The local guides are porters are some of the most upbeat and happy people I’ve ever encountered despite their overwhelming lack of material possessions or access to modern conveniences. For a lot of individuals this is and will be the only real peak that they will ever climb. Most climbers bring a backpack, but in this photo someone (my guess this person was not a regular) just brought their Samsonite suitcase. One could write a very funny book on the incredibly stupid things people do on this mountain.

An up close and more personal view of the main peak. As with any mountain it’s best to approach it cautiously. The week before we arrived they had closed one of the routes because three American climbers had been killed.

This is a spectacular view shortly after sunrise from the summit. We’re way above the clouds and high enough up to see the subtle curvature of the Earth. The glaciers looked like giant ice cubes sitting in the dirt. We’ve lost close to 90% of them during the last century, so if you want to experience them don’t wait too long.

Taking a summit photo in front of the famous sign is of course mandatory. The extreme cold weather that I experienced as we crested the crater and headed for the summit in the pre-dawn caught me completely off-guard. One would think that because it sits almost directly on the Equator it would have been a little more moderate.

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Photos & story by Troy Aupperle

Mt. Kilimanjaro

The highest peak in Africa.
19,340’
9-15-06

I decided on the Machame route up and the Mweka route down as they were supposed to be less crowded. When you figure that over 20,000 people try to climb this peak every year there is simply no escaping the masses. This photo was taken on the second
day of climbing in near desert conditions as opposed to the wet and muddy rainforest
environment we experienced the first day. By the end of the trip you will have gone through five distinct climate zones.

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Mt. Kilimanjaro