SummitClimb 2006: Update Five and Six: Setting off for Kili

Update Five: Dear EverestNews.com, Thanks for telling our story of climbing in the highest peaks of Africa. Today we are in Moshi Tanzania. Tomorrow in the early morning we are setting off for Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.

We hope we will be able to remain successful and safe during the forthcoming climb. On the route we have chosen, the Western Breech, three hikers were tragically killed by rockfall approximately 3 weeks ago. We send our sincere condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of those who have been lost. All of us are very sad. We hope that we will be able to use that route and climb the mountain with respect to those fallen climbers and total safety. We plan to avoid any all rockfall routes, and choose our camps extremely carefully. We will do our best to try to minimize the risk.

During the last three days, after 9 of us climbed to the summit of Mt. Kenya, and 6 made the gorgeous summit circuit trek, we have completed the following:

21 January, 2006, rest in Nairobi.

22 January, 2006, Drive to Amboseli National Park. We did an elephant Game drive and camped in the center of the park under an Acacia tree. We saw no other tourists that night. 

23 January, 2006, Did a Zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and giraffe game drive, visited a primitive Masai village, went to a five-star hotel (!) for lunch, entered Tanzania and drove to Moshi.

24 January, exploring around Moshi, getting our park permits, visiting the Kilimanjaro porter's association to donate clothing to needy porters and their families, and having a five-star dinner.

Several of our friends stayed in Kenya. To Don, Jack, Jorge, Liz and Martha, we miss you already and wish you all of the best!

Thanks again for following EverestNews, and please wish us the best of luck as we try to find a solution to the Western Breech problem. Yours Sincerely from all of us at SummitClimb.com

Update six: Very sorry for the delay in my reply. I am writing to you from the 2850 metre-high Umbwe Cave campsite on this seldom ascended route on Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. Today's weather was very warm and a bit muggy for most of the day, then it rained for 90 minutes between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. 30 well-equipped Africans and ten of us foreigners from 5 nations are camped in an equatorial jungle, replete with colourful birds, monkeys, and loads of rather large trees veritably festooned with hanging moss. Because our chosen route of ascent is far from the beaten track, we only saw two other foriegners on the trail today. Our path was steep but did not require any climbing, it only represented the most enjoyable of trekking with wonderful views of the lush forest throughout. After our pleasant dinner of well prepared local fruits, vegetables, meats, fresh juice, and tea and coffee, we enjoyed a Swahili language lesson presented by several of our African friends. They laughed a lot as we tried to pronounce the new words in their local language, and a good time was had by all. I wish you were here with us.

-From Dan and all of us on the SummitClimb Africa team

SummitClimb Kenya 2006 Dispatch Index

Background is below

The Northeast face of Mt. Kenya, as seen from Shipton's Hut (4200m).  Nelion Summit (5188m) is actually on the left, even though the higher top, Bation Summit (5199m), seen here on the right, looks lower.   Whichever one you climb, either is a worthy objective.  (Photo: David Wallis) Rock climbing the rift volcanoes, of which Kenya is one. Photo has been tilted for effect. (Felix Berg)

The Team

Kelly Ambrosius: USA.

Clemens Beckers: Germany and Tanzania.

Felix Berg: Germany and Kenya. (leader)

Wayne Bingham: Canada.

Liz Carr: USA. (leader)

Arnold Coster: Holland and Kathmandu. (leader)

Cheryl Goodwin: Canada.

Martha Johnson: USA. (doctor)

Elselien te Hennepe: Holland. (leader)

Daniel Mazur: England and USA. (leader)

Don Morton: Canada.

Sylvia Moser: Canada.

Jack Moyer: USA and Saudi Arabia.

Jorge Winkler: USA and Germany.

Paul Strohmeyer: USA.

Mt. Kenya, Safari, and Kilimanjaro schedule.

11 January and July, 2006, Arrive Nairobi, Kenya. Buy double entry visa on arrival.
12 January and July, 2006, rest, organization, and tourism day in Nairobi
13 January and July, 2006, drive out to Mt. Kenya, start trekking
14 January and July, 2006, trekking on Mt Kenya
15 January and July, 2006, trekking on Mt Kenya
16 January and July, 2006, trekking on Mt Kenya
17 January and July, 2006, Climbing or high trekking on Mt Kenya
18 January and July, 2006, Climbing or high trekking on Mt Kenya
19 January and July, 2006, Climbing or high trekking on Mt Kenya
20 January and July, 2006, trek down from Mount Kenya, return drive to Nairobi
21 January and July, 2006, day of organising and tourism in Nairobi
22 January and July, 2006, drive to Amboseli wildlife park, do a game drive in afternoon-evening
23 January and July, 2006, game viewing in Amboseli park in morning, drive to Arusha, Tanzania in afternoon. Buy Tanzania visa at border crossing. Stay in Arusha or Moshi in a hotel that night.
24 January and July, 2006, In Arusha or Moshi for organizing and tourism
25 January and July, 2006,  early morning drive to Kilimanjaro, begin trekking
26 January and July, 2006, trek Kili
27 January and July, 2006, trek Kili
28 January and July, 2006, trek Kili
29 January and July, 2006, trek Kili
30 January and July, 2006, return drive to Nairobi, re-enter Kenya with double entry visa purchased on arrival in Nairobi
31 January and July, 2006, departure for home.

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