<h4>Report of My Kilimanjaro Climb</h4>
<em>By Peter A. Fields, MD, DC</em>

<em><img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-7.jpg" alt="" />
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Ten years ago, while doing volunteer medical work in Honduras, a nurse told me that she and her husband had just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.  Upon returning to the States, I requested a brochure, and it has been sitting on my coffee table for the past ten years.  This year, I finally decided it was about time to climb Kilimanjaro.

<h5>Arrival</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-8.jpg" alt="" />

After flying from Los Angeles to London and then to Nairobi, the plane finally arrived at the Kilimanjaro airport. A two-and-a-half-hour ride followed that flight, and half of it was on a very bumpy dirt road, before reaching the base camp destination. By now it was almost midnight, and I went straight to my tent, which amazingly was quite luxurious considering it was camping. It even included a sink, a bathroom and even a shower. I took advantage of a quick shower and went straight to bed.

<a href="https://www.drfields.com/Day-1-Kiliminaro-and-base-camp-arrival"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Pre-Climb Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-9.jpg" alt="" />

After a nice breakfast, where I met the other climbers and our trek leaders, we went for a short two-hour hike just to see the local terrain and loosen our legs.
It was beautiful, with waterfalls and lots of lush plants and greenery. Later, the head guide went through my entire pack to make sure that we would be taking all we needed and that everything was in good shape. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, except for a short sunset hike of 10 minutes, where they had wine waiting for us at the top of the small hill.

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Finally-hiking"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>First Day Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-1.jpg" alt="" />

After a two hour ride, we arrived at the check-in point. The weather was hot enough to wear shorts and t-shirts, since we were only 3 degrees north of the equator. There we saw the more than 45 plus Sherpas that would accompany us. There were six Sherpa alone just to carry each person's equipment (there were six of us). Additionally, six Sherpa would carry our food for seven days, eight of them made up the kitchen team, another team of two would carry the oxygen and medicine, plus about ten other Porters would carry all the tents, tables and chairs. There were also ten more to carry all of the other Porters’ food and equipment.

We had to register and show our passports, and after that we took a short 20-minute drive to the trailhead. Arriving at noon, a very nice, well-prepared lunch was ready for us. We started the hike at 7,700 feet and climbed to 9,300 feet. The area was mostly jungle-like, with a lot of fantastic plants, birds and other exotic wildlife, including Colobus monkeys and other animals. When we arrived at the camp at 9,300 feet, the tents were already set up, and we unpacked our gear in each individual tent, had dinner and went to sleep.

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Kili-Getting-to-the-trailhead"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Second Day Hike</h5>
At 6:30AM we were woken up with a hot bowl of water to wash up and get ready for the day. A very full breakfast was prepared for us and afterwards we started off to hike again. We headed off on our hike up to 11,400 feet, crossing from the Montane Forest into the Hagenia Zone, where we saw many different plants and beautiful trees throughout the canyon.
For this type of hiking, it’s important to eat three square meals a day and drink a minimum of three liters of water daily for the required energy and for prevention of dehydration. I fortunately felt pretty good, as I had taken Diamox, a medicine to help prevent altitude sickness. In addition, I carried a Camelback system on my back, which is a water bag with tubing for drinking kept inside of my backpack, enabling me to drink copious amounts of water and stay hydrated. It was cold at night, but with the proper gear I felt warm.

<h5>Day Three Hike</h5>
We had another early wake-up call and a good breakfast. We hiked across a large plateau and gained about 2,100 feet in altitude. It was very interesting as we passed into the Upper Heath Zone, because there were no longer any trees there, just a lot of different plants as well as volcanic rock, since the last active volcano took place there over 10,000 years ago.

The hiking was very slow and consistent, which in Swahili they call, “Polli, Polli.” Again, I felt very good when arriving at Moir Camp at 13,500 feet. We had beautiful views on the mountain as the clouds moved away. It was really spectacular!

<h5>Day Four Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-2.jpg" alt="" />

We woke up again at 6:30AM, had breakfast at 7 and were hiking by 7:30. We had a shorter hike of only 3.1 miles, but we did climb 2,000 feet. It was slow in some parts and the steep sections were even slower. Finally, we arrived in camp after hiking only 2 hours and 20 minutes to an elevation of 15,500 feet. The air was very thin at this elevation, and you think about every single step you take. But when we arrived at camp, everything seemed to settle down. During the afternoon there was a hale storm that turned into snow, so everybody went into their tents.  I took about a 3-hour well-needed nap. After a good dinner, we all went to bed, but not until we viewed the magnificent skies at 15,500 feet in the southern hemisphere.

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Kili-Hiking-to-15000-feet"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Day Five Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-3.jpg" alt="" />

We had the usual wake-up call at 6:30AM and were on the road by 7:30. It snowed during the night, but only half an inch or so, making everything white and beautiful. The good news is this meant it was right around 32 degrees, and with the sun out, we were warm when we hiked but a little bit cooler when clouds were overhead. The hike was only one thousand feet of climbing, and a short hike to the base camp. Tomorrow’s big hike will only be about an hour and 20 minutes, but it will be over a lot of rocks and boulders and will be steep in some places. We arrived at the base camp around 10:30 - 11 in the morning. We were supposed to go for a short hike from there without our packs but it started snowing for over an hour, so that was cancelled. Tomorrow morning we will have a 4AM wake-up call in anticipation of a 2,300 foot elevation climb up to18,650 feet.

<h5>Day Six Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-6.jpg" alt="" />

Wake-up call at 4AM and breakfast at 4:30. The slower hiker group left at 5. We left about 5:30. At this point, the altitude is over 16,000 feet, and everyone moves very slowly. The first little part was steep and slightly snow-covered, but then it became extremely steep and no longer covered in snow. We climbed 2,400 feet over 2.6 miles. The first hour was in the dark, but we all had headlights. It was very rocky and we had to use our hands sometimes to climb. We ran into a few other tours on the trail and all of us had to cut across a mountain side since the snow had obliterated the trail the night before. We were now at over 17, 000 feet. One of the guides from another tour (all the guides know each other) had a pickaxe and so he chopped thru the snow to make it easier for our footing. Even so, it was very slippery. There were times we had to use all four extremities to climb and even needed to kneel on the next step up because the following step was too high to reach with our foot. Breathing was becoming more and more labored and it was difficult to catch our breath in the thinning air. When we stopped at 18,000 feet for a snack and water, we thought the worst was over, but that wasn’t the case. The next 500 feet were very rocky and slippery, and that along with the very thin air, meant we could only take three or four steps before needing to stop for a break. Finally, we reached Craters Ridge and were very happy. These are remnants of glaciers that once covered this entire valley. The whole valley was snow-covered and looked like we were walking in a desert. When we arrived, we were not allowed to lie down in our tents for about a good hour because we needed to let our bodies acclimate to the thin air at 18,600 feet. Once we did that, we were able to enjoy a well-deserved nap before an early dinner because we would be getting up again at 4AM to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro!

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/16-500-feet-to-18-400"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Day Seven Hike</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-4.jpg" alt="" />

The night was extremely cold, with ground temperatures dropping down to about zero degrees Fahrenheit. We did everything to keep ourselves warm. I slept on two thin air mattresses, and to stay warmer, laid my down jacket on top of my sleeping bag which was rated to zero degrees. It also had a liner inside which gave me an additional 25 degrees of warmth.

We were woken up at 4 AM. After eating and packing our stuff, we were off for a 75 minute climb, basically straight up and extremely cold. Fortunately, I had bought the best mittens ever and my hands were not cold. That was a miracle for me, because I usually always have cold hands and feet, even in Southern California! Nonetheless, my legs and face took the brunt of the cold, and we moved very, very slowly. After a very difficult, straight up climb, we had to cross a flat plane to the actual top of the mountain. It was really cold. The temperature was probably about minus 7 or 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind was blowing like crazy, at least 30 mph, and with the wind chill, it felt like negative 42 or 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
But all 6 of us had made it. It was a special feeling…an unbelievable feeling! Words are hard to describe it.  Yes, I had finally made it, and the views were spectacular!!
I always carry some ashes of my parents no matter where I travel to in this world. And since this was a very special place, I quietly said a prayer, took off my mittens (brrr), and sprinkled some of their ashes at the top. They had made it with me the entire way.

We all took our pictures and then had to get going due to the intense winds and brutal cold. Fortunately, we summited very early and there were only one or two other groups at the top. Later on, there would be at least 50-100 people. We saw a gorgeous sunrise, since it was only about 7 in the morning. We were close to the equator, and sunrise and sunsets are always around the same time without much variation from season to season.
Once we started to go down, we could immediately feel the release of pressure in our lungs and chest. The descent and decreasing pressure made it a lot easier on our lungs, plus it was now all downhill. After an hour or two, our quadriceps muscles in the front of our upper legs really felt it, and we had downhill walking for the next 5 to 6 hours! We did stop for a small break for some lunch, but appetite was low due to the altitude. Several of the hikers experienced altitude sickness on the way up, with nausea, diarrhea, headaches and weakness.  I had none of that but did have loss of appetite and slight weakness going down for a short time.

Anyway, we finally made it to the camp at 10,500 feet. The weather was really nice and a bit warmer, between about 45 to 50 degrees or more. What a difference from the night before! We all had a good meal and rested, as we had been hiking downhill for over 8 hours, and all of our legs were extremely tired.

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Hiking-to-the-summit-19-341-feet"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Day Eight Hike</h5>
We woke up at 6:30AM, which was a big difference from 4AM. Today would be our last night, and we would be saying goodbye to all the Porters. Only the guides would continue with us. I volunteered to be the spokesperson of the group, which meant I would be collecting the tip money and giving a short speech.

After breakfast, the 40 or so Porters gathered around singing and dancing. I actually joined them in the dancing, which I have a video of. I was very tired, but it was still worth it. I gave a 3 minute speech thanking every one of them for all of their hard work and dedication, and telling them that their help, whether by carrying a table, carrying sleeping bags, setting up tents, preparing food and everything else they did for us, was all very special and helped us so much.

We then set off for our last 6 to 7 hour hike downhill. Although it was not very steep, this dried up river bed was full of rocks and stones, making footing uneasy, and causing our quadriceps muscles to be even more on fire. But we knew the end was coming, helping us to press forward. We stopped for lunch and continued on. After about 7 hours, the final spot was in sight…the area where we would exit the park. Nothing could be sweeter! I signed out at the Ranger Station and basically collapsed into the waiting truck. There were a lot of campers and hikers ending in this same area, so they drove us about 20 minutes away.

We had some lunch and then drove the rest of the way back to the lodge, a beautiful hotel about half an hour outside of Arusha on an old coffee plantation. Everybody had their own cabin. For the first time in 9 days I could take a shower. It was wonderful! Then we all gathered with the two guides and I said a few more words to represent the group. We had a nice dinner, and then two people left for the airport by 7PM. That night, was my first night sleep in a bed in nine days. It was fantastic! The mission was accomplished!

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Sunrise-up-top-and-heading-down"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Postscript</h5>
<img src="https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/klimanjaro-5.jpg" alt="" />

Even though the trip was not exactly as described in the pamphlet that sat on my coffee table for ten years, it was something I had had on my bucket list for all of that time. The adventure was quite challenging and extremely difficult at times. Some of our hikers had difficulty even moving. It was so hard that they required assistance. But we all persevered. In my life, I’ve completed 10 Ironman races so far. These competitions require monumental training. But during this Mount Kilimanjaro trek, with the long hike up to the crater from 16,800 feet to 18,400, and the subsequent days of summiting, followed by the 9,000 foot descent, I faced some of the hardest things that I've ever done. And that includes my ten Ironman competitions.

You just can't imagine what it's like trying to move at that altitude. It's similar to having a paper bag over your head and trying to breath. There were times I took two or three steps and then had to pause for 15, 20 or even 30 seconds, repeating that again and again and again.  Never looking ahead, only down, because sometimes ten feet took 30-60 seconds to cross.  All of this while enduring the sub-freezing temperature, the blowing snow and the wind chill factors. Nothing but grit and determination to kept us going.
I'll continue to enjoy my Ironman triathlons and continue to do them as long as I can. But as far as hiking up a mountain to 19,341 feet, this will be my one and only time! It's a tremendous accomplishment, but something I would not want to repeat.

<a href="https://www.thegeminigeeks.com/server1/Final-goodbyes-and-certificates"><strong>See Photos</strong></a>

<h5>Post Postscript</h5>
Thank you to everyone who sent me well wishes before, during, and after my climb.  It meant so much! I thank my parents who gave me the will and determination to achieve all of the goals in my life, no matter how hard they are. They always ingrained this determination in me and encouraged me to just put my head down and keep going. As I said above, they were with me the whole way and always will be.

