Now I know this is a hunting forum, and I a hunting fanatic as much as the next guy, but next to hunting, I'd have to say that hiking and climbing come in second. It is a serious hobby of mine. Just curious if anyone else on the board has ever climbed Kilimanjaro before... Or even thought about it. Myself and a few friends are thinking about doing the climb in early 2008. Then doing a drive through the Serengeti and then a few days of relaxing on Zanzibar... Man, I never thought I'd go to Africa and not hunt, expecially in Tanzania, but I find myself wanting to do this climb more and more every day.. Just thought I'd see if any of ya'll have done or thought of doing the climb. If ya have done it, lets here how it was and what it was like for you..

I almost went last year but didn't end up having the time and wanted to go hunting more then climbing. I have a couple friends who did it and they said it was very difficult. Although I believe they did it on an expedited schedule. Good Luck if you decide to do it. The climb is supposed to be great if you are into that sort of thing.

It's not THAT bad from what I hear....more of a challenging hike due to the altitude. A group from my undergrad university went when I was younger and out of maybe 12 kids, all but one made it up to the top (the other got altitude sickness).

Best,

John

The climb is more of a slog up a trail. (This from an aquaintance who did it a few years back). It is a requirement for people trying to get their "seven summits" merit badge. The altitude is the issue. If you don't have troubles with AMS (acute mountain sickness), then go for it. I'm sure the view from the top is stunning.

Take your Diamox and Dexamethasone so you don't waste all the money getting there and can't finish the climb.

I believe you spend the last night at a hut at the 12,000' mark. The next day (as per usual on summit days) you are up at 01:00 and slogging upward. It is a "bounce" climb. Up high quickly, and then back down before your lungs fill up with water or your brain swells.

As you know, there is no way to predict who will and won't get AMS, or at what altitude. Interestingly, the incidence is higher among young, well conditioned athletes.

Since you don't sound like you will be in a rush, take your time, take some food and gear and enjoy the whole deal.

LD

yeah, they said it was the altitude that made it dificult

Scottyboy ----- My daughter and I climbed and backpacked for years, all over the Northeast, West and Canada. She is attempting to climb the fourteeners in Colorado and all the high points in the states. I have done several (15) fourteeners as well as some of the high points. When she mentioned Kilimanjaro the time and cost sounded like a good Moose hunt to me. I also had said if I ever went to Africa, it would be with a rifle. I told her if she could not find a climbing partner I would go. She got a fellow flight attendent to go with her and really had a great time. Her synoposis was that is was not an easy hike, lasted five days and after leaving at midnight on summit day, they were totaly exhausted after the climb. The climbers have to summit by noon because the sun melts the snow on the summit daily, making the walking a slippery nightmare. At 19,400 ft the air is very thin and she witnessed several people with altitude sickness, but she was not affected, her partner was to a some degree. I managed to get my dream Moose and later hunted Tanzania for Buffalo and plains game, therefore I got my African visit after all. I just thought I would relate her experience for your reference. Good shooting.

I would love to do it before all the snow is gone.Every time I see it on PBS being done I want it even more so.

Scotty,

I did it in October 2004.

It was a great trip, We went up in 5 days, and down in 1 1/2. There are a number of different routes that can make the climb easier or harder. We did what is known as the "Coca-Cola Route" It has huts along the way, so you hike to each one and stay the night.

I am using my t-shirt as a reference - the park gate is at 1800m and the huts are 2700m, 3720m and 4703m. You arrive at the last hut at 3 or so in the afternoon, and that is really the first time the altitude kicked in on me - Headache etc. I tried to sleep there, couldn't really. You take off from there at midnight, and it turns into a real slog, walking in S-rolls through the snow up the mountain side.

There is a intermediate/false summit called Gilman's Point (5685m) , and once you are there, it is more of a gradual climb to the summit (5895m). Still, alot of people crap out at Gilman's and turn back. We reached the summit at about 8am.

The altitude and the way people respond to it is a wild card, but if you don't have problems with that, it shouldn't pose a problem for a strong hiker.

We rushed down a bit, the guys I hiked it with were polo players of all things, and they were anxious to get back to Nairobi in time for chukkars. My quads and glutes were completely spent. Including the summit and descent to the lowest set of huts, we walked for about 16 hours in an 18 hour period, but there's no reason to have to do that.

We had a guide a cook and some porters, there are all kinds of companies that do it. We just carried our personal gear, all the provisions were carried by the porters or pre-positioned at the hut.

It was a lot of fun, a great experience, and without any technical climbing. I'm sure I will never stand on a higher place on the globe...

If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Matt

Thanks guys.. I wasn't sure if anybody else had the same crazy hobby of climbing as I do. every time I do a climb, while in the middle of walking my ass into the ground I think to myself, " why the hell are you doing this to yourself" and " this blows!!" But when you get to that summit, it's a high (pun intended!) like no other. One of the greatest feelings of accomplishment you can have... I can't get enough of that feeling..
I have also begun to think of climbing all the highest peaks in all of the States in the US. I have a handful already, but man, 50 hills to climb is ALOT of time, travel and money that I could be using to hunt!! But there are several Mtns that I just can't get out of my head.. I, for some reason, just have to climb them. Kili being one of them.
I'm with you Baboon, I want to see the only glaciers in Africa before they are all gone forever.
Thanks guys, sounds like we've got some purty serious hikers on the board. Thats great!

Anybody got any pics they'd care to share???