Day 5: Barafu Camp 15,200 ft.
Barafu Camp 15200 ft
Today we moved from Kibo Hut to Barafu Camp which are at similar altitudes (minus a couple hundred feet), but opposite sides of the mountain. Barafu is our staging point for our big summit push in the morning to Crater Camp, which sits at over 18000 ft.
We actually went down for the beginning of the hike today and then moved over some of the roughest and hardest terrain we have come across. It took us about 8 hours to move camps. We got into Barafu Camp about an hour ago to a hectic scene of porters setting up our tents. Tonight is our first night in tents and we will be for the next three. It is quite cold outside and Erica is having a hard time keeping warm but it should be ok with our bags and tents. Today was a very hard day and I am sure everyone will be sleeping well tonite. Tomorrow is THE day for us, make it tomorrow, make it to the top.
Everyone is dealing with their own demons. Phil has battled a bad case of sun poisoning and with the altitude, that can be rough. He made camp today a lot better than yesterday. Tara seems to be in high spirits but told me she became overwhelmed a few times today, but she is doing well. There is nothing wrong with Penny, ever it seems, she is our rock. Matt, Chris and myself are doing fine and are ready for the day tomorrow. Zack is dealing with exhaustion and a bum leg but his spirit seems high with a ‘Hakuna Matata’ yell every once in a while. Erica had a rough day but again, she is tough. It is cold and keeping her warm is a challenge while she pushes. Penny and I have stayed close to her whenever we can. It is truly inspiring to see her motivation to inspire others.
All in all we are to the point we need to be with little mishaps. It is surreal each time we have seen someone taken down in a stretcher in a rush. Also the faces of those seeing what we are attempting is awesome too.
Stayed tuned, tomorrow is it.
- Derek
PS Remember we are doing this for Challenged Athletes Foundation so donations are appreciated at fit4kili.com
From Penny:
We are all doing OK in the main - a few headaches, upset stomachs, fatigue and sun burn, but no major issues. Tonight is our first night in a tent and tomorrow we head for Crater Camp at 18,000+ ft. Then to the summit the next day!
I may be out of touch by e-mail and txt for a couple of days but we’ll be calling on the satellite phone from the top!
About me
We are headed to Africa to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with two challenged athletes. Our goal is to raise awareness for individuals with physical challenges so they can participate and compete in the sports they love with portions of the proceeds to benefit the Challenged Athletes Foundation. By providing opportunities and resources needed for active lifestyles, CAF enhances these individuals’ self-esteem, independence and quality of life.In January of 2010, we start our journey from Los Angeles International Airport and head towards Tanzania, and we would like to invite all of you to follow along!
Here we will frequently be keeping you all up to date on our progress before, during, and after the climb.
Keep checking back!
