October 29, 2009

Some specifics on the climb: At 19,340 ft., Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa. It is in the country of Tanzania. There are several different routes up to the top which one website describes as "basically like a long hike." Most of the way is a dirt trail passing through numerous micro-climates. At the top, there usually is some snow to walk across, and we will be visiting the crater on our descent which looks absolutely gorgeous from pictures I have seen. Traffic on the mountain is limited by the necessity of having to hire a guide, and porta-potties are at strategic locations. We will be following the 7-day Machame route, summiting on the next to last day. The summit day is the hardest - going to bed at 7 p.m., sleeping for four or five hours, waking at midnight to hike, arriving at the summit by sunrise. According to one website, "almost anyone of moderate fitness has a fighting chance of summiting." I hope that will be us! =)