Trip Reports

Kilimanjaro Western Breach 15th - 26th September '14

Written by Leader Rob Wymer, October 2014

Having only got down from Kilimanjaro myself the day before their arrival, the 7 clients were left to find their own way out to Tanzania ñ which of course they managed with supreme ease! First challenge done, the next task was get to know their fellow team members, some of whom theyíd been casting sideways looks at throughout their journey from the UK, wondering ëis that another one on my tripÖ..?í. A smooth transfer from the airport saw us all at the hotel in Moshi some 45 minutes later, the bus sploshing through the remains of the heavy rain that had been coming down most of the day. Happily I was confident that having had so much unseasonable rain that day, the rest of our time would be in fine weather. We quickly checked in and then over a meal together I briefed the team on our requirements for the immediate start on Mt Meru the following day.

Mt Meru is in the itinerary for a few reasons. Not least because the Umbwe and Western Breach routes up Kilimanjaro are very swift in terms of height gain - thus some proper acclimatisation is required. However, another really important reason is because Meru is a very worthwhile climb in its own right. Sitting within its own National Park ñ as Kili is too ñ Meru has the advantage of having some larger animals mooching around it in addition to climbers! So, even before weíd stepped off the bus at the start, weíd already had a mini-safari and seen zebras and warthogs from the comfort of our seats! The weather was warm as we started walking, and as there are also buffalo, giraffe and elephants, we were accompanied throughout by an armed National Park Ranger. We were excited to see baboons on the way up to the first hut, and we were further rewarded with brilliant views on arrival not only of our first objective, the summit of Mt Meru but also our second - the mighty Kilimanjaro. On the second day we saw buffalo ñ thankfully fairly distant. Our rangerís proud claims of his shooting prowess didnít inspire our confidence ñ or had he got the hit/miss training target ratio wrong in translationÖ?! The all-important ëPole Poleí (slowly slowly) mantra was added to for our acclimatisation by a quick walk up Little Meru Peak for some great views of the surrounding plains as well as the first part of our summit route too. Our 1am departure for Meruís summit was necessary as it was to be a long day. Setting off into the murky night we were quickly amongst some interesting scrambling sections ñ both up and down for there were more than a few false summits to content with before the night was over!

As the dawn lightened the skies we were near the top but with constant scrambling interest along the way it was good to have some superb views of Kili above the clouds far away to spur us on. We all reached the summit just before 7am, and after many photos, set off back down again, all the way to the lower hut, taking in an excellent reviving lunch on the way. Black and white Colobus monkeys accompanied us on the lower reaches of the mountain before we reached the gate again and said farewell to our amusing ranger. We all agreed Mt Meru had been more of a challenge than we expected, but also that it had been very enjoyable and exciting. Of course, some very important acclimatisation had occurred tooÖÖ

Following a quick stay overnight in the hotel again, it was a quick turnaround for the main event ñ Kilimanjaro via the Umbwe route and Western Breach. The Umbwe route is a relatively steep and strenuous route up the mountain. Consequently it doesnít see much trade compared to the other popular walking routes. We relished the solitude over the 2 days before we met the hordes at Baranco Camp, and found some excellent journeying along ridges, following wooded bridges and handrails, always up with very little ëflatí. As we climbed higher in continuing fine weather we saw just how quickly we were gaining height as when we got our first view of Kibo ñ the summit cone ñ it seemed very close indeed. Some scrambling sections were encountered to further whet the appetite, and we made good use of our acclimatisation day at Baranco by climbing the infamous Breakfast/Baranco Wall before returning back down to camp for more delicious food courtesy of our talented cook team.

Additionally that day, Iíd gone to recce the conditions on the Western Breach with my local Head Guide Thomas. We both agreed it was a ëgoí and the team were pleased to get this news ñ so pleased in fact that they snoozed the rest of the afternoon that day! Following this it was off again, gaining height and losing the crowds once more en route to Arrow camp. What an amazing place ñ the site of the old Arrow Hut where various climbs up the now near-defunct Arrow glacier were launched in days gone by. It had a real ëedge of the worldí feel about it, with superb views of the summit area and also the remains of the Shira caldera, the Shira plateau and the Lava Tower. Of course this was all made the better by the fact that we were the only ones at the camp. The weather remained clear and we had ringside seats for viewing our intended route that night. The tension and excitement mounted! Another 1am departure beckoned so it was important to eat, hydrate and rest as much as possible. Our acclimatisation program and personal preparation were complete; all that remained now was to face the final challenge.

Steep and demanding from the off, the Western Breach proved to be everything weíd hoped for. Constant care was needed to safely weave our way up the rocks and scree. The going was never too technical but we knew that to lose concentration could be accompanied by serious consequences. A few patches of snow had to be cleared by an axe but otherwise it was thankfully all in good condition. The light of our headtorches both illuminated our way but also was lost in the depths of some rather large drops. Requiring mental as well as physical effort it was tough going, but as the skies lightened with the oncoming dawn, we saw that we were nearing the crater rim and the end of the difficulties. As we pulled over the breach rim onto the crater floor we were bathed in sunlight and the smiles really started to form. Strolling along the path for a while, marvelling at the relatively tiny remains of the Furtwangler glacier by our sides, we could now see the summit.

Unfortunately there was a sting in the tail ñ another steep 200m climb up out of the breach onto the higher part of the rim where Uhuru Peak is sited. Heads down, deep(ish) breaths taken, we tackled it full on and with no small effort we soon saw that we could climb no higher. The famous sign was in sight and our summit joy was added to by the fact that we practically had the place to ourselves ñ once again!

In a way we wanted more people to be there, as the Western Breach is the only route that approaches the sign from the opposite direction to usual and we wanted everybody to KNOW weíd done it the hard way! Not to worry, it was great to be able to take our time over photographs, back-slapping and hugging, and generally taking in the amazing ambience and views that one gets at the roof of Africa. Over the next few hours on the long descent to the final camp, a kind of happy calm settled over us. Weíd done it; done it the challenging, demanding, interesting and satisfying way ñ and we felt good. Thoroughly knackered but good!

It was a pleasure to lead this expedition; itís a route thatís been on my list for ages. It didnít disappoint from beginning to end, from Meru to Kili, and was made all the better by the excellent company of Mike, Neil, Gareth, Lisa G-M, Pete, Ben and Lisa S. Really well done you guys, not only for the routes but also for enduring my ëexcellentí jokes too!

Rob Wymer, Jagged Globe Expedition Leader.

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