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Published: October 10th 2011
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Day 5 - Kibo Huts - Uhuru Peak (5895 m/19341 ft) Walking distance: 6.25 km/3.88 miles Walking time: 7-8 hours Altitude gain: 1181 m/3874 ft Our summit attempt got under way around 12:30am after some delays getting such a large group ready.
We were lucky to have a perfectly clear night which was lit by a full moon only a few days old. As a result, we initially didn't need our head torch as the moon light provided enough visibility to allow us to follow our guides.
We started in one large group walking in single file supported by around 8 guides. The summit path was a zig-zag trail of scree (loose stones) which was much steeper than anything we had encountered so far. With each step the scree would give way slightly beneath your feet and can only be described as similar to walking up a massive sand dune!
The challenge ahead was daunting; over the next 7-8 hours we would be covering the 6 kilometres to the summit but we needed to ascend 1181 metres. The hardest part would be the first 4kms where we would be ascending a lung busting 1000 metres! This would
Rest
Quick breather on the way up... get us to a ridge called Gillman's Point and the final 2km would be easy in comparison as we reach a plateau with only 181 metres left to climb to the summit.
After a few hours the group started to separate as the slower walkers began taking more stops and falling behind. We maintained our pace throughout and were soon in the front group of six.
The weather was cold at around -5 degrees so we were wearing plenty of layers plus gloves and hats. As it was impossible to walk faster than a very slow pace, it was difficult to produce body heat so we were reliant on our clothes to keep us warm. Unfortunately Natalie's gloves weren't as insulated as thought but luckily Daniel came to the rescue with his thick padded pair but the fingers remained cold and painful for most of the climb.
We stopped for short breaks every hour or so when the terrain provided an area where people could rest. When we were on the move, we were literally marching in single file concentrating on the footsteps of the person in front. In the middle of the night there wasn't too
much to see anyway!
It was important that we kept up our energy so breaks would include eating half a muesli bar or some sweets. The altitude affects your appetite so sometimes it was a real effort to force something down, especially when it was rock solid due to the cold! Before we reached Gillman's point both our water tubes had frozen despite our efforts to avoid this by blowing air through the tube after each drink. It would be a few hours before the sun came up and it was warm enough to thaw.
About four hours in, one of our group began to feel nauseous and started throwing up. This was another effect of altitude and typically pointed to a worsening of the situation. It was quite disconcerting to see one of the group in such a state and a reminder of the dangers. With plenty of guides to assist him we continued on while he stayed to rest before re-grouping with one of the groups behind.
We were both feeling pretty good, Daniel more so than Natalie, with only the occasional loss of balance, light-headedness and slight nausea. The pounding headache for Natalie continued
and the occasional hallucinations was another interesting side effect.
There were a number of other groups on the mountain at the same time and it was interesting to see the variety of people in various stages of exhaustion and altitude sickness. One man kept sitting down and wanting to sleep while his guide would be shouting at him and encouraging him to keep going. Another group didn't have walking poles which meant on some steps they became precariously close to sliding backwards with no way of supporting themselves.
The last section of the climb before Gillman's Point is very steep and we had to climb over boulders which, at points, was technically harder and more exhausting than walking on the scree. It felt never ending, especially when the head torches of climbers further up could be seen almost vertically above and we knew we still had to cover that distance ourselves. Finally at 5am we arrived at Gillman's Point; it was still dark and cold and Natalie was exhausted.
We rested for a while, ate a frozen snack and took some photographs before heading onto the flatter path which would take us to the summit. At this
Gillman's Point
5 hours into the climb point the first rays of light started to emerge over the horizon.
The path led us along the ridge of the volcano's crater and to our right was the huge crater bottom with black scree lining the bottom and the occasional patch of ice. To our left was the edge of the ridge with the most incredible view looking out over the clouds towards the rising sun.
As the sun started rising we were amazed at the stunning glaciers which seemed out of place on a barren rocky landscape. The glaciers were dark blue and pure white and were a beautiful distraction on the frequent rest breaks required. At this altitude we needed to stop every five minutes to catch our breath and gather enough energy to continue.
Around 7am, seven hours since we left camp, we arrived at the summit. Truly exhausted we rested for a while before even considering taking any photos! After a few quick snaps and congratulatory handshakes we started the long descent.
About 30 mins later we passed the first of the slower groups as they made their way to the summit. We passed on encouraging words but there was no
way we would have turned round to complete the climb again with them!
When we arrived back at Gillman's Point, we were stunned at the view below us. The trail we climbed a few hours before was clearly visible snaking down the mountain to our camp which was a small dot at the bottom. Time for another quick snack before commending the long descent!
Descending on the scree was hard work as you basically had to slide down using your poles to keep your balance. It was dusty hard work and in the daylight we could really appreciate just how steep and difficult the climb had been. The sun was now beating down and we stripped off the layers as our water tubes finally melted!
Three hours since we left the summit we were back at Kibo camp, thoroughly exhausted and looking forward to a well deserved rest. We headed straight to our bunks and collapsed for a few hours of rest while we waited for the rest of the group to descent.
Out of the 17 people, only 4 didn't make the summit. Of those one didn't attempt it on doctors orders, one made it
Sunrise
Well above the clouds! to Gillman's Point (she was 67 and it was amazing seeing her determination but she later said giving birth without pain medication was easier), and the other two turned round after Gillman's Point through tiredness.
Once the group had all met at Kibo Huts we ate a light snack and drank hot tea whilst recalling the adventures of the previous night. The walking wasn't over however and we still needed to walk back to Horombo Huts which would take another three hours. Thankfully every step reduced the altitude and we were able to walk at a pretty fast pace arriving in time for a hot dinner and celebration can of Kilimanjaro Beer!!
In all it was a massive 13 hours of walking in a 24 hour period... we would sleep well tonight!
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