Kilimanjaro 2010 Pictures Page 6

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Page 1: 15th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Approach (7)
Page 2: 16th August 2010 - Karama Lodge and Safari (77)
Page 3: 17th August 2010 - Trek Day 1: Start to Machame Camp (51)
Page 4: 18th August 2010 - Trek Day 2: Machame Camp to Barranco Camp (72)
Page 5: 19th August 2010 - Trek Day 3: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp (110)
Page 6 (This Page): 20th and 21st August 2010 - Trek Days 4 and 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat (91)
Page 7: 22nd August 2010 - Trek Day 6: Summit Day (53)
Page 8: 23rd August 2010 - Trek Day 7: Barafu Camp to Mweka Camp (58)
Page 9: 24th August 2010 - Trek Day 8: Mweka Camp to Exit (33)
Page 10: 25th August 2010 - Kilimanjaro Exit (10)

Total: 562 Pictures

Photos 20th August 2010 - Trek Day 4: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp and Shabbat Preparation (91 Pictures)

Also see the bottom of the page for a further diary segment covering Shabbat itself.

Location	Altitude (m / ft)	Distance	Altitude Gained / Lost
Karanga Campsite	4,034m / 13,235ft
Barafu Huts	4,662m / 15,295ft	3.4km	628m / 2,060ft Gained

Sunrise at Karanga Camp

I woke up at about 6:20AM. When I looked outside at 6:30AM I could see the shadow of Kilimanjaro fallen half way across Mount Meru. Over the next hour, as the sun rose behind the ridge which we shall later walk up along, I watched the shadow recede steadily back towards me. Around 7:30AM the sun popped up over the ridge from behind a lava boulder. The plains below, bathed in sunshine much earlier than us in the ridge shadow, were covered by extensive cloud this morning. But up at Karanga Camp, it was chilly but glorious in the unbroken tropical sunshine. I got ready and soaked up those warming rays until breakfast time at 8:30AM. The plan was to set off for Barafu Camp at 9AM. I also switched to my backup Morrison's hiking sticks as my main Knight hiking sticks had malfunctioned. (On one stick a joint would not tighten, and on the other stick a joint would not undo. Doh!)

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Kilimanjaro shadow receding from Meru towards us as the sun rises.	The sun has already risen down below and shining on the now extensive cloud sheet but we are still in mountain shadow.	Sun about to rise above a lava block.	Misha taking in the view from the top of a large lava boulder.	Early morning at Karanga Camp. The clouds below us are now rather extensive.

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

In the end we set off at 9:25AM. But no worries as we had plenty of time. It was almost all a straight forward uphill trek over rocks and shale except for a small descent and transit across a primordial but beautiful valley with sparse vegetation, now well up into the bone dry alpine desert. The views were spectacular throughout. During the first half of the walk which was a steady ascent, I could see Karanga Camp steadily getting smaller behind us. Then it was over a small ridge top and down into the primordial valley, where I couldn't resist taking a 360 degree panorama as we transited. Then one last steep ascent up what had the feel of the side of a fortress wall. Once up above this, by lunchtime, we reached the top end of the Mweka descent path (which we will follow downhill on Monday) and then arrived at the side wall of a petrified lava flow which is where our tents would be, the bottom end of Barafu Camp.

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Pausing for breath by some large boulders a little way uphill from Karanga.	Looking back to a now empty Karanga Camp as porters stream past.		Looking down across the clouds towards Meru, ahead uphill, and to the left at Kibo as we continue uphill.

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Onwards and upwards over fields of boulders.	Macro shot of a Helichrysum citrispinum Everlasting flower.	Onwards and upwards continued.	As we get higher and higher the landscape gets ever more rocky and primordial with just a few small everlastings and tufts of hardy grass around now.

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Admiring the view as we pause at the crest of the last hill before crossing a spectacular basin to Barafu.	Up ahead people can be seen descending along the Mweka trail from Barafu. This will be our way down after summit day.	Ahead is one small descent, then we cross a spectacular primordial basin before one last steep ascent to Barafu Camp. The air is pretty thin now.		Descending into that last basin before Barafu.	A closeup shot of TODO Identify

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A 360 degree panorama takin in the middle of the basin before Barafu (which is just left of centre at the top of the ridge).	Looking downhill as clouds start to bubble up on the high ground.	Looking uphill the landscape is rocky and spectacular.

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Slowly ascending the side of the Barafu ridge.		Looking back across the basin along the path we have just walked.	Looking uphill along the side of the Barafu ridge towards Kibo as clouds roll in.

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Almost at the bottom end of Barafu now.	Looking down across the Mweka trail ridge.	Arriving at Barafu.	The top end of the Mweka trail.	Looking back the way we came as clouds roll in.	Arriving at Barafu hut.

Having arrived at the bottom end of Barafu we climbed further (slowly and slightly out of breath in the rather thin air!) all the way to the top end where the huts are. It was hard to do this without getting a minor altitude headache as we were now at 15,000 feet and not yet acclimitised to this altitude. But a pause and a few deep breaths soon cleared it rapidly. On the way up I noted how spectacular Barafu looks, with tents strewn across the sides of the exposed rocky ridge with the huts up top. Up top the path that leads up past Kosovo Camp and up the side of Kibo to the top was visible winding its way up the side of the ridge on which Barafu sits.

Also on the way up we passed a rather unhappy looking older woman being escorted down - presumably an AMS (acute mountain sickness) victim. (From reading my guide I expected to see atleast one victim of AMS during the trek. It affects many climbers each year and far from everybody makes it to the top. My main concern before booking the trip was whether I'd be able to handle the altitude OK or not. However so far despite my early issues near Shira Caves, I seem to be coping OK. With a day and a half ahead at Barafu Camp we have plenty of time to acclimitise, so fingers crossed!

Inside one of the huts was a sign in book. So we signed in there and then. Already I have seen so many wonderful sights and had such a great experience that whether I make it to the top or not the trip is already worth while. This has been my mentality already from early on in the trek, with the summit being the cherry on the icing of a spectacular cake. After signing in we returned back to the bottom of the camp and waited for our tents to be erected. Meanwhile all around us large clouds were bubbling up and drifting across the camp, swirling above, below, around and straight through us! The rapidly changing and dynamic cloudscapes were amazing! Soon enough the tents were set up and I was shown to my 15,000 foot bed for the next 3 nights.

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Barafu hut at 15,000 feet!	Looking at Kibo from Barafu hut.	Signing in at Barafu.	Sneaking a peek at the path to the summit. This initial climb will take us to Kosovo Camp, and then from there up the side of Kibo itself.	Looking back downhill from the top end of Barafu.	The path that we earlier walked from Karanga on.

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All around us clouds are now forming and rolling through.	Cloud obscuring the Mweka trail.	Bob, Yedidya, Susan and Anne waiting for the tents to be erected.	Passing cloud making a beautiful frame for Kibo.	The tents are being erected steadily by the porters.	Looking up at Kibo again from the tent site.

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The camp site continues to take shape among the rocks.	My 15,000 foot bed for the next 3 nights.	Life in the clouds is grand. As they sweep through the camp they also form some spectacular cloudscapes.

Building the Highest Shabbat Eruv in the World

Once the tents were set up, and as the clouds built up more and increasingly obscured the view and enveloped us in hill fog, we went about setting up a Shabbat Eruv around the tents. The wall of the petrified lava flow served as one side of the eruv. To surround the tents, we set up 3 high poles made up from hiking sticks. Two were at the top and bottom ends of the camp by the lava wall, and the third pole was out fairly close to my tent. They held the wire about 8 feet high so that they cleared our heads. Then a metal wire was strung between them to comnplete a triangular enclosure that encircled all the 'Jewish' tents, as well as the kitchen, dining and sit down loo tents. Just the porters' and William's tents lay outside. We had a break mid eruv building for a small lunch. Of course it didn't go fully without a hitch. The inevitable tangle occurred early on and took ages to undo. Once completed, tape was used to make the wire more visible. We also piled some rocks to make some 'steps' to make it easier to reach the loo tent across some large boulders, and just as Shabbat was about to come in, we set off some glow sticks and secured them in strategic locations to give us about 8 hours of dim lights to help us find our way around the camp in the dark without the use of headlights (which are not allowed on Shabbat).

As a keen photographer I was tasked with documenting this and the Challa baking (see below). Here it is, the highest eruv in the world being erected.

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Using hiking sticks to build posts to hold the eruv wire.	Laying out the eruv wire and attaching it to the poles.		A key part of the process was dealing with a large tangle that formed while laying out the wire.	My hiking sticks set up as an eruv post.	Yedidya up on the petrified lava flow setting up the eruv wire there.

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While at the other end the wire was being readied to tie onto my hiking stick post.	Still tying on and securing with tape.			Yedidya descending from the rocks now the wire is secure at that post.	Looking down at passing clouds with a completed eruv wire (and tape marker to make it more visible) in the foreground. The tent outside the eruv belongs to the head guide, William.

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Looking down over the camp site with completed Shabbat Eruv from the post up on the rocks. This, along with my red sticks and another post beyond the dining tent completes the eruv. The lava wall forms a natural final link.		Another view of my hiking sticks holding up the eruv. We are now ready for Shabbat at 15,000 feet!

Kilimanjaro Challa Baking Part 2

As the eruv was being completed outside, Susan and Misha resumed the Challa preparation in the dining tent. Misha punched down the dough after it had risen over the last 24 hours. Then raisins were mixed into the dough which was then rolled into sausage shapes ready to be pleated. Once the pleating was completed we had two nice looking wholemeal raisin Challas plus a small Challa roll for Seudah Shelishit (the early evening meal before Shabbat ends). In all there were three Challas plus the small Challa roll which were baked in the wonder pot over the stove in the kitchen tent in two goes. They smelt delicious when they emerged freshly baked!

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Punching down the dough after it had had time to rise on its way up from Karanga.	Mixing raisins into the dough.		Rolling the dough into sausage shapes ready for pleating.	Pleating the dough.	Two Challahs and a mini Seudah Challah ready for baking.

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Challahs placed in a wonder pot ready to be baked on a camping stove.	Freshly baked Kilimanjaro Challahs! Yum!

More Barafu Pictures

Meanwhile the run of clear weather had finally ended four days into the trek. By mid afternoon most of the time was spent in cloud. I was watching the cloud blow over the ridge, especially where it got funnelled where the path to the summit left the top end of the camp. Meanwhile the White Necked Ravens seemed to have fun playing in the breeze blowing up over the ridge. However as the day grew late the cloud amounts did start to reduce again so we did get some late sunshine before Shabbat came in. This is pretty typical of convective cloud, building up between lunchtime and mid afternoon as the sun heats the ground and causes the air close by to heat up and convect, before clearing as the sun drops and the convection stops as the air starts to cool.

Also during the afternoon the loo tent was converted into a shower tent for those who wanted to shower before Shabbat. But there was no way in the freezing cold and gusty conditions that I was going to have a shower. I was happy to wait until I got back to civilisation!

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People descending the Mweka trail having just come down from the summit.	Watching the dynamic ever changing and majestic Barafu cloudscapes.		Even way up here the White Necked Ravens appear in good numbers.

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Some of the plant life hanging on in the shelter of hollows in and around the petrified lava flow. Including Helichrysum cymosum's tight clusters of small yellow flowers. TODO: Identify others?					Another White Necked Raven watching on.

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Spectacular approx 180 degree panorama looking East from the top end of Barafu Camp Site. Somewhere in the centre in cloud is Kibo's sister peak, Mawenzi.	Taking another look at the path to the summit as cloud blows through rapidly over the ridge.	More porters arriving and walking up through Barafu Camp.	We spend increasing amounts of time in cloud until later on it starts to disperse as Shabbat comes in.

I also uploaded a You Tube Video that tried to capture the way the clouds changed rapidly and drifted through the camp.

At 5:30pm Kabalat Shabbat was started, and this meant an end to the photographs since we don't use cameras on Shabbat. And here started Shabbat on an exposed rocky mountainside ridge at 15,000 feet! Unlike any religious Shabbat I have experienced before and possibly unlike any I will experience again. The clouds continued to clear as we had Kiddush and ate our Friday Night Meal in the dining tent. The first Kilimanjaro Challa was delicious! When we emerged after dark, the sky was clear and moon was a very bright gibbous three quarters full. So bright that we did not really need torches anyway to see our way around. That was nifty! Meanwhile 10,000 feet below us, the lights of Moshi Town could now be seen blazing away. It was like looking down from an aircraft, except we were on solid ground and not in a pressurised cabin. After a rather chilly visit to our luxury sit down loo tent I spent a while stargazing as the sky up here was so amazingly clear and crisp and the seeing was awesome. I retired in the increasing cold to my tent some time before 8pm.

21st August 2010 - Trek Day 5: Shabbat / Day of Rest at Barafu Camp / 15,000 Feet

Of course there are no pictures for this day as being Shabbat we did not use any electronic devices or lights. But Shabbat was a lovely relaxing and special day as we contemplated the summit attempt the following day. Here is my account of what happened.

At 12:30AM I had to get up and go to the loo. So far the weather had been rather curious, with calm periods interspersed with very powerful gusts of wind that really rattled the tent. When I had wrapped up warm enough to go outside into the freezing cold I discovered that one gust had blown over the loo tent and the dining tent! Both were collapsed on the ground. The loo itself, as well as other tents and the eruv, were all fairly untouched. However the loo roll, which had been left pre-torn into segments in a tupperware box (since we are not supposed to tear fibres on Shabbat as that is considered work), had also been blown away. So I had no choice but to go back to my tent for my roll of loo paper and then return with that to the loo. I then had the most interesting and surreal experience! The place was deserted so I proceeded to use the exposed loo. The Moshi town city lights were shining bright far below while the stars were shining brightly above. The moon was bright enough to illuminate the landscape, and it was totally calm in the camp. As a result it was rather pleasant and not feeling cold at all as I proceeded about my 'business' in the night. Then straight back to the tent and back to sleep. Did I just have a surreal dream???

At 7:30AM I woke up with a headache. Apparently this is common at this altitude. During the day I am able to control my breathing to keep the altitude headaches at bay. But in the night my breathing is shallower and automatic. Already by this time the sit down loo tent had been resurrected. After a good drink and basking for a while in the glorious early morning sunshine the headache soon cleared. Phew! I also noticed that a bowl of water that had been left out overnight had frozen solid. So it was rather colder than it felt when I was out there in the night. Yedidya and Boaz proceeded to daven Shacharit. Meanwhile the porters repaired a broken pole so that they could then resurrect the dining tent. It was another beautifully clear calm morning on the mountain, with a thick layer of stratus far below forming a band that enveloped the montane cloud forest. Clearly a local effect of the mountain on the weather, as further afield on the plains it was much clearer.

After Shacharit, and while waiting for breakfast I took a slow stroll uphill on the petrified lava flow. As I set off I saw a soaring bird that looked different to the White Necked Ravens. A porter confirmed my suspicion that it was a Lammergeyer, a rare and large vulture that is resident on the slopes of Kilimanajaro. Up on the lava flow, the Lammergeyer, having soared nearby, glid just a few feet over my head before vanishing down into the lee of the ridge. Cool! If only it hadn't been Shabbat and I'd had my camera on me... I wandered around on the lava flow for a while longer before returning to camp.

At 10:30AM, after I had returned to camp, we had a Shabbat brunch, during which the second Challa was devoured. After that I felt so dozy that I had to have a lie down for a while. After that I took another slow wander back up the lava flow all the way to the Barafu Huts and the start of the path to the summit, before doubling back the way I came in time for the Seuda Shelishit planned for 3pm. The clouds were building again and I watched the wisps funnel past and all around me and over the ridge, as well as observing the ravens having fun all the way to the top of the camp. I noted how much shale there was at the top end of the camp, and also got a brief view of a Four Striped Grass Mouse scuttling along in a sheltered crevice in the lava before vanishing into a crack. I then had another rest, as I felt tired and washed out today. Thank goodness for a nifty day of rest before tomorrow.

At 3pm we had thr Seudah Shelishit as planned. I wasn't so hungry so soon after such a big meal earlier but it was still fine and tasty. We then played cards until 6:20pm. I then had one hour to get my gear ready for tomorrow's summit attempt. Meanwhile outside, cloud was less extensive today, and after sunset the wind appeared to have changed direction. We now appeared to be directly in the lee of Kibo, and some vicious winds started to sweep down through the camp site. Brrrrrr! I promptly put on my waterproof overtrousers as a windproof layer and my balaclava. Conditions were rather horrid now, and we sheltered in our tents until 8:30pm. My gear was now ready except for water.

From 8:30pm, as supper proceeded, the porters had to hold the tent down to prevent the vicious wind from blowing it away. Afterwards when we emerged we discovered that the loo tent was down again, and Boaz's tent had blown over too. I decided to use my pee bottle in the tent rather than expose myself in that icy blast outside and stayed in the tent after supper. My water bottles had been collected by the porters for refilling, and so I set my alarm for 4:15AM and proceeded to attempt to sleep in my clothes.

Total: 562 Pictures