Mount Kilimanjaro Expedition 2012

Day 3: Shira Camp to Baranco Camp

Moonscape...

Waking up this morning, we were treated to some superb views of Kibo looming in the distance. Kibo seems so close, but is still very, very far. The trail today is a long, dusty walk on a gradual uphill through a boulder-strewn terrain. The best strategy for today is to simply put your head down and move. Although it is not a particularly tough hike, the long uphill eats away at your leg muscles and wears you down.

Far, far ahead you can make out the trail and other hikers ahead of you. But, by now, this does not bother you or discourage you anymore. You know that you will get there eventually. You have already been indoctrinated into the Way of the Uphill.

The trail passes through a field of boulders, with smaller rocks stacked on top of some. According to Freddie, this is to show the guides the best route through the rock field. The vegetation starts to grow thin, and the rolling mist becomes almost tangible. The environment is changing into a strange, lifeless moonscape. Except, it is a snow capped moonscape.

Brain Pain...

Eventually you will reach the lonesome latrine on the right. This is the marker that it is not long till lunch anymore. From the lunch spot you will be able to see the majestic Lava Tower towering in the distance. Lunch, unfortunately, was also the signal for my crashing headache to start. I remember eating lunch, but my mind and my body felt strangely disconnected. A mild ice-rain also started, and we all huddled together in the lunch tent for shelter.

I am lucky though, and today was the only day I got a headache on the whole trip. Freddie attributes the fact that we mostly avoided AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) to his rigid schedule of 'eat a lot, drink a lot, sleep well, and Pole Pole (Swahili for Slowly Slowly)'. I think he was spot on. Although we did have Diamox with us, none of us used it at any point. We were indeed very lucky! AMS is the number one reason people don't make it to the summit, and after experiencing the headache I had today, I can absolutely understand why.

The headache however did make me worry a bit about my chances of summiting. If the headache continues for the next few days, I will be in a bad spot. I considered taking Diamox, but Freddie advised against it, and we decided that I will see how I feel the next day and then reconsider the Diamox situation. But, luckily, after a lot of water and 5 headache pills, the headache did go away, never to return again.

Lava Tower...

Lava Tower is the highest point we will reach today, and then another insane downhill section starts. The main reason for going up and then down again is to adhere to the acclimatization principle of 'walk high, sleep low'. This really helps your body to acclimitize better.

Lava Tower is massive! In the past, you could climb to the top, but Kilimanjaro National Parks has put an end to this, claiming that it is too dangerous. I agree, it does look pretty dangerous, and definitely like too much hard work.

The downhill is gradual but long, and, I hate to admit, quite bloody boring. Just walking walking walking, down down down. And then, suddenly, the scenery changes. Giant Groundsels starts appearing. These funny looking tall plants signals the beginning of Baranco Valley, and in the distance, you can make out the feint path of the 300m Baranco Wall that you will be climbing tomorrow...

Baranco Camp is by far my favorite camp on the mountain. It is pretty and green, and has superb views of the snow capped mountain. Little streams of melted glacier water runs through the valley, and it almost feels like you are entering the crazy world of Dr. Suess.

But, we made sure that we slept well that night, for tomorrow we will be scaling the great Baranco Wall.