Mt Kili Trek Via Lemosho Route Day Four

"Yo, VIP, let's kick it!
Ice ice baby;Ice ice baby
All right stop
Collaborate and listen
Ice is back with my brand new invention
Something grabs a hold of me tightly
Then I flow that a harpoon daily and nightly
Will it ever stop?
Yo, I don't know
Turn off the lights and I'll glow
To the extreme I rock a mic like a vandal
Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candleDance
Bum rush the speaker that booms
I'm killin' your brain like a poisonous mushroom
Deadly, when I play a dope melody
Anything less that the best is a felony
Love it or leave it
You better gain way
You better hit bull's eye
The kid don't play
If there was a problem
Yo, I'll solve it
Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it"
Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice

Everyone reacts to elevation differently. Genetics is one component. The strategies employed to cope with high altitude is another component. At 12,500ft, my body was tolerating the elevation with little symptoms. I made a concerted effort to stay hydrated and eat full meals loaded with rice and pasta, in spite of my diminished appetite.  Today's itinerary would be challenging. We were scheduled to hike 7miles from Shira Camp II to Barranco Camp (13044ft). Easy enough right? Wrong- Over the next 7miles, we would first ascend 2100ft to an elevation of 14600ft over a 3miles distance. After lunch, we would descend from the lava tower (14600ft) and hike the remaining 4miles to our campsite at Barranco. We would still traverse through the upper moorlands and into the low Alpine desert. The intense radiation, high evaporation rate, and considerable swings in temperature (ranging from 36F to 96F) yield sparse vegetation and scarce water supply. Nonetheless, the terrain would be the most manageable variable to contend with for the day


I nervously set off on the day's trek but held back from showing it.  Call it what you will-cockiness, arrogance or bravado; but quite frankly, the utility in expressing my feelings at that moment was lost on me. If anything, keeping my nervousness under tight wraps and focusing on my steps helped constructively channel my underlying excitement and terror. Step.Step.Step.Step. We made steady progress, and I kept my pace in the middle of the group. Without my functioning i-pod, images of sandy Malibu beaches, my warm bed, and a myriad of other randy thoughts flooded my mind. The harder I tried to stop thinking, the more random thoughts and images ravaged my consciousness. I was relieved by the onset of a mild case of hypoxia as we ascended to a higher altitude. Usually, I'm serious and reserved; but at high altitudes, I'm a bit goofy and prone to laughing fits. My poor trek buddies endured my awful rapping performance of Vanilla Ice, Madonna, and even Sir MixAlot. I was graciously spared a muzzle, and we all had a good time laughing and singing.


Until now, 14500ft was the highest elevation I sacked. I developed my altitude tolerance through months of intense physical training and high altitude summit attempts.  As a result, I grew accustomed to my reactions at that altitude and fine-tuned my coping strategies. However, anything above 14500ft was unknown territory. How would I feel? What symptoms will I experience? At what point will I hit my wall? So many unknowns and navigating this environment is like sensing my way in the dark, trying to reach for a door. When you open the door, it opens into a room filled with the brightness of knowing which quickly grows dim and then pitch dark again. For the irony of knowing more, may yield the realization you know less. And for some of us, the walls we face is the most authentic mirror of ourselves. For some of us, it is the moment we stare plainly at ourselves, witness our vulnerabilities and confront our limits. Some walls and closed doors should be respected and remain closed. Others, however, must be opened. To possess the discernment to recognize which ones to push through and the ones to respect come with experience and wisdom. It is a lifelong pursuit; and at this juncture, I still have much to learn.





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