October 16th: Day 6 Kilimanjaro Trek

 Karanga Camp to Barafu (Base) Camp

Awake at 4:20am, but held it together in the dark in my bed! It's harder than it sounds because 4:30am appears to be the COLDEST time of day. With that in mind... and some lower back pain from carrying 3L of water and hiking every day then sleeping on 3 foam (compressed) inches from the stony ground, I began my daily ritual of pelvic lifts, spinal twists and sitting up-leaning forward. Little stretches do matter and make all the difference with body temperature too.

By 5am, camp is stirring. The cook tent comes alive first. It's where about 8 porters sleep but the noises are for hot water and breakfast prep. At 6am, around the time I'm bursting to make "money-money", Emmanuel and his killer smile/cheerful morning disposition, arrives. He already knows that Sue takes her coffee black and unsweetened, and I have everything she doesn't (milk and sugar). In the dark, without a headlamp, he prepares things, then gently wakes us and passes hot drinks through the tent flap.

Coffee in hand, we start pulling ourselves from layers of sleep gear and packing it into stuff sacks. Breakfast comes after we're pretty packed. The porter-elves dismantle our tent and pile all our gear outside while we eat and get a morning health check. 

It's time for the official intro to the Habari Adventure Team that has made it all possible thus far... and will be all we need to safely summit tomorrow (fingers crossed)!

They definitely know how to motivate us!

Then water is filled (I tip a bit of hot water from breakfast into my Camelbak and Nalgene too). We are off.

Today was short (4 hours) but mostly uphill. The views were great, trail busy and "money-money" spots less private... but also with fab views. We reached Barafu Camp before 12 noon. Tonight is summit night so we had an extra health check and a briefing before lunch. (Chicken and chips!!!)

Check it out! At this time it's safe to say the Habari Dream Team has performed some sort of miracle with me and my AMS tendancy. My O2 saturation never fell below 90% all the way to Base Camp. No headaches, no issues breathing, no diarrhea, no appetite loss. And I wasn't the only one. ALL 4 OF US were symptom-free - against all odds. 

We had an attempt a a nap. FAIL!

And while all of us are in good health and spirits, we are nervous too. It's reassuring to not feel alone in this.

Dinner, then another attempt at a nap. I think I got 1.5 hours just before the 10:00pm wake up call. There was ginger tea and popcorn waiting in the dining tent. My stomach was closed for business so there was a hard pass on the popcorn.  That ginger tea was just the ticket though. I had several mugs!

THE PLAN

5km to the summit. Aiming to take around 7 hours.

Abdi and Evance broke down the summit hike into 3 parts for us.

1. Here to 5000m.

A steep scramble first part of about 30 mins. Then gradual to Kosovo Camp at 4800m - about an hour away.

Gradual steepness to 5000m.

Don't get sweaty or you'll get cold. Unzip or remove the summit jacket as needed. Start with glove liners but not the giant mittens.

2. 5000m to Stella Point

A walk up a ridge which will likely be windy, cold at this altitude.

AMS (acute mountain sickness) is normal and nausea/vomiting is common. Let it out. You'll feel better!

There will be switchbacks and steep unrelenting, dusty trail until 5400m.

We'll pass the Junction Point along the way - where the descent route peels off from the ascent route.

5600m to Stella Point is steep and tough.

ALL Kili summit routes merge here.

We plan to break at Stella but put off photos until on the way down from Uhuru Peak.

3. Stella Point to Uhuru Peak

On the right side is the crater. On the left side you'll see glacier.

Only 0.7km, takes 45 minutes - > Uhuru.

There are 3 false summits.

We don't plan to stay more than 10-15 minutes at the Summit.

There will be wind and AMS. But we'll definitely take photos!

*Take with you 3L water, sun things, Ibuprofen, headlamp and spare batteries. Cover the Nalgene bottle in a winter sock and keep it upsidedown in the pack to avoid the mouth freezing.

(NOTE: I filled my Nalgene and Camelbak with hot water. Seemed overkill at the time... but....)

Wear: 2 pairs of socks, 2 bottom half baselayers and ski pants, 2 wool baselayers, 2 fleeces, 1 summit jacket. Liner gloves and put ski mitts in the pack. Handwarmers for later too. Wool hat, fluffy balaclava. Use fleece hood and summit jacket hood too as needed.

Wake: 10:00pm

Light food: 10:30pm

Departure: 11:00pm