Tell me about mountain climbing

[Parliament 14357]

Not like pounding studs into sheer rock faces and roping your way up. More like 3-5 days of walking up a steep incline.

 

I asking in particular because I'm about to be talked into an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

 

What do I need to know?

[VABuckeye 2472]

Can I have your stuff?

[Humpy 112]

A really good life insurance policy and donate a 100 bucks to the wreath fund

[conVINCEd 21474]

10 minutes ago, Parliament said:

 

Not like pounding studs into sheer rock faces and roping your way up. More like 3-5 days of walking up a steep incline.

 

I asking in particular because I'm about to be talked into an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

 

What do I need to know?

 

Do it.  I’ve done a fair amount of research on Kilimanjaro, and if you’re in pretty good shape you should be able to do it.  Altitude sickness may happen, but that’s a crap shoot.  From what I’ve read, don’t go with the cheap companies that try to get you to the top quicker.  Getting acclimated is important, and while the extra day on the mountain may cost a little more, it’s probably worth the cost.

[HenryJames 66228]

[Biff Tannen 45758]

1 hour ago, conVINCEd said:

Do it.  I’ve done a fair amount of research on Kilimanjaro, and if you’re in pretty good shape you should be able to do it.  Altitude sickness may happen, but that’s a crap shoot.  From what I’ve read, don’t go with the cheap companies that try to get you to the top quicker.  Getting acclimated is important, and while the extra day on the mountain may cost a little more, it’s probably worth the cost.

This.  Kilimanjaro is, exactly as described, a steep walk up.

[Firemans4Horn 18190]

I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2010 with this company: https://www.africanspoonbilltours.com/

They were great. We also did a 4 day safari with them after the hike and everything went smoothly. 

[52-80 19275]

if this old bitch can do it, whats your excuse?

 

 

 

[LonghornJones 837]

That "old bitch" is a 36 year old sherpa named Rick Rocks (his mountain name). He's a legend.

[Jerry Callo 8774]

If a 7 year old girl can do it, you should be able to.

[NWBuck 8590]

I'm sure you can stump your way up there:

Someone might need to give you a hand, or you won't have a leg to stand on.

[ZB'Tejas 594]

So much good advice here... climbing is a lot of fun but get some good equipment. Don't take your external frame pack from 80s boyscouting; get/borrow one with new technology and lighter weight. Same goes for sleeping bag and stuff sack. You won't want some 100L bag that end up being 50lbs. Light weight clothes that are versatile (get pants that you can zip the legs off to convert to shorts) Good wool socks. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

It tends to be very uphill, with an abrupt drop off on the back side......

[Your Mom 4860]

If you die they'll leave your body up there.

[PRONG HORN 3160]

20 hours ago, Parliament said:

I asking in particular because I'm about to be talked into an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro

 

Making the trip to Mecca huh?

[gecko 1104]

Take the tour bus to the top.  Why waste the time walking?

[HenryJames 66228]

2 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

It tends to be very uphill, with an abrupt drop off on the back side......

[Firemans4Horn 18190]

2 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

So much good advice here... climbing is a lot of fun but get some good equipment. Don't take your external frame pack from 80s boyscouting; get/borrow one with new technology and lighter weight. Same goes for sleeping bag and stuff sack. You won't want some 100L bag that end up being 50lbs. Light weight clothes that are versatile (get pants that you can zip the legs off to convert to shorts) Good wool socks. 

 

Don't carry a backpack at all. Hire a porter. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4979]

If there aren't really any technical sections you're really just backpacking. If you have never backpacked before, go on a weekend trip before you go for Mt Kilimanjaro. You will tend to take way to much stuff your first time. Getting your pack weight down as low as possible will go a long way to making it more enjoyable.

[Firemans4Horn 18190]

I’m not sure I saw one person on the mountain (that didn’t work as a porter for a tour company) that was carrying more than a day pack. 

[Underdog 28825]

How many days w/out internet access will there be?  

[Surly Bevo 25261]

Hurry boy it's waiting there for you

[Upgrayedd 5822]

4 hours ago, ZB'Tejas said:

So much good advice here... climbing is a lot of fun but get some good equipment. Don't take your external frame pack from 80s boyscouting; get/borrow one with new technology and lighter weight. Same goes for sleeping bag and stuff sack. You won't want some 100L bag that end up being 50lbs. Light weight clothes that are versatile (get pants that you can zip the legs off to convert to shorts) Good wool socks. 

Gotta go Flextrek 

[Sundodger 66]

Anyone “climb” Wheeler Peak (NM) via the Williams Lake trail?   I’m going late August.  I know to start early to avoid afternoon lightning.  Any other tips?

[PRONG HORN 3160]

On 8/7/2019 at 7:09 PM, Parliament said:

What do I need to know?

 

The only thing you really need to know is this ... 19,341′

 

If you can go to Colorado or where ever and not get altitude sick when in the mountains for a few days that's a good start.  Be aware that the altitude may kill you if you aren't ready.  

[Bateshorn 9942]

On 8/7/2019 at 8:09 PM, Parliament said:

 

Not like pounding studs into sheer rock faces and roping your way up. More like 3-5 days of walking up a steep incline.

 

I asking in particular because I'm about to be talked into an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

 

What do I need to know?

 

I know a couple that did Kilimanjaro.   Very fit, run marathons, CrossFit.  They consider it one of the most physically brutal experiences of their lives.  Glad they did it, would NOT do again. 

[Parliament 14357]

How many days w/out internet access will there be?  

My uncle did it. If heard him right, he said a guide made a cel phone call from the very top.

Porters carry everything but your camelback.

Get you some good hiking shoes. The rest of your gear you can accumulate relatively cheap stuff. Ie, don't go to REI and buy one of everything.

He agrees that anyone in good shape can do it, after some altutitude acclimation.

Something about the air at the equator is denser than higher latitudes. Ie, 19k feet isn't as bad as you might think.

[PRONG HORN 3160]

Kilimanjaro is probably one of the most dangerous things you will ever do. Every year, approximately 1,000 people are evacuated from the mountain, and approximately 10 deaths are reported. The actual number of deaths is believed to be two to three times higher. The main cause of death is altitude sickness.  Less than half make it to the top.  

Edited August 9, 2019 by PRONG HORN

[Firemans4Horn 18190]

Keys to success:

”Pole, Pole”

Translates to slowly, slowly. If your guide is worth half a shit they will reiterate that to you 15 times a day. It’s not a race, especially on summit day. The young bucks that tried to race up the mountain were the guys you would see 2 hours later tapping out with altitude sickness. Take your time, it’s really just a long hike with very few technical areas. 

 

Acclimatize

Most days you’re done hiking by 3 or 4 which gives you another hour to hike further up the mountain and get extra acclimatization. I’d also bring a couple ibuprofen in case you get a headache along the way. Remember, Kilimanjaro has the 4th most prominence of any mountain in the world. It starts almost at sea level and you start pretty low on the mountain. 

 

Warm clothes/layers

It’s balls cold at the summit and you want to make sure you have the right gear and enough of it. Cotton sucks ass for hiking, so make sure you have the right stuff. You don’t have to spend $300 on a Patagonia shirt, Columbia makes great gear at a fraction of the cost. Be aware most people’s fancy cameras had their batteries freeze at the top of the summit. 

 

Water

Drink lots of water. Dehydration will definitely keep you from getting to the top. The water in your camelback might freeze near the top so make sure you have a nalgene or some other backup source of water 

 

Hiking Poles

All 3 of my group found the decent to be much harder than the ascent. You decline something like 11,000 feet the same day that you summit. Poles will take a lot strain off your knees. They also help when you’re on the glacier at the top.

 

Days on the mountain

Do at least a 7 day hike. 5.5 days going up will give you a much higher chance of reaching the summit. We did the Machame route and it was great. People that do a 5 or 6 day hike have a much lower success rate.

 

Snacks

Bring some power bars/trail mix from home or else load up on some snickers in town. They will feed you 3 solid meals a day but sometimes you need an extra energy boost, especially on summit night  

 

As far as it being the hardest thing you will ever do; I guess different strokes for different folks. I probably couldn’t have run a 10k at the time I climbed Kili but I didn’t find it to be very difficult. I would 💯 recommend it to anyone in decent shape and hope to do it again with my kids when they are old enough.   

 

Edited August 9, 2019 by Firemans4Horn

[52-80 19275]

9 hours ago, PRONG HORN said:

Kilimanjaro is probably one of the most dangerous things you will ever do. Every year, approximately 1,000 people are evacuated from the mountain, and approximately 10 deaths are reported. The actual number of deaths is believed to be two to three times higher. The main cause of death is altitude sickness.  Less than half make it to the top.  

And then there's also the dropbears to contend with

[dmtx 159]

My buddy did it without any problems, no oxygen tanks either, when he was 38. He wasnt very athletic, but did a lot of weighted backpack walks in the neighborhood.  

Don't be a bitch. Kilian Jornet ran to the top and back in seven hours.

[Butch Had Not 2998]

A few things for you.  Get an ospreay 70(?) pack ahead of time. Fill it up with books or something heavy to the weight you need(50lbs?) and find the highest local spot to climb up for practice with poles. Get used to the pack (the good ones distribute the weight to your hips and shoulders so it's not 50lbs on your shoulders only) and weight.  You will feel like a tortoise going as slow as you will be going but remember it's not a sprint. 

Start running or jogging. Preferably up hill in between the days you use the pack. You will need to lean up, not muscle up. 

Try to do another big climb prior. A walkup 12 to 14k peak will test your legs and you can experience altitude change. Colorado,  NM, AZ all have good "easy" hikes. Ideally try to do an alpine climb like Rainier. It will drive you to keep training if you have a scheduled climb elsewhere. 

Buy those mountain house freeze dried dinners and learn what you like.  You will lose your appetite at higher altitude.

Know your body. If you can't do it, it's ok to tap out. Getting to see the mountain only is better than being on the news. 

Oh you might have fucked up dreams at higher elevation. 

[Biff Tannen 45758]

On 8/8/2019 at 11:39 PM, PRONG HORN said:

Kilimanjaro is probably one of the most dangerous things you will ever do. Every year, approximately 1,000 people are evacuated from the mountain, and approximately 10 deaths are reported. The actual number of deaths is believed to be two to three times higher. The main cause of death is altitude sickness.  Less than half make it to the top.  

[PRONG HORN 3160]