Entries By brent okita

Waking up in Barranco Camp under the massive headwalls and fading glaciers of the upper reaches of Kilimanjaro was just beautiful this morning. We slept in an hour because the hike to Karanga was just 4 hours and it gave time for many of the porters to get ahead of us ascending the Barranco Wall. Our climb up some of the Wall's scrambling sections went well, with everyone moving competently. Even the most apprehensive of us got stoked climbing this section. Three valleys later we arrive at Karanga Camp. Lots of up and down today to arrive at a camp only 130' higher than our last, but this is part of the planned magic of acclimatizing for our summit bid that's coming up pretty quickly. It's amazing how well everyone's doing with the altitude. The fun little tests we do measuring our bodies ability to process oxygen and our pulse reveal that we're all doing better than expected. Great news with the climb looming on the horizon. Okay, are you ready to hear about what we had for lunch when we arrived? Wiener schnitzel, German Potatoes, sauteed vegetables, vegetable soup. For dessert, watermelon and a home baked chocolate nutty fudge type thing. Living larger at Karanga Camp, RMI Guide Brent Okita and Team

On The Map

At 12,500' you're above the trees and clouds, in the highland desert zone, and are looking at Kibo, the summit of Kilimanjaro, all day. As we headed east towards our next camp, we enjoyed easy walking on the low angled Shira Plateau. A nice contrast to yesterday's steeper terrain. A little over three hours later we arrived at Lava Tower, a conspicuous landmark at 15,200'. Our staff met us with hot soup, tea, sandwiches and snacks, all laid out on a blanket for our enjoyment. Imagine, a picnic in the warm sunshine at 15,000'! Pretty cool. Following lunch it was all downhill to camp by the Barranco Wall. Easy enough walking to be able to appreciate the change in ecosystems as we began to see dendrosenecios, lobelias and giant groundsels, some of the flora that makes Kilimanjaro so special. Everyone's doing great after this big day and we're all excited about getting on the Barranco Wall tomorrow morning. A later start to allow the porters in camp to get ahead of us on the Wall will be appreciated, even by this early rising crew. Oh, and lest I forget. Dinner tonight: butternut squash soup, garlic pepper zucchini, chicken and sausage paella, and pineapple spears drowning in chocolate fondue. Eat your heart out. Resting well, RMI Guide Brent Okita

On The Map

From the cramped confines of Machame Camp we headed out to our next camp, Shira. Although the rain forest below Machame was cool, the terrain on this stretch was stellar. Going thru the giant heather and moorlands the climbing became more and more interesting. Some rock outcroppings along the way provided wonderful viewpoints and lunch stops, not to mention some interesting scrambling challenges. We have only one complaint. The food is just too darned good. Our cook staff works tirelessly on our behalf, creating prodigious quantities of cuisine that would not be out of place in a fancy restaurant. All made on a couple of two burner stoves. As a climbing guide I'm the first person encouraging my climbers to eat to replace fuel burned on climbs. But our mountain staff take it to a whole new level. We are so spoiled! For example, on getting into camp this afternoon we were served an exquisite potato leek soup, followed by fried chicken, French fries and an avocado, pepper and tomato salad. All prepared fresh and treated to ensure everybody stays healthy. Our friends in the kitchen are magicians. Liz has expressed interest in learning how the magic happens and has been invited back to the cook tent to watch and maybe pick up a few insights. I'll be pressing her hard for insights into their culinary genius. Until then, I guess we'll just suffer through the fact we're probably going to gain weight while climbing a 19,000' mountain. Such are the challenges we face these days. Wish us luck. And tomorrow: climbing to Lava Tower at 15,200' and Barranco Camp. Our team is more than ready for. Until then, RMI Guide Brent Okita

On The Map

Kudos to the team! The group climbed quite well on this first day of our Kilimanjaro Expedition. The 4,000' of ascent was accomplished with relative ease, and now we're enjoying an afternoon that has become warm and sunny. Our day began with an early breakfast and quick departure for the Machame Gate, where a heavy drizzle kept us company while we waited for our porters to organize our gear for transport uphill. Rain should not be unexpected in a rainforest, but nobody likes starting their day in the wet. Luckily, by the time we started the rain had mostly abated and we were able to shed that Gore tax layer fairly soon after we started. At camp our mountain staff worked tirelessly getting tents set up and cooking arrangements working. The magic happened quickly and camp life began for us. As always, dinner was superb, starting with a savory zucchini soup and followed by pan fried steak, potatoes, rice and a cardoman/ coriander vegetable dish. Though we thought the nutella banana fritters were dessert enough, a special cake was brought in, lit up with candles, for Patti's birthday celebration. What a party it was as we were regaled with song and dance in honor of our birthday girl. Such a special night! A chill is in the air as we prepare for tomorrow's climb to Shira Camp. All for now, RMI Guide Brent Okita

On The Map

Today we got busy getting ourselves ready for the big climb. Following another great breakfast our thoughts turned towards the mountain. As members introduced themselves it became even more apparent what an interesting and diverse team we have. We all have special reasons why we climb, and why we chose Kilimanjaro. It was with rapt attention that we listened to the stories behind the individuals on the trip. Inspiration was had by all as we heard these tales of life changes that led to us being here. It was apparent that everyone had come prepared for this challenge and taken it seriously. Even more important was the great attitude folks were bringing into the climb. An in depth review of mountain life and our upcoming time at altitude preceded a thorough review of gear we'll be bringing with us. All that hard work was rewarded with another great lunch (curry for me), and some R&R. Some stretched the legs around hotel grounds while most of us got in some quality pool time just as the sun asserted itself enough to bake our bodies for a few hours. We're psyched and set and ready to meet the mountain staff tomorrow morning and get underway. Next time, we'll be dispatching from Machame Camp at almost 10,000'. Good night from the Arumeru River Lodge, RMI Guide Brent Okita

Hello from Tanzania! The last two members of our team have arrived in good spirits and with all their luggage. So, it's all systems go. A late dinner after a long flight was eagerly taken after their 24 hour flight from the States. Any residual stress from the day was completely eased out of the system by the exceptional South African wine Darren generously shared with Bill and me. The rest of the group got here at different times today, with the Craig, Patti, and Joe arriving on the 4:00 AM flight. Mary, Shavran, and Liz arrivied from a nearby hotel just after lunch, having wisely chosen to arrive earlier to adjust to the time zone and relax a bit before the climb. It was great to catch up with my friend Craig, along with Joe and Patti today at breakfast and lunch. The later group joined us at the lunch table when they arrived, allowing us to get to know each other better. I think we have an exceptional group of individuals that will become a fun team in the days to come. Once again I'm exited to be back in Tanzania. Stepping off the plane and breathing in the wonderful smells of this country bring back good memories. I'm constantly reminded that it's the people, as much as the mountain, that makes this such a special trip. Tomorrow morning we get busy as we get together to discuss our upcoming climb of Kilimanjaro, including checking and organizing our gear. Well, I should get some rest too. Good night for now. RMI Guide Brent Okita

RMI Guide Brent Okita and Four Day Climb July 14 - 17 climbed to 13,300' this morning before poor weather and conditions forced them to turn around. The group will continue their descent to Paradise later this morning.

Four Day Climb July 6 - 9 led by RMI Guide Brent Okita reached the summit of Mt. Rainier with their entire team this morning. Brent reported a beautiful day on the mountain and a great route. Congratulations to today's climbers!

RMI Guide Brent Okita and the Mt. Rainier Summit Climb left Columbia Crest at 7:45 am. Brent said the weather was a little chilly with 15 mph winds, sunny skies and some clouds around. Congratulations to today's summit climb team!

The Four Day Climb June 20 - 23 reached the summit of Mt. Rainier this morning. RMI Guide Brent Okita radioed from Columbia Crest around 6:30 AM PT. The teams had a good climb with nice weather and a bit of wind. Both teams began their descent from the crater rim shortly after 7 AM. Congratulations to today's Summit Climb teams!