Kilimanjaro: Hahn & Team Scale the Barranco Wall to Reach Karanga Camp
It was a day without sun. Mostly. We had it for a few minutes this morning as we walked to the base of the Great Barranco Wall. But then we were swallowed in cloud and mist just as we started to get serious on the wall. Perhaps that helped those of us with a fear of heights to concentrate solely on the rock and the path ahead. Our guides, Freddy, Naiman, and Thomas kept us moving well and guarded us on the tricky steps. We’d prepared for traffic jams on this normally busy section of the route, but there were none. We cruised the wall in just over an hour’s time -about half of what it might have taken with normal traffic. Our amazing dining tent “waiters”, Hamedi and Shwahibu, had scaled the wall even faster and had tea and snacks out within moments of our arrival at the 14,000 ft “summit”. Although we had no view whatsoever from this normally stunning viewpoint, we lingered for forty five minutes anyway, enjoying the snacks and the swirling mists. The remaining hours to camp were easy by comparison. We took the time to review efficient hill-climbing techniques on our way up the final steep path into Karanga Camp at 13,200 ft. Now, in early evening, we’ve yet to see the place. The visibility is perhaps 100 ft although the weather is not unpleasant. Just a little static.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
PC: Dave Hahn
