We have a 6-Day Machme Route climb provisionally set for Dec 3 2008 with space for a few pax. This is an off-beat itinerary since Machame is usually a 7-day climb and if you lose a day that toughens up the score and makes this a trip for young and fit climbers.

Machame is one of the longer outfield trails, coming in from the south and veering west to pick up on the Shira/Lemosho trail. It is usually regarded as the most scenically appealing, and advantageous in the matter of altitude adjustment. This is thanks to the fact that you gain several thousand feet in altitude during the first day of climbing which often deals with the worst of altitude adjustment early. Thereafter the gradient is more forgiving.

This is a specific group, and if you want to test yourself on a challenging trail and not be held up by sissies or grannies then email me or fill in a Climb Kilimanjaro Form and I will get straight back to you with the trip specs and details.

Check out BWA’s upcoming trips for 1008/9

Apparently a father and daughter team, organized by Mountain Maddness who contracts with a local company (African Environments, I think), climbed the mountain without any problems.

I imagine now that more guiding companies will start climbing the Western Breach again and bring back the most adventurous route on Kilimanjaro. I can’t wait to get up there again.

Read Quality time for father and daughter: At the top of Kilimanjaro.

Crater Camp is, however, much more expensive than a typical climb. It’s high on the mountain, more gear is required, and the entire team – including the porters – go up to the camp.

If you want great adventure, it’s definitely the place to visit – but is not for these two young guys who finally told me “they were on a budget.”

Steve Hansen wrote:

Dear Donovan,
I am sorry this is so late as I returned safely from my trip on Feb 11th.
I am sorry that I don’t really have any great stories or pictures to share
with you.
During the night after the first day of climb, I slept very little and had
diarrhea. The following morning during the climb I proceeded to vomit and
had more diarrhea. My strength seemed to be gone and I was delaying the
rest of the team, so I decided (along with our compassionate guide) not to
continue.
Of the eleven people on the team, four made it to the top; two girls and
two guys. Some of the others had breathing problems and altitude sickness
further up the mountain.
It was a five day climb. After this experience, I agree with the people
who strongly recommend a six day climb with a rest-and-acclimate day on day
three. I might have tried to continue knowing day 3 would be a rest day.
But that will remain speculation as I have no plans to try again unless the
Lord so instructs me.
Thank you again for all your advice, help and encouragement. I really
appreciated it!

Steve Hansen

Millennium Camp 12.500 ft., one night

It took five days to ascend the distance we now covered in five hours.
Much of our descent was running down the scree slide and it did not take long for us to appreciate the increase in oxygen.

Millennium is an hour or so further down the mountain from Mweka camp and looked to me like it was less crowded. Nestled into the edges of the rain forest, we found the addition of green and the smell of Cedar almost a re-birth.

We were reunited with our complete team as only half of them went above Lava Tower with us. They all knew we had made it to the summit and we were surrounded by high-fives and smiles.

Emotions were totally different than our first camp feelings. We were relaxed, felt an increasing glow of accomplishment and were truly hungry for the first time in seven days. We also knew sleep would be magnificent and the wonderful shower was less than 24 hours away. We did, however, meet our first of many trekkers that did not summit. The disappointment in some of there folks was profound so we measured our elation carefully.

Our cook created a meal from all our favorite items during the trek and we were in our bags and blissfully asleep by 7:00pm.

The picture above was the last glimpse of Kilimanjaro’s summit before we were swallowed up by the rain forest. We knew we’d accomplished something very special but saddened by the end of all the dreams and planning. Wondering what could possibly top this.

After about four hours of descent, we received our summit certificates at the Mweka Ranger Station, and then hopped onto the Land Rover for the ride back to the hotel feeling every bit the successful trekkers.

The end.

Crater Camp – 18, 370 ft., one night

Getting to the crater ascending the Western Breach with my son will remain as awesome a task as I have ever completed. The Breach is closed now but there are some outfitters that will guide you to Crater Camp climbing during the day from Barafu camp. Anyway you get there is well worth the experience.

As a flatlander and student of climbing history, I had to experience camping at 18, 370 ft. Peering from our tent at the frozen glaciers can hardly be put into words but seeing them illuminated in the moon light crowned by thousands of stars has to be experienced to be understood.

UV exposure is intense at this altitude and after our wonderful walkabout exploring the Reusch Crater and the Furtwangler Glacier, our guides again suggested we stay in the tent before dinner. We had been up before dawn to minimize the danger of rock fall as we scaled the Breach so a little nap seemed like a good thing. Our flatlander physiology, however, did not allow adequate acclimatization to enable deep sleep for neither my son nor I but many other accounts I had read while researching our trip reported blissful rest.

I took this restful but sleepless opportunity to talk with my 17 year old all night.
Our discussions were of life, food and adventure, but we had one serious subject to resolve. As we began our ascent of the Breach we were confronted with the knowledge we would have to climb past a dead man who had suffered a heart attack and fallen to his death trying to climb the route at night (The chances of seeing a dead climber are very rare indeed). All we could do at the time was steel our resolve and commit to sort out our feelings when we arrived on top. I’d always had a good rapport with my son but as dawn appeared at the door of our double-walled cocoon we were changed people, our relationship has never suffered since.

Summit morning was a chilling 7 degrees and the reason we had carried goose- down jackets and wind-proofs. Our dinning tent kept us out of the wind as we hurriedly gobbled our porridge and were away. The route from Crater Camp is a simple hour-plus ascent to the coveted sign and the priceless photo (no 6 to 8 hour slog in the dark from Barafu or Kibo Huts). Then down you go like everyone else.

Next, Millennium Camp

Arrow Glacier Camp – 15,925 ft., one night

When the Western Breach was open only 5% of the annual trekkers used this route and camp. Closed in January 06, I recon very few souls will ever see it again.

Situated on the flanks of a gigantic debris field at the foot of the Breach, This camp, like no others we visited, had a transient and nomadic feel to it.

After less than two hours journey from Lava Tower, we dropped our gear and followed our guide, Stephen, up about one third of the Breach to continue our acclimatization process. Returning to our tent Stephen says, “Just rest before dinner”. The suggestion sounds simple enough but my son and I looked at each other with blank stares wondering what to do next. 16,000 ft of altitude had taken away our ability to construct a two word sentence. We don’t, to this day, remember if we slept or not. What sticks in our memory, however, is the constant rifle-crack sound of the rocks falling down the cliffs that surround the site. I do know that after dinner I watched the sunset glow recede from the Breach and felt we were going to make it.

The next morning we would leave in pre-dawn darkness to minimize our exposure to rock-fall. It was the only time in my life I had awoke with that particular combination of trepidation and anticipation.

Stephen said with a smile in Swahili, “Pole – pole” (Slowly, slowly), and up we went, step after step, breath after breath, to the roof of Africa.

Next, Crater Camp

Lava Tower Camp – 14,950 ft., one night

Made famous by the IMAX movie, this iconic stopping point was the first time I really noticed the clouds drifting by below us. Because we were climbing the Western Breach, scrambling to the top of the tower was mandatory…our final test if you will. Had we failed, the suggestion would have been to climb the “normal” route through Barafu Camp. The frightened Cheeseheads from flatland, however, negotiated the pitch with sufficient alacrity to earn the privilege to climb the Breach.

The camp was comfortable, beautiful and relaxing. As with every morning, our “waiter”, August would shuffle over to our tent and greet us with, “good morning, I have hot water for washing and breakfast ready”. On this day, our frozen water bottles had us digging to the bottom of our packs for the warmest gear and there were still two camps to go before the summit.

The photograph above was taken from the top of the Tower…it was as close as I was prepared to get to the 300 foot drop.

Next, Arrow Glacier Camp

Moir Camp – 13,650 ft., two nights

Moir is one of the least visited camps on the mountain nestled between very black and spherical, volcanic topography. The location treats you to stunning sunsets overlooking the Shira Plateau. The 7 hour ascent from Shira 1 took us to new altitudes (for the Cheeseheads) and through flora right out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Sand and dust begin to dominate albeit; with stunning sunshine…we were still 6 days from the next shower.

There is a pile of elephant bones in camp that reminded us we were certainly not in Wisconsin. About 100 yards from camp sits a two story Tee-pee structure that looks every bit the 50′s B-movie space ship. It was built by some guys from Norway in the 80’s. As my son and I walked past, a few of the porters suddenly popped their heads out and I almost voided my bladder and bowls right on the spot. I guess my subconscious was expecting some African beast to have me for dinner but our “moment” ended in much laughter. It was situations like this, however, that endeared us to our porters since conversation was out of the question. We never treated them like hired help. Indeed, we had taken plenty of trail snacks to share and we benefited by being surrounded by happy smiling people.

Our second day was again an acclimation/scramble to one of the knobs of the Lent Group above our camp and we were starting to get antsy even though we knew taking our time with the altitude would ensure our ultimate success.

Next, Lava Tower