I just climbed Kilimanjaro - now with pics (2 Viewers)

[kutta]

No booze and regular exercise should put the pooping on regular schedule. Try for early morning

Lol! Yeah, the no booze thing is going to be tough too. It will be good for me…

 

[Chemical X]

gl, add me to your will. tia

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Can't wait to follow along.

As for training, one thing I would recommend is walking a lot of steep hills and stuff.

I live in Prescott Arizona - which is at 5200 ft. There are a few good hiking mountains around that go to 6500 and one that goes to 7500. I’ve been doing those daily, and it’s amazing the difference from a few months ago.

That’s a far cry from 19,341 feet, but at least it’s something!

Climb Pike's Peak. Or just drive it. 14,115 feet of mountain goodness. The view is amazing. I'm betting your view will be fantastic.

 

[Courtjester]

Can't wait to follow along.

As for training, one thing I would recommend is walking a lot of steep hills and stuff.

I live in Prescott Arizona - which is at 5200 ft. There are a few good hiking mountains around that go to 6500 and one that goes to 7500. I’ve been doing those daily, and it’s amazing the difference from a few months ago.

That’s a far cry from 19,341 feet, but at least it’s something!

Climb Pike's Peak. Or just drive it. 14,115 feet of mountain goodness. The view is amazing. I'm betting your view will be fantastic.

Totally!! It has already received snow this last week and looks amazing this morning. Even though I have lived here all my life, when we go up there, you can feel the altitude change. I can't image the feeling at 19K.

Can't wait to see how this journey turns out.

 

[kutta]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

 

[gianmarco]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

4 mile high club?

Good luck, GB. You got this.

 

[AAABatteries]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

Good luck dude - remind them when you huddle for warmth that doing so naked is best way to keep warm.

 

[bushdocda]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

This is awesome. Best to you and the group.

 

[Skipdog77]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

Please do us all the ultimate favor and PM @shuke from the top of mountain.

Good luck, GB!

 

[KGB]

Super awesome! Following

 

[Jaysus]

I wish I saw this earlier - I have at least 100 questions for you (mostly gear related). I can't wait to hear all about it and hopefully see some photos once you get back! Godspeed!

 

[Big Blue Wrecking Crew]

Kutta Tech shirt amongst the packed items? Good luck...should be a great adventure!

 

[Phil Elliott]

Best of luck. Very amazing journey! I know a colleague who did this. I suppose you don't have any left over "FBG" stickers to leave at the summit.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Good luck will be following

 

[Ted Stickles]

Good luck Kutta.
I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2011 or 2012.
The hike/walk to the pre-summit camp is pretty straightforward.
The ascent to the to the peak was a lot more taxing and difficult than I anticipated.
Force yourself to go to bed as early as you can that evening (6pm?) to get at least a few hours of sleep prior to your midnight departure for the final summit push.
The walk down from the summit all the way to the park exit was also a lot more difficult than you would think.
Enjoy!

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I leave Friday for Tanzania. I arrive at 7 AM Sunday, and the climb starts Tuesday AM. Cell coverage will be spotty, but I’ll post if I can.
I found out that there’s only 3 of us in my group. Me. And… two others, 38 and 41 female friends - one from the US and one from from the Netherlands.

So…

Good luck dude - remind them when you huddle for warmth that doing so naked is best way to keep warm.

Facts! Tell ‘em we said so. Should make you look worldly

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Which poop shovel did you choose? You better get regular.

 

[Brony]

I'd be stressing about how much to tip the porters.

 

[kutta]

Kutta Tech shirt amongst the packed items? Good luck...should be a great adventure!

I’m bringing a Kutta flag to hold at the top

 

[kutta]

I'd be stressing about how much to tip the porters.

They give you preset amounts and encourage you not to go over it, so I’m good there. Luckily. I agree.

 

[kutta]

Which poop shovel did you choose? You better get regular.

I got a folding metal one - hoping I don’t need to use it!

 

[kutta]

Good luck Kutta.
I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2011 or 2012.
The hike/walk to the pre-summit camp is pretty straightforward.
The ascent to the to the peak was a lot more taxing and difficult than I anticipated.
Force yourself to go to bed as early as you can that evening (6pm?) to get at least a few hours of sleep prior to your midnight departure for the final summit push.
The walk down from the summit all the way to the park exit was also a lot more difficult than you would think.
Enjoy!

That’s so freaking cool!! Thanks for the tip.

Going down may be tough but the good thing is that at that point you did it, so it’s gotta feel great going down.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Going down may be tough but the good thing is that at that point you did it, so it’s gotta feel great going down.

Yes, but maintain your vigilance, as most accidents occur while descending mountains.

 

[kutta]

Going down may be tough but the good thing is that at that point you did it, so it’s gotta feel great going down.

Yes, but maintain your vigilance, as most accidents occur while descending mountains.

Screw it. If I get hurt going down that’s fine. People will carry my *** down and I’ll have a pic at the summit.

 

[Ilov80s]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

 

[BassNBrew]

Good luck Kutta. Sounds like fun.

 

[kutta]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

 

[Ilov80s]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

lol I was totally joking. I am super impressed by your plans here. I love hiking, walking, etc. but I am not ready for something like this. You would kick my *** on a mountain climb, I am sure.

 

[dickey moe]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

lol I was totally joking. I am super impressed by your plans here. I love hiking, walking, etc. but I am not ready for something like this. You would kick my *** on a mountain climb, I am sure.

I was going to respond to your post with "Is this shtick?" and now I'm sorry I didn't.

 

[kutta]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

lol I was totally joking. I am super impressed by your plans here. I love hiking, walking, etc. but I am not ready for something like this. You would kick my *** on a mountain climb, I am sure.

I’m enjoying my last whiskey on my last night in my house for a couple weeks. I’ll believe anything at this point!

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

lol I was totally joking. I am super impressed by your plans here. I love hiking, walking, etc. but I am not ready for something like this. You would kick my *** on a mountain climb, I am sure.

I’m enjoying my last whiskey on my last night in my house for a couple weeks. I’ll believe anything at this point!

Enjoy it! No booze after the summit?

 

[Terminalxylem]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

 

[kutta]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

 

[ChiefD]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better come back here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

 

[dickey moe]

Four peaks are better than one.

 

[Terminalxylem]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

Nausea, headaches, and lack of bathing aren’t a recipe for romance. Sprinkle in a little anxiety-induced constipation, and our hero might not exactly be in the mood.

On the plus side, Viagra is used to treat altitude sickness. And Dutch girls are quite, umm, open-minded.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

Nausea, headaches, and lack of bathing aren’t a recipe for romance. Sprinkle in a little anxiety-induced constipation, and our hero might not exactly be in the mood.

On the plus side, Viagra is used to treat altitude sickness. And Dutch girls are quite, umm, open-minded.

What about girls from holland? Had to get all 3 in one quote

 

[kutta]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

Yep - Diamox. And I got some fancy Lowa boots. I’ve broken them in pretty good.

8K is a bit low, but I’ve been as high as 12k and haven’t had any issues at all, so I think I’ll be ok there.

 

[kutta]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

Nausea, headaches, and lack of bathing aren’t a recipe for romance. Sprinkle in a little anxiety-induced constipation, and our hero might not exactly be in the mood.

On the plus side, Viagra is used to treat altitude sickness. And Dutch girls are quite, umm, open-minded.

I never leave home without my trusty Viagra, so I’ll be prepped. Too bad I can’t plow them with vodka though - no alcohol on the climb

 

[the moops]

So sick. Rooting for you big time @kutta

 

[FreeBaGeL]

Going down may be tough but the good thing is that at that point you did it, so it’s gotta feel great going down.

Is this your pickup line for the two ladies in your group?

 

[Caveman33]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

Nausea, headaches, and lack of bathing aren’t a recipe for romance. Sprinkle in a little anxiety-induced constipation, and our hero might not exactly be in the mood.

On the plus side, Viagra is used to treat altitude sickness. And Dutch girls are quite, umm, open-minded.

I never leave home without my trusty Viagra, so I’ll be prepped. Too bad I can’t plow them with vodka though - no alcohol on the climb

I still remember arriving at the reception before basic training. We had to empty our bags so that the drill sergeants could look through the contents and dispose of anything that wasn't allowed. Some dude had brought dozens of condoms. He was expecting it to be one heck of a party.

I think the climb will be a piece of cake. Do a few push-ups at the summit to impress your lady companions.

 

[Terminalxylem]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

Nausea, headaches, and lack of bathing aren’t a recipe for romance. Sprinkle in a little anxiety-induced constipation, and our hero might not exactly be in the mood.

On the plus side, Viagra is used to treat altitude sickness. And Dutch girls are quite, umm, open-minded.

What about girls from holland? Had to get all 3 in one quote

Don’t forget Zeelandic Flemings!?!?!

 

[Terminalxylem]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

Yep - Diamox. And I got some fancy Lowa boots. I’ve broken them in pretty good.

8K is a bit low, but I’ve been as high as 12k and haven’t had any issues at all, so I think I’ll be ok there.

Will you be taking the Diamox prophylactically? FYI, Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines :

Multiple trials have established a role for acetazolamide in the prevention of AMS. The recommended adult dose for prophylaxis is 125 mg twice daily (Table 2). While higher doses up to 500 mg daily are effective at preventing AMS, they are associated with more frequent and/or increased side effects, do not convey greater efficacy, and, therefore, are not recommended for prevention. Recommendation grade: 1A.

 

[kutta]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

Yep - Diamox. And I got some fancy Lowa boots. I’ve broken them in pretty good.

8K is a bit low, but I’ve been as high as 12k and haven’t had any issues at all, so I think I’ll be ok there.

Will you be taking the Diamox prophylactically? FYI, Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines :

Multiple trials have established a role for acetazolamide in the prevention of AMS. The recommended adult dose for prophylaxis is 125 mg twice daily (Table 2). While higher doses up to 500 mg daily are effective at preventing AMS, they are associated with more frequent and/or increased side effects, do not convey greater efficacy, and, therefore, are not recommended for prevention. Recommendation grade: 1A.

No. I will not.

Unless my chicks are into that…

 

[Terminalxylem]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

Yep - Diamox. And I got some fancy Lowa boots. I’ve broken them in pretty good.

8K is a bit low, but I’ve been as high as 12k and haven’t had any issues at all, so I think I’ll be ok there.

Will you be taking the Diamox prophylactically? FYI, Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines :

Multiple trials have established a role for acetazolamide in the prevention of AMS. The recommended adult dose for prophylaxis is 125 mg twice daily (Table 2). While higher doses up to 500 mg daily are effective at preventing AMS, they are associated with more frequent and/or increased side effects, do not convey greater efficacy, and, therefore, are not recommended for prevention. Recommendation grade: 1A.

No. I will not.

Unless my chicks are into that…

FWIW, I used Diamox prophylactically on Denali. At the time, I was cycling, running and hiking regularly, arguably in the best shape of my life, at age 40. And I don’t typically feel altitude until ~13K feet. But I decided to maximize my chances of a summit, or minimize AMS, at the minimum. There was already plenty of suffering.

I did fine during our 13 day expedition, but had to descend from 17K High Camp, when one of my team members developed frostbite.

Of note, my oxygen saturations (how much oxygen the blood carries) dropped into the low 80’s around 14K; normal is >94%. Surprisingly, I felt OK with those numbers, when I’d surely be gasping for air under normal circumstances.

Hopefully YMWV. Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[In The Zone]

It’s kinda cool you are scaling a big mountain and stuff, but you better comeback here with a story of how you had some action with the Netherlands girl. Or her friend. Or both.

No doubt. Is it too late to cancel the single person tent and opt in for the group tent. You know just to save some money .

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Great adventure, we're all pulling for you but don't worry about anything than your safety.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

I climbed it awhile ago on a whim. It's pretty high so just be warned. Gets cold up there too in case you didn't know.

Very cool! You think a 57 year old dude in decent shape should be OK?

Although it’s hard to predict how an individual will respond to altitude, in general, older people are a bit less likely to suffer mountain sickness.

If you take your time, you should be fine. Looks like 7-8 day itineraries have the highest success rates.

What was you most difficult training hike? What elevation?

I have an 8 day hike, and a prescription for altitude sickness pills which is supposed to work well.
I’ve been doing a lot of 10 mile hikes, about four hours, 2k elevation change, at about 8k feet. I wanted to get higher but just didn’t have the chance.

Diamox?

8K probably a bit too low to know how you’ll handle higher elevation, but plenty of time to acclimate + meds should make it do-able.

ETA 10 miles with 2K elevation gain in 4 hours is really good! What hiking boots are you using?

Yep - Diamox. And I got some fancy Lowa boots. I’ve broken them in pretty good.

8K is a bit low, but I’ve been as high as 12k and haven’t had any issues at all, so I think I’ll be ok there.

Will you be taking the Diamox prophylactically? FYI, Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines :

Multiple trials have established a role for acetazolamide in the prevention of AMS. The recommended adult dose for prophylaxis is 125 mg twice daily (Table 2). While higher doses up to 500 mg daily are effective at preventing AMS, they are associated with more frequent and/or increased side effects, do not convey greater efficacy, and, therefore, are not recommended for prevention. Recommendation grade: 1A.

No. I will not.

Unless my chicks are into that…

FWIW, I used Diamox prophylactically on Denali. At the time, I was cycling, running and hiking regularly, arguably in the best shape of my life, at age 40. And I don’t typically feel altitude until ~13K feet. But I decided to maximize my chances of a summit, or minimize AMS, at the minimum. There was already plenty of suffering.

I did fine during our 13 day expedition, but had to descend from 17K High Camp, when one of my team members developed frostbite.

Of note, my oxygen saturations (how much oxygen the blood carries) dropped into the low 80’s around 14K; normal is >94%. Surprisingly, I felt OK with those numbers, when I’d surely be gasping for air under normal circumstances.

Hopefully YMWV. Good luck and keep us updated!

Mine drops to upper 80s at around 11.5k (mammoth). I wonder how much further it would drop with 8k more elevation.