Stratovolcano, roof of Africa, 1 of 7 summits, 19,340 feet, 5 climatic zones, challenging…just a few words you hear about hiking the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.
I’ve hiked the Haiku Stairs, Olomana and Huayna Picchu to name a few. Stairway to Heaven took my phone, Olomana took my sanity and Huayna Picchu took my breath away. After climbing the 3,922 stairs that make up the Haiku Stairs, I managed to leave my cellphone on top of the dangerous, illegal hike on Oahu. Luckily, a fellow hiker and not law enforcement found my phone and we made the beer/phone exchange at a gas station three days later.
While hiking Olomana, also on Oahu, I found myself hugging a boulder while crying as I tried not to look at the sheer drop off on either side of me. It took my friend Molly making me laugh to loosen my grip and finish the hike. I was still too scared to walk so I crawled up the third and final peak. After hiking the Inca Trail to Huayna Picchu, the rain stopped and the fog dissipated exposing Macchu Picchu in all its beauty as my jaw dropped in awe. The last time I was so awe inspired was while watching lava flow down Mt. Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii.
There are three times I can recall being profoundly cold. Once was on a bus in Spain. I was not dressed for the temperatures the A/C plummeted to on the 7 hour bus ride to the Rock of Gibraltar. Another time was while camping on Haleakala on Maui. I was dressed for the beach but may as well have been in Antarctica. The last time was after falling through the ice into a flowing river as a child. This time I will be prepared for the -20 degree temperatures at the summit of the mountain I’ve wanted to hike my entire life.
They say things come in three’s and Mt. Kilimanjaro is no exception. Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo are the three volcanic cones that make up the tallest mountain in Africa.
When people ask me why I want to do this I give them three reasons: I like a challenge, I don’t want to assume I can do it later and, “Because it’s there.” -George Mallory. My question to you is, why not?
Amy’s Journey Across the Globe 