Hi all:

We did it!

On the morning of February 15th, just before 7:00 a.m, Team LAC reached Mount Kilimanjaro‘s Stella Point and an hour later we celebrated on Uhuru Peak (the Roof of Africa) at 19,340 feet above sea level. 
 
Our hike to the summit was a slog and a struggle and the feelings of achievement and pride were intense and unfiltered. Each of us (ten in total; five of us from the LAC, plus three other women and two men) has our own story to tell about the journey to Kili, the multi-day ascent, and the feelings we felt as we came down the mountain. I can’t tell the other stories, but I can share a little of mine.
 
This adventure was over a year in the making and the last months before take-off were full of ever-changing packing lists, anxiety about fitness and altitude sickness, deliberations over which hiking shoes and warm clothes to take, whether or not to take Diamox, what size day pack to carry, plus loads of other details. The journey to Tanzania was long and we arrived on a hot, sticky night, both exhausted and excited and not knowing what to expect from this very foreign land. 
 
The next day, in an effort to counter the jet lag and over 17 hours of flying time, we hit the trails and hiked to a beautiful and impressive waterfall for a lovely swim in the pool below the falls. On the return hike, we found ourselves in a soaking rainstorm (great way to test the rain gear!). We made it to our small bus that returned us to the Weru Weru Lodge – our jumping off point for the following day’s big adventure.

The next six days essentially looked like this with very little variation: rise early, sip coffee in the tent, break down camp, visit the toilet tent, eat breakfast, hike, arrive in camp, blow up our sleeping pads, unroll our sleeping bags, “washy washy,” eat popcorn, drink tea or hot cocoa, chill, eat dinner, hear a briefing for the next day’s hike – and start all over again. 
 
Our support crew consisted of a lead guide, three assistant guides, a cook, a server, a heck of a lot of porters and other folks (maybe 30 – 40 men except for one woman) who made our trek as smooth and as comfortable as it could be. 
 
Kate and I shared a tent and each morning, Emanuel, with the sweetest smile, brought us coffee in warm metal cups (two scoops of instant; black for me, with milk for Kate). This was a very nice way to start our days. Every morning I awoke with an altitude headache, but two Excedrin took it away. The hiking was often hard and always breathtaking. Throughout our week on the trail, we hiked through five different climate zones and saw flora that was both foreign and beautiful.

Our guides: Nelson, Thomas, Sara (not a guide, but who doesn’t love a photo op), Mussa, and Nico

Summit day was by far the hardest day – not just because of the actual hiking, but because of anticipation and nerves leading up to it. After an early dinner and a briefing, Mussa, our lead guide, had us in the tents for a short sleep at 7:00 p.m. with a wake-up time of 10:00 p.m. Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep a wink. At 10:30 p.m. we headed to the mess tent for porridge and toast. I couldn’t eat a bite, but I did manage to drink two cups of coffee. We were on the trail by 11:00 p.m.
 
As we set off in the dark, my breathing was uncomfortably shallow; it took a few moments to relax and calm down so that I could regulate my breath. The issue wasn’t the altitude – it was my nerves. This moment was the culmination of it all: the planning, team building, training hikes, hours spent in the gym strengthening my muscles and increasing my endurance, packing and repacking, and the reason for the long journey to Tanzania from Portland. It was a wild and crazy goal I had set for myself and here I was facing the mountain and it was facing me right back.
 
We hiked and we hiked. We hiked through the dark night, our headlamps illuminating the upward path, we saw the moon rise, and we saw the sun break open the sky. Just a little after sunrise and eight hours after we began, we reached our first goal, Stella Peak. There were tears (okay, some sobbing), hugs, and a few quick photos – and then we kept going. 
 
That last hour to Uhuru Peak was tough. The photos at the summit happened quickly (long lines of people taking pics under the sign) and then we turned around and made our descent. 
 
I was wiped. Like really, really wiped and couldn’t believe I had to hike back down. It took a ton of mental and physical stamina to get my body all the way back to camp. Hungry and dehydrated, I crashed in the tent next to my tent mate who had also crashed. Amazingly, she made it to Uhuru Peak even though she had never been so nauseous in her life. She summited because she’s got grit to spare and was determined to climb to the top of that mountain. She also had the incredible support of our lead guide, Mussa, plus the support of our entire Kili team. We took a couple of hours to rest and then picked ourselves up, packed up our gear and walked three miles to our next camp site. Where that energy came from, I have no idea. Well actually, I do. It was the Snickers bar, stored in my pack from that morning, that I had devoured.

Kate and me in our tent

Anne

Patty

Becky and her daughter, Julia

Rachel and her son, Evan

Our team leader, Bill

On the trail

The start of sunrise as we hiked to the summit

Lots of people on the trail to the summit

Susie with the sunrise

Kate with Mussa on the summit

Me at the summit

Anne and Kate, moments after we finished the journey

Our full Team Kili crew

So that’s a bit of the Kili story. 
 
I was texting the other evening with Anne and Patty and we all agreed that it feels like it was a dream. It really happened, yet it’s surreal. I’m not sure that I’ll climb a high peak again, but to accomplish a goal of that magnitude is significant. I’m really, really proud and also glad that it’s in my rear-view mirror.
 
I want to give a shout out to Ahsante Tours, a local and family-owned tour operator in Tanzania, who planned all elements of our three weeks in Tanzania: the trek; the safari, and the few days of much needed rest on Zanzibar. Asante sana. 

Upcoming Community (not all LAC) Adventures – These are not LAC adventures (except for the ones that say, “LAC”). These are adventures we’re sharing that are put-on by other orgs. If you have ideas for the calendar, please send me a note.

Maine

🥾 LAC Adventure Expert, Alicia Heyburn, is the Executive Director of Teens to Trails based in Brunswick and doing good work getting teens outside throughout the whole state. Their fund-raising shindig is coming up on March 31st at Après in Portland. You can buy tickets right here.

❄️ January 1-March 26: L.L. Bean’s Discounted Ski Days at Maine ski mountains (including $19.60 Thursday ski tickets at Mount Abram for Maine residents)
❄️ March 7: Two Maine Mermaids Full Moon Dip
❄️ March 7: Pineland Farms Full Moon Snowshoe
❄️ March 8: Maine Outdoor Film Fest: Women in the Wild
❄️ March 9: Maine Audubon Bird Walk
❄️ March 9: Pineland Farms Maple Sugaring
❄️ March 14: Maine Audubon Spring Plant Walk
❄️ March 25: Pineland Farms Free Beer Tasting
❄️ March 31: Teens to Trails Bow Ties & Bean Boots
🌿 April 6: Two Maine Mermaids Full Moon Dip
🌿 May 14: Sugarloaf Marathon & 15K

Happy adventuring,