29th January - Day 5 Kilimanjaro climb - SUMMIT ATTEMPT

Having been on the acclimatisation excusrion on Day 3 and again to 4600 metres on Day 4, I was begining to think that altitude wouldnt be too much of a problem. However, on reflection, at Horombo on Day 4 I ate very little, and loss of appetite is a first symptom of altitude. Anyway, I started the day positive. After a short time walking upwards again from Horombo, one got a glimpse of the end goal again - here she is:

However, I found todays long trek a bit of a slog and I quickly fell behind. Simon stayed with me, as of course did Alex. Alex warned me that the final assent to Barafu Huts at almost 4700 metres was very steep.

You can just see the camp below if you follow the ridge from the left, where Simon is looking.

Again, you should just be able to make out Barafu Camp in the slight dip in the ridge when followed from the left of the picture (and Alex is probably thinking "how the hell am I going to get her up there!") Oh, and that's an umbrella not a rifle on his back LOL. You can just make out the path we would take across this valley. There are some people resting in front of the pile of rocks at the bottom. This is the final section of the days trek, with three quarters of the days distance already covered at this point.

Well, I made fairly good progress most of the day. I probably whined a bit about the big rocks but I wasn't that far behind the others. As we progressed, plant life disappeared and the terrain was very 'moon like'. We made steady progress but that final very steep assent just did me in. I got to where I could see our tents not 100 metres away but my legs turned to jelly and I couldnt move. Here was I, stuck with the whole camp watching me stuck, and the summit attempt was tonight. I eventually made it to the tents, made a half hearted attempt at eating and went to lie down.

Barafu camp is perched on the ridge, on rocks and it is quite inhospitable. Look closely and you can see a little toilet hut in the distance!

After getting 'stuck' I had lost all confidence and Sifuel came to see me. He said that he thought it best that I leave early with just Alex tonight and do the 'Pole Pole' (Swahili for slowly slowly) to give me some extra time. He was also worried about Simon staying with me, going too slowly and getting cold. I said I was happy for Simon to go seperately and would like the early start as I would have at least some time with the pressure off. This was agreed and I tried to get some rest. Simon and I had some supper together at around 9.00pm and I left with Alex sometime after 10pm.

The Summit Attempt - Lesley's experience

I quite enjoyed the first hour alone with Alex. Only my headtorch was present and with a full moon with no cloud, it was beautiful. The initial 30 minutes was quite gruelling, steep and requiring clambering over huge boulders. Then the route turned into mostly a steep dusty zig zag path with occassional rocky parts. We kept it slow but the trouble is you get cold unless you move fairly quickly. I had 2 thermal layers on with a fleece, thick gloves and a windproof jacket. I had a heavy fleece, outer gloves and my outer goretex shell in my sack for as it got colder going up. It wasn't long before, looking behind me, a string of headtorches were visible in the distance. People caught me up and started to overtake me, which zaps your confidence. By the time Simon had caught me up at around 1am I was putting the last layer on I was so cold and I still had ages to go. I also felt sick, had a headache and breathing was difficult - in part due to my snotty nose!!! I now know that people slower than me made it to the top but I had to think about whether I would feel worse if I went higher (you still have to make it down under your own steam) and also if the stress would bring on A -Fib and then I would be in trouble. Alex told me to 'breathe' and we took long breaths in and out together before setting off again.

I stuck it out for a bit longer but as I looked up, the summit looked no nearer. I came for the 'whole' experience and not just the summit, so I gave in at somewhere around 5100 metres and asked Alex to help me get down. It took several gruelling hours to get down but once we'd passed all the other trekkers, at least it felt peaceful again  (even though I wanted to puke my guts!). When we eventually got back into camp a porter had (quite sensibly) made use of my tent and Alex had to evict him poor guy. Alex sweetly asked me what I wanted for breakfast but knew the answer already! He said he'd return for me at 7am as we had to get down, 4700 metres being too high for me to remain any longer with my symptoms. I clamboured over the rocks to the long drop toilet huts and emptied 'both ends' as it were. Returning to the tent I took my boots off and just climbed into my sleeping bag with everything I had on. After a couple of hours, Alex dutifully came for me.

The Summit  - Simon's experience

The walk to Barafu Huts, the final stop before making the final push for the summit, is in itself quite a strenuous walk. The final approach to Barafu seems to be endless, as you pick your way up through the jagged rocks. We arrived in Camp some 60 – 90 minutes after the main party; this meant that our recovery time was shorter, especially as Sifuel would later ask Lesley to start her attempt at 10pm. We ate and then tried to rest, but sleep was not something that was easily obtained. At about 9pm I got up to eat with Lesley and help her to prepare for her attempt and waved her off sometime after at 10 as she started with Alex.

For the next hour I twiddled my thumbs waiting to get ready to leave with the main party. The only distraction being just before we set off; when I was approached by a Japanese television reporter and cameraman who asked question about my experience to date on the climb and what I was expecting in the coming attempt. Apparently they were making a documentary for Japanese television, they didn’t tell me what it was about but I could guess. Japan is the home of wired and wacky reality TV shows that look at mad things people do in the name of enjoyment!

The group of 7 of us set off at 11.30 pm, Alex (Jnr) lead the way with Thomas and Ali (a senior porter who was training to be a guide) bringing up the rear. It was dark and started with a steep climb over rocks. We had been told that the Summit approach was in 3 distinct sections, a steep start followed by a shallower inclined and than a steep screed section in the final approach. I only seemed to experience one steep section that last the whole length that just got worse!

We met up with Lesley at about 1am; she was just putting on her final layers to fight of the cold. She doubted her ability to make it the whole way and was insistent that I continued with my climb. We had already agreed if one was to fail in the attempt the other would continue, that is why we joined a group to climb as opposed to having a private trek. As I continued with the rest, all I could see was the heels of the person in front illuminated by my head torch. As I looked back to where we had come from all I could see was a line of head torches descending down the mountain as far as I could see. There must have been hundreds putting themselves up against the mountain.

About half was up the cold started to penetrate the layers, the wind was whistling across the ridge we were on and doing it very best to blow us clean of the mountain. Eventually I had to put on my final layers or the cold would have beaten me.

About three quarters of the way up I felt the full affects of fatigue! As far as I was concerned at that time I was all in, I just wanted to stop there and say to hell with it. But I was in a catch 22 situation, it was further to go down than up! Thomas, who by this time had taken over the lead as the senior guide present, checked me over for AMS, of which I displayed no signs, and in fact did not experience at all. Satisfied that it was just fatigue he delved into his back pack and suddenly produced to my surprise cans of Red Bull and gave one to each of us. The surprise came from the fact that we had been banned from drinking coffee and tea, as the caffeine was at odds with altitude. However I drank the can, and like the advert I could feel the wings growing with each gulp I took. It kicked started me and I was ready for the final push!

It was still dark as we climbed up through Stella Point and on to the top of the mountain. They joy at success amongst the group was very high. Even though Uhuru Peak was only another 40 meters in elevation it was still a 40 min walk but our success and sense of achievement was all that we needed to drive on for that ultimate goal!

The last 40 minuets seemed never ending! Eventually as the first greys of day light started to show dawn was arriving I saw the summit. At 06:08 just before the first rays of sunlight I arrived at the peak!