Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
Posted by John Ester
on Jan 21, 2014
After a distinguished career in the Air Force and in the private sector, Boyd Clampitt has, among other things, run four marathons and hiked the Appalachian Trail. He also has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the subject of today's program.
With an elevation of 19,341 feet Mt. Kiminjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. There are six trails to the top, and the success rate for climbers is only 40%. Boyd and his group of six accomplished the task in eight and a half days. To acclimate themselves to the altitude climbers must reduce their pace and "sleep lower than you climb," which sometimes means making a climb even on an off day.
As they neared the top the high altitude meant not only thin air, but also temperatures approaching 20 below. And once they reached the summit, then came what Boyd described as the hard part: heading down the mountain.
In addition to the climb Boyd's trip included travel to other parts of Tanzania, including the Serengeti. His photos confirmed that the area's reputation as a great place to see wildlife is more than justified.