Kilimanjaro: Hahn & Team Hit High Point En Route to Barranco Camp
It was a perfect day for climbing, right from the start at Shira Camp. Not too cold and not too hot, and not much to worry about from clouds and squalls. We set out walking directly toward Kibo, Kilimanjaro’s central peak, at 8 AM. The terrain was a good deal less steep and the trail less confining than what we’d encountered yesterday. We worked up through high desert vegetation on a gently sloping plateau of lava boulders. Within a few hours, we’d busted all-time altitude records for Darcy, Lory Beth, Kathy, Jon, Jensen, Kevin, Melanie, Logan, Phillip and Emily. By noon we hit our high point for the day, the Lava Tower at 15,200 ft, and the weather stayed fine as we picnicked and watched the white necked ravens performing elaborate aerobatic maneuvers in the thin air. At this point, we’d reached the base of Kibo and the cliffs and ice fields towered 4000 vertical feet over us. As we headed down into the valleys below Kibo’s southern flanks, the afternoon clouds formed up but didn’t bother us much. We dropped back down into gardens of giant senecios and lobelias as we closed in on Barranco Camp at 13,000 ft. By 2:30 we were moving into a perfectly built camp and getting ready for afternoon tea and popcorn in the dining tent. We rested away the afternoon and came out before dinner to watch the light change and to gaze up at tomorrow’s challenge -The Great Barranco Wall. Damp and dense clouds then washed in and out over camp for the next few hours like waves at the beach.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Comments (3)
Way to go, Lory Beth!! Can’t wait for Tuesday!!!\
Posted by: Marianne Bach on
Praying for safety and delight! Can’t wait to hear all about it from Lory Beth.
Posted by: Kim Ingram on
Beautiful!! Amazing views! Hugs to Emily & Phil!
Posted by: JoAnn & Chris Bolton on