Kilimanjaro Expedition Dispatch
September 23, 2008 – Surprise! Wally Meets Up With the Team
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Lava Tower Camp
This is Wally Berg and I am calling you from the Lava Tower camp on the morning of the 23rd. Julius and I and a few of the BAI staff are on Kilimanjaro this week doing a reconnaissance climb. We are putting together the finishing touches on some new routes we are going to offer on Kilimanjaro next year. We first came up the beautiful, remote and steep Umbwe trail. Yesterday we stopped in here at Lava Tower where we had the good fortune of finding this wonderful group of Canadians. As you know they have been traversing across the mountain on route for the summit this week. The group looks fantastic! I couldn’t believe how happy they looked. I was watching them finish their lunch, their appetites are great. The team was gleaming and full of stories about their adventures so far. They are also very complimentary about the spirit and comradery of their BAI staff. In particular, they told me more than once about the ‘master pace setters’ Elias and Rodrick. These guys have taught this team the benefits of pole pole (slow mountain pace). I can tell this team is very appreciative of that.
They look really strong here. Howard told me his altimeter read 14,960 feet in the dinning tent near the Lava Tower.
After lunch Rodrick, Elias and some of the other guides had suggested we do an acclimatization hike. We all walked up to just over 15,500 feet. A new high point for this Canadian group.
Last night we slept well and now the sun is rising over the beautiful western breach of Kili with the glaciers gleaming above me. I am watching the team walk off towards the Barranco wall and continuing on their route.
Julius, our small team and I will head around the northern circuit trail to look at some new routes. The plan is that both teams will meet up in the crater in a couple of days for the ascent of Uhuru peak, the top of Africa.
We will keep you posted; I know the Canadian team will be doing their dispatches. Julius and I will look forward to checking in with you once we get up into the crater and rejoin the group.