kilimanjaro - days 4-7

Days 4 – 7

We left the Shira Hut following another early morning rising. Up at 6, breakfasted and kitted up to leave around 7.30. We were always pretty slow at getting moving in the mornings, and much like the meercats standing to attention in the morning sun, we would often stand in the early rising sun as it started to warm us through from yet another bitter night. By this point it was reaching about -18 or -19 oC at night, so more and more layers were being put on at night to keep the chills out. With mats to sleep on, sock warmers for chilly toes, merino wool tops, and long johns it was a snazzy nightwear look, but quite essential. Oh and don’t forget the furry hat with ear flaps. Having to get out of your tent in the middle of the night is also something of a hassle when it involves putting on boots, grabbing the bogroll and taking a spin in the chilly moonlight with the frosty air in  your breath, and a puffa jacket on. Dropping your bottoms at such a time is not so desirable, but necessary.

The moon was high whilst we were trekking though, so we got a ful moon on about the 4^th night which was simply spectacular and made the clouds and the city below look quite surreal. Its hard to imagine seeing the curvature of the earth, but this was possible first at Shira Hut and we could also see the sun setting behind Mount Meru, which was almost as if the volcano was erupting in front of us. Utterly breathtaking.

It was a gentle ascent in the Great Barranco Valley, with massive panoramic views. The terrain was mostly lava ridges just south of the massive glaciers that slip down the sides of the volcano from the peak. It was pretty foggy at times, but we emerged up a step incline to the Lava tower junction at around 4550m. Having lunch here were some rather large crows and the local rodents, a sort of fat mouse, probably well fed due to all the summiteers’ and trekkers stopping of at this rocky outcrop. You then descend back down and back up the other side of the valley and over  the cliffs. There were some headstands and rather crazy poses done looking out over the clouds. From there we continued to our camp for that night. It was another 6 hour day in total, so arriving, we had tea, relaxed a little, sorted ourselves out, looked at our kit for the next day and then did a further 1 hour acclimatisation walk up and back down again. These were becoming increasingly puffy. Layers on and off as you rise higher, but start to work up a bit of heat due to the thinner air and having to work harder very subtly with each step. 

The following day our trek was straight up the cliffs opposite our camp. These looked monstrous in the morning light and as we saw the groups leaving ahead of us it was like watching trails of ants winding back and forth across what looked like a sheer rock face. This was to be the toughest ascent. It was the sheerest and most challenging, and if your a bit wobbly with heights and bouldering and leaping across the odd crevice like I am, it was frankly utterly terrifying, but the group pulled together and got us all up (despite a few giggles and jokes about certain grimaced looks and a few sweating heads from the terror!) as we went over the top of that ridge, more silly poses were pulled.

From there we continued back down a steep gorge and back up the other side of that to Karanga Hut (3930,) where we made camp again. It was Alfies birthday on this particular day, so chef managed to whip up a cake (albeight it did taste a bit garlicy from the pots he used!) and we all had a few games of cards and some more ginger tea to celebrate! Food was becoming a great source of interest as the days progressed. We had all got to a point where our bodily functions were being discussed openly, our toilet routines being source of much conversation. Beards and body hair was abundant, little or no washing (despite washy washy) meant we were starting to get a bit plumby, but I think when you al smell a bit like that you don’t really notice the others around you. We tried our best and wetwipe frankly are a saviour in such conditions! Hair was just tied back as it wasn’t much good any other way! All forms of real personal sanitisation was pretty low, the water was boiled for food and drinking -  the 5 litres we were  each drinking a day. I was using that in 2 bottles and a camelback, with obligatory berrocca (the water in a camelback tastes grim without it!) and diarolyte for salts and minerals to keep up with all the sweating.

We were eating pretty much everything in front of us, the food was amazing given where we were! Stews, soups, bread most days, eggs, rice dishes, high carb, long burn stuff! And we got fruit or some sort of pudding most nights too! There was no more water from this point so anything we needed was to be carried.

The night stay here was really cold, and in the morning there was a thicker layer of ice on the inside of the tent from our breathe. We were all pleased when the sun started to warm us once the mist had cleared. From here we could see the peak and 2 of the glaciers, but had to trek round the other side of the mountain to reach our last camp before summiting.

We reached our final camp at Barafu (4600m) around mid to late morning after trekking up a more scree landscape. Slightly harder to walk on, and then some step boulders to climb up through towards the camp. The tents were put up, and we had lunch. A few of us did a further acclimatisation walk, but more headaches were kicking in at this point so it was time for rest and chilling before the summit  night walk. We ate dinner at 6 and then prêt much tried to go to bed and sleep.

I might and that I hadn’t really slept at all in the past 4 days so was running pretty low on energy by this point, so resting was of utmost importance. A few of the group had nausea and headaches and were feeling tired or sleepless too, all par for the cause!

At this point the mountain is pretty unforgiving. The scenery is bleak and there was pretty much constant cloud and fog. It wasn’t a happy place with the overall sense of an overwhelming and slightly scarey ascent coming up.