Kilimanjaro Team rests before final push to summit

04 October 2012

The Kilimanjaro Challenge Team is spending Thursday afternoon and evening at Kibo Base Camp resting in preparation for their final push to the summit tonight.

The team got to Kibo after a tough walk across the "Saddle" and has had a good lunch. Spirits remain high, although Robert Baker has a headache.

They will leave Kibo after midnight for the final push to the summit at Uhuru Peak. The climb will be easily the toughest of the whole trek as they will have to walk 1200 metres up steep slopes in dark freezing conditions and oxygen-thin air.

Their first target will be to get to Gilmans Point at 5685 metres where they will have a short rest and hopefully watch a spectacular sunrise over Mawenzi. They will then push for on for a three hours round trip to Uhuru Peak at 5896 metres for that all-important summit photo.

After summiting, the team will make its way back down to Kibo Base Camp for a very well-earned rest after a day's walking and scrambling over loose paths which will probably take between 11 and 15 hours.