We've put the bad weather behind us -and it really wasn't all that bad. Morning at Barranco Camp was just perfect: cool dry air with no clouds above or below. There was still the ever present layer of smog/smoke down a few thousand feet below us, obscuring details, but otherwise not bothering anyone. We took off for the Great Barranco Wall a little before 9 AM and were soon coming to grips with its rocky ledges. The wall can make folks nervous since it appears to be plenty steep from below, but our team dealt admirably with any jitters and got to work moving uphill. We covered almost a thousand vertical feet in a little less than two hours and came out on a flat "summit" with amazing views of Kibo looming another vertical mile above. The glaciers sparkled in the morning light, looking impossibly steep between great rock faces. We traversed a few more valleys to reach Karanga Camp just after 1 PM. It was then an easy afternoon of resting and eating and staring at spectacular scenery. We're spending the night at 13,160 ft. There is no moon, but there are a million stars to silhouette the great bulk of Kibo. Best Regards, RMI Guide Dave Hahn

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