Kibo Hut sits at the base of the mountain, just on the edge of the saddle. It is essentially a group of stone structures filled with bunks and a table. It’s for a short stay, you hike to Kibo, grab a couple hours of sleep, then head out to the mountain.
Though you are greeted warmly by the porters, there is nothing warm about Kibo. It’s a cold, unforgiving place that reminds you that this is a serious climb.
It was here that I wondered aloud why this trail is called the Coca Cola route. It felt more like the Jack Daniels route.
I made it to Kibo in about 5 hours but I was starting to feel the altitude. My pace had slowed a lot and I felt myself panting for each breath.
Despite it all, my confidence was still high as I wrapped myself in my sleeping bag to get some rest before attempting the summit. I decided to sleep in all of my warm weather clothes for two reasons. It would give me less to think about when I woke up and it helped to keep the cold at bay so I could sleep a little.
The plan was to get up at 11pm, grab a quick snack and hit the trail at midnight.
I went to sleep listening to other climbers who had just returned from the mountain. They made it, but it wasn’t easy.
After a few moments, I decided it wasn’t a good idea to listen too closely.
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