Photos : Kilimanjaro Climb Via Lomosho Route Gallery Page 10/10
Kili 2
I’ve never been accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer and the fact I decided to return to Kili for another round of stupid man vs Kili, proves the point. After succumbing to AMS the first time round, I said one day I would try again however when I did it would be the longer route…the Lomosho route. An opportunity to travel there on a semi private tour came up and I didn’t hesitate to say ‘yes’.
A path less travelled
The entrance gate where you complete the first of several registrations is not on the same road as your starting point nor is it at the point where you pay your park fees. That would be too easy and make too much sense. Enroute to the registration point you must stop at a hut on the side of the road to pay your fees then head up the road another 10-15 mins to a park entrance. This is also the point at which your bags are weighed to ensure you don’t breach the 15kg limit. One by one your bags are placed on the scales and a curt nod from Mr Bag Weigher indicates all is in order. Luckily all of our bags passed however there was one point that I couldn’t fathom and that was when Mr Bag Weigher placed 3 bags on the scale at the same time. Was he thinking that a porter was due to carry all 3 at once? Very weird.
We decided to check our own body weight and one by one we had our weight checked by Mr Bag Weigher. According to this expensive (healthy dose of sarcasm) and often used scale, each of us had managed to put on 3kgs or thereabouts since boarding the plane! Now I’m not saying his scales were wrong but….
At the registration point there are some great signs here to forewarn you of the risks in climbing and the rules by which you must abide whilst in the park. Some of it is lost in translation heralding the new language Kilenglish. Some of the great warnings are
- Do not push yourself to go if you have extreme
- Place erect mark any sign board within the park
Feeling suitably fat from our official weight gain, enlightened by the Kilenglish and itching to get going, we poured ourselves back into the 4wd’s in search of the starting point. A left, a right and then 1/2 way up a track you find dozens of people waiting for you in the forest. Your bags are snatched from the 4wds and taken by the porters (hopefully to be seen again at camp).
And so it begins
From day 1 of this 8 day trip the scenery is different and prettier to the Rongai. Unlike the Rongai route, here we immediately started our climb through the rain forest, complete with rain. After a few hours you arrive at the campsite and to my delight and surprise, flat ground.
At the original registration point my occupation was ‘comedian’ or ‘magician’s assistant’ and I thought there was only 1 point at which you’d have to register however there was another register at this camp. I noticed the others had completed accurate details and was tempted to follow suit but the pen seemed to have a life of its own as some other occupation danced across the page. By the next day the competition was on to come up with the more mundane or esoteric occupation. From hostage negotiator to dolphin trainer to fluffer to ostrich jockey.
Dinner is served early at around 1800-1830 so by 1930 you are finished. This translates into an early bedtime and early rise. Such a foreign concept for yours truly and one which proved challenging. In fact as I write this it is 0300 and I’ve already had over 6 hours sleep!
Leaving camp 1 we were welcomed to day 2 with a beautiful 2 hour walk through more rain forest. With each metre of elevation the rain forest changes and you can see the difference in vegetation and fauna. It’s a great visual feast to see how nature adapts at the different altitudes and conditions. We all know Mother Nature is supposed to be nurturing however at the start of the day as the sun hits the forest floor, breaking through the trees like blades of light, the earth rolls a big fat Cuban cigar and starts to smoke it. The mini plumes and wisps of cloud create a wonderful spectacle.
The rain forest relinquishes its grip on the earth and allows the shrubs to take hold. For the remainder of the day we walked amongst the shrubs that stood about 6-10 feet.
As we neared camp we could see in the distance busses driving up to a drop off close to our camp….slackers!!! They cheated themselves of 2 days walk and the rain forest. You can actually drive all the way to Kibo hut at 4700m however that’s really cheating and I don’t know of any tour groups offering that service.
Arriving at camp 2 we again had to register and this time more of the group had donned their thinking caps to come up with some interesting occupations. The previous night hadn’t been too cold however outside of the rain forest and at higher altitude it was noticeably cooler. With the sun slinking off behind the mountain it was under zero. Usual affair of early dinner and briefing then off to bed early to see if slumber would be your friend.
The object of your profession
Over the course of the hike there were dozens of occupations listed by us including :
- kidnap and ransom resolution
deep sea salvage expert- crash test dummy
- adult toy designer
- Jedi warrior
- astronaut
- taxidermist
- Shaolin monk
- taxi driver
- comedian
- ostrich
- ostrich jockey
- sheep shearer
Day 3 we remained on the Shira plateau with only a slight increase in alititude to the next overnight camp. From camp 2 to camp 3 was a 6 hour hike via the Shira Cathedral however you do notice the change in oxygen levels as you start to climb but it’s not too bad and provides a confidence boost your body is getting used to the mountain.
From camp 3 to camp 4 was again a mild increase in altitude and unlike the previous days, the weather was in our favour. The sunset and sunrise were beautiful. Waking at 2am to ‘water the rocks’ ( I couldn’t be bothered walking too far from the tent ), the sky was clear and Kilimanjaro was bathed in moonlight. Instead of being smart and heading back to bed I decided to pretend to know how to use a camera and take a night shot of Kili. Unfortunately I couldn’t focus on the summit or really see it with any clarity as it was too dark so I merely guessed if the camera had accurately focussed and took a shot or 5. The cold started to get the better of me so I retreated to the sanctuary of the tent with some blurry shots as my reward.
Today was also a telling as we would climb to over 4500m before camping at 3900m. My thinking was that if I could make this pass feeling strong and avoiding the symptoms that plagued me last time, the likelihood of making the summit (or at least getting past 4700m) was vastly improved. Thankfully the pass proved to be only a minor challenge and I had no problems.
Camp 5 was a very busy camp. We saw at least 6 other groups of varying sizes whose camps adorned the ground with brightly coloured tents. This camp was nestled between 2 rocky ridge lines. One we walked over its pass the previous day and the other would be tackled tomorrow head-on. Scramble time!!!! They nightly briefing made the rock face sound daunting. Apparently you would needed to have trained to be a ballerina to complete some of the manoeuvres. Remaining in camp we watched those groups that arose early to be the first on the face.
We didn’t have a long day in front of us, unlike some of the other groups (as we found out later) who were heading up to the pre-summit camp, so whilst keen to get underway we weren’t rushed to set off by 7am. Those groups that did set off by 7am proved entertainment for us as we watched them scramble along the rock face. It’s on this rock face you get to be up close and personal with Kili and what is referred to as the Kissing Stone. Its name comes from the fact you have to hug the rock as you pass and virtually plant a kiss on it. It actually sounds worse than it is and when our group came to the challenge, it proved one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole trip.
The next camp was the final camp of the ascent, Karanga camp, Barafu altitude 4680m. We arrived early afternoon and were fed a carb overdose meal then sent off to bed to get some sleep. Sleep was rare for any of us but a few lucky souls did manage some thus having the pleasure to chat to Mr Sandman.
The next feeding time was around 1700 with the rationale that food is your friend and necessary for the climb. After the gruel that seemed to be a cross between lumps of coagulated/congealed blood and rice pudding that had been left out in a sandstorm, and some ever quickening stale bread upon which we spread what became affectionately known as ‘the Polly filla’ or ‘putty’ to give some taste to the otherwise unappealing and unappetising slop. Don’t get me wrong, food was welcomed but after 7 days of the same breakfast that consisted of porridge Kili style and jam that had more e’s than a teenage rave, it does start to wear thin. This food is designed with 3 things in mind ( at least as far as I can tell ) namely easy to prepare, high carbs, hard to screw up. 🙂
Now fed again we rolled towards to our tents so we could attempt to meet the sandman before being woken at 2300 for breakfast! I managed a 1 hour sleep so I was actually pretty happy.
Departure time was midnight and with the elevation and clear skies the temperature was below zero before we started. By 1/2 way to Stella Point the temperature was well below zero and the camelback tube froze, as did your feet and nose. I noticed about half the guides either hadn’t donned their headlamps or they didn’t own one. Tonight we had almost a full moon and was bright enough to pretty clearly show the way. I figured what was good for the goose was good for me therefore for most of the ascent to Stella Point my head torch was off.
Although walking slowly in an attempt to not to over exert yourself, the lack of water and the ever increasing altitude started to take its toll although in good spirits. Your breathing becomes more laboured, your feet heavier and time seems to go in the opposite direction to what you want. You rush to the summit before sunrise but time beats you, you can’t wait to finish and get off the mountain but time goes slow.
From day 1, I had adopted the mentality that I would go at my own pace and not be rushed by the guides or the group. I was always the last of the group to reach camp, I was always the slowest during the climb but I was always the first to find a ‘nature toilet’ on the climb 🙂 The primary goal is to summit and the secondary goal was to summit in time for sunrise. I will never know the latter however from my vantage point I don’t feel I missed out as, to pardon a very bad pun, the view was stellar. I got to see sunrise not from the top as was planned but from over 2/3 of the way up. Mt Mawenzi provided the backdrop for sunrise. The crisp air (or maybe the fact the oxygen was thinning), the quietness, the remote location and the altitude, all made for a memorable start to the day.
I hadn’t come this far to miss out on smiting due to AMS therefore the higher I got the more careful I became not to push myself too hard. The climb affects people in different ways, both physical and mental. I’m the first to admit brain power isn’t my strong suit however today I felt very strong and throughout the entire climb, enjoyed the scenery and experience.
There were 3 of us behind the group due to pee breaks (mine) with the other two feeling less than average. One had unfortunately succumbed to AMS and would end up returning to camp with the other, Sally, feeling physically tired and weak but not suffering from all the symptoms of AMS. I left Sally with a guide and continued on solo trip, well except for my guide, and trailing the main group by about 50m vertical.
I had no drive to catch the front runners and wasn’t going to be rushed to ascend. He has to be commended on his patience. He never rushed me no matter how many times I stopped to get my breath, but more often than not, waiting for me to take photos. He actually started to critique my photos after I took them! Ok, so let’s avoid the hyperbole and say that I managed to summit and thrilled/relieved having made it.
My guide said Sally had returned to camp but I wasn’t so sure as I thought I could see her head torch slowly coming up behind us before sunrise. An emphatic ‘no’ from the guide told the story…..from his side. After making summit and having a picture of my ugly mug taken, I was on my way down when like a mirage I came across Sally shuffling her way to the summit. She was only about 200m shy of her goal but you could tell it was tough going. In an amazing display of determination/stubbornness/stupidity/courage Sally had walked most of the climb from Barafu to the summit feeling far below average yet had made it to the top.
Was it euphoria when I reached the top? It wasn’t that I jumped for joy and punched the air but it was a very satisfying feeling to have attained the goal compounded by the great weather and scenery.
Would I do it again? If I had a spare week it wouldn’t be the first place I’d rush to but may one day head back.
Would I do anything different? Nope. But it would have been great to be at the summit with friends/loved ones.