After a couple hours of rest, our guides woke us up at 10pm to get ready for the final assault to the peak. We left camp around 11pm on a clear and starry night. The slog to the top was a time warp as my mind focused intently on the each step and then the next. We could see a trail of headlamps light up the mountainside illuminating every switchback and the interminable climb ahead. We watched an orange-red moon rise from the darkness...and then the sun rose over Mawenzi just as we reached Gillman's Point. After some hot tea and a short break, we pressed on to Stella Point. The last hour or two from Gillman's to the top was the hardest. I think because it looked so much closer and flatter than it turned out to be. Despite some headaches, nausea, and clouded vision, the entire group summitted Uhuru Peak around 8am. It took us 9 hours to get to the top. It didn't seem that long. We celebrated our accomplishment for over 20 minutes at the top. The feeling of success and relief was exhilarating. It took us another 8 hours of hiking to get down to Horormbo Camp, but the exhilaration carried us through most of the descent. It was a great day...one we will all remember for a lifetime.
School Hut Elevation: 15,357 ft
Uhuru Peak Elevation: 19,340 ft
Total Elevation Gain: 3,983 ft
Total Time Up: 9 hours
Total Miles Up: 2.3 miles
Horombo Camp Elevation: 12,185 ft
Total Elevation Loss: 7,185 ft
Total Miles: 12.3 miles
Total Time: 17 hours
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