Outside Online: Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

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CLIMBING FOR CARE

Global poverty sends
Americans to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro

On February 19, 1997, a group of hardy and charitable souls began their trek up Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Outside Online will follow their sojourn as one of the climbers (or more likely, a porter) will carry a satellite phone on the climb to offer plenty of updates during the hard slog upward.

UPDATES

February 19: Starting up the mountain

(.WAV or RealAudio): Christi Masengill describes a CARE project
February 20: On the Shira Plateau

(.WAV or RealAudio): Peter Blomquist talks about Day 2
February 21: A Fischer Camp memorial

(.WAV or RealAudio): Bill Pope reports from Camp 3
February 22: Into the snows of Kilimanjaro

(.WAV or RealAudio): Richard Levitan attempts a Swahili song
    February 23: Three miles high
    February 24: In the summit crater

(.WAV or RealAudio): After the hardest day's climb
February 25: On the roof of Africa

(.WAV or RealAudio): Smiles and hugs at the summit
February 27: A few post-summit thoughts

This is no ordinary climb. These 20 folks, from skilled climbers to neophyte campers, are seeking not only individual accomplishments, but to draw attention to CARE, a non-profit organization that’s been helping impoverished people around the globe for 50 years. The Climb for CARE gives them an opportunity to raise awareness about humanitarian needs--and solutions--overseas.

This year's Climb for CARE is the second annual expedition on behalf of the organization and is dedicated to famed mountain guide Scott Fischer, who led the first Climb for CARE in January 1996 and died on Mt. Everest four months later. His company, Mountain Madness, will lead this year's trek.

One climber from last year's trek, James Clash, wrote an article about the '96 climb, which gives a good sense of what climbers will experience this year.

To help ensure a successful climb for all, a longer, more gradual route will be taken to allow time for acclimation to the increasing altitudes. The Shira Plateau route passes through the Montane Forest, and by the Lava Tower and Arrow Glacier toward the summit. The ascent is expected to take a week.

THE CLIMBERS

From California to New York, the adventurers range in age from 19 to 62, with backgrounds ranging from a CEO to a university student. They begin the climb February 19, and if all goes as scheduled, they'll be nearly 4 miles high by the 25th.

Part of each climber's obligation is to have raised at least $10,000 to support CARE's work to improve the economic and social well-being of the world's poor. CARE's efforts include health, agriculture, natural resources, small business loans, and girls' education.

Photographs courtesy of Mountain Madness