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Day 7 - Thursday 24th February
Barafu Camp (Base Camp) to Uhuru Peak
Summit Night - via Stella Point
Barafu Camp 4,673 m Stella Point - 5,756 m Uhuru Peak - 5,895 m
5 km hike - approximately 7 hours (They absolutely lied!!)
Written by Tina Sibley in March 2022
Video Overview of the day
Setting Out - still technically on Day 6!
Today's report is long on text as it was a very long night!
However - it is sadly lacking in photos and video footage.
It was way too difficult and way too cold to take many photos or videos. Even Kajeli was unable to have his gloves off for long enough to take much footage.
Not to mention that it was pitch dark for most of the hike.
How I felt just before setting out
9.30pm Moshi lights far below us
On my way to the mess tent to begin.
This clip is short as the guys came to hurry me up even though it was only 9.30 and they told me I would begin at 10pm
I think they knew it was going to be a very long night!!
Final Briefing
On my way to the mess tent, it was a clear night to begin with and the lights of Moshi below us were shining beautifully. It was also atmospheric as there was lightning in the distance.
In the mess tent, I was given tea and biscuits while being briefed on what to expect. My tummy wasn't feeling great again and I really had to force a biscuit down me. This is usually unheard of for me! I am literally the queen of eating biscuits and can normally see off a whole packet without even thinking of it. Now I could barely finish a single biscuit!
I was briefed on expecting a BIG challenge. I was told to expect symptoms of altitude sickness - headaches and vomiting etc but James emphasised that it's possible to continue. If my guides felt I was in danger from severe altitude sickness, we would descend immediately. Otherwise, they would push me to work through the struggles. Vomiting and tiredness were considered something that was inevitable and no reason to stop!
I discovered that I would be accompanied by Kajeli and my G-Fighter Mustafa. I didn't know Kajeli as well as the others having only spent a few hours with him that morning but I found him great company, so I was happy.
As it turned out, I could not have been in better hands.
With Kajeli on the morning of day 6
I didn't manage to get photos of him on summit night!
We set off at 21.45 with Kajeli leading the way and Mustafa walking behind me. It would be single file because the trail is narrow and because of the dark, it's safer following the person in front.
I had a good headlamp so wasn't too concerned about the dark.
We began walking and it seemed to take forever to even get out of base camp - it seemed to go on and on and on!
Not that long after setting out, my tummy became queasy again and I began retching. Kajeli was initially concerned and told me that if I was too sick, he wouldn't force me to summit. By now though, I realised that this was my tummy's way of protesting when I was asking it to carry on while being exhausted. Although I couldn't help retching, I didn't feel that bad and told Kajeli that over the past few days, this had been pretty standard for me.
He checked me over and once he was satisfied that I wasn't in danger of real altitude sickness, we continued. He continually checked me over throughout the night to ensure that I was "only" suffering from exhaustion and nausea and not going down with dangerous symptoms.
After a couple of hours, we came to another camp. I knew there was another camp, but had thought it was only an hour away - and I realised how slowly I was going.
Then, after about 3 hours, the others caught up with me and passed me quite swiftly.
My heart sunk like a stone.
While it was nice to see them, I realised that they had only taken around an hour or a little bit more to cover what had taken me three. My brain went into overdrive. I calculated that if the average was 7 hours and I was taking three times as long, it would take me 21 hours to get to the summit - and I knew there would not be enough time for that. I questioned to myself whether or not it was worth even trying, if I was going to run out of time.
I was feeling crap and the thought of another 6, 7, 10 or more hours of torture was not a happy thought. But then I told myself that if I just endured and kept putting one foot in front of the other and kept going, the time would pass. So that's what I did. Endured. Kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Then, as we climbed, the weather took a turn for the worse. The wind got really bad and was absolutely biting cold.
I was wearing NINE layers of clothing already:
- Long sleeved lightweight thermal top
- Moisture-wicking T-shirt
- Long sleeved heavyweight thermal top
- Long sleeved hiking top
- Thick fleece
- Body warmer
- Thin down jacket
- Thick down jacket
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
Plus I was wearing two hats, two pairs of gloves had hand and feetwarmers, two pairs of thick merino wool socks. James had assured me this was being well prepared. But it wasn't enough! My feet were OK and, at first, my hands were OK but the wind seemed to cut through all my clothes and I started shivering.
The wind was picking up snow from the ground and throwing it in my face and the cold really, really got to me. At that point I told Kajeli how cold I was and that I didn't know how much more of the cold I could take. I was gutted to think that I would have to give up because of the cold after battling through feeling unwell.
Then we were pounded by a hailstorm!
Kajeli knew I had a poncho in my backpack (which he was carrying) so he fished it out and he and Mustafa tried to get it onto me as an extra protection against the wind. I'm not sure if this was pathetic or hilarious!
Because of the wind, Kajeli couldn't control the poncho as it was flapping around at a million miles per hour. He couldn't find the hole for my head so I'm standing on a mountain, buried under a poncho, freezing my t*ts off and wondering what the hell I was doing there. If I was Harry Potter and had a magic wand, or a broomstick I would have whisked myself somewhere warm right there and then!
In the end Kajeli gave up on the idea of the poncho and put it away again.
Then he gobsmacked me. He took off his own jacket and put that on me. I tried to protest at first but he said I needed it more than him. He rubbed my arms and back to get my circulation going again put my face in his hands, looked right into my eyes and told me I'd come too far to give up now and he was determined to at least get me to Stella Point. (Stella Point is at the top of the crater ridge and qualifies as having reached the summit. You would still get a certificate to say you reached the summit, albeit not the highest point) Kajeli told me I was doing brilliantly and that I could do it. He told me to keep fighting.
And then we got moving.
Nothing to see in this video but you can hear the wind from my pocket!
Somehow my video on my phone got turned on and, despite the fact that my phone was buried in my pocket, you can hear the crazy wind.
After a few minutes, I realised that Mustafa wasn't behind me and asked Kajeli where he was. He told me he'd gone to catch up with the others in search of another jacket. Sure enough, after a little more time passed, Mustafa re-appeared with another, big jacket in his hands. I assumed that this was for Kajeli to replace the one he'd given me. But Kajeli put that on me as well. Again I protested asking about him and he simply told me he was OK and could take the cold.
I don't know to this day who else had given up a jacket for me but I was very grateful indeed as I now didn't feel so cold and was able to keep going.
Then, after a while, my handwarmers ceased working and my hands started to burn with the cold! I told Kajeli and he gave my poles to Mustafa then got me to walk behind him, with my hands in his pockets. This was equally hilarious. I now had on 11 layers of clothing and was like a Michelin man, so staying behind him without falling over was difficult. So, Kajeli instructed me to put my hands in my own pockets and he walked next to me, linking his arm through mine to keep me upright and stop the wind from blowing me over. I had visions of bouncing down the mountain like some kind of over-inflated beach ball.
Once my hands warmed up, I went back to using my poles - every time they got too cold again, we reverted to the hands in pockets solution.
And so we plodded on.
At one point, we saw headlamps coming down the mountain and then some people passed us. I asked if they had already reached the top and were on their way back down and Kajeli said that was impossible and they had obviously quit. He took the opportunity to remind me that I wasn't a quitter and would not be following them!
In fact, although there were several times when I felt as though I couldn't carry on, and was even on the point of asking Kajeli to turn around, I somehow caught myself and visualised myself getting to the top. Kajeli somehow seemed to be tuned right in to how I was feeling and every time I found myself struggling with my thoughts, although I never voiced them, he seemed to know. At these times, he would continually tell me to hang in there. "Tina - stay with me - keep fighting - you can do it" were repeated over and over just when I needed to hear them most. I swear he could read my mind!
Next thing to happen was the water in my camelpak tube froze so I could no longer drink from it. Although Kajeli was carrying my backpack with my water, every time I needed a sip, it had been quite easy to take the tube from him and drink. Now I had to use my water bottle. After a little while longer, the water in my water bottle started to freeze - then it became unbearable to drink. I even burned my lips by placing them on the rim of the bottle, which was frozen. Kajeli tried to get me to eat something - but the protein bar meal replacement was frozen solid, so I couldn't bite into it.
Kajeli came up trumps again. He had a bottle of coke and coke doesn't freeze the same way water does. It goes slushy but is still drinkable. As he didn't want me taking my hands out of my pockets, Kajeli poured coke slush into my mouth like feeding a baby - and the sugar from it was very welcome and gave me a boost.
At around 4am or maybe 5am - after about maybe six or seven hours, the wind was still crazy and I was so tired I felt I had to stop. I'd been stopping for tiny pauses, but because of the cold, Kajeli had kept us moving. I told him I needed to rest. So he came and put his arms around me to protect me against the wind, hugged me tight and allowed me to lean on him. I surrendered and rested my head on his shoulder and I felt so safe and protected. I knew he was going to look after me and get me to the top and I seemed to draw energy, strength and warmth from him. It was a really beautiful moment that will stay with me forever.
After regaining my strength, and with more encouragement from Kajeli, we plodded on again.
Sunrise over Mawenzi Peak
The next thing was that I noticed the sky becoming lighter. First of all, a very pale grey and then the sky started to turn orange as the sun began to rise. The sun came up over Mawenzi peak and was stunningly beautiful.
This signified to me that the time was indeed passing. I had kept going all night. As we began to see what was in front of us, Kajeli pointed to the ridge above and told me that we were looking at Stella Point and didn't have that far to go. It looked like the end of the earth to me! But I took heart from his predictions that we would get there before too long.
Freezing - but happy to have made it through the night!
With Mustafa - looking like a Ninja!
Stella Point up ahead
That last slog up to Stella Point was absolutely brutal and gruelling - it was steeper than it looks in this photo - but eventually I made it up and over the rim of the crater and to the congratulation signs. At this point Margo, who had already been to Uhuru Peak and was on her way back down, saw me and came over and gave me a huge hug and congratulated me. By this point, I was sobbing with relief, happiness and exhaustion.
Kajeli took photos of me by the sign and some video. You can see from the video I was an emotional wreck, although you can't hear what I was saying. I think the wind took away any sound waves!
Finally at Stella Point
The wind drowning me out at Stella Point
By the time we were at Stella Point, it was 07.30 so I'd been going 9 hours and 45 minutes! But I knew from my research that, while Uhuru Peak was about another hour further, it was a much more gentle elevation gain and much easier than the climb up to Stella Point. We had done the hardest part.
Although, after I'd struggled so much, Stella Point had become the target, I asked Kajeli if we could continue to Uhuru Peak. I had a real desire to go all the way, even though I felt so wiped out. I'd made it this far after all. Kajeli looked gobsmacked that I'd asked. He sat me down on a rock which was sheltered from the wind and said he was very concerned about the weather conditions which were crazy. He told me to hang on and disappeared. I think he went to consult with James about the feasability of me attempting to get to Uhuru Peak. I was prepared for him to come back and tell me that we had to descend because the wind and weather was too bad and because of the state I was in.
He returned and said "Tina" in an authoritative way that made me think he was going to tell me we were descending. Then he said "Come on - let's try!" I was amazed. "Really? Uhuru Peak?" I squeaked! Yep he said, we're going to the top.
I was so pleased, I set off way too quickly and he had to pull me back "Pole Pole!"
The wind was whipping across the summit and it was hard to stay upright, not to mention the ice under-foot. However, I was so happy about the prospect of making it all the way, that none of this mattered.
This time, the time seemed to pass really quickly and we had been going for about 45 minutes when Kajeli said "Tina - there it is! Uhuru Peak!" and I could see the sign in the distance. It took another 15 minutes to get there and I'd made it. Kajeli gave me the biggest hug ever!
Uhuru Peak! I had made it to the very top!
Chaotic Video at Uhuru Peak!
Oddly, I didn't feel the elation I had expected. I was in a kind of daze. I was freezing again, exhausted again and had the urge to get myself off the mountain! It was 08.45am so it had taken me exactly 11 long hours to summit. And I was feeling every one of them. At that point, I think Kajeli was happier than I was! He seemed over the moon and said he knew that I could do it. I have to say, my success was all down to him. I think he takes massive pride in getting people there despite the odds.
One advantage of taking so long to get there was that most of the crowds had been and gone and there were only a few people at the sign - including another team from G-Adventures who were getting their photo taken.
Kajeli knew them and they came and congratulated me. Then he shoed everyone away and plonked me by the sign to take some photos and video of me. Then he decided you couldn't tell it was me, so he came and rearranged my hats and hoods so you could see my face and took some more photos. Then he took a couple of photos of me with the glacier behind me. All of this happened in a kind of blur!
Now you can see it's really me!
The incredible glacier behind me
I remember being in awe of the fantastic glacier but I was too exhausted and dazed to take in the views or anything else.
Then it was time to begin our descent! Kajeli was keen to get me back to safety as soon as possible.
Going back down was slippery and Kajeli held on to my arm as we crossed back down to Stella Point. There was one occasion when we both slipped and I have no idea how we managed to remain upright. We did a kind of ice dance and then somehow regained our footing!
Once we got to Stella Point, the descent was as brutal as the ascent had been. By now I was pretty much finished, so I had Kajeli one side of me and Mustafa the other side of me hanging on to me and practically carrying me down the mountain.
After an hour or two, we stopped for a rest and we were descending alongside the other G-Adventures team. Kajeli must have told them that I hadn't eaten anything in about 12 hours or more and one of their guides gave me an apple - which wasn't frozen! I have never eaten such a delicious apple in my life.
Then, when we set off again, two of the guides from the other team took over from Kajeli and Mustafa in supporting me down the next part. Poor Kajeli and Mustafa must have been totally done in by now!
So we continued to descend.
After we'd been descending for about 3 hours, two of the G-Fighters came up from our camp and took over in supporting me down the rest of the way back to base camp. I can barely remember a lot of this, other than it being very steep, scary and slippery! I could barely believe that I'd climbed up that route nearly 12 hours beforehand.
I don't remember too much about getting back to camp other than being taken to my tent where James met me, congratulated me and instructed me to rest for about half an hour - or maybe an hour before going to the mess tent for lunch.
I was too wiped out to take any photos or do a video report at this point but I think it was around 1pm. I think we had lunch at around 2pm and discussed whether or not to make for Mweka Camp as originally planned, or to stop at High Camp, which was nearer. It would take 2 hours to get to High Camp, but about 4 hours to get to Mweka Camp.
Brandon had been suffering with altitude sickness and was quite weak and obviously I was in a right old state, so we decided to stick with High Camp. I was so relieved - a further 4 hours would have killed me!
Having made the decision, we set off at about 3pm making our way down the mountain to High Camp and got there at around 5pm - as predicted!
Apart from the break for a rest and lunch at base camp, by now I had been walking for about 17 hours!
Evening at High Camp
I can barely remember arriving at High Camp! I was so exhausted I just wanted to collapse on the mattress in my tent. My tummy cramps had started up again and I had diarrhoea again once I got to camp. I was also feeling sick again - then I had a nosebleed. I was in a bit of a sorry state.
After a rest and a wash - our first since we left Karanga Camp, as there was no water to be had at Barafu Camp, it was time to go to the mess tent for dinner.
Before setting out on this trip, I had visualised awesome celebrations at dinner having successfully made the summit. The reality was very different. Considering every single one of us had made it, we were a very subdued group indeed! We were all simply too wiped out to celebrate. It had been tougher for all of us than we had imagined. Even Zak said that Kilimanjaro had made Everest Base Camp seem like a walk in the park. I know it had made the Inca Trail seem like a walk in the park by comparison!
That said, we were all quietly pleased and very proud of ourselves. I still couldn't believe that I'd actually made it.
After a quiet dinner, we all headed for our tents and much needed sleep very early - before 8pm. I had another, fairly hefty nosebleed but finally got the sleep that I was desperate for!
