Travel Blog » barafu

Climbing Kilimanjaro Day 6

Alex Asigno — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 08:00:16 +0000

Ok now i am feeling incredibly so knackered! It’s 4am and we have a 7-8 hour trek to the summit, it’s so cold here at Barafu camp 4600m. I am so glad for my brother Kyle lending me his thermals. It is pitch black and we will be walking like this for 1.5 hours. Thanks go out to whom ever invented the head torch.

The climb to the summit was hell, not only sliding back down after every step, it was just soo boring and tiring. I was the unsociable one and had my ipod on, not that people had the energy to talk anyway. This way I could just shut myself off and climb.

Surprisingly only Tom K and I were the ones not suffering from altitude sickness, and only had to physically struggle to the summit. Doug was throwing up whilst David Coats kept collapsing on his knees and Dave Hughes was seeing things which didn’t exist. (Unfortunately for him Penelope Cruz wasn’t one of them).

After about 6 hours of walking up the scree which is down the side of the volcano we got to Stella point where we got a view of the inside of the crater.

The highest point, Uhuru Peak only looks a few hundred meters away but due to the lack of oxygen & altitude sickness of others it took us 1.5 hours to get there. Coats and I were the first there and it appeared that it was only Doug and I who weren’t crying.

Due to the sheer coldness, lack of oxygen and the majority of the group being far from perfect health we couldn’t risk going to the crater. So after a few photos and yes a nude one, we started our descent.

Walking down to Stella point i saw Will and David Coats almost fly passed me, being dragged arm over arm by the guides…. shortly followed by Jon and David… oh dear I hoped they were alright!

Sliding jumping and falling down the scree was extremely painful on my knees. We all eventually made it back to Barafu after about 3 hours where we had lunch, packed and then had a 4 hour trek down to 3600m half of which was in pitch black. Luckily we all had our head torches.

Climbing Kilimanjaro Day 5

Alex Asigno — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:00:14 +0000

Well after a reasonably relaxed trek up to Barafu Camp the clouds are scatted being able to see Africa as well as its sky.

We will be ascending either around midnight this evening or 0400 tomorrow morning. Either way I’m not going to get any sleep. Everyone else is asleep in the tents i just want to make the most of this view.

I can no longer see the summit it is covered in cloud. It will be around 5.5 hours to the top of the outer crater and then around 1.5 hours to the summit. Coming back we can’t stop at Barafu camp as it’s for summiting only, so it means another 7 hour trek back down to the next camp. Wow a 14 hour hike.

Climbing Kilimanjaro Day 4

Alex Asigno — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:00:08 +0000

Today was our first lye in, we didn’t need to get up until 0700. After the world’s worst breakfast consisting of cornflakes with hot water and milk powder we set off to Karango. It’s only taken about 5 hours to get here. Lots of ups and downs but now we are at the top of the valley. I have the world’s best view of the clouds below me it’s awesome. We are just going to have some food and then we are off to climb higher before we sleep.

Well we have just had dinner after coming back from taking a peak of Barafu camp (base camp). It was the most incredible feeling ever. This was our first proper view of the summit. I have never felt this excited my whole life, I just want to climb it now. All the fear and anxiousness has gone due to the sheer excitement. Above me is the 4th highest free standing peak in the world and I’m going to be there, below me the sky I normally look up to and dream of being in. Bliss.

We have a lay in tomorrow, we get up at 0700. We will be trekking to Barafu camp, from here is where we will summit. This is our last and final stop before summiting.

I am praying I am as fit on the summit as I am now. I really want to go down into the crater.