A look back to where we came from |
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| Barafu High Csmp - Mount Mawenza to the South |
Barafu actually has public toilets with holes in the floor and some other permanent structures in place. I haven't showered in 5 days, but neither has anyone else so it's OK. I'm feeling the affects of 15,360' mostly through shortness of breath. This is the highest elevation this body has ever experienced. I feel mentally agile, but that's probably how someone with diminished reasoning would feel. I may be reasoning at a 5 year old level. How would I really know?
Around 1:30 we ate lunch. We were then advised to take it easy for the rest of the day and get as much sleep as possible prior to dinner at 6:30 pm. I spent part of the afternoon prepping my gear and clothing for tonight's climb.
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| My last photo before tonight's summit attempt - Fat faced and worried |
Dinner was an exercise in caloric consumption. There was fried bread, rice, a beef stew and lots of bananas. I was only able eat about 800 calories. I'm sure much thought is put into what the best foods are on summit night.
I once wore my Polar heart rate monitor to track the number of calories burned during my climb of Half Dome in Yosemite. Polar is supposed to be the most accurate method for measuring caloric expenditure as it even uses your VO2 Max which I once had measured at 42 (low end of athletic). When the 12 hour day was done I had burned 8,500 calories which I use as my benchmark for arduous days. Using simple math, I assume that in the next 18 hours I will probably burn in the ballpark of 13,000 calories. It may be considerably more since the top of Half Dome is only around 8,000'.
I once wore my Polar heart rate monitor to track the number of calories burned during my climb of Half Dome in Yosemite. Polar is supposed to be the most accurate method for measuring caloric expenditure as it even uses your VO2 Max which I once had measured at 42 (low end of athletic). When the 12 hour day was done I had burned 8,500 calories which I use as my benchmark for arduous days. Using simple math, I assume that in the next 18 hours I will probably burn in the ballpark of 13,000 calories. It may be considerably more since the top of Half Dome is only around 8,000'.
After finishing dinner, darkness and cold had swallowed Barafu High Camp and the summit briefing began. The mood surrounding this briefing was quite serious and intense. Our four local guides were brought into the mess tent and formally introduced. Theo is our lead guide. He is a large man built like an NFL lineman and has summited Kilimanjaro over 75 times. Filbert (FBI) is a charming, charismatic, confident soul. Everyone seems to really like him. Atile is the more contemplative of the group and our ever cheerful Shira hike companion Joshua is the newest guide.
To begin the briefing Theo says, "Our job is not to get you to the summit. It is to get you off the mountain alive. The summit is just a bonus." Yeah, I can get behind that mission statement.
Joe explained that if and when he decides that you need to turn around and go back down, there will be no discussion or argument and his decision would be final. I'm so worried that it may be me that gets turned around.
Why do we begin our summit bid at midnight? Our guide Joe says, "if you saw it, you wouldn't do it", but there are other practical reasons for the early departure. By leaving at midnight you summit around 7:00 am leaving the rest of the day to descend 9,000' to Mweka Camp. If you waited until morning it would add an extra day to an already extended 7 days on the mountain. By comparison, the effort involved thus far has been mild and stress free. Once we summit we will aggressively descend 13,000' in about 30 hours to get off the mountain at Mweka Gate around noon the next day.
Joe says on every climb he goes from everyone's hero at the summit to the most hated man on the mountain during the descent. The 9,000' descent from Uhuru Peak to Mweka camp will be the most punishing part of the trek. The summit bid will be difficult, but has a reward at the end. The descent is just difficult with no real reward other than arriving at your destination and finishing this inhumane day of exhaustion and suffering.
At 8:00 pm we're sent back to our tents to attempt to get more sleep prior to 11:30 pm. At this point, all of my clothing, gear and water is organized and ready to go. I had spent the afternoon diligently thinking about every contingency. The camelback bladder in my pack was filled with 3 liters of water and an extra one liter bottle was included for the inevitable moment when the camelback hose is frozen solid. My many layers of clothing are laid out and the pack is organized. I'll be wearing as much clothing as possible as the temperature is expected to be 0 degrees tonight. I've replaced my headlamp batteries and placed backup batteries into the pack. Sleeping is next to impossible, but I probably managed an hour or so.
To begin the briefing Theo says, "Our job is not to get you to the summit. It is to get you off the mountain alive. The summit is just a bonus." Yeah, I can get behind that mission statement.
Joe explained that if and when he decides that you need to turn around and go back down, there will be no discussion or argument and his decision would be final. I'm so worried that it may be me that gets turned around.
Why do we begin our summit bid at midnight? Our guide Joe says, "if you saw it, you wouldn't do it", but there are other practical reasons for the early departure. By leaving at midnight you summit around 7:00 am leaving the rest of the day to descend 9,000' to Mweka Camp. If you waited until morning it would add an extra day to an already extended 7 days on the mountain. By comparison, the effort involved thus far has been mild and stress free. Once we summit we will aggressively descend 13,000' in about 30 hours to get off the mountain at Mweka Gate around noon the next day.
Joe says on every climb he goes from everyone's hero at the summit to the most hated man on the mountain during the descent. The 9,000' descent from Uhuru Peak to Mweka camp will be the most punishing part of the trek. The summit bid will be difficult, but has a reward at the end. The descent is just difficult with no real reward other than arriving at your destination and finishing this inhumane day of exhaustion and suffering.
At 8:00 pm we're sent back to our tents to attempt to get more sleep prior to 11:30 pm. At this point, all of my clothing, gear and water is organized and ready to go. I had spent the afternoon diligently thinking about every contingency. The camelback bladder in my pack was filled with 3 liters of water and an extra one liter bottle was included for the inevitable moment when the camelback hose is frozen solid. My many layers of clothing are laid out and the pack is organized. I'll be wearing as much clothing as possible as the temperature is expected to be 0 degrees tonight. I've replaced my headlamp batteries and placed backup batteries into the pack. Sleeping is next to impossible, but I probably managed an hour or so.
At 11:15 am the camp begins to come alive with low talking, zippers and the sound of artificial performance fabrics rubbing together. It's time to exit the relative comfort of this sleeping bag, dawn my gear and step out into the cold for the adventure of a lifetime. The moment I've been waiting for is here and I'm ready to get started. There is an ominous feeling to the proceedings, but I attribute that to the plethora of unknowns that we have yet to experience on this night.
I look up onto the Umbwe summit ascent route and see the scores of headlamps lighting the nearly vertical wall above us. This is a surreal site and sadly I have no photo of it. I steel myself for the long 7 hour slog to the summit. The guides yell "Twende" which is Swahili for "Let's Go" and our summit bid unceremoniously begins.
Next Entry: Africa 2014 - Kilimanjaro Day 6 (Summit)
Next Entry: Africa 2014 - Kilimanjaro Day 6 (Summit)
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