Off to Base Camp

 7/12 Little to zero sleep or rest. Bummer.

Today we are headed to Kibo Hut which is Base Camp for the final ascent. Weather was really socked in again. Snow on the ground in camp. Started out with NGomu and Gordon, it was so foggy that NGomu thought we had missed the turn up to Kibo that we passed the previous day. Garmin gods to the rescue! I pulled out my GPS and could see we hadn't reached the turn yet.

It is a long slog through the Alpine Desert zone. There is not much of anything growing there at all. We hiked through sleet, snow, & wet most of the day. No real accumulation, just annoying and wet. Did see the skeleton of what once was a dika-dika.

It is chilly at Kibo - 30°F, 77% RH. Took a little rest and had an early dinner.

It takes a lot of breath at this elevation just to walk to the toilet from our campsite. Then more to 'yoga' into position. Did I mention that it's cold and I'm doing all this with just the headlight for guidance and to see what I'm doing, etc.?

Then it is early to bed since we were to get up at 11 PM to get ready to head to the summit. Second night with no sleep or rest to speak of. Sheesh! Cold but clear, unfortunately no camp pictures.