Mt. Kilimanjaro Pictures
Pictures from all over Kilimanjaro - hiking up the routes, various views of the mountain, its surrounding, and the climbers.
Picture of the week 28

The serpentine line etched in the topography describes the way to Arrow Glacier Camp from Lava Tower. It looks to be a simple 2 hour uphill jaunt but the 1000 foot gain in altitude places you at 16,000 feet and we found ourselves speaking in one word sentences because of the lack of oxygen in the rarified air.
Date: July 9th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 26

Lava Tower Camp remains blanked in a frigid shade provided by the
immenseness of Kilimanjaro until late morning. Only then do the suns rays begin
to delicately paint the tips of the surrounding landscape with equatorial warmth
as a new day tantalizingly unfolds before your eyes.
Date: June 25th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 24

These multicolored cocoons housed the South African Team and my son and I from Wisconsin at Lava Tower. The bright yellow ones were ours of course but after meeting many different people from around the world, only one man from England, after introductions said, “Ah…Cheeseheads”.
Date: June 11th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 22

Normally the views of Lava Tower Camp are taken from ground level with tents in the foreground and giant mastiff in the background but having scrambled up to the top and talking myself into edging this close to the 300 foot drop; I had to include this unique view in my weekly photographs.
Date: May 30th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 20

Lava Tower Camp is 14,950-ft above sea-level which makes it higher that anything in the continuous 48 states. It was a trill to see the clouds running past the camp below our line of sight and after six days on the trail we were feeling fit and well accustomed to the altitude.
Date: May 14th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 27

Last week I spoke of the “frigid shade” at Lava Tower. It was that crisp morning we awoke to find our water bottles frozen as we dug into the deepest corners of our trusty packs to find the goose down jackets, warm hats and expedition mittens we’d dutifully carried over the last six days. When the sun finally reached us, however, we were back to fleece jackets with the zippers part way down.
Note: That’s Lava Tower reflected in my son’s glasses.
Date: July 2nd, 2007 |
Picture of the week 25

Nestled behind an exposed rib of stone that separates the tents from the loos at Lava Tower, you can see the black public outhouses that my research told me to avoid if at all possible.
I heeded the warnings and chose an outfitter (Tusker) that carried their own for clients. It must be said that I smiled every time I sat in our orange retreat looking out the window at the awesome scenery knowing we had chosen wisely.
Date: June 19th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 23

This is the top of Lava Tower. We climbed it as practice for the, now closed, Western Breach.
Trekkers using the Lemosho route still stop at Lava Tower Camp to assist acclimatization and the heartier souls no doubt continue to scale the tower.
Pictured is my son who found the spot on the basically flat top that was as far from all the edges as he could get.
Date: June 4th, 2007 |
Picture of the week 21

This is yours truly negotiating one of the pitches as we scaled Lava Tower. We did ok in a flatlander sort of way and it was excellent practice for the Western Breach. I have no doubt our guides were watching us carefully. Had we been trepidatious, they would have suggested we use the Barafu Route to the summit.
Date: May 21st, 2007 |
Picture of the week 19

This photo was taken by simply turning 180 degrees from the week 18 shot. Beyond the bazaar boulders, from now on, the Western Breach Route would be looking down on us until we finally reach the crater rim three days hence. That gave us plenty of time to wonder how we would perform and what the task would require from us.
Date: May 7th, 2007 |
