15 Fascinating Facts about Mt Kilimanjaro

There are a couple of things most travellers will already know about Mt Kilimanjaro: the fact that it is situated in the northern portion of Tanzania, within the Kilimanjaro National Park; the fact that it covers an area of 100 metres long and 65 metres wide; or the fact that it is Africa’s highest mountain. Most adventurers will also know that Mount Kilimanjaro is made up of three volcanic cones (Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira) and is itself a dormant volcanic mountain. However, this certainly doesn’t mean you know ‘pretty much all there is to know’ about the spectacle that is Mount Kilimanjaro. So, for your reading pleasure, here are twenty facts about the majestic Mountain that you probably didn’t know.

1 Approximately 25,000 people attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro annually. Approximately two-thirds are successful. Altitude-related problems is the most common reason climbers turn back.

2. Shamsa Mwangunga, National Resources and Tourism minister of Tanzania, announced in 2008 that 4.8 million indigenous trees will be planted around the base of the mountain, helping prevent soil erosion and protect water sources.


3. South African Bernard Goosen twice scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair. His first summit, in 2003, took nine days; his second, four years later, took only six. Born with cerebral palsy, Goosen used a modified wheelchair, mostly without assistance, to climb the mountain.

4. The oldest person ever to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro was 87-year-old Frenchman Valtee Daniel.

5. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on the African continent and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

6. The mountain’s snow caps are diminishing, having lost more than 80 percent of their mass since 1912. In fact, they may be completely ice free within the next 20 years, according to scientists.

7. The fasted verified ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro occurred in 2001 when Italian Bruno Brunod summitted Uhuru Peak in 5 hours 38 minutes 40 seconds. The fastest roundtrip was accomplished in 2004, when local guide Simon Mtuy went up and down the mountain in 8:27.

8. Almost every kind of ecological system is found on the mountain: cultivated land, rain forest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and an arctic summit.

9. Nearly every climber who has summitted Uhuru Peak, the highest summit on Kibo’s crater rim, has recorded his or her thoughts about the accomplishment in a book stored in a wooden box at the top.

10. Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones, Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo. Mawenzi and Shira are extinct but Kibo, the highest peak, is dormant and could erupt again. The most recent activity was about 200 years ago; the last major eruption was 360,000 years ago.

11. Douglas Adams, the late famous author of the legendary Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, took part in a Mt Kilimanjaro hike dressed in a rhinoceros suit for the British charity organisation, Save the Rhino International.

12. A porter from the very first successful summit lived to see the 100th celebration of the climb at an incredible 118 years of age!

13. Out of every 1,000 tons of water that trickles down the Mountain, approximately 400 of them come directly from ice caps.

14. Virtually every type of ecological system can be found on this mountain, including cultivated land, rain forest, heath, moorland, alpine desert, and an arctic summit.

15. Spanish mountain runner, Kilian Jornet, made the fastest ascent up the mountain in September 2010, at just 22 years of age. He reached the top of the Mountain in a startling 5 hours, 23 minutes and 50 seconds.

Top 7 Reasons to Choose Mount Kenya Over Higher, More Popular Kilimanjaro

The allure of Mount Kilimanjaro is easy to understand. Its peak is the highest point on the African continent, with spectacular views from atop ancient glaciers lining an almost perfectly circular volcanic crater. Hikers are drawn to treks up Mount Kilimanjaro, snagging the opportunity to trek through four different climatic zones with porters to carry gear, fix camps, and prepare meals. Knowledgeable, multi-lingual guides show the way. The mountain lies in northern Tanzania, where security issues are minimal and tourism infrastructure leads the continent.

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

A trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro can be thrilling, while strangely relaxing. Porters and cooks provide basic human needs, and a well-deserved sense of accomplishment washes over those who reach its magnificent summit. Mighty Kilimanjaro’s popularity is not undeserved. However, it is NOT the adventurous hiker’s only trekking option in East Africa.

 Image Source

In fact, nearby peaks offer exciting treks with views and wildlife that trump that of "Big K". Africa’s second-highest mountain, Mount Kenya, offers everything its big neighbor does, and then some. The following are ten practical reasons to consider trekking in Kenya and climbing up Mount Kenya instead of Mount Kilimanjaro:

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

1) Time

Mount Kenya’s trekking peak, Point Lenana, is a towering 4,985 meters (16,355 feet) above sea level. It lies 910 meters (2,985 feet) lower than Kilimanjaro, which translates to a shorter hike and fewer acclimatization issues. The trek ends up being at least one, usually two, full days shorter than a trek up Kilimanjaro. The lower peak also increases each hiker’s chance of reaching Point Lenana without succumbing to altitude sickness.

2) The Equator

It may be just an imaginary line, but this divider of the hemispheres runs right through Mount Kenya National Park. Many of the trekking routes cross the Equator, and the summit lies just a little to the south (although one would never know it by the cold and ice). Small signs and rock cairns mark Latitude Zero along the way, and guides will point them out as hikers pass by. For a great photo opportunity, there is a famous sign marking the Equator on the highway just south of the town of Nanyuki at the foothills of the mountain. Locals eagerly demonstrate the ‘water swirling test’ while tourists stand with one foot in the north, and the other in the south.

3) Accommodations

Many of the routes on Mount Kenya have basic lodges at overnight campsites. Long dining tables and rows of bunk beds offer little privacy, but the structures adequately block the wind and cold. Their communal design encourages conversations with other hikers, as intrepid travelers are always keen to swap stories.

Also Read:- How Hard Is It To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

4) Opportunity for Technical Climbing

Batian, the true summit of Mount Kenya, rises a bit higher than Point Lenana. At 5,199 meters (17,057 feet), it offers rock and ice climbing that pushes even experienced climbers to the limit. Reaching the summit often requires first traversing yet another peak, Nelion, en route to Batian. Standing on the peak is a true mountaineering feat that requires advanced skill and great effort. Climbing Batian on Mount Kenya is a thrill that Kilimanjaro simply cannot offer.

5) Wildlife

Mount Kenya is surrounded by a National Park that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bans on logging, hunting, and building have kept the surrounding forest teeming with birds, reptiles, elephants, and buffalos. Wildlife viewing on Mount Kenya is not a suitable replacement for a safari, but seeing animals is much more likely than on Kilimanjaro.

Image Courtesy

Also Read:- Comparison Between Climbing Kilimanjaro vs Everest Trekking

6) Accessibility

The easiest way to reach East Africa is by flying into Nairobi, Kenya. The country has straightforward visa criteria, and citizens of most nationalities will have little problem visiting Kenya. It even issues visas at its ports and border crossings, allowing for easy overland entry.

7) Passionate Guides

The guides and tour companies around Mount Kenya are very aware that the brighter spotlight shines on Kilimanjaro. Being the underdogs, the level of service and hospitality they offer is unmatched. It is common for guides to take guests out for dinner and beer the night before a hike, and little surprises like creek-side tea breaks make the trek extremely pleasant.

Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro each offer beautiful treks and chances for adventure. Trekkers will always be drawn to Kilimanjaro simply because it is the highest mountain on the continent. However, for its many advantages, Mount Kenya may be the perfect choice for a traveler that seeks a wild East African experience with less cost, time, and hassle. Standing on the continent’s highest peak is an experience unique to Kilimanjaro, but the overall experience of trekking Mount Kenya is, in many ways, far greater.

Climbing Kilimanjaro by Bike And Raise Funds for World Bicycle Relief

Rebecca Rusch is an endurance athlete, part-time EMT and firefighter, and full-time professional adventurer. Known as “The Queen of Pain” for her gritty attitude and perseverance under adverse conditions, she holds many trophies and titles, but she describes her March 2016 summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro as, “definitely the coolest ride I’ve ever done in my life.”

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

When Rusch heard that Patrick Sweeny would be biking to the top of Kilimanjaro, she thought it would be the perfect opportunity to meld her thirst for adventure with her desire to spread some cycling love. “I’m pretty passionate about what the bicycle has done for me,” she says, “It’s allowed me to travel the world and provided amazing opportunities. I want to share some of that with others.”

To help provide better access to bikes, Rusch set a goal of raising $19,341 for World Bicycle Relief, one dollar for every foot of elevation gained on the ascent. She believes in the organization’s commitment to change. “They don’t just hand out a bunch of money,” she says, “it’s an application process, recipients sign a contract, students’ attendance and grades must improve to keep the bike. It’s really empowering people to change their lives.”

                               Rebecca Rusch and Patrick Sweeny rest after completing their extraordinary ride up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

Named one of Outside Magazine’s top 20 female athletes of the year in 2003, Rusch has enjoyed an uncannily long career in professional sports, excelling at everything from adventure racing to mountain biking to cross country skiing and whitewater rafting. She won the Leadville 100 four years in a row. The grueling course, which gains around 11,000 feet in elevation over 104 miles, required her to pick up and carry her bike over the more technical sections. It’s a skill that came in handy at the craggy, un-bikable top of the African continent last spring.

Not only did Rusch and Sweeny carry their bikes through rough sections of the trail up Kilimanjaro, they also insisted on packing their own supplies in, pedaling with sleeping bags and provisions jostling in 30-pound backpacks. Many climbers use porters to help shuffle their gear to the top, but these adventurers were determined to use as little outside help as possible, even forgoing altitude sickness medications.

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

The ride took six days to complete: four days pedaling up and two back down. While it’s possible to cover the terrain faster, Rusch and Sweeny made an effort to keep a conservative pace. The mountain has a low summit ratio due to the extreme altitude, and being in great shape is not necessarily a ticket to the top. “It doesn’t matter how fit you are,” says Rusch. “Altitude affects people differently and you don’t know how your body is going to respond.”

Both Rusch and Sweeny overcame the odds, they made it to the top of the mountain. She says the achievement was both triumphant and surreal. “There’s something very pure about a summit, about getting to the top of the peak; it’s a clear measure of success. It was euphoric to stand up there and see the continent.”

Also Read:- How Hard Is It To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

For Rusch, the trip was yet another in a long line of amazing opportunities provided by cycling. She hopes the awareness and money raised through this expedition will enable others to transform their lives through biking, too.

Rusch continues to work toward her fundraising goal, more information can be found here: fundraise.worldbicyclerelief.org/kilimanjaro.

Thanks to independent.com for sharing interview report about Rebecca Rusch and Patrick Sweeny Climbing

Lions ROAR during Kilimanjaro Safaris at night tour in Disney's Animal Kingdom

Kilimanjaro Safari is very world famous safari. A recent Kilimanjaro Safaris - Nocturnal Encounters expedition in Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World reveals an unforgettable moment when a lion and lioness roar back and forth to the delight of guests.

Thanks to Inside The Magic Team for sharing this video :)

You can visit www.InsideTheMagic.net to get more information about Walt Disney World and much more.

Cancer Survivor Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro To Spread Message Of Hope, Survival

A cancer survivor from Utah trekked 37 miles up and down steep terrain to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Molly Froerer said she ascended 19,321 feet above sea level to spread a message of hope and survival.

“When I just went in for a routine screening and said, ‘I’ve been noticing this lump,’ and they said, ‘We should probably get that checked out,'" she said.

Also Read:- Comparison Between Climbing Kilimanjaro vs Everest Trekking

Froerer said that visit was the start of it all.

“So that was on Monday of spring break, and then on Tuesday I had a mammogram and biopsy, and on Wednesday I got the diagnoses that it was cancer,” she said.

(Photos Courtesy Molly Froerer)

Back in 2013, the Utah mother of three found out she had advanced breast cancer, and she ended up needing a double mastectomy before going through six months of chemotherapy and radiation.

Cancer survivor climbs Mount Kilimanjaro to spread message of hope, survival

“It was really hard emotionally because, you know, you're worried that you're going to die,” she said.

Also Read:- How Hard Is It To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

Now Froerer has been cancer free for 2.5 years, and she is sharing her story of survival with others by raising awareness and money with the non-profit organization Radiating Hope.

Each year, Radiating Hope goes around the world to summit the tallest mountains, and Froerer just got back from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with the group.

“I was sort of the cancer climbing mascot of the climb,” she said.

Fisher said Froerer was more like an example of what is possible when it comes to cancer.

“So to get cancer in Tanzania, it's basically a death sentence,” he said. “And if you talk to anyone in Tanzania they say, 'Oh, if you get cancer you die.' And so we wanted to bring Molly on the trip to show that, 'Hey, you can get treated for cancer, and you can survive cancer.'"

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

Fisher said cancer is the leading cause of death in Africa, killing more people than HIV, aids, malaria and tuberculosis combined. When he first started working in Tanzania, he said there was only one radiation machine for all 43 million people.

Photos Courtesy Molly Froerer

"We have 11 million cancer survivors here in America, and to have none in Tanzania, it just seems unfair, he said.

So far, Radiating Hope has raised enough money over the last seven years to donate two more radiation machines to Tanzania.

Froerer said, if she's learned anything, it’s that the hard work will continue to pay off.

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

“We can do hard things, and that's sort of been my theme as I’ve gone through my cancer treatment,” she said. “Just that I've always thought that I could do hard things, and cancer made me know that I can do hard things.”

She had this message for others battling cancer: “It's hard and it's tough, but you can do it, because you can do hard things too."

Interview was conducted by Fox13Now

Comparison Between Climbing Kilimanjaro vs Everest Trekking

Are you planning a trek and trying to decide between either Everest Base Camp or Kilimanjaro? I have been to both and wanted to put together a bit of a comparison of the experience on each. This comparison looks specifically at the Kilimanjaro’s Marangu Route which is the quickest and also one of the most popular summit approaches. The other routes to Kilimanjaro’s summit take more time and give trekkers a better chance to acclimatize.

THE TRAIL

There are several different routes for summiting Kilimanjaro, some are shorter and steeper, while others are longer and have less of a grade. I choose the latter trail to better cope with the elevation change. The specific route I took was the Lomosho route, which took about 8 days from the start to the end.

As for Everest Base Camp(EBC), there really isn’t much variation in the route to the base camp. We started our trek from Lukla after we landed at the notoriously extreme airport.

There are other points of interest in the Everest Region such as summiting Island Peak(Imja Tse), which would add days to your itinerary than trekking to EBC and back down. On Kilimanjaro, there are other points of interest such as crater camp, which I didn’t do.

 View of Mount Everest

Everest or Kilimanjaro: The Scenery and Trekking Experience

Kilimanjaro and Everest both offer vastly different trekking experiences. The scenery on the Everest Base trek is incredible once you pass Namche Bazaar on the third day the views of the peaks are spectacular. The trail passes below the base of Ama Dablam (the Matterhorn of the Himalayas) and the trek offers views of 4 of the world’s 14 eight thousand meter peaks which include; Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu and of course Everest. Kilimanjaro is a free standing peak and can’t offer the same mountain scenery but still provides an interesting experience as you traverse through the different eco-zones. The trek to Kilimanjaro starts off in the lowland rainforests at the base of the mountain which gradually thin and transition to cloud forest (heath zone) where bearded mosses and lichens covers the short stubby trees in the moist and often misty air. Leaving the Heath Zone one enters the Mooreland Zone which is a unique zone of vegetation well known for its Giant Lobelia and Groundsels (See photo).

 Mount Kilimanjaro Route

The actual trekking experience also varies quite a bit. Kilimanjaro offers a mountain hut system on the Marangu Route and camping on other routes. The huts which are run by the national park service are comfortable and in the lower camps each small room is shared between four people. The huts provide a mat to sleep on and lighting but no electrical outlets. The “Tea House” experience in Nepal is quite a bit different and I think the hospitability of the Sherpa culture is part of the trekking experience that can’t be replicated in a hut system run by a national park service. On the Everest trek you will be hiking through small village’s dependant on tourism for their livelihood and offering the visitors a range of restaurants, lodging options and shops selling everything from souvenirs to snacks

 Tengboche Monastery Everest Trek

Everest or Kilimanjaro: When to go  + Weather and Seasons

Everest Base Camp can be trekked anytime from October until June. The Everest Trek can be quite cold during December and January but it is one of my favorite times of year as the crowds are completely absent and you have the mountain to yourself. Kilimanjaro has two seasons and is good climbing from June to September and during January and February. The busiest month on Kilimanjaro is September and January is the least busy month with typically good weather conditions.

CULTURAL IMMERSION

If you want a little cultural on your trek, definitely go with the EBC trek. Each teahouse along the trek resides in villages where locals live year round. This gives you an opportunity to meet locals and their children. On Kilimanjaro, it’s virtually all tourist that congregate at the campsites. There are no local villages on the mountain, thus leaving no opportunity to interact with locals other than your guide and porters.

View of Everest an and Lhotse from Namche Bazar

SLEEPING FACILITIES

The facilities found on the EBC is much more comfortable than camping on Kilimanjaro. I roughed it and had sleeping pads and a sleeping bag. Some other guide companies actually have taller standing tents with cots. So it all depends on how much you want to pay. On the EBC trek, all my accommodations were in tea houses where we slept indoors on foam mattresses with sleeping bags.

 Sleeping conditions on Everest Base camp

 sleeping conditions on Kilimanjaro Base camp

Side-by-side Comparison
Number of Climbers: 40,000 Kilimanjaro
Number of Trekkers : 45,000 Everest Base Camp
Number of Days to Everest Base Camp: 10 Days
Number of Days to Kilimanjaro Summit: 5 Days
One Way Elevation Gain EBC: 4200m / 13900feet
One Way Elevation Gain Kilimanjaro Marangu Route: 4000m / 13100ft
Kilimanjaro Marangu Route Roudtrip Distance: 70km (42 miles)
Everest Base Camp Roudtrip Distance: 122km (76 miles)

THE REWARD AT THE END

The end point of EBC is kind of anti-climatic with a vista that’s not entirely self-rewarding. It’s essentially a rock with prayer flags marking the general area where Everest summit expeditions setup camp.

Contrast this to the Kilimanjaro trek, the summit provides a view of the sunrise(assuming you depart for the summit at night). Though, it was too cold to stay at the summit and enjoy the scenery. Despite taking a better part of 8 hours to, I only ended up staying at the summit for 15 minutes.

Here’s a few pictures showing the end point for Kilimanjaro and Everest 

Top of the Mount Kilimanjaro

Top Of Mount Everest

Hope this information will be helpful to all of you :)

Source for the images:- 

Blogspot.com

intrepidtravel.com

climbmountkilimanjaro.com

rei.com

keadventure.com

wordpress.com

tripadvisor.com

How Hard Is It To Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

The most popular trail for climbing Africa's highest mountain is dismissively known as the "Coca Cola route". It has comfortable huts for tourists to sleep in, food and drink is for sale and the paths are thronged with climbers.
   
THE ANSWER

1. Kilimanjaro has very little "technical climbing"
2. But altitude sickness is a major problem
3. Walking very slowly, having acclimatisation periods and drinking lots of water are key

But while it's fair to say that climbing the nearly 6,000m Kilimanjaro is not akin to climbing Everest or K2, it's still something to be approached with care.

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

Altitude is the key, who as well as leading trips up the mountain holds the record for the quickest ascent and descent, managing in eight-and-a-half hours what takes the tourists six days.

"It is a very high mountain. Normally people take five or six days. Travelling 1500-2000m in a day is a lot for one person who lives at sea level." 

And the consequence of climbing too high, too quickly, is altitude sickness.

Climbers get headaches, suffer vomiting and struggle with their digestive system.

Image Source

   
You have got to walk so incredibly slowly; imagine an arthritic 90-year-old walking backwards - that's probably too fast

Of those who make the trip with Mtuy, 60-70% suffer strong symptoms and everybody feels something.

The essence is not bounding ahead enthusiastically, says Jon Garside, training officer of the British Mountaineering Council, who led a party of teenagers up the mountain in 2002.

"It is nothing that a reasonably fit person shouldn't be able to do. The path is a pretty gentle gradient. It is not technically challenging.

"But you get very high very quickly. That affects the body. You have got to walk so incredibly slowly. Imagine an arthritic 90-year-old walking backwards - that's probably too fast. 

"If you exert your body at altitude the body will find it really hard to get its breath back."

Some people take aspirin or diamox, a drug to treat the symptoms of altitude sickness, although this is not always recommended. People must always drink plenty of water.

The Comic Relief party are doing the ascent and descent in eight days meaning they are likely to find it a bit easier than the tourists who try to do it in five and struggle to acclimatise.
   
WHAT'S VITAL?

• Hiking boots
• Cold weather gear
• Large quantities of fluids
• Appropriate food

On Kilimanjaro there's none of what mountaineers call "technical climbing" - moments where you find yourself rummaging for an ice axe as you cling on to an overhang. But despite this many of the tourists fail to complete the ascent.

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

Mr Mtuy runs expeditions using the Lemosho trail which take seven days up and four days down and says with this gentle programme he manages to achieve a 95% success rate.

And whichever route you're doing whether it's the touristy Marangu route, the more scenic Machame, the longer Lemosho or any of the others the key thing is mental strength.
   
WHO, WHAT, WHY?

A regular part of the BBC News Magazine, Who, What, Why? aims to answer some of the questions behind the headlines

"No matter how strong you have to be prepared mentally," says Mr Mtuy.

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

"Sleeping on the ground for five or six days is hard. You need the determination. You have a head ache your body is aching, you are struggling."

And of course if you do make the ascent, as well as the layers of wildly differing vegetation you are guaranteed a spectacular view.

"It is really amazing when you get to the crater rim and you see this lunar landscape. It is a very beautiful mountain to climb," says Mr Garside.

Pizza Hut Deliver Pizza To Top Of Mount Kilimanjaro To Earn Guinness World Records Title

Pizza Hut Africa and Yum! Brands have just made history with the Highest altitude pizza delivery on land, after General Manager of Pizza Hut Africa Randall Blackford, a group of employees and a team of experienced guides hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro where they shared a pepperoni pizza at 5,897 m (19,341 ft).

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

This incredible attempt marks the launch of the first Pizza Hut in Tanzania - the 100th country that the pizza restaurant company has entered in.

It took four days for the pizza to travel from the new restaurant to the top of the highest mountain in Africa. The pizza traveled approximately 745 km from where it was made to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro by car, plane and on foot by Mr Consea Dissa and several members of his climbing team.

 Pizza Hut designed a special pizza box backpack for the record-breaking delivery

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

Official Guinness World Records adjudicator Pravin Patel flew out to Tanzania to verify the record attempt and ensure that all the guidelines were followed correctly.

Milind Pant, President of Pizza Hut International commented on the achievement: “We are thrilled to bring Pizza Hut to Tanzania and believe there is no better way to celebrate our 100th country milestone than by setting a Guinness World Records title for the highest pizza delivery on land to Mt. Kilimanjaro.”

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

The Guinness World Records attempt also raised money for much needed improvements to the Msasani Primary School in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania – the town where the new Pizza Hut is opening.

Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

ROCK HILL

Jared Johansen and Carter Craze, both students at York Preparatory Academy near Rock Hill, completed the toughest challenge of their lives this month when they summited Mount Kilimanjaro.

Jared, 15, and Carter, 16, climbed the 19,340-foot peak in the African country of Tanzania with their fathers and about 20 others on June 4 as part of an effort to raise money for cancer care in developing countries.

In the team’s quest to help others through a nonprofit group called Radiating Hope, the Rock Hill boys discovered they could complete what might seem an insurmountable challenge.

“It was definitely the hardest thing I have ever done personally,” said Jared, a rising sophomore at YPA. “It was very challenging, but it was an awesome experience.”

He added: “There were times I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it. But when you’re at the top, you feel like a thousand bucks. I don’t know how to describe it.”

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

Carter, a rising YPA junior, said the boys and their dads spent months training to get in shape for the climb, which he described as more of a mental challenge than a physical one.

“You just have to be prepared that it’s going to be really tough, and you’re going to want to quit a lot as you go up the mountain because the altitude is getting to you,” he said.

Jared’s father, Joseph Johansen, said Jared’s uncle, Larry Daugherty, a cancer doctor, avid mountain climber and one of the founders of Radiating Hope, asked the boys and their dads more than a year ago to make the trip.

They climbed the mountain through an expedition group called Climb Kili, which provided the guides, porters to carry gear and lodging.

Carter’s dad, Craig Craze, said the 27-member group raised tens of thousands of dollars for Radiating Hope, which aims to provide money for radiation cancer treatments for people in Tanzania and other developing countries. The climbers collected donations and sold prayer flags, which were placed on the peak.

While the group was in Tanzania, the boys also visited the Majengo Children’s Home, an orphanage where they participated in an effort to bring more than 300 shoes to the 86 children there. Craze said one of the team members is a Boy Scout who organized the shoe collection for his Eagle Scout project.

Without closed-toe shoes, the children in the orphanage are not allowed to attend public school, so Craze said each hiker in the group brought donated shoes.

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

Jared said he wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro because it’s one of the seven summits, the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. He said one of his goals is to climb them all.

“I know I want to keep climbing, because that was probably the coolest experience I’ve ever had,” he said. He wants “to eventually climb Mount Everest.”

Jared said it took the group seven days to reach the summit. He said they climbed higher each day, then moved lower to camp for the night, giving their bodies time to become acclimated to the altitude.

Carter said the terrain changed dramatically as they moved through different zones, from a tropical rain forest to a rocky, barren landscape akin to the moon.

He said they took altitude sickness pills and drank a lot of water to help their bodies cope with the altitude. Still, he said he felt ill on the final ascent due to the altitude and had to be helped up the final climb by one of the guides.

“I now know that I can do hard things like that,” Carter said. “It was a great adventure. I’m glad I went because I got to meet new people and have fun.”

Carter said he isn’t looking to do more climbs.

“I was out of it at 18,000 feet, so I wasn’t looking for more of that afterwards,” he said. “I think that’s the only peak I’ll climb, but it’s a good one to climb.”

He said another member of their group, who was 13, got sick on the climb because he did not take altitude sickness pills, in an attempt to train his body to climb Mount Everest. “He made it to the summit,” Carter said.

“If you have the willpower and the mental capacity to do it, you can do it,” Carter said.

Carter said he learned something else from the experience. “I now have a great appreciation,” he said, “for people who go and climb mountains.”

Read more here

Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

At 5,895m, Mount Kilimanjaro is a challenge for even the fittest able-bodied person. Days of rugged, rocky paths lead to a steep 1,000m climb on loose shingle to reach the summit.

Try doing that in a wheelchair.

Aaron Phipps and team head towards Kilimanjaro © teamkilimanjaro.com

Raising money for the Meningitis Research Foundation and the Shaw Trust, Aaron Phipps defied the odds to reach the top of Africa’s highest mountain. But it was not without pain. His rugged mountain trike took him so far, but when things proved too much for it, it was all down to mind over matter.

Aaron Phipps had meningitis type C when he was 15. He was in hospital for a year and nearly died. He became a bilateral below the knee amputee and lost the tops of his fingers.

"I ended up crawling up the mountain on my hands and knees. That was hard..."

Aaron Phipps

Aaron Phipps crawls the last metres to the summit © teamkilimanjaro.com

How hard was this challenge?
“It was all really tough, but the last bit, when the trike couldn’t handle it and I ended up crawling up the mountain on my hands and knees, that was so hard. The last nine hours I was crying. I was so exhausted at the summit. I was a mess. I touched the sign and was just sobbing.”

Also Read:- 7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

How did you prepare for it?
“Mentally, I’ve had coaches who pushed me to my absolute limit in the past. I’ve trained until I’ve passed out, thrown up on treadmills in wheelchairs, so I probably have a better idea of how far I can push than many people do.
“To cope with the altitude, I was advised to go to Chamonix and sit on top of Mont Blanc for five days. So I did. I also used an altitude trainer, so I didn’t get much altitude sickness. But there were other challenges...”

Phipps spent the last nine-hour summit ascent crying

Aaron Phipps pushing his wheelchair to the limit © teamkilimanjaro.com

 

You used an all-terrain ‘mountain trike’ – how did that work?
“It’s got poles you push with your arms to drive cogs that turn the wheels. We modified it so I could be in different positions as I planned to be pushing for eight hours a day. But it’s not really designed to climb a mountain!
“The first day took six hours rather than three; the second took nine. We put down wood for me to push along but the chair couldn’t cope with some terrain – and that’s when I had to get out and crawl.”

That must have been tough!
“Yes. But the chief guide said I was too slow to make it and I needed to prove a point! So I basically had to jump out my chair and just pull myself along as quickly as I could.

“At the end of that day I had blisters developing and a doctor checked them over. They weren’t great but they weren’t in a really bad way – so that was a good feeling.”

"The guide said I was too slow... I needed to prove a point!"
Phipps

Using wooden boards to help progress © teamkilimanjaro.com

How much did you use the wheelchair and how much were you on hands and knees?
“The first few days I used the chair a lot and just jumped out for sections, but towards the end it just couldn’t cope at all. One day I used it for about five percent of the day – so I did nearly 6km on my hands and knees.

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

“It was easier when it was rocky because my arms are strong from my sport so I could pull myself up on big boulders. It was the steep shingle bits that were the worst.”

The wheelchair was good but only up to a point...

Aaron Phipps on his hands and knees © Aaron Phipps

 
Did you ever feel like giving up?
“Yes, several times, particularly on that final climb on the loose shingle. I was so incredibly exhausted. I was struggling to keep down glucose tablets, my stomach was churning and I had to do it all on my knees.

“But it was so steep I was constantly sliding. I had to create divots with my hands then put my knee pads into them. I had a speaker in my backpack pumping out tunes to get my head into it.”

The final climb was almost Phipps’ undoing...

Aaron Phipps is followed by his Kilimanjaro team © Aaron Phipps

So how was the final climb?
“The rock face at Gilman's Point was like Lego or Jenga – you’d get a bit higher then someone had put another piece on! When I got there it was amazing, but there’s still another 45-minute trek on the rim to the summit.

“I could feel myself drifting away at times, wobbling, and people were trying to steady me. But I had a great team around me and I just had to keep putting my mind back and get on with it.”

"I could feel myself drifting away at times."
Phipps

Aaron Phipps crawls around the crater rim © teamkilimanjaro.com

How did you feel at the summit?
“It was unbelievable. My little girl and her school had made a poster and I felt so proud when I was holding it and having my photo taken. That was really special.”

And what was your happiest moment?
“I really loved the way down! Getting to the summit was amazing, but I was so exhausted it was more a relief than happiness.

“On the way down, you go down a huge wide path like something out of a sci-fi film, just fields of big boulders everywhere. I was carving down the path in my chair, people running trying to keep up with me, and I was thinking yeah, this is cool...”

Unfurling his daughter’s sign was a magic moment

Aaron Phipps at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro © teamkilimanjaro.com

 

 Original Source:- redbull.com

7 Things You Need to Do to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro

All of the stories you’ve heard are true. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro isn’t technical, but it also isn’t for the faint of heart.

It’s a mountain anyone can climb, and it is a mountain anyone can fail to summit.

There is no real way to train for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro except to be in pretty good shape. If you’re in pretty good shape, then you have about a 50/50 chance of being OK on the mountain. See, Kilimanjaro rises very, very high, so the altitude can get you. There’s no way to train for that.

1. Climb with an experienced guide. There are more than 300 companies offering a trek to the top of Kilimanjaro. Do your research before making your choice and, if you can, do not make it based on price. I chose Intrepid not only for its success rate but also because through my research, I learned that it is a company that treats its guides and porters incredibly well. Too many companies cut corners when it comes to making sure employees have the right climbing gear, are well-paid and are happy. Make sure to find a company that respects its guides. That means the guide will respect you enough to get you up that mountain.

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2. Take your time. Altitude sickness is a funny, funny thing. The only real way to beat it is to go slow, or as the Tanzanians say, “Pole, pole.” “Pole, pole,” means “Slow, slow,” and you will hear it time and time again on the mountain. You will hear it so many times you will begin to compose songs about it in your head as you hike.

Do not feel as though you need to keep pace with anyone. Tell your guide if you want to slow down, and they will help you find the right pace to get up to the top.

Also Read:- Aaron Phipps Climb Kilimanjaro on hands and knees

3. Sleep as much as you can. The route I took up the mountain had sleeping huts instead of tents along the way. They are rustic and adorable, but they are also cold. Ask your guide if you can have some hot water bottles to add to your sleeping bag at night. Staying warm will help you get the sleep you need to keep your energy high enough for summit day.

Image Courtesy

4. Pack light. Most companies offer porters to carry the majority of your things up the mountain, but carrying your gear and water for the day is on you. Be wise when choosing exactly how much weight you want to carry as you make the climb. You may think you need a selfie stick, an extra camera batteries, a deck of cards and a book in your day pack, but after a day of steady climbing, you will want to toss all that stuff right into the jungle.

5. Eat & Drink. You will lose your appetite on the mountain at some point. It’s a natural effect of exertion and altitude. Eat anyway. Your body needs as much fuel as it can get to make it to the top.

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It doesn’t matter if you are thirsty or not — drink at least three to four liters of water on climbing days.

6. Be honest with your guides. They are there to help you get to the top of the mountain. Most of the time, they will be able to get you there. Experienced Kilimanjaro guides are less trek companion and more therapist, ready to talk you up to that summit no matter what. But they can’t do that if you aren’t honest with them about exactly how you are feeling. Tell them when you feel sick or weak or nauseated. They want you to feel good enough to reach Kibo peak.

Also Read:- Rock Hill students climb Kilimanjaro to help cancer patients

7. Keep your spirits up. I said it before and I will say it again: Getting to the top of Kili is mostly in your head. Keeping a positive attitude as you go up the mountain will do more for you than a month of wind sprints. 

I met one guy on the mountain who had been training for years. He was in top-notch physical shape. He was also a negative Nelly. Nothing was good enough. He didn’t make it. Another bloke was cracking jokes, laughing with his fellow climbers, and smoking rolled cigarettes all the way up the mountain. That guy made it to the top without a hitch.

Source:- yahoo.com