Trip Reports

Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Glades 2 to 11 Feb '09

Dawn on summit day - Kilimanjaro Lemosho Glades

Written by Leader Paul Westwood, February 2009

The plan was for the travelling team members to congregate at Amsterdam airport having flown from regional airports in the UK. Identifying Jagged Globe clients was, as usual, a bit of a challenge as there were quite a few people waiting at the departure gate who looked like potential mountaineers (mountain boots and rucksacks). On this occasion the weather was also to have a hand in making this even more difficult. Leader Paul and Neil identified each other fairly quickly however that was as far as the meeting went. Andrew, Karen and Joanna were making their own way to Tanzania but Andy & Catherine, having successfully flown from Aberdeen to Schiphol airport, remained unidentified. The remaining 7 team members should have been joining us from Heathrow but the worst snow fall for over twenty years put pay to that idea and they were stranded. For the four who actually made the connection to the flight to Kilimanjaro airport it was helpfully an uneventful affair.

All the team that made the flight had got their Visas in advance so a potentially long wait at the airport was avoided. Once the Jagged Globe kit bags were rounded up together with their respective owners we were finally sure that team numbers were definitely under strength. The Jagged Globe office back in the UK was contacted and between them, KLM and the stranded team members’ efforts were started to resolve this situation. Back at Kilimanjaro airport, Helpful, our contact from Key’s Hotel, found us and we boarded the vehicles waiting for us and enjoyed the journey to the hotel. Having checked in to our rooms we met back in the restaurant for dinner and a briefing before heading off to bed.

After weighing up many factors and checking his proposal with local guides, Paul decided that the team in country must head off for Kilimanjaro as per the original itinerary. Plans were put in place with Key’s Hotel to deal with the stranded team members should they arrive the following day or even later. Guides and Key’s’ staff hurried about behind the hotel splitting up the tentage, food, cooking equipment, etc into two sets. Later that morning the team met up with Kassim, Lazaro and Danford, our guides, and the rest of the Keys expedition team. Bags, kit and food were weighed and loaded onto the transport before heading off to the national park gate at Lemosho. The kit, etc was weighed again to confirm the porter numbers and the team eventually headed off on foot into the park by mid afternoon. Catherine was obviously thrilled to see the range of flora on display and Andy’s camera hand was hardly ever still. There was evidence of elephant activity and a few distant monkeys were spotted. Lunch had been eaten whilst waiting for the formalities to be executed at Londorossi Park Gate so our first proper meal on Trek was to be a hearty dinner at Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree) Camp. This camp was the first time most of the team had encountered the traditional long drop toilets and were very pleased Jagged Globe had decided to provide a porta-potty as an alternative.

Meanwhile back in Europe the stranded team members had eventually taken off from Heathrow and were on their way to Kilimanjaro, to arrive 24hrs late.

The following day the two halves of the team, both now in Tanzania, followed the original itinerary but 24hrs apart. The next day, as the first team made their way to Shira II Camp from Shira I, the second team, together with their guides Charles and Robinson, trekked all the way across the Shira Plateau from Big Tree Camp through Shira I to Shira II Camp, a huge effort. It was great to unite all the members and build the full team. On arrival at the campsite Kilimanjaro was partially obstructed by clouds but it cleared later to show the mountain in its full scale and magnitude. A cold clear night also gave stunning moonlit views of the whole mountain.

After a cold night, the following days trekking would be a good indicator of the team’s ability and stamina and would determine the likely start time for our summit day. Everyone rose to the challenge and saw the whole team reach Lava Tower camp together, a height gain of 740m, and descend to Baranco Camp in 9 hours – a huge effort for the team members who had trekked for a full day on the previous day, as well as Andy & Catherine who had been ill overnight. Along the way our team leap-frogged other groups and this was a pattern that would continue to the end of the trek.

A clear night gave more good views of Kibo and dawn revealed the impressive and intimidating Baranco Wall. The wall was overcome with relative ease with team members helping each other and in next to no time we were arriving at Karanga Camp. A spectacular and heavy hailstorm broke as the last few team members arrived and lasted for almost two hours. It was barely possible to hear people speak in the new mess tents with the pounding hail. Pity the poor trekkers who had not long previously set off for Barafu Camp – they must have been drenched – how lucky we were to have arrived just before it started.

Karanga to Barafu Camp was a short day too, an opportunity to gain maximum altitude acclimatisation before the following day’s summit attempt. As much food and drink (Milo!) were taken in to help with the following day's exertion and everyone tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to nap before and after dinner.

Our planned departure at midnight was delayed while Paul C’s condition was assessed and a decision taken that he should not climb – a hard decision for everyone. A beautiful clear sky and full moon lit our way and made our head torches almost redundant. Charles (the second team’s head guide) led the team out and maintained a good pace. Neil unfortunately succumbed to altitude sickness and retreated after more than 6 hours of ascent. Temperatures were again low until the morning sun rose above the horizon just before most of the team reached Stella Point. Seven and a half hours of continuous uphill saw the leading pack at the summit of Uhuru having had only a brief pauses at Stella Point and along the crater rim to take in the stunning views. The final three of the team struggled on the final part of the ascent but all eleven remaining members of the team, four guides and leader were together at Stella Point. A great team effort.

After the descent and an overnight stop at Millennium Camp the team walked out to Mweka Park Gate where summiteers certificates and crew tips were presented. “Thank-you”s, smiles and handshakes were exchanged between clients and crew and, after a bit of bartering and souvenir shopping, we headed back to Key’s Hotel in Moshi.

Lunch and celebratory drinks by the pool/bar, showers and repacking for our flights home was all the time allowed for back at the hotel. Half of the team were remaining in Tanzania for beach/safari extensions so Paul and six clients waved goodbye to them as they departed for the airport. We then said our goodbyes in Amsterdam and flew our separate ways with success and many happy memories.

Uhuru summiteers – Andrew & Karen S, Andy R & Catherine L, Guy E, Joanna G, Jo, Katie & Martin P, Rod H, Steve B, Paul Westwood (+ 4 local guides)

Paul Westwood, Trek Leader « Previous report | Next report »

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