Kilimanjaro

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:03 pm

I am toying with attemping to summit kilimanjaro for my 50th birthday (it was that or 8 tuff miles and Kili looks easier!

) --I have a friend who runs trips there and so would probably go thru their outfit--I am NOT a mountain climber--but apparently Kilimanjaro is not a really technical climb--more of a hike--obviously there is a need to get in shape for the climb (it would be a year from hnow if i decide to go)
but i am really worried about the altitude--It took me a while to aclimiatize to Vail altitude--so I am wondering has anyone climbed this peak and what words of advice/caution would you have?

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:20 pm

can't help you one iota but just wanted to say .. cool

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:40 pm

Hey marybeth, want to join this old lady on a long walk up an african hill?

lprof · Post by **lprof** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:58 pm

Go.
Look into it - don't wait. I hope that you will post more info on Kilimanjaro hikes/climbs.

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:13 pm

loria wrote:Hey marybeth, want to join this old lady on a long walk up an african hill?

ummm...no! I'd be your biggest detriment! but I think it's a cool idea and if you do it I can't wait to hear about it!

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:15 pm

Awesome Loria!! Good for you, but you know what you have to do before you go don't you???

Register with the Embassy! (sorry folks, inside joke!)

That is super exciting. Needless to say a Trip Report would be mandatory upon return.

I can ask my buddy in Malawi (the same one who helped your bro in Madagascar) if they know anyone who's done it.

I'm not sure if they're going to try before they leave or not. He's volunteered to go to the embassy in Kabul, Afghanastan so his tour is being cut short in Malawi.

Let me know and I can ask him.

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:20 pm

Gromit wrote:Awesome Loria!! Good for you, but you know what you have to do before you go don't you???

Register with the Embassy! (sorry folks, inside joke!)

That is super exciting. Needless to say a Trip Report would be mandatory upon return.

I can ask my buddy in Malawi (the same one who helped your bro in Madagascar) if they know anyone who's done it.

I'm not sure if they're going to try before they leave or not. He's volunteered to go to the embassy in Kabul, Afghanastan so his tour is being cut short in Malawi.

Let me know and I can ask him.

VERY FUNNY!!

I am still in teh thinking about this stage--I am seriously a bit freaked about the altitude thing--but I think that if I can get by that then it would be a great way to start my next 50 years (oh how the hell did I get so old?????)

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:23 pm

Gurl, age ain't nuthin but a #!!!

Like I said, sounds cool. But you're right to do your due diligence.

Can you take oxygen just in case?

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:33 pm

I bet if you stuff a sock in your mouth and don noseplugs, you'll be accustomed to the hypoxia by then!
Sounds fun! I hope you get to do it!

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:03 pm

girl, you ROCK!

But what's with the planning ahead? You've got like 21 years before you hit that milestone. Why not do it for your 30th?

And I'm not letting you go anywhere until you get your trip report done for your recent STJ excursion!

canucknyc · Post by **canucknyc** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:10 pm

Very cool! A friend of mine just got back from there. Good for you!!

Lovermont · Post by **Lovermont** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:56 pm

WAY TO GO! My brother and two other friends have done it. I believe they all went with organized groups (that may be the only way to go, I'm not sure.) Two of the three got to the summit. One friend had to turn back because her traveling companion got altitude sickness. There's no real way to acclimate yourself to 19,000 feet, but I think they plan the ascent to make it as do-able as possible. I really hope you do it, because I'd love to read your report and have that vicarious experience.

My brother wrote a long trip report when he did his trip. I'll see if I can get my hands on it, and PM you.

Lovermont

ps - I'm feeling like a bit of a shlub for going to STJ for my 50th. Somehow, a hike to Ram Head just doesn't compare to KILIMANJARO!

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:05 pm

Lovermont wrote:WAY TO GO! My brother and two other friends have done it. I believe they all went with organized groups (that may be the only way to go, I'm not sure.) Two of the three got to the summit. One friend had to turn back because her traveling companion got altitude sickness. There's no real way to acclimate yourself to 19,000 feet, but I think they plan the ascent to make it as do-able as possible. I really hope you do it, because I'd love to read your report and have that vicarious experience.

My brother wrote a long trip report when he did his trip. I'll see if I can get my hands on it, and PM you.

Lovermont

ps - I'm feeling like a bit of a shlub for going to STJ for my 50th. Somehow, a hike to Ram Head just doesn't compare to KILIMANJARO!

Hey, I will take the rams head hike ANY DAY! I just feel like i haven't ever DONE anything--but the altitude does scare me--I still have children to get thru college--and I really would be disappointed if I didn't summit (or REALLY disappointed if i was one of the dozen or so fatalities that happen there each year!--hmmm life insurance might be a good investment about now...)

for me this would be a huge challenge and I need to prove it to me that i can do it--but like i said I am still on the fence--it's really expensive and it's sort of scary (at least to me--I am really a sealevel gal)-=-

Katie, want to join?????

IslandElle · Post by **IslandElle** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:31 pm

My husband did Kili with some friends about 6 years ago. I have heard lots of their stories and from what they say it wasn't easy. The climbing aspect wasn't technical at all but the altitude can get tough. They also went to Everest base camp on the same trip which is close to the same altitude. I am not sure which one was tougher though. I know they took diamox to help them acclimatize.

OK, just asked my husband and this is what he had to say.

Don't do the Marangu aka Coca Cola route. He says that route is harder and doesn't allow as much time to acclimatize. The Machame route is the one he did and it is a longer and prettier route. Also they spent a week in Tanzania which is around 5000ft so that helped them acclimatize but they had done Everest a few weeks before this so they may of all ready had a high count of red blood cells. If you do spend time in Tanzania he says you must check out the Ngoro Ngoro Crater. Also, he says try to plan your summit during a full moon. You will get a view of the glaciers as you are reaching the summit this way since you start your summit at 12:00 am. He used words like breathtaking and surreal!

I hope I got all the spelling right and that this information is helpful! If you have any questions please feel free to ask! It will be an amazing experience from what I understand.

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:45 am

loria wrote:Katie, want to join?????

You know I would! I would even enjoy training for it. (I'm weird that way.) Unfortunately I'd have to get past the issues of budget, vacay time and... um... not wanting to die. I'd have to do a ton of research on what it would really be like. But I'd enjoy that, too.

Maybe we should start with 8 Tuff Miles?

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