Day 3: Shira Camp to Barrancu Camp via Lava Tower

Day 3 was one of my favorite days on the mountain mainly because we got to see a lot of the rocks and terrain that formed the beautiful mountain that is Kilimanjaro. It was great to have my Dad (a geologist) along with us on the mountain to tell us the "stories of the rocks". The first part of day three saw us leave Shira Camp at 12,500 feet to head to Lava tower, which stands at just under 16,000 feet. This was quite an incline for us compared to other days, but overall, it was just a long, steady hike.

Lava tower as the clouds came in

 Lunch was taken at Lava tower and we were definitely all hungry by the time we got there. One interesting observation on Day 3 was the dramatic change in weather. We started off the morning in light layers and quickly worked up a sweat. As we got higher, we slowly had to add layers back as the temperature cooled. By lunch, I found myself breaking out my jacket for the first time to stay warm while we ate. At that point, the clouds had really pushed in on us (granted we were at 16, 000 feet!) and the wind felt much more brisk. Just as quickly as it cooled, however, it warmed again once we started descending.


The motto of the day for day 3 was "climb high, sleep low". This strategy is used to combat the side effects of altitude sickness in that it brings you up to a height where you oxygen is depleted for a few hours, but then allows you to recuperate overnight and adjust before climbing higher again the next day. For us, I think this was a great method. Despite the fact that none of us felt the true side-effects of altitude sickness, I will say that midway through day 3, we were all draggin a bit until after we stopped for lunch and then started descending to a lower altitude.

Crossing 14,500 feet...higher than Mt. Whitney!

Day 3 was also a historic day for Rich and I as we crossed up and over 14, 500 feet...why is this particular altitude important to us? Mainly because our one training hike was to climb the highest peak in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, which stands at 14, 563 feet. We both felt great crossing over this point and even remember to pose for a picture when both Dad and Rich's watches told them we were at the correct altitude. Gotta love those Suunto watches!

One other "milestone" for day 3 was my sunburn. I can not tell you how many times friends, guides, my Dad and Rich, other hikers and even the porters reminded me to re-apply sunscreen. And yet--day 3 ended with a brutal sunburn midway down my forehead from where I had my bandana situated all day. Yes--it was bad. Yes-- I regretted it the rest of the trip. But hey, I sacrificed myself so others could learn from my mistakes. So, just for you, here's the money shot of my horrible sunburn:

You can't pay for tan lines like that!

And, of course, we finished the day with our cheesy, but motivating group shot. Day 4 guaranteed to be a tough one as Barrancu wall loomed over us from camp. Next blog post I'll tell you whether or not the intimidation factor of the wall lived up to the reality!

End of Day 3 with Barrancu Camp in the distance

"The wall" awaiting us on Day 4!

Day 2: Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Scrambling up the mountain

Day 2 of our incredible adventure saw us climb 8km from 9,400 feet to 12, 500 feet over a period of four hours through the moorland region. While the climb was much steeper than the day prior and included a bit of scrambling, the day was not too difficult. The first three hours of the climb were a solid incline but well worth the work to experience the million dollar view at the crest. After that, the trail continued to climb but at a much more gradual rate.


One of the most challenging aspects of the day for me was just getting going in the morning. I woke up after a rough first night's sleep feeling tired and lethargic. In retrospect, it was probably just my body adjusting to sleeping on the mountain and the effect of the excitement and anticipation of the trip catching up to me. However, that morning I had it in my mind that I needed energy. I proceeded to force myself, despite a lack of hunger, to eat a very large breakfast. Let me just say, that was a very large mistake. I wasn't ill or anything like that, I just felt very heavy all morning long. Not fun when you're trying to climb a mountain! Lesson learned though, as after that I ate lightly at breakfast, an average lunch and then a large dinner.

Enjoying the reward after the steep section on Day 2

Another interesting observation on Day 2 was the emergence of a tingling sensation and numbness in our extremities. This is a side effect of Diamox (more on this drug will come in a later post) which we hadn't been told about, so trying to figure out why my fingers were tingling was an interesting discussion between Rich and I. We hypothesized everything from the cold weather to my multivitamin until our terrific guide Lyimo informed us that it was simply a side effect of the drug. I experienced the symptoms much sooner than my Dad or Rich, who didn't get the tingles until Days 3 and 4. As odd as it is, I found the sensation to be an ever-present reminder of the reason we were doing the climb; for my Mom, and to raise money for multiple sclerosis research. Over the years, my Mom has often experienced numbness and tingling in her arms, legs feet and fingers as a warning sign that her MS was acting up again. When she had attacks from MS, the tingling would often progress into an all-out lack of movement. As I climbed the mountain with tingling fingers and toes each day, I couldn't help but think of my sweet Mom and how she never once complained despite the fact that simple tasks like tying your shoes become difficult when your fingers are numb and unresponsive.

Dad entering Shira Camp in the clouds

We entered Shira camp that evening with a think cloud cover that seemed like a fog. The temperature dropped about 10 degrees and rather than being comfortable in t-shirts and pants, we broke out our windbreakers and winter hats. After taking a brief nap at camp, we walked a short distance to Shira caves, where Dad the geologist hosted "Rock talk with Paul" and told us all about how the caves were formed, what minerals you would find in the rocks, and why all of the rocks, including those visible on the summit of Kilimanjaro, had a red tint to them. Overall fascinating stuff, but while Dad was excited by the rocks, Rich was excited by the helicopter "landing pad" formed out of rocks nearby. Men!

Rock talk with Paul in Shira Caves

Apologies to the US Marines...Rich may have found a new landing zone!

Shortly after our trek to the caves and just before dinner, the clouds cleared, the sun came out and Kilimanjaro revealed her majestic face--what a beautiful thing! The sky remained clear that evening, so before bed that night, Dad, Rich and I enjoyed 15 minutes reveling in the enormity of the universe and soaking in the serenity of the stars twinkling down on us. I can't think of a much better way to end an entirely perfect day on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro in all her majesty

Day 1: Machame Gate to Machame Camp

I know it's been a few months since we returned from Africa, but I've finally gotten around to putting together my daily video logs from our hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. Each night, I tried to review the day's route, the highs and lows, as well as any observations from the trail that I found interesting. You'll have to excuse the poor lighting the first couple of days, but I was little tired and cold those nights as I adjusted to the mountain life! Oh yes, and my hair just gets worse as the week goes along.

The local butcher

Anyway, the first day saw us trek from Machame gate at 5,400 feet to Machame camp at 9,400 feet. The day began at our hotel in Moshi with out team of porters and guides picking us and our gear up. The drive from the hotel to the gate took about one hour. On the way, we stopped at a local butcher and market to get our fresh meat and vegetables for the climb. After that, we proceeded to the gate.

Once at the gate, our porters had to weigh-in-- each porter is only allowed to carry 45 kgs up the mountain for safety reasons. Meanwhile, Dad, Rich and I had to check in with the park service with our passports. I was surprised at how organized the system was the whole way up the mountain-- they collected our name, age, occupation and hometown at each camp at night. Just in case.

Sign at the gate warning hikers

After check in process and a quick picture at the gate, it was finally time to begin the adventure I'd dreamed about since I was a little girl! The first day's trek was beautiful and quite mild, despite being 11 km long (about 7 miles...something I had incorrect in the video!). We climbed through the rainforest, with African violets and orchids growing naturally alongside us. As we got towards the end of the day, the foliage changed into a heath-type growth. The soil became much more dusty and the plants turned into shrubs and bushes rather than the large rainforest trees we'd grown accustomed to during our hike.

We finished day 1! With our guide Mosha

As we walked into camp, we posed for our "we finished day 1" picture and headed to the hut to sign in. Afterwards we went to check out what our camp looked like. Each day, our porters get to camp ahead of us and set up our two tents, one for Dad and one for Rich and I, as well as our mess tent. They also setup their own tents for sleeping and dining a bit aside from ours.

Once at camp, our porters brought us a basin of water to rinse our faces, hands and feet before dinner. This became extremely important and I found myself looking forward to the "daily wash" each night at camp as the days wore on. After washing, we sat down for dinner, which started with a warm soup each night. Dinner was one of the highlights of the day, as our cook was fantastic. It's amazing that he could make a full meal each night using one propane tank--especially as the altitude started to increase.

After dinner, we usually had a brief on the next day from our guides and then headed to bed. That first night I didn't get a terrific sleep. We drank about 3 liters of water per day on the mountain, and I had to get up multiple times during the night to use the bathroom. Thankfully, it wasn't too far from camp, so it was a quick, cold trip. My sleeping bag and mat worked out incredibly well, as did my blow-up pillow from REI. Overall, once I got passed the first night, I was able to sleep quite well in my bag. The only problem I found as we progressed was that although I'd sleep the whole night, I would wake up not feeling rested. This was definitely one of the side effects of the altitude, even with taking dyamox.

Looking forward to sharing about Day 2 and my video blog for the day with you all soon!

Thank you! Our Fundraising Total is...

Michelle, Me, Melissa, Noelle and Sarah @the fundraiser

Wow! I am so thrilled, thankful and humbled to announce that our combined American and Canadian fundraising efforts raised just over $12,000 dollars for Multiple Sclerosis Research! Because of each and every person who showed up at our To the Roof of Africa and the Bottom of the Barrel fundraiser in Coronado, donated online, or sent a check into our fund, we blew our goal out of the water! 

I need to give special recognition to the incredible woman that inspired these efforts--my Mom. She helped keep track of all the donations, setup the fund through the MS Society in Canada and then link the fund to the American MS Society's page. She's an incredible woman, mother and friend and we're hopeful that this money will help find a cure for the disease she's battled half her life. We love you, Mom!

Busy street in front of WineStyles...good news!

 Secondly, I need to give a HUGE thank you to all the fabulous ladies who helped me plan, organize and setup the even on Coronado. To my board members: Michelle Amthor, Sarah Garza, Laura Lopez, Noelle Salucci, and Melissa Trombetti--Thank you so much and I love you all dearly. This event would not have gone even half as well as it did without your help.

I would also like to recognize WineStyles Coronado for allowing us to host our fundraiser at their wine bar and providing such a fun environment for the party. They were incredibly easy to work with, extremely helpful and also provided some excellent wines to taste!

Mom drawing the raffle winners as everyone awaits

I would also like to thank each of our raffle donors. Michelle Amthor provided a Pampered Chef basket as a business donation. Be sure to check out her business page here. Sarah Garza generously donated two flower arrangements to raffle off in honor of my Mom (since she loves flowers!). My Dad, Paul Bennett, donated a fantastic gift basket with reserve wines and cheeses included. And WineStyles provided one wine and italian fare basket to include. THANK YOU!

And last, but certainly not least, I would just like to thank any and everyone who came out to the event. It was such a fun way to raise money and I appreciate the support from each and every one of you. God bless.