Kilimanjaro Ascent

Tanzania
August, 1999

What follows is a brief itinerary of my August '99 ascent of Kilimanjaro via the Machame route. I hiked with other Outing Club members Pat Brown, Tarjei Mikkelsen, and Carolyn Flesner, as well as a large group from MIT Sloan led by Amyn Husain. While Kili is a non-technical mountain, it remains good altitude training, acclimatizing to 14,000 ft and summiting at 19,344 ft. Perhaps higher and more technical mountains to follow... Day 1: Monday, August 24, 1999 1300 Start from Machame Gate 1400 Enter semi-tropical rainforest 1430 Thick, boot-sucking mud 1730 Leave behind the mud and rainforest 1820 Arrive at Machame campsite 2300 Sleep Day 2: Tuesday, August 25, 1999 0630 Wakeup 0900 Start on trail through heather 1200 Lunch 1330 Depart for Shira Plateau 1500 Arrive at Shira campsite 1630 Leave campsite to wander 1715 Return to camp 2000 Sleep Day 3: Wednesday, August 26, 1999 0630 Wake 0930 Leave Shira camp 1055 Short break, clearly feel altitude 1135 Short break, 4260m 1340 Lunch 1500 Depart for camp 1700 Arrive at Barranco campsite 1805 Clouds clear around Kili Beautiful summit view Day 4: Thursday, August 27, 1999 0600 Wake 1000 Leave camp for steep Barranco Wall 1330 Arrive at Karanga Valley campsite 2015 Sleep Day 5: Friday, August 28, 1999 1915 Wake 0915 Depart from Karanga Valley 1335 Arrive Barafu Hut 1445 Snack 1700 Dinner 1930 Sleep Day 6: Saturday, August 29, 1999: Summit Day 2330 Wake 0025 Depart for summit ascent 0700 Reach Shira Point (summit rim) 0820 Summit Uhuru Peak (5895m, 19344ft) 1230 Arrive back at Barafu campsite 1315 Sleep 1400 Wake for Lunch 1530 Depart along Mweka decent route 1900 Arrive Mweka campsite Day 7: Sunday, August 30, 1999 0730 Wake 0930 Depart from Mweka campsite 1200 Arrive Mweka Gate 1500 Leave Kilimanjaro National Park