Dust from the Desert: A Dirt and Rock Stair Climb to the Rooftop of Africa

Was climbing to the summit of Kilimanjaro difficult? Yes. But thousands do it each year, so it is a great goal for the average hiker of most any age.

It is not for someone who rarely gets on the trail. But it is for those of us who hike on a regular basis, with at least a few ventures above 12000 feet.

Here was my experience - beginning six days into the climb and on the eve of summit:

Dinner was served before our last big climb night around 5 pm. A few hours of restless sleep later, we rose, dressed warmly and prepared for the ultimate push to Kilimanjaro's summit. We would be awake, mostly walking, for the next 17 hours.

The journey out of our highest camp on that evening began under a halogen full moon at midnight and 15000 feet above sea level. For 6 hours and just 3 steep miles, it is a dirt and rock stair climb - slow at first, then very slow - to the top at just over 19,300 feet.

The peak of Kilimanjaro is known as Uhuru. On the morning we summited, it was 10 degrees above zero F with winds gusting to 50 mph. It was a spectacular daybreak on the top, and bitterly cold. A sunrise like I had never seen - prismed beams of dawn off the nearby Rebman glacier and a local peak capped by that white and yellow light.

Even with the harsh conditions, reaching the summit is both joyous and a relief. No one in our group wanted to fail. And no one did. 4 men. 4 women. Ages 22 to 54. From 3 different countries.

There are hugs, handshakes, and high-fives. The guides celebrate with you, and deserve to. These are the professors who just saw their students earn A's for the week. Their joy is as real as yours.

Pictures were taken as quickly as possible. My friend Steve Brown - a very experienced mountaineer - has reached the summit first. He has extra photos to take and wants to explore the summit area for much longer than the average Kili tourist like me. He'll pay for that later with a case of mild frostbite that has somehow made him proud and a little happier.

So again, yes. It is a difficult thing, climbing Kili. There is wind and cold and hypoxia. But it is not technical - that is, no ropes, axes, or specialized equipment or training are necessary. There are no ice walls, crevasses, ladders, cables, anchor points or the danger of avalanches. It's not Everest. No where near.

It is, simply, a brutally tough climb in thin air that can include cold and wind for many hours. And when the celebrating is over at the peak, a lot more work still remains.

The thin air above 19000 feet is perilous. We're encouraged to get down at a brisk pace. Not just to the level of the camp that we woke up in. But further - another 4000 feet below that.

11000 feet is considered safe from hypoxia's life-threats. It is 6-7 hours downhill walking from the peak. Though conservative, a break for sleeping is not allowed until the 11000 foot camp. Because, as our guide James puts it: "Sleep above, you may not wake up."

So walk downhill we did. First through a trail of soft volcanic dirtpowder scree that reminds you of fresh-snow skiing. Then through a variety of hard and slick dirt trails, smooth river rocks and combinations of all. Everyone fell at least once on the descent that day. But no one was injured.

By 3 pm we arrived at the safe elevation. Two of our fellow trekkers with step recording watches reported the numbers 37,000 and 41,000 over the previous 17 hours.

Summit day is only one of the 6-8 day adventure that is a Kilimanjaro trek. The various guide/outfitter websites (such as climbkili.com) provide a wealth of information on the other hiking days.

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Equipment Notes

A list of equipment items to bring is provided by each outfitter. You should start getting this stuff together around six months before the journey. Top priority goes to footwear. Boots or trail shoes, comfortable and well-broken-in are critical.

I used Merrell Moab Ventilator low risetrail shoes. Most people use a higher top for ankle protection, but I used what I have hiked in for the last few years- the same style Merrells- with no problem at all.

I also use Spenco green insoles (2 layers) over a custom made carbon orthotic arch-supporting insert. Again, what I have used for many months before Africa. No blisters or any other difficulties with the feet. It can't be overemphasized enough that (nodding to Steve Martin) your feet stay "happy."

Camp pads and sleeping on the ground: Wake up in the morning after tent camping and you can feel like you've been in a car wreck. I choose not to with a high performance camp pad made by Exped - the SynMat 7 that uses a very cool hand inflatable system.

Training/Conditioning

Kili requires good cardio conditioning. You are going to walk approximately 31 miles over a week. Half will be grueling uphill. The other half will hammer your knees downhill.

I had three solid treks to higher elevations on my very brief mountaineering resume:

Mt. Humphrey's Peak - Arizona - at 12000+ feet

Salkantay Pass - Peru- at 15000+ feet

Mt. Elbert - Colorado - at 14000+ feet

I hiked my local 1300 foot mountain (Camelback Phoenix) at least once a week in the months leading up to Kili. Then twice a week as I neared the departure date.

Realistically, if you can do at least one of the easier 14's in Colorado, you can probably do Kili.

More Gear Notes

A few considerations:

Trekking poles- Most people recommend using. Some swear by them. I didn't use them on the Kili trek. Never have.

An excellent framed backpack - Some in the group used very lightweight school-bag type daypacks. I preferred my own slightly larger internal framed backpack - the Gregory Z40. In recent years I've realized (way too late) that the weight of the pack resting through the belt on the hipbones is the best way to trek. For those doubters, go to REI (or similar) and have them custom fit a lightweight pack that "floats" in balance over the shoulders and see how you like it.

Recharging system - mini solar panels, supplemental power packs - are great for keeping your phone going. Believe it or not there was some phone service all the way up Kili and I was able to use my Sprint free international roaming data plan a few times.

An unsmartphone camera - My old Nikon Coolpix that uses AA batteries - pretty good pictures, always reliable.

Nasal saline solution for the dry often dusty mountain air can make your sinuses more comfortable.

Medications

Didn't use Diamox. Didn't need it.

Yes to Ibuprofen. 1500 to 3000 mg a day for the minor (inevitable) altitude headaches.

Getting There

Fly into JRO airport via KLM Airlines from AMS. Or Qatar Airlines from DOH, or a few other airlines including Ethiopian.

"Mobile Passport" App for your phone. Got it for travel back to the states. Used it and loved it.

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