The Packing List

So one of the things I thought was going to be the most fun and one of the easier parts of this whole trip planning was getting our gear. Boy was I wrong! So far, Rich and I have consulted multiple travel blogs and books, looked over resources from our travel company and even talked to previous climbers-- and yet we're still totally confused. Probably the most helpful of all of the preparations thus far has been actually going to REI and trying on a ton of different backpacks, testing out boots and seeing how long the sleeping bags actually are (we're tall!). To keep track of the different items we like and those we don't, we made a registry at REI. We'll continue to add to this list as we learn more about what we want to purchase and what we plan to rent. For now, here's a run-down of our top items and why we decided to register for them:

1. Sleeping bags-- While these are definitely available to rent once in Africa, Rich and I were both pretty set on bringing our own bags. Since you climb through 7 different eco-systems included a frozen tundra and a glacier, the sleeping bags need to be made for deep cold (-15). While these bags are more expensive, we both think it's worth purchasing a good bag now that we can use for all of our hiking and camping adventures in the future. 
2. Backpacks-- The recommended backpack volume is 35 liters, yet both Rich and I opted for larger bags that we'll pack light. We both have 35 liter ski bags that we use quite often each season, and while they're great for skiing and comfortable, they are not bags we would like to wear for 8 days and carry to another continent then up a mountain. We figure larger backpacks will be a good investment now for future trips and items we will use throughout our lives-- again, we're thinking long-term they'll be a good investment.
3. Base camp bags-- While these bags won't be making the journey to the top of the mountain with us, they will hold the majority of our belongings not only for the climb, but also for the rest of our time in Africa. A really good, large waterproof duffel makes sense not only for this trip, but also for Rich's career and any other outdoor adventures we have planned. These bags will serve as our main luggage for our 3-week journey. 
4. Hiking boots- Do I really need to explain why these are crucial to our climb? We're planning to buy them early so we have plenty of time to break them in. *Think blisters, folks!* Although, as of right now, neither of us have founds boots we're totally sold on, so this is one item that we need a specific trip to REI to find.
5. Socks! Socks! Socks!-- Everything Rich and I have read and know from experience says that socks are some of the most important equipment you will own. And at $12  and $20 a pair, we know we're splurging. However, we think it's totally worth it to have dry, blister-free feet at the end of the day. Now if only they made odor-reducing socks, life would be grand!

Here's the link in case any of you are looking for Christmas or birthday (think 2011) gifts...or if you just want to check out our awesome gear:
http://www.rei.com/GiftRegistryDetails/GR2257327?cm_mmc=gift_reg-_-Outdoor_Adventure-_-announce-_-28Nov2010

The Making of Mountaineers!

Check us out! Our team was together this past week to celebrate American Thanksgiving, so we headed to REI to check out gear and start a registry to keep track of what we need for our big journey. While there, we decided to ham it up a bit and take a team picture. What do you think? Do we look like Mountaineers yet?

The Dates are Set!

We've made a decision and our dates are set! Our trio will be venturing out to Africa via Amsterdam August 20th- September 11th, 2011. Paul will be leaving from Canada and will meet Rich and I in Amsterdam where we'll continue our journey together. As you can see, we'll be traveling for 3 weeks which means...we're doing the safari! We threw around the idea of skipping the safari, but quickly decided it was silly to go all the way to Africa, climb Kili and then turn right back around without seeing much more of the continent. So there it is-- more details on what adventure company we decided to go with in future posts. For now, I'm just thrilled it's on our calendars and the deposit is in!

To Safari or not to Safari

When we first started talking about doing Kilimanjaro next summer, the idea of a safari seemed like a perfect compliment to our trip. It doesn't seem to make sense to travel for over 24 hours to Tanzania, climb Kilimanjaro and then hop right on a plane and come home without truly enjoying the African Serengeti. 

So what one earth could stop us? Well, there are actually two things. Time and money. My very wise Grandfather once told me there's plenty of time to make yourself money, but money can never buy you back your time. Well in this case, Rich and I both have full-time jobs that usually keep our vacations to around 5 days. We took 10 days for our honeymoon nearly 4 years ago and haven't taken much more than a long weekend here and there since. We've already determined that getting to Kilimanjaro, climbing and then returning will take 11 days, travel included. Add a safari after our climb and we will need to each have 21 days off in order to make it happen. Couple that with an additional $2300 per person and we have a big decision to make! 

We feel like the timing next summer could not be better in terms of our careers. My contract ends next August and I will be graduating from my MBA program in July, and Rich will have just returned and will be awaiting moving orders. My Dad-- well he's worked hard for the last 30 years, so he's now enjoying retirement (if you call running an oil company in your spare time "retired"). 

Decision date is rapidly approaching though, so we have a lot to think about in the meantime. If we do add on a safari it will be with the same company we choose to do our Kili climb with so that we save money and also don't have to worry about transferring our gear. 

This Way or That Way?

One thing our group had to take into consideration was the length of our climb. Paul lives in the Rocky mountains and will have the advantage of training at altitude, but Rich and I still have about 30 years of youth on him, so we figure that evens the playing field (sorry Dad!). Also, Rich will have just returned from a 7-month deployment without much opportunity to train at increased elevations.


Due to these factors, we've decided to take a full 8 days to climb to the summit. While the route is longer, this should allow our bodies to adjust to the altitude so that each of us makes it to the top without incident. While hiking to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is not the most technical of climbs, it is one of the most taxing and a large portion of people who set out to make it to the top fall short due to altitude sickness. We definitely want to avoid that at all costs! 


Right now, we are looking at two routes-- Machame and Shira. 

Machame route is the second most popular route, 26 km long, and it is considered the most beautiful route up Kilimanjaro. With a gradual ascend through the forest you emerge to see wide views of the moorland on Shira plateau, Kibo and Western Breach. The different kinds of vegetation found along the route make it the most sceneric route. We are approaching the summit with an acclimatisation day by walking in the same heights (Barafu Camp to Karranga Valley Camp), and another day by stopping at Karranga Valley camp (we are one of few tour operators offering this). There are no mountain huts on this route; the accommodation is in mountain tents. The route done in six days is physically challenging for most people. The last two days (the trek from Barranco to Barafu and then the overnight trek to the summit) require mental and physical toughness, due to the high altitude and short amount of time to rest before the overnight summit attempt.


Shira/Lemosho

The Shira route path approaches Kilimanjaro from the west, and it is nearly identical to the Lemosho route. While Lemosho starts at Londorossi Gate and treks through the rain forest to Shira 1 Camp, the Shira route bypasses this walk by using a vehicle to transport climbers to Shira Gate, located near the Shira Ridge. Our group will more than likely hike through the Lemosho rainforest to avoid acclimatization sickness.

On the first day on the mountain, climbers begin their hike from 11,800 feet (3,600 m) and spend their first night at the same elevation at Simba Camp. Then, the route merges with Lemosho and follows the southern circuit route.

Although Shira is a varied and beautiful route, Lemosho is recommended over Shira due to the high altitude of Shira's starting point. It is possible that climbers will experience altitude related symptoms on the first day due to failed acclimatization. Climbers using Shira should be confident of their ability to acclimatize.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider when deciding which route to take. We're hoping that our research will pay-off in the long run and we will be able to pick the right route for us.

Picking the Right Touring Company

It can be a bit overwhelming trying to decide on the right touring company for the big climb. There are literally hundreds of websites out there claiming to be the best, cheapest or most popular company around. Unfortunately, not all of them live up to their claims. Over the past few months, Dad and Mom and Rich and I have been collecting itineraries and quotes from several companies. At first, we started online, read reviews and looked into which route we wanted to do. However, we quickly found there is a lot of contradictory information out there and that we needed to talk to people who had actually done the climb and see who they used.


We're still deciding exactly which company is "the one" for us, but here are the options right now based on price, route, climb dates and of course suggestions from friends and family that have gone before us on this journey!


1) Africa Travel Resource (www.africatravelresource.com)
ATR came highly recommended by a friend of mine from college who'd done the climb a few years ago. He liked that the company focused on a moderate climb pace, offered single or double-occupancy options and had climbs going throughout the year. I found their website to be extremely helpful for planning purposes and have visited it frequently trying to figure out which route would be best for our group. Also, they staff at ATR have been really terrific to work with, despite being headquartered in England.
Route: Shira
Days climbing: 7
Distance: 110 kms
Cost: $2,835 USD per person excluding flights
Description: The 7 night, 8 day Shira approaches from the far west of the mountain and is a tough undualting route of approximately 110kms. Starting across the stunning wilderness of the Shira Plateau and Lent Hills the route skirts the southern face of Kibo before following the old Machame route to the summit. Although it gets quite busy once you join the Machame route for the last few days, we stagger our campsites to avoid staying at the busier ones.


2) World Wide Trekking (http://www.wwtrek.com/)
This one came to me as a recommendation from a friend on Twitter and LinkedIn who had just finished the trip with his wife. My good friend @Ginidietrich recommended I reach out to Ces for insight on what to and not to do in terms of booking a travel company. Ces has already been a huge resource in picking a good company to use and I hope to continue to ask him questions as the trip approaches and I prepare to purchase gear and start training. What's great about this company is that they have an all-inclusive Kilimanjaro hike and safari in one trip. Now wouldn't that be fun!

Route: Machame

Days climbing: 8

Days on safari: 5

Cost: $5,900 USD per person excluding flights

Description: 14 days / 13 nights, 7 nights lodging, 6 nights camping, 3 meals a day, all transportation, all park fees, guides and staff, consultation, gear lists and trip preparation.

3) Civilized Adventures (http://www.civilizedadv.com)

CA is headquartered in my hometown of Calgary, Canada. Several of my parent's friends' that have climbed Kili have used this company and had rave reviews. One really appealing thing about CA is that they have a 96% success rate on reaching the summit. That's well above industry standards and demonstrates that they care about making each traveler's trip a success. Also, this company incorporates a safari at the end. 

Route: Machame

Days climbing: 8

Days on safari: 7

Cost: $4,600 USD per person excluding flights

Description: Kilimanjaro calls many adventurers to its slopes every year. Trekking to the peak takes you from the plains of Africa through rainforest, heather and moorland, and finally to the glaciated peak that rises above the clouds at 5,895m. Reaching the summit is both a physical and a mental challenge.

So now the tough part begins-- which one do we go with?

Climbing for a Cause

You may notice that absent from this climb is my Mom, Beth. Although she's a staunch supporter of Rich, my Dad and I realizing this dream of climbing Kili, she can not physically join us.

In 1986, my Mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She was 36 at the time, with three young children, living in a foreign country. Since then, I've seen my Mom battle the autoimmune disease valiantly, every day of her life. There are days when she can barely get out of bed because MS has robbed her of her balance or use of her legs. Then there are other days where she appears fine and can participate in nearly anything until exhaustion gets the better of her and she must rest. Overall, she's inspired all of us to try harder, take each day as a blessing and reach for our goals despite the obstacles in our way.

So, in honor of my Mom, we've decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro fund-raising for Multiple Sclerosis research every step of the way. We will be hosting events, participating in local walks and hopefully even organizing a walk of our own so that as we reach the summit of the mountain, so too might MS researchers be able to achieve their goal of conquering the disease and finding a cure. We love you Mom and we'll see you at the top!

We're working with The National MS Society to setup a personalized fund raising page. Once that's active you can bet we'll be posting a link to it here! In the meantime, please visit the National MS Society's page and learn more about the disease.

The Beginning of a Life-Long Dream....

In 1994, my Dad took me to see "Kilimanjaro: To The Roof of Africa" at our local IMAX theater. IMAX movies were quite new, and I remember asking my Dad at the time if there was anything cooler showing, like a Disney movie or something. He assured me the movie would hold my attention and I might even learn something along the way. Not exactly what a 7-year-old wants to hear! Little did I know at the time, but that one hour would so totally enchant me that it would lead to me someday making the trek myself, together with my father and husband, to the Roof of Africa.

The IMAX story was narrated by a young girl, very much like myself, with a scientist father, captivated by the world around her. The story follows her journey up the mountain with five other travelers and all that they experienced along the way. I'll save the details about the hike for future blogs, but suffice it to say, I saw too much of myself in that girl, that mountain and that journey to let the opportunity to climb it pass me by.

Over the 15 years since , my Dad and I have talked about climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro together on and off, but never really had the opportunity when our schedules linked up long enough for us to do it. I went away to university, he retired after 30 years with the same oil company, and we both started new chapters in our lives. Now, all these years later, separated by two countries and spanning several birthdays and a marriage, the dream still lives in both of us. But now, we've committed to making that dream a reality and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in the next year and a half. The plan is for me to graduate from my MBA program in May and immediately head to Africa with my husband, Rich. We'll meet my Dad there and begin realizing the dream a Daddy and his daughter have shared for over 15 years.

We hope you enjoy following us as much as we'll enjoy chasing one another to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro!