Last minute packing...
Ilia
This old truck...
Many porters.
We begin the climb.
rainforest, day 1
Emerging into the moorland and heather.
Troy
Day 2, a more open hike.
Liberace and I.
Bill
Prashant
Yours Truly
Troy and Diamox
Troy and sky
Erik and Marky-Mark
Scrambling
Clark gets the appetite award...
Kevin grubs too
Sara looks on
Room with a view
Camp2, Shira Plateau
Eric
First view of the upper mountain
Tom chews gum
Onward to the summit!
Prashant in his silk eyeshade
Sarah & Clark
Bill & Cristina
Eric & Prashant
Relaxing trailside
Brothers Tom & Kevin share a moment
Troy and Liberace (his name is actually Liberaty, like he was going to get out of that nickname!)
Libe' and I
We hike to 14,000' for lunck
It's thin and stormy
Altitude effects begin to be felt
And felt
but laughter and hot chocolate
and good company lift our spirits
Shabaani climbs to my elevation
Vincent and Pastori look to the descent
We descend all afternoon
Back into vegetation,
mist,
and waterfalls
To Baranca Camp, above the clouds at 12,000'
Below the Baranco wall,
Cristina suckles
Day 4, top of Baranco wall
Well above the clouds
Almost into the land of glaciers
Lunch in the mess tent
Dancing lessons
Loaded porters jogging by us
Honey, can you get my gummi bears out of my pack
Yes dear
Ilia's Hamas costume
More ridges to climb
Long and pleasant trails
High camp is on top of that block
reached by goatpath
Africans carry loads on their heads
Gringos rest
Eric is tired from schlepping that diamond ring, but Victoria doesn't know that yet
Barafu ("ice") camp, at 15,000'
Shabaani administers oxygen
Summit day, Shabaani is the smiliest guy I know
Our first break
On the way to the summit
Troy while still fairly comfortable
Second break
Troy less comfortable, seeking solace
Our motley crew. 3rd break.
Ilia and Lisa enjoy the view
WE SUMMIT!
With our KCFC flag
Here I am at the top of Africa
Quite a vista.
The shrinking glaciers
Mt. Meru (15,000'), about 40 miles distant
Our whole crew.
The 9 hour descent should really be split into 2 days
It contains the world's longest staircase (4 hours +)
It took a lot out of me by the time we reached the hotel : )
