Kilimanjaro – Lemosho Glades – January 2014
Chris Pearson
100% summit success for the team…
Having travelled via different routes the team of ten first all met up over breakfast at the welcoming Keys Hotel in Moshi. Quick introductions then a frenzy of packing and checking kit before the 3 hour drive through the hot African sun to the Londorosi gate. That this was to be an ìexpedition rather than a holidayî became apparent when we were greeted by our team of 37 guides and porters amidst a mountain of food and equipment for our 8 day trek. Despite the boiling sun our porter team had all dutifully put on their bright red Jagged Globe jackets to greet us in impressive fashion!
As warned the jeep track to the trail head soon became exciting, then impassable. Undaunted the team soon dispensed with the extra 50-minute hike required before getting to grips with the first climb proper to Big Tree camp. We had been warned that ìservice might be slowî due to the delay with the vehicles, but team spirit was immediately displayed as everyone helped the camping crew put up the tents. As darkness fell it felt great to be finally underway.
Warm sunny mornings became the norm and were relished by everyone. It felt delightful to be walking in shorts and T-shirts and putting on sun cream in December. However, especially familiar for us Brits, the cloud had an irritating habit of swooping in by early afternoon with accompanying drizzle and heavy rain showers at times. Sometimes we were nicely settled in camp by the time the rain came, but sometimes not. At Shira Camp One we all huddled into the ranger’s bedroom to wait out a heavy shower! Later, the evening cleared to reveal a myriad of stars and our objective – a distant snowy Kibo looking a long way off and very high!
Cathedral Peak rising above the immense lava flows of the Shira Plateau provided an enjoyable minor scramble above big drops which disappeared into the gloom, en route to Shira 2 camp. On the big 800 metre acclimatisation climb to Lava Tower our Lemosho Glades route joined the busy Machame Route and for a while we fell in step with several other teams en route to Lava Tower, before we continued to Baranco Camp, where we camped amongst the strange and spectacular giant groundsel plants. At midnight we all struggled out of warm sleeping bags to welcome in the New Year looking up at the most outstanding night sky of stars. The freshly baked cake was a nice added touch, courtesy of Thomas, our amazing cook
On New Year’s Day we watched amazed as several hundred porters and other teams jostled their way up this magnificent rocky feature in the early morning. We bided our time and made a leisurely ascent, savouring the few easy scrambling moves which left us wishing for more. An unexpected short steep ëkillerà final climb into Karanga Camp was seen as useful training. An afternoon of summit climb briefings and kit check was useful.
Barafu Camp will be remembered as our launch pad for the summit. An ìunusualî 11pm breakfast of porridge saw the start of this very tough day which began with six hours of ascent in the dark by headtorch, under a perfect calm starry night. We were all well wrapped up inside our down jackets to combat the cold as we slowly zig- zagged behind Limo, who set a superb steady pace. We settled into a routine of stopping on the hour to drink water ñ the key to success, nibble a snack and adjust clothing. For the coldest hours of 3 and 4am we were treated to hot chocolate carried by Frank and Faustin ñ who along with Limo made up our local experience guide team of 3. The ascent was long and tough but at 6am – right on schedule – we finally arrived on the crater rim as the sun rose through bands of violet, turquoise and orange, setting the summit ice fields dazzling in the sunlight ñ quite a magical moment.
After a good rest we set a slow determined pace for the last hour around the crater rim, weaving between and across snow fields with the thin air reducing many of us to the 50 steps and rest routine. At 7.20am we finally reached our goal Uhuru Peak ñ the summit of Kilimanjaro and all Africa. Many, many photos, handshakes, smiles and a well deserved sit down.
The descent was hot and dusty and further than it seemed before a welcome rest at camp and a huge lunch, then once more we forced our weary bodies onwards for a final short downhill walk to Millennium Camp and after yet more food (chicken and chips!) from our amazing cook, it was time for a long sleep.
A mere 3 and half hours next morning saw us at the park gate saying goodbye to our porters and camping staff before a return to the luxury of the keys Hotel ñ a long overdue shower and a celebration meal with our fantastic guides. A great way to end a superb trip with many memories.