Mount Kilimanjaro Cybercasts

Hello Everyone,

Today we hiked from Machame camp at 10,000ft to Shira camp at 12,500ft. Today’s terrain on the trail is pretty rocky with a lot of big steps but the team was strong and felt good all the way to camp. It got a little windy after the first couple of hours of the hike and is still a little breezy at camp now but seems to be calming down a little. We do have beautiful blue skies and views of Kili from camp though. After a big lunch in camp we are resting this afternoon before dinner. It very quiet at camp and on the trail this trip with only a few other small groups around. We will start tomorrow morning after everyone else has already left camp which makes it even quieter and less crowded on the trail. Thanks for following along, the team is healthy and doing great!

Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

today we are starting another Machame climb of Kilimanjaro with an excited team!  Everyone has arrived safely and with all of their luggage so we are off to a good start.  We have just arrived to the gate at Machame and are preparing to start hiking in just a few minutes. I will keep updating here!

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Summer keeps on rolling and climbing in the Cascades is still going strong. Forecasts for the next week look promising. There will be a slight dip in the freezing levels over the weekend which should help keep things nice and cool higher up in the mountains. There’s also a slight change of picking up some precipitation associated with some afternoon thunderstorms- but we don’t anticipate a big impact to our climbing plans. Moving into the early part of next week, climbers should expect mostly sunny skies and normal seasonal temperatures. In the upper mountains, smoke has continued to hold off, and hasn’t impacted climbing operations at upper elevations.

Mount Rainier (Tahoma)
The standard climbing route on Rainier has continued to stay in very good shape. With solid snowpack on the Muir Snowfield, travel has been pleasant and straightforward leading up to Camp Muir. Above Muir, cracks are opening up on the Cowlitz Glacier, but travel remains direct to Cathedral Gap. As snow continues to melt, expect more dirt and rock walking on the approach to Ingraham Flats. A ladder crossing awaits climbers directly above high camp, and a handline was recently installed to help climbers move across the ladder span. Access to the Cleaver is sped up by another handline install in the loose scree. This helps climbers move more efficiently through the area. Above the cleaver, a direct, well-established route is still taking climbers to the summit.

Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan)
Not much has changed on Mount Baker, which is a good thing, as guides continue to report how well the Easton Glacier is climbing at this time of year. The climbing up the Easton Glacier is still relatively straightforward, and minimal crevasses have opened up on the standard route. A crack around 9,400’ is gradually widening, but is still possible to step over. A good snowpack on the Roman Headwall is keeping the steepest part of the climb in smooth travel conditions, and there is a well-established climbing path. A few groups have also gone up the Squak Glacier recently and also experienced great climbing conditions!

Across the Cascades
The trend of good climbing continues throughout most of the Cascades. Recent climbers on the Shuksan ascended the Fisher Chimneys route and reported very good, solid glacier travel. On the other side of Shuksan, the Sulphide Glacier hasn’t changed much in the last week. A few open cracks on the glacier are easily crossable on the way to the summit pyramid.

Hello Everyone,

In the early morning on the 9th of August team Hazah stood on the summit of Kilimanjaro! We had perfect weather for the ascent and for the whole week. This was a great team of people that came together to help and support each other for an unforgettable experience. It was a long day but everyone kept a positive attitude and pushed some physical and mental limits to get to the top and back down safely. Yesterday we had our last hike through the forest to the Mweka gate where we celebrated with our crew and then headed back to Arusha. We had a nice celebratory dinner last night and said our goodbyes. Today the group is heading in different directions to Zanzibar, Safari, or home. Thanks for a great week team Hazah!

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

Today was another fantastic day on Kili with great weather and a great team!  We’ve got a few minor altitude symptoms amongst the group but they all stayed strong and pushed through the Baranco Wall all the way here to Karanga camp.  As usual we waited until all groups left and passed through the Baranco wall before we departed camp and we had the trail all to ourselves the entire day with only a few porters passing us.  Once we arrived to camp we had a big lunch and then most of the team rested and napped.  We are getting close to touching the top!  Tomorrow we head to Kosovo camp at 15,800ft, where we will set off for the summit early the next morning.  We are all getting excited!

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones

Hello Everyone,

Today was another beautiful day of hiking and weather!  We made our way from Shira camp after all the other groups had left and hiked to Baranco camp in 6.5 hours.  The team is acclimatizing well and feeling good.  We’ll be resting at camp for a bit staring straight up at Kilimanjaro before dinner.  Tomorrow we climb the Baranco wall and head over to Karanga camp.  Our elevation tonight at Baranco camp is 13,300ft.

Thanks for following along,

Ben Jones