Thursday, 9/26/2019: Mweka and Departure

Complete the descent through the rain forest, where vehicles will be waiting to take us back to the real world. After freshening up at our day room in Arusha, we will be transferred to the airport for our departure flight home.

3 - 6 hours trekking

Celebrate with Guides and Crew

Celebrate the completion of the mountain adventure with a farewell lunch at the park gate. This is a great opportunity to thank the crew and say goodbyes to those who made the trek a success.

Accommodations: Day room at Airport Planet Lodge, Arusha, resting up and readying for departure.

Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport

Wednesday 9/25/2019: Alpine Desert to Heath

Ruthanna says that it was a stiff climb today, and that all is well. They are actually at 11,500 feet, but hoping for more details soon.

Her itinerary lists the following:

After a celebratory breakfast, depart the barren landscapes of the Alpine Desert zone as we begin the descent to our camp nestled in the thick heather.

Celebratory Summit Breakfast

5 - 7 hours Trekking

Tipping Ceremony
Celebrate the achievement with the fellow trekkers and mountain crew and partake in a ceremony to thank the guides and porters, acknowledging their hard work and contribution to the success

Accommodations: Mweka Camp 10,065 feet

Tuesday 9/24/2019: Alpine Desert and Uhuru Peak SUMMIT!!!

Continue through the alpine desert this morning, making the gradual journey toward Kilimanjaro's glaciers and the summit, Uhuru Peak.


8 - 10 hours Trekking was on the agenda, but Ruthanna and Laurie say it was 14 hours and involved some scrambling. Ruthanna says, "The most challenging thing I have ever done!"


Afternoon Uhuru Peak Summit!!

Exploration of the Crater


Accommodations: Barafu Camp 15,331 feet

Monday, 9/23/2019: Moorland to Alpine Desert

Proceed steadily upward over expansive ridge lines of high alpine desert where we will camp amid this lunar landscape.

3 - 4 hours trekking

Accommodations: Barafu Camp 15,331 feet

Sunday, 9/22/2019: Alpine Desert to Moorland

A drop in elevation from the desert into the moorlands, giving time to acclimatize to the elevation. On the way, a scramble up the Barranco Wall.

6 - 7 hours trekking

Accommodations: Karanga Camp 13,231 feet

Saturday, 9/21/2019: Moorland to Alpine Desert

Long, steady day of climbing up expansive ridge to an extraordinary rock formation called Lava Tower.

4 - 6 hours of trekking

Accommodations: Lava Tower Camp 15,213 feet

Friday, 9/20/2019: Heath to Moorland

The trek resumes from the savannah of heather and grasses into the moorlands, where camp will be set among a misty, cloud-covered terrain of bizarre flora and volcanic rock.

3 - 4 hours trekking

Accommodations: Shira Camp 2 at 12,795 feet

                              

Thursday, 9/19/2019: Forest Ridge to Heath

Make way out of the forest this morning, where there are spectacular views of the plains below and perhaps even see the snow-streaked Uhuru Peak above. Later, camp will be among heather and tall grasses.

5 - 6 Hours of Trekking

Accommodations: Shira Camp 1 at 11,499 feet

Wednesday, 9/18/2019: Foothills of Kilimanjaro to Forest Ridge

After a final gear check and climb briefing, the group will drive to the trail head where the trekking adventure officially begins!

Weigh-in

The duffle bag so carefully packed at home will be weighed to make sure that it does not exceed 33lbs, as it will be carried throughout the trek by a member of the porter team.

Meet the Guides and Porters

Complete Registration Formalities

Begin the Trek up Kilimanjaro!

Accommodations tonight: Forest Camp at 9,281 feet

Tuesday, 9/17/2019: Arusha to the Foothills of Kilimanjaro

Hello, readers! The communication from our trekkers in Kilimanjaro has hit a glitch, but hopefully this information Ruthanna left behind will help keep all of us up to speed on their progress!

After breakfast, and a briefing, trekkers will make the way to the scenic foothills of Kilimanjaro and take a day to acclimatize while walking the plains and woodlands with a guide. The foothills cover a diverse terrain of acacia-covered savannah, open grasslands, forests, farms, and mountain villages. Wildlife might include anything from giraffe on the plains to blue monkeys in the trees. This is a day to stretch the limbs, enjoy the surroundings, and relax to be all the more prepared for the trek up Kilimanjaro.

Trek Briefing
The last chance to collect any rental gear, try on and inspect each item and make sure it is comfortable and that all the features are known. This is the last chance to modify, exchange, or add gear.

Nature Walk at Ndarakwai Ranch
Take a guided walk on the 11,000-acre ranch focusing on birdlife and large mammals. Over 350 bird species and 65 mammal species can be seen on the ranch as a direct result of the conversation work that has been going on here since 1994.

Wildlife Viewing from Ndarakwai Treehouse
A treehouse in the forests of Ndarakwai offers excellent expansive views and looks down toward a waterhole where elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife come to drink.

Packing Challenge

Will it all fit into one back pack and one duffel bag with only 33 lbs in each?






Packing all the required gear, trekking gear, equipment, and meds, may be as big a challenge as the trek. It was a miracle! It all fit, but took my sister Rosemarie and my cousin Nick's help to get it done.

Heading Out...

Laurie and I are in the final preparations for departure and a very long flight into Tanzania. We should arrive in Arusha on the evening of Monday, September 16, and will enjoy a last evening of comfort at Airport Planet Lodge before the official trek begins.

  

The Frog

Mark Twain said, "If you eat a live frog every morning you know the worst is behind you and the rest of your day will be relatively simple."

To help me prepare for Kilimanjaro I joined a class at Thrive Athletic Club called "Eat the Frog". Lots of core and cadio work. It met at 7 a.m. 3 times  a week. Also went to an excellent Yoga stretching class the other 3 mornings a week, also at 7 a.m. Yesterday was my final day at the athletic club before the trip. Because I am not very athletic I was far from a star pupil but I tried. To my surprise one of the trainers handed me the mascot for Eat the Frog: a furry little creature. They are sending Frog with me to Kilimanjaro to remind me to take on the challenge. I will hope to get a picture from Kilimanjaro summit with the Frog!

Ebey Bluffs

Back in Washington State where it is cooler.

Did one final hike before packing starts. Hiked Ebey Landing/ Bluffs with my cousin Nicholas DeNeff. The 4-1/2 mile trail is above Puget Sound. After being on the bluff the trail descends to the beach. A beautiful and easy hike.

Bump and Grind Loop

I returned to Palm Desert for a week of work. The temperatures were up to 115 degrees. Not good for hiking.

The trail I hiked regularly, Bump and Grind Loop, was only possible really early in the a.m....like starting in the dark by headlamp. The reward was seeing the sunrise and the valley like a jewel below.

Eat the Frog

Today was Eat the Frog, an exercise program based on TRX. Class meets 3 times a week. I am trying to build core strength and cardio endurance. I am not very good at some of the exercises but it all helps.

Mount Rainier National Park

On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday my hiking buddy, Laurie and I were at Mount Rainier National Park. We decided we better find out if we could share a tent before we get to Kilimanjaro. I think we came close to getting booted out of the campground for too much laughter, so I think we are well matched. 

It was great weather and great scenery. I had some boot and pack issues but I think those are being resolved. And we now know how quickly we can cross a creek when a black bear came jogging up the creek bed towards us. We did not stop to take a picture of the bear!!!

Laurie always serves tea on our hikes and this one was not any different. Enjoy the photos we took. 

Oh, by the way, today, August 29 is the day the Lord called Roy home to Heaven. Somehow I think he is cheering me on.

Hidden Lakes Peak

Laurie and I hiked to Hidden Lake Lookout on August 20th. Laurie will be trekking with me on Kilimanjaro. We teamed up with the Girgus family: Todd, Michelle, Cameron and Ashley.  Laurie and I met them in Idyllwild, California on another hike in April and found out they lived in Brier, WA, about 60 miles south of Anacortes where I live in summer. 

The hiking books describe this 8 mile hiking trail as “a difficult hike and rock scramble”. I had been up there many times with my husband Roy. The trail is steep and rocky and the scramble at the top was a challenge for my short legs, but not impossible with Laurie cheering me on. The scenery on this hike is some of the best in the Northwest. The photos below are all taken by Tedd Girgus, who has a fabulous website as a professional photographer. Visit his website and be in awe.

www.TeddGirgus.com

Mount Pilchuck Training Hike

One of the peaks we hiked last week was Mount Pilchuck, elevation at the lookout is 5,341 feet. It was 6.2 miles (2,400 foot elevation gain) on a very rocky trail, including a boulder scramble which was a stretch for my short legs, but I made it to the ladder and up to the top. Roy helped restore this lookout in the 1990s -- looks like the ladder might need to be replaced. This trail was one of the rockiest I have done in years!

Trek Details

• Date of trip: September 16 - 26, 2019
• Location of Mount Kilimanjaro: Tanzania, Africa
• Starting elevation: 7,800'
• Summit elevation: 19,341' (Elevation gain: 11,541')
• Total mileage (ascending and descending): 42 miles
• Number of days on foot: 9
• Climate zones: 5 (lush tropical rain forest to snow and ice glacier)
• Temperature range: from 80 degrees F to -10 degrees F
• Accommodations: on the ground (sleeping bag and tent)
• Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak on the African continent and the highest volcano in the world

Mount Kilimanjaro Bound

I will be making a trip to trek Mount Kilimanjaro and will use the trip to raise funds for the SongShine Foundation. Note: All of my trek and travel expenses have been paid by me personally.

Why?

To honor the memory of 40 years of hiking and mountaineering with my husband, Roy, who passed away on August 29, 2018. Roy and I were avid mountaineers, hiking thousands of miles together and summiting many peaks over 14,000 feet, including Whitney (14,505’) and Elbert (14,439'), the two highest in the continental U.S. When we talked about Kilimanjaro before his death he said: “Go for it! And take me with you!”

September 16-26, 2019 I will be trekking Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa in memory of Roy and to honor all the “SongShiners” living with Parkinson’s, stroke or other neurological disorders. I am asking you to pledge whatever amount you can for each 1,000 vertical feet I ascend. The funds will go to help with projects and much needed staff. Flat donations may also be made using the PayPal button on the SongShine website.

P.S. Roy is going with me--I will sprinkle a few of his ashes at the summit.

Ruthanna Metzgar, Creator and Founder of SongShine