The group traversed the Machame trailhead, winding through coffee fields and small forests of ferns and flowers. After registering with the park service, they met their porters from the Chagga Tribe, indigenous to the slopes of Kilimanjaro. They are an integral part of the African journey and quickly became friends, providing insight into their culture and society. The ‘true’ climb began on the edge of a rain forest (elevation 5,800’). Below the watchful eyes of the monkeys, the climbers trekked seven hours to the Machame Camp (10,000’) and set camp for the night.

The next day, the group left the Machame Huts, crossed a small valley and began the arduous ascent. The environment changed from heath forest to moor lands. These moor lands are littered with two species of giant groundsel, Senecios and Lobelia. Halfway up the trail they met a river gorge and ascended across the Shira Plateau (12,300’). They slept at the Shira Camp.

FGA Team Arrives In Africa

Fluge, King, and Carter (FGA Team) arrived in Kilimanjaro International Airport, Tanzania, Northern Africa after 30 long hours, 3 planes, and many stops in between.  They met their Alpine Ascents counterparts (guides) in Arusha, Tanzania and immediately began strategy discussions to claim the victory over Kilimanjaro – the largest free standing volcano in the world.

While immersed in details about the climb, the team also took in some sightseeing at the Cultural Heritage Center.  They concluded their several day introductions to Tanzania with an equipment check and an orientation to the principles of "Leave No Trace" environmental ethics.

FGA Alpine Team Goes to Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro stands majestically on the plains of northern Tanzania in Africa, south of the equator, the tallest mountain on the continent and one of the "Seven Summits" in the world. The FGA team of Nick Fluge (lead adventurist), Yelena King (core specialist), and Troy Carter (VO2 Max Specialist), will take on the mountain that allows for only a 60% successful completion rate between August 14 and August 30.

Composed of extinct volcanoes, the mountain grew out of fractures and lava flows over 750,000 years ago. Glaciers returned to the mountain after volcanic activity settled and vegetation gradually claimed what it could of the rest of the mountain. Streams steadily wear creases in the aging massif. Weathering continues to shape the mountain and many believe the last of the glaciers and "snows of Kili" will be seen within the next decade.

Fluge, King, and Carter follow the tradition of exploration that began by Europeans in the mid 1800′s, that finally led to Kilamanjaro’s highest peak summit in 1889. For centuries before that however, local African peoples had been known to reference the mountain and use it as a source of water supply for their agriculture, livestock, and personal needs. In fact it was the Wachagga peoples, agriculturalists who farmed the lower slopes of the mountain over 250 years ago.

At about 20,000 feet, Kili has five major zones of discovery for the Fluge team. The "Cultivation Zone" takes the team through agricultural lands that are covered with ferns, clovers, and balsams. This ‘lower slope’ area also is where most of the local people now carve out a living. The second zone or "Forest Zone" will take our climbers through the richest zone on the mountain. Here a band of extremely beautiful mountain forest encircles the whole of Kilimanjaro and this is where much of the rain falls every year. The water is absorbed by a thick carpet of leaves which then percolates through the soil and the porous lava rock to emerge as springs lower down the mountain. Blue monkeys, small antelopes, bush pigs are only a few of the native species here. Giant heather like shrubs with beautiful flowers are home to some of the world’s most beautiful butterflies in the world.

At about 9,000 feet, the "Moorland" or third zone will find our adventurers beginning to find thinner air. Here one sees clusters of giant lobelias and senecios which have tall stems which act as reservoirs for the water needed for the large, cabbage-like rosette of leaves. Grasses of many variety also share this zone. While animal life begins to thin, birds of all types; crowned eagles, augur buzzards, white-necked ravens occupy the lands along with alpline hill chats and four striped grass mice. Here, Fluge, King, and Carter will view "Zebra Rock" so named because of its light and dark vertical bands which were caused by water seeping down the rock face from above and leaving light encrustations on the dark lava rock.

At about 13,000 feet the fourth zone or "Highland Desert" takes not only oxygen from the climbers but also shows the effects of little water on plant life. A high desert phenomenon called solifluction occurs when the ground freezes, soil-water expands and moves the soil around so plants have to cope with not only freezing but also being uprooted by soil movements. Under these conditions only the hardiest can survive. However, beautiful pale green and rusty red lichens spread over rocks in the Saddle area and around the Kibo and Mawenzi huts.

The final or "Summit Zone" begins at about 16,000 feet and this is where our climbers will experience oxygen levels at about 50% of that found in their Oregon homes. (Unless you sleep in Fluge’s altitude room of course)! This area is characterized by arctic conditions – freezing cold at night and burning sun during the day. Little atmosphere protects our climbers from the sun’s radiation and there is virtually no surface water. (Hopefully, the small cans of Starbucks Double Shots will still remain once our team hits ‘summit day’). On this, the eighth day of the climb, the team wakes at 2am to reach the summit by dawn and then begin descent immediately. The final day climb and descent is the longest for climbers who move steadily for about 15 hours.

Mountain sickness is commonplace at this altitude and the best way to avoid it is to ascend slowly to prevent decreased breathing ability, pulmonary edema, and cerebral oedema (thank god for that altitude room)! Hypothermia is another risk at these altitudes. It comes on very quickly and is caused by a lowering of the body’s internal temperatures. (REI and North Face have provided our climbers with great gear to prevent this)! While severe hypothermia can lead to disorientation, lethargy, confusion and death, our climbers will be led by some of the greatest guides on earth from Alpine Ascents (out of Seattle Washington).

The team as well as the Alpine Ascent guides are well prepared for most challenges and expect to descend Kili in just a couple of days. An ‘invitation only’ victory celebration is planned upon return at an undisclosed Whidbey Island location near Seattle with proceeds going to charity. 

Once back on flat land the party expects to experience part of the Great Migration from hot air balloons prior to returning to the states. September will be another month of preparation and then it’s back to Everest in October – the pinnacle of the seven summits and the last of Fluge’s 2007 Adventures

FGA Core Specialist, Yelena King, sporting FGA gear, at Multnomah Falls.

Member of the FGA alpine team, Everest climber, and FGA Event Sylist, Aimee Perlinger, is not taking on Kili as she is busy with Rose Cup event planning for June and then Great American Run planning for August. However, she has assured the FGA band that she’ll be in top shape for the October run at Everest.

Troy Carter, FGA VO2 Max Specialist, showing not just the FGA marque – but also a bit of bravado while balancing high above Columbia Gorge in Oregon.

Fluge isn’t leaving 100% of his training to the gym. He’s secured a High Altitude Tent from Shaun Wallace and his friends at Colorado Altitude Training, http://altitudetraining.com, and will begin sleeping and spending part of his days at altitude in another week until his “Hi-Tek, Hi-Altitude Room” is completed within house by the end of May. That room will take allow him to acclimatize to between 15-17,000 feet prior to his August rendezvous with Kili.

Some Examples of the Colorado High Altitude Tents/Rooms.

Visit http://www.altitudetraining.com for more information.

Helping Fluge further this challenge include his friends in the “Lab” at Nike, http://www.nike.com, as well as his friends at The North Face, http://northface.com.

High altitude training has been around a while but not for actual mountain climbers nor the general population, and the technology and scientific advances are growing every day. Fluge and Team FGA’s ascents in 2007 should only strengthen this trend. Professional teams and players in the NFL, NHL, NBA as well as elite college programs are getting their altitude from Colorado Altitude Training (CAT). In 2007, CAT (Colorado Altitude Training) has supplied altitude to the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, Phoenix Coyotes, Duke University, and the following players: Shaquille O’Neal, Ben Gordon, Ahman Green, and many others. In 2006, Gilbert Arenas announced to the world that he was living in “Colorado” on the east coast, and his all-star performance indicates it is working. Also in 2006, Anthony Gonzalez, WR at Ohio State was featured on ESPN’s College Gameday in his altitude tent. Altitude training, lon g bastion in the elite endurance markets, where Lance Armstrong pioneered the technology, is now being accepted widely by mainstream team sports as a way to increase speed and strength while improving endurance and recovery. With their Kili and Everest climbs in 2007, Team FGA brings altitude to the world’s everymanandwoman!

Mt. Kilimanjaro