Strohm Family Lemosho Traverse and Safari Dispatch

June 30, 2011 – To the Lava Tower

Hello this is Scott and Brennen checking in from the Lava Tower Camp. On day two we had a good night at Shira I Camp at 11,500ft. On day three, we walked across the Shira Plateau and stopped at the Simba Cave for a snack. We took a lunch break at the Scott Fischer camp. We made it to Moir Camp at 13,500ft and it is beautiful. Just beautiful.

Today when we woke up it was COLD! We left Moir Camp for a short hike to the Lava Tower at 15,090ft where we will spend the night tonight.

Julius and Samuel are with us every step of the way guiding us slowly, slowly – pole, pole. We are learning a lot about the mountain and the culture. We could not be better taken care of. I can’t imagine hiking with anybody but Berg. The food has been very good. Godfrey is cooking amazing meals. Elias is serving them to us, asking us to eat and drink, keeping us strong so that we can summit. Everyone else is helping us carry, set up camp and tear down camp.

We are going to now scramble up the Lava Tower before dinner.

Hiking across the Shira Plateau

Looking at Kibo – the volcano that makes up the Kilimanjaro summit.

The Lava Tower

Strong porters carry our supplies up the mountain.