What about any who have failed? I'm curious why some of you did not summit. Maybe you know of someone in your group or a family member. I'm going Feb 06 an am completely confident I will summit, but I would like to get a little reality check by those who felt the same way before, but then just did not make it

I havent climbed kili yet but I have been most of the way up a mountain and had to turn arround. The biggest problem up there is that there isnt any air I was just going too slow ie: take a few steps, then need to rest for a minute. Its pretty much all mental so you need to just keep walking. I did need a rest but i proberbly could have taken 10 more steps inbetween rests. and that is the difference between sumiting and not.

I turned around about 2 hours into summit night. I just wasn't interested in walking (slowly) in a line for another 6 hours, only to come aaaaallllll the way down the next morning.

Of course, it was also windy, trying to rain, cold and dark, and just coming from Wyoming, I figured I could hike in the windy, rainy cold dark anytime- only without the gasping line of people a mile in front and behind me.

Too much socks making my feet cold and a real need to pee had something to do with it too, of course, but mostly? yeah, the endless line of people.

But I'm not really goal oriented. You should ask fresia about it- she had to go all the way back down.

j.

quote:

I'm going Feb 06 an am completely confident I will summit, but I would like to get a little reality check

Well welcome to Boots Kili06 and as confident as you may be , I'm very sorry, but no chance in hell on you making it .....in Feb 2006!

You'll want to get yourself a little better organised than that.
On what the philosopher and Lazyj said, the altitude would in deed seems to be what sorts people out and it's moving slower than slow, like in slow motion and persobally like Jayn, I can't even see the see the need to go, not even to start as it near seems to be one of those touristed killed off type things in being on the list of "to do" conquests.
If you read up on some of the blogs with respect to trail conditions etc., and have a look at some footage if you can, like any mountains above the tree line, it certainly looks rather barren and bare.

If you want a different type of experience for a holiday and have not already booked have a look at eco locations here, and in that forum, places like mamiraua project or laguna lachua or go trekking in lower himalayas.
But if committed to Kili, see if you can do some altitude day/weekend walks between now and then.

Gonorth...not really sure what you said, but thanks for the honest feedback to the other people. I've read just about every blog and post on this website, I just didn't see anything from people who didn't make it.

Well Gal,
How are you going to do it in Feb 06 When it is already Oct 06, and as to the other,
Some people may not feel too good about what they feel other people may see as some sort of failure, not that it is at all!
And I'm just saying there's all sorts of other options.

I might try it again, someday. Maybe do the western breach- someday.

Problem for me is/ was low patience, short attention span, and an intense dislike for standing in line. The summit night (and a couple of the earlier days) was a lot like waiting in line at disney for a faster loading ride- moved about a foot a minute sometimes. Staring at de feets. You won't hear about it usually, because the people doing it were either too spacy to remember, or it got washed away with the summit. Like those women who tell you natural childbirth doesn't hurt. Ya just forget.

Plus, like with sympathetic pukers, listening to other people gasp gives me an asthma attack.

But I'm sure that on the less trammelled routes, it's more fun, a more... wilderness/ hiking type experience. beer on the way down was nice, tho.

j

HAHA your right, it must be the time change thing they make us do here on the west coast. Feb 07. Thanks
Interesting to know that you have to stand in line at the summit, I guess everyone needs there picture. Is this daily at all times?

Hi

I have heard of a few that had to stop and one in my group didn't make it to the top. I guess there are a few things that can stop you on the way up:
1. Altitude problems - it is hard to predict if you will have problems or not. Some don't have any problems at all and some get head aches, get sick...or it can get so bad that you have to return to lower altitude
2. Cold - if you are not dressed properly when you climb the summit at night it can get very cold as you are walking slow. I was dressed to handle it but it seems like many don't take this serious enough
3. General fatigue - the one girl that didn't make it to the top in my group stopped at the crater rim and said "no more". At that point she had already been dragged up/pushed up by the guides and she was just tired after walking all night

I also met a girl before I started the walk that had to abort her climb due to dehydration. As she climbed the mountain she was afraid to drink because there was nowhere she could pee...so she didn't drink enough and got weaker due to that.

Check out my trip report on http://gardkarlsen.com/kilimanjaro_index.htm if you want some more info on my Kili trip :-)

hi - I came across a (very detailed) report whislt researchig for my trip - by bostongal who turned around at stella point due to cold, exhaustion and a bit of alt sickness - check it out - though it might sive you an attack of anxiety

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4&tid=34774854

All the people that we saw that failed just basically had altitude sickness or were simply just tired of being on the mountain. It is a long time and if you are not used to doing something for a long time then it can be very hard. It is all mental I believe and even if the physical rigors are hard, you can push yourself to make it.

Here's a comment on the Kili Logue from someone who didn't make it to the top - but it sounds like she's really determined to get up there next time!

I went in the end of September - and I didn't make it. I made it to the high camp (6 days) and had to come down. It wasn't because I was tired of the mountain, or that I wasn't in shape, or that I didn't have the determination...I had all of those things...I just got sick (altitude sickness). You can never really predict what will happen to your body up there - and you really don't have that much control over it (but eat and drink a lot and that helps). There is a mental piece...but I was physically sick and still I thought I might be able to make it - but my guide sent me packing...
You can read about it on my blog - www.ottsworld.com - look for the Kili post.
Anyway - the only thing that you can really try to do to ensure that you get to the top is take as many days as you possible can (afford) and your body will adjust!
Good luck...it's a great experience...even though mine was really tough - I will try again someday soon!

I never did Kili, but I have tried climbing a mountain and turned back(sort of)

I went up to a height of 4000 meters plus by mule, and had to walk around and down for two days. By the first day, I was shot. I had all the classic symptoms of altitude sickness, plus, my knees and ankles were giving out from all the down hill.

I COULD have made it down, I suppose. If I were twenty years younger, I would have pushed myself to do so. I know from experience that I was risking tripping and falling, hurting an ankle, leg, or worse.

Altitude sickness is something you need to experience to know. Lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches, muscular tiredness.

So, we took the cable car down the mountain. I loved the part of the Sierra Nevadas I had done, but wanted nothing to do with the rest of the descent. Call me cowardly, or call me sensible. I just had had enough.

I also know what its like to walk up and down places staring at miles of people ahead and behind. At that point it becomes a parade, not an ascent. I suppose I would take out my flag and kazoo and make a social event out of it. Thats what I intend to do the next time I do the last 100 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago!! Its the only way to survive and keep your spirits!!

I did not summit either...was about 300ft away from it. I was just too slow and there was not enough time for me to summit and descend in time before nightfall.I needed at least 1.5 hours more.

Since I was so slow in general I hiked just with one other person and my guide. It was a lovely solitary meditative experience for 6 days.

I did not have too many symptoms of Altitude sickness but in general I was just so tired and my being asthmatic my lung capacity was just not enough.

Made it to 19,000ft and turned back with my group who were on their way back from the summit.Be prepared to make that decision...it was not the easiest decision but then it was not the hardest either. Know your body and also know that its not the end of the world if you do not summit.

Yes you do miss a great experience but not worth putting ur life or somebody else in danger.I had a tear or two but then I still have a 5-6 hike down to the basecamp on two bum knees but all the pain was forgotten when I had a beer after 7 days :-)

train as much as you can...one thing do not forget to do some upper body strenght training.

It is a amazing mountain and enjoy what you can. If the mountain spirit is with you, you will summit..if not think of it as a great lesson in discpline and endurance. Be grateful you saw a wonderful place on earth and return safely.