Shira Plateau, 12,600 ft.  After a calm night at 10,000 ft, we woke to see Kibo, Kilimanjaro’s central peak, shining in the clear morning air.  Below, there was still a sea of clouds but that wasn’t bothering us.  We got walking uphill at 8 AM and started climbing up a giant stairmaster of rock through a short forest of Heather.  Before long we’d crested a ridge which we then followed in toward Kibo.  Finally, we made a turn to the west, putting our hands on rock to get up some blocky sections.  We turned a last corner and found ourselves on the Shira Plateau and we strolled into our new camp a few minutes later.  It was then an easy afternoon of resting, eating and playing games.  The team is primed to watch the sun set out beyond Mt Meru, the 15,000 ft volcano on our western horizon.

- RMI Guide Dave Hahn and Team