Today started out simply, but it soon turned into my favorite day of this journey thus far. At breakfast, I choked down some porridge (with some peanut butter mixed in for some fat) even though I didn’t have an appetite.
Then I got ready for today’s 7-mile hike. I expected the weather to be a bit cooler during our climb to 13,800 feet. So I layered a few shirts under my rain jacket to keep me warm.
I’m consciously trying to avoid what several of the ladies in our group are doing. Each day, they seem to be overdressing with all their warmest clothes. I’m afraid that if I follow suit, I’ll be used to wearing all my layers before I get to summit day.
I know I’ll really need them when we get up high. The summit is expected to be -10 to -20 degrees Fahrenheit, and I’m a big baby when it comes to the cold. If I don’t let my body acclimate at least a little bit now, I’ll just be miserable down the road.
Wow – look at those rocks!
Today’s trek started out relatively flat as we crossed the Shira plateau. The vegetation and rocks were just awesome! It reminded me a little of Joshua Tree National Park with regard to its beauty.
The ground was moist, so there was far less dust as we walked, making it a more pleasant hike from the start. As we reached the end of the plateau, we ascended over a rocky ridge and the terrain transitioned to the moorland – low scrub and rock formations that were truly spectacular in their size and composition.
Today’s journey made me want to share this experience with my son, Finn, someday. He loves volcanoes and would be so impressed with the beautiful terrain I got to walk through today courtesy of Mt. Kilimanjaro’s eruptions tens of thousands of years ago.
Before long, we had beautiful views of Mt. Meru off to our side. And then Mt. Kilimanjaro made its appearance again in the distance in front of us. Although the clouds surrounding us made the mountain hard to photograph, she would show make brief appearances several more times that day.
Once again the weather brought something new for us today. We had warm, humid weather on Day 1, and then some light rain on Day 2. Today’s addition was cold rain that transitioned into small BB gun pellet-sized hail for about 15 minutes.
We briefly took shelter near a rock overhang that formed a cave. As the group stood underneath it, we could see hoof marks in the ground from the oxen who’d come to lick the salt oxide off the rocks before our visit. Although we haven’t seen too many animals up here, we know they must be around somewhere.
Moir Hut
Around 1 pm, we reached our camp spot at Moir Hut, and signed in on the logs. While waiting my turn, I noted the area was encircled on three sizes by hills and cliffs. This meant no matter which direction we headed out tomorrow, it would probably be upward quickly.
I also noticed our pace was a little faster today and we made our way through the Shira plateau and we finished in just 4.5 hours. It’s not a breakneck pace, but I think everyone felt pretty strong today. That is until our afternoon adventure.
After lunch, we all rested for a bit, then headed out on an optional acclimatization hike with one of the guides in the afternoon. This short hike was the first time I’d actually felt out of breath during our trek. We did a little rock scrambling and my heart was beating like I just sprinted.
It’s easy to see how much harder exertion is at close to 14,000 feet elevation. I can only imagine how difficult it will be to breathe on summit day. Luckily, the rest of our hike after that initial challenge was back at our standard “pole, pole” pace so we could all catch our breath.
During this little jaunt up to the rim of the basin rim, we could look back down Moir Hut where our camp was situated, and we watched the sun set ABOVE the coulds. It was a surreal experience.
The best was yet to come though. After dinner the stars came out to greet us. I’ve never seen so many stars in my entire life. The combination of the high elevation and the lack of light pollution provided a truly remarkable night sky. I felt like I could see the entire Milky Way.
Final Thoughts
During our afternoon acclimatization hike, I also noticed that two of the British ladies, Polly and Claudia, are very sunburned on the backs of their necks. I’ve only haphazardly used sunscreen myself and seem to be faring well, though I don’t exactly have a mirror to check myself out in.
The UV rays are certainly extreme here though. When the sun is out, it feels 20 degrees warmer than when it is hidden behind the clouds. It reminds me of Colorado, where the elevation always makes the sunshine feel much warmer.
I’ll definitely have to remember to wear sunscreen during our upcoming days on the mountain so I don’t leave here bright as a tomato.