Entries from Kilimanjaro
Everyone was excited for the climb to start, even though we were sitting around the dining table waiting for breakfast and it wasn't yet midnight. The sky was clear and the air a little chilly. Winds were fairly light at camp.
As we climbed up into the darkness we could see we weren't alone in our desire to reach the sky. About 1,000' up the wind started picking up and would not relent. Between the cold and the wind blowing we were experiencing some pretty challenging conditions. 40 mph winds blowing scree and dirt all over our bodies and into our eyes was not fun.
As dawn broke out we took heart in the beauty of the coming morning, though of anything the wind got fiercer. Dust and dirt would just blast your face and eyes.
But, summit we did, marking the midpoint of a long 16 hour day.
Right now we're at 10,000' at our last camp on Kilimanjaro, Mweka Camp.
I've been up for about 24 hours now, so will bid you all goodnight for now.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
On The Map
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
There was plenty of debate last night as to whether the tent fabric of our accommodations at Balloon Camp would keep out leopards and lions. But nobody showed up for breakfast this morning with visible scarring. In fact, we each slept quite well in the deep quiet of Tarangire National Park at night. We got going at first light today, with Francis and Ibrahim taking the Toyotas down by the giant marsh on the Eastern border of Tarangire. We covered a lot of ground along the edge of the wetlands. At times, there were no animals apparent and we had to settle for the physical beauty of the place itself. At other times, we bumped into four hundred skittish Cape Buffalo, galloping along -raising a dust cloud- and looking warily about for whatever might be chasing them. We saw plenty of good eagles and even a fascinating set of Eagle/Owls -a mom and her offspring- eating their breakfast on a tree branch. We looked everywhere for big cats but failed miserably at that, having to content ourselves with wall to wall elephants and giraffes, wildebeest and zebra along with majestic baobab trees. We’d made our way to the main gate of the park by 11:15 AM and had to tear ourselves away from Tarangire and get on the road back toward Arusha. We stopped at the city’s edge to check out the cultural heritage museum and shop before cruising through Sunday traffic to the Arumeru River Lodge. There was time then for showers and repacking and a pleasant early dinner before we boarded a bus for the airport. Most of the team started their journey homeward tonight. We said fond farewells as we diverged. I -for one- am sticking around for round 2, another climb and another safari, but that will all begin soon. For now I’m still thinking of the adventure and the challenges of the past two weeks and the fine team we became in enduring (and enjoying) it all.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Saturday, August 4, 2018 - 10:02 PM PT
Hey, this is Brent with the RMI Kilimanjaro Climb. We just got off the summit of Kilimanjaro here about 45 minutes ago. We are taking a quick break and going to head on down. We have had beautiful skies clear and sunny skies, but a bit of a wind. It has been a little nasty and hard for that part. But the team did really, really, well.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
RMI Guide Brent Okita calls after team reaches summit of Kilimanjaro.
On The Map
Hi Love the Blog! Think I have finally figured out how to leave a message! ❤️
Posted by: Rilda Perdue on 8/5/2018 at 10:55 am
May God continue to guide and bless y’all on your adventures to reach the skies!
Much love,
Tia Becky
Girly
Posted by: Rebeca Woods on 8/5/2018 at 8:57 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We made a couple of stops along the route from the Plantation Lodge in the high country to Tarangire National Park down in the Rift Valley. We checked out a Maasai village where we saw traditional dances and chanting. The tribesmen showed us their method for building fire without matches and took us into their small huts to answer questions about the traditions that they follow. We then drove down to a busy afternoon in Tarangire. We began seeing elephants, right form the start. Herds of them... big family groups and gangs of bulls. Impalas, zebra and gnus were everywhere. We developed an eye for lilac breasted rollers and for vultures and snake eagles. Although we roamed over miles and miles of twisty, turny dirt roads, we didn’t see cats today... no lions, no leopards, no cheetahs. All the animals we did see had no problem whatsoever with the lack of cats though. As the sun began to sink, we pulled into Balloon Camp where our room assignments were “tent cabins” and where we needed to request an armed escort to get over to the lobby and dining area. We are still within the park and there aren’t any fences. There is a good deal of natural beauty though. Just after sunset, we watched “bush television” (a campfire) and gazed up at the Southern Cross and the Milky Way. Then we laughed through another fine dinner together and got ready for a final night in Africa.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Geez!!! What an excellent trip!! You are the best Dave!!
Safe travels home to the team!
Aunt Vicki and Nana and Shawn
Posted by: Aunt Vicki on 8/5/2018 at 6:16 am
The last hill into camp at 15,200' saw everyone rest stepping and pressure breathing almost religiously. Whether we felt good or were struggling just a little, we all knew by this time what was required to feel as good as possible to do well at this altitude.
It was perfect to have our shortest day coincide with our going to our highest camp. A new altitude record for most everybody! Surprisingly, no headaches have been reported yet, a testament to how well folks are taking care of themselves.
In the first few minutes that we were at camp, our mountain staff had our tents up and shortly thereafter had the dining tent up. An hour later our chef Tosha had amazingly whipped up lunch: French fries, sauteed chicken and vegetables, followed by a dessert of orange slices and his incredible chocolate bar creation.
Hey you chefs out there, celebrity or not, you don't hold a candle to Tosha. What he does on a couple of propane burners with one assistant at 15,000' is magic!
This afternoon we're getting ready for our summit climb, packing what we can and being as organized as possible for our push off just after midnight. Folks descending from the summit today commented on how nice the day was up there. I have a feeling we'll have similar conditions.
Wish us luck, and I'll try to get out a voice dispatch from the summit.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
On The Map
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We bounced along rough dirt roads in the Landcruisers as sunrise came on. It was the rare clear and dry morning up on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater and we were thrilled with the views into the giant caldera. The air was crisp and cool as we made our way down in, fully on the lookout for critters. We began to see countless Cape buffalo, gazillions of gazelles, and absurd numbers of zebra. We saw a set of lions getting frisky between catnaps. Big solitary bull elephants marched to and fro in the distance. Hippos were relatively hyper, moving from one mud bog to another and performing barrel rolls in the soup. Ostriches and Kori Bustards strutted about. We saw hyenas and jackals, wart hogs and a few thousand gnu. A picnic lunch and some French pressed fresh coffee prepared us for a final flurry of game viewing. We saw a lone and distant rhino to make it a “big four day” (elephant+lion+Cape buffalo+rhino = The big five minus a leopard) and then Ibrahim and Francis expertly piloted the Landcruisers up the steep switchback road to the 8,500 feet crater rim and we headed back to the tranquility of the Plantation Lodge in late afternoon.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Hi DAVE,
We are back at it!! Ready for safari!!
I live the facial hair Brian!!❤️
Posted by: Aunt Vicki on 8/3/2018 at 6:08 pm
Day 4 and we're knocking on the summit door of this mountain. This morning we scaled the Barranco Wall right out of camp. Ditching the trekking poles so we can use our hands to better grasp the rock on this steep part of the climb the team moved like pros. Exclamations of how much fun the climbing was was universal. Yes, we had to wait several times for groups of porters to pass by, but no one was complaining of the chance to catch our breath. Plus, it was a chance for us to appreciate the coordination and athleticism of these folks as they negotiate this steep terrain, balancing 32 pound duffels of gear on their heads.
Our high point was never more than 14,000' as we traversed up and down several drainage to come around to the SE side of Kilimanjaro where our camp is situated. During this slow walk we were constantly rewarded with magnificent views of this special place.
Today was also a day of solidifying the acclimatization gains of yesterday before we venture to our high camp tomorrow. Measuring our oxygen saturation levels this morning indicate that everybody is doing great! But we already knew that just based on how well we're all walking.
We're excited to get to high camp!
We'll be back in touch tomorrow from 15,200' camp.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
On The Map
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
In short order, we went from walking uphill in snow to walking downhill in mud to riding in comfort in Toyota Landcruisers. First day of Safari went just fine. Breakfast and packing at our Usa River Hotel was easy and familiar. At 8 AM we loaded up with our safari driver/naturalists, Ibrahim and Francis, and got out of town. In truth, we actually got a little more into town first, driving through the outskirts of Arusha to get out west into the wide open Tanzanian countryside. Gradually we came into Maasai country and began to see more and more of the tribe known best for their adherence to traditional ways of living. After a few hours, we entered Lake Manyara National Park and began seeing monkeys and baboons, and eventually Cape Buffalo, Hippos, Zebras and Wildebeest. We saw egrets and ibises, storks and eagles. We saw plenty of signs of elephants having been in the area, but we didn’t actually see the big pachyderms or the lions hiding in trees that Manyara is known for. Even so, it was a fine, relaxing day of exploring exotic forest and lakeshore terrain. By the hot part of the afternoon, the animals were sleepy and shy, so we left them and drove up out of the Great Rift Valley to the highlands near the town of Keratu and found our way to the gardens of the luxurious Plantation Lodge. Folks then hit the swimming pool or simply relaxed in comfy veranda chairs as the sun set. We met for the evening in the splendid bar and dining room of the lodge and talked of the possibilities for wildlife encounters tomorrow in Ngorongoro Crater.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Dawn broke clear and cold this morning as we packed up to move to our next camp, Barranco. The altitude hangover of our first night at 12,500' couldn't be ignored, but by the time we reached camp the small headaches had left us to be replaced with the simple fatigue of a hard day of climbing.
Today was a good day. Our route was perfectly set to give us some challenging altitude as we ascended to Lava Tower at 15,200'. This gave our bodies the chance to acclimate, and our descent to 13,000' and Barranco Camp has allowed some nice rest. Already the team is feeling better.
Set in a valley with the south face of Kilimanjaro right above us, and the strangely beautiful giant senencia trees dotting the landscape, this is my favorite camp. We have just two more short days before we get to high camp, Barafu. And then...
But I get ahead of myself.
The group is firing on all cylinders and really coming together as a team. It's been fun to see and be a part of. Tomorrow is the Barranco Wall, which will require the use of our hands on some of the steeper places, but is less intimidating than the name suggests.
Wish us well and we'll be in touch tomorrow.
RMI Guide Brent Okita
On The Map
I am Briana’s aunt in Indiana. I love reading all this. Heck I went to the bottom of the Grand Canyon once ...that would be a cake walk for you all. Take care
Posted by: Jane gasser on 8/2/2018 at 12:54 pm
Your climb looks amazing
To Fern and Nandito and the rest of your team . Good luck and continue to have a blast
Love the Carranza Family from Texas.
Posted by: Federico Carranza on 8/2/2018 at 11:25 am
Posted by: Dave Hahn
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
It started to seem like we’d get fog and rain for the rest of the trip just to pay for the sweet summit weather we’d been granted. But when we woke today at Mweka Camp, we were under blue skies and high above the white clouds. After breakfast, we enjoyed a gathering of the entire staff for the traditional tipping ceremony. We expressed our great thanks and the guys serenaded us with a few more memorable sing-alongs in the bright sunshine. Then we shouldered packs and hit the muddy trail downward at about 8:30 AM. It was just a few more hours of careful walking in slippery conditions to get down through the rain forest. We stopped at one point to see a couple of colobus monkeys high in the tree canopy, but mostly we paid attention to the treacherous track and to where we were putting our feet. At the Mweka Gate we were down in the clouds again and had a brief rain shower just after signing out of the park. A short walk in the deep dirt of a road construction project took us to our lunch venue and the bus parking lot. We enjoyed a fine picnic and a round of Kilimanjaro and Serengeti beers along with Savanna ciders. Two hours on the bus through the Tanzanian countryside got us back “home” to the Arumeru River Lodge. Showers and a few shaves made the team presentable by evening. We finished with a delightful victory dinner out on the veranda and discussed just how much the climb and our interactions with each other and with the staff have come to mean for us. We are excited to begin the safari tomorrow but we will miss our climbing buddy Tim who will begin flying toward the States and home.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Congratulations to the team! Thanks for everything DAVE! I feel like I was there in spirit! Enjoy your next journey!
Aunt Vicki
Posted by: Aunt Vicki on 8/1/2018 at 4:07 pm
Thank you Jesus
May God continue to bless and guide you in your accomplishments. May you continue to be blessed in God’s miracles.
Love y’all be safe and enjoy your trip back down.
Love
Tia Becky
Girly
Posted by: Rebeca Woods on 8/6/2018 at 6:27 pm
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