FLUGE TEAM LEAVES TO AFRICA TO TACKLE MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Friday, August 10th, 2007FGA 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
