Our head guide, Peter Moto.
It's Monday morning, everyone is here, and it's time to get serious about the hike. Our head guide Peter Moto arrives and gives us the lowdown. Peter is a little guy (about 5'4") with the tenacity and determination of a bull. He first climbed Kili as a porter at age 13, and has made upwards of 300 summits over his 20 years of guiding and portering. We immediately have huge confidence in him, and we listen intently.
Here's a basic rundown of the trip. We will drive 4 hours to the Kili start gate at 6500" on tuesday, then hike up to 9500" where we will stay for the night. Wednesday, we will hike from 9500 to 12500 (which for many of us will be our highest elevation ever) and then overnight agani. Thursday we will do a day hike 12500 to 14500, stay for a bit to acclimate, then return to 12500 for an overnight. Friday is "kick butt day".
On friday, we hike am from 12500 to 15500, sleep for a couple of hours (sleep being a relative term, as you can't breath and your nerves are on edge), eat, sleep 2 more hours, then awake at 10pm for the summit attempt. We hike from 15500 to 19400 to the summit, spend a few minutes there in a state of near death, then hike back to 15000. We then sleep for an hour, then descend futher to 12500 for another overnight. The last day, we descend from 12500 back to the gate at 6500, some 15 miles or so of downhill.
More to come..
Lumpy out
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