The summit of Kilimanjaro is clearly in view, a snow-capped mountain in the distance beckoning me on, but today I stayed at Horombo Hut for another night. Rather than moving on to a new destination, I did an acclimation hike, climbing to Zebra Rock.
The two-and-a-half hour trek took me to just over 13,000 feet.
The idea is adhering to the old mountaineering adage of "climb high and sleep low". I experienced the benefits of adjusting to a higher altitude before returning to a lower one to recuperate. I'm told this extra day will increase the likelihood that I summit.
The problem with my route up the mountain is the gain in altitude is so rapid that I've got little time to acclimatize, which raises the chances that I'll get altitude sickness. When I hiked to Everest Base Camp, it took nine days to reach 17,600 feet. With Kilimanjaro, I'm heading to 19, 341 feet in just over four days. It seems a bit crazy, but I continue moving forward, choosing to not dwell on the numbers.
Last night, I had my first brush with what I think was a bit of altitude sickness when my head starting hurting, although it could have been the fatigue of hiking five hours in the hot sun. I swallowed a couple of ibuprofen, and the headache disappeared.
Before beginning my hike, I debated about whether or not to take Diamox, a medicine that supposedly prevents and reduces the symptoms of altitude sickness. Some climbers take it in advance. Others wait until symptoms arise.
Both my doctor and pharmacist recommended I use it prophylactically, but every guide and porter I talked with said wait because of the adverse side effects. I assume they'd know, so I've got it in my pack, just in case.
Overall, my 51-year-old body is holding up under the stress of the ever-increasing altitude, as well as the daily hiking grind. Each night, my guide, Raphael, checks the level of oxygen in my blood, along with my pulse. He says he's pleased with the numbers.
While I'm grateful my health is being monitored, I'm always nervous when Raphael clips the pulse oximetry onto my finger. An oxygen saturation level in the blood of 95-100% is considered to be normal. If my reading drops below 50%, Raphael says it's serious, and I'll be asked to discontinue my trip. So far, I've not dipped under 80.
Although I'm climbing alone, I've got plenty of company on the trail. For the last two days, I've been hanging out with Kevin, a first-year medical student at the University of South Carolina, and Robert, the owner of a Chicago-based construction company. Robert is the one standing in the middle.
Both are taking the five-day trip, meaning their odds of success of reaching the summit – according to the park service – stand at 27%.
While I enjoyed my acclimatization day, Kevin and Robert headed to base camp. Kevin is young and enthusiastic. He'll make it to the top; however, I'm worried about Robert. Admittedly, he didn't train for the climb, and the 52-year-old tells me he's already anxious to finish. Plus, he's got a screw inserted in his ankle from a previous injury.
Robert decided to do the hike on a whim. Afterward, the practicing Buddhist will head to India for a conference with the Dalai Lama. Kilimanjaro isn't a major priority. Still, I'm hoping for the best for my new mountain friend.
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'll celebrate by hiking almost six miles to the base of the summit. That evening I'll be awakened in the middle of the night for the final push to the top.
So far, so good.
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DAILY TRIP DETAILS
Start: Horombo Hut - 12,155 feet in elevation (3,705 meters)
Finish: Scenic Overview above Zebra Rock - 13,123 feet in elevation (4,000 meters)
Distance Covered = 4.97 miles (8 kilometres)
Elevation Gain = 968 feet (295 meters)
Time of Hike = 2 hours, 35 minutes
Results of nightly health screening: Pulse = 83 Oxygen level in the blood = 90% out of 100 (Note: An oxygen saturation reading of 95% or better is considered to be normal. If my level drops below 50%, it's serious, and I'll be asked to discontinue my trip.)
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Note: These are the exact words I wrote while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. After returning from my six-day trip, I transferred my unedited thoughts directly to the blog. In some cases, I added extra information for clarity. You'll find those passages in italics.
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