We get up and put on at least
two base layers, winter/ski pants, soft shell and winter/ski jackets. I push
myself to eat two bowls of porridge, although I feel sick from it. Stan feels
worse that yesterday and doesn't want to eat any porridge. We start walking
little after 2 o'clock and we can see some groups of lights up on the hill. The
serious slope starts right away from the camp and almost without exception will
make our life harder in the next vertical 1,300 m/4,300 ft. It gets harder for
Stan and Chewa takes his dayback. The path winds around rocks and scree.
After an hour or two we meet
the first group that has given up. We can't laugh at them not making it,
because we know very well what they have been up to and a part of us wants to
turn away to the camp as well. I feel for them and tell myself that I am going
to get to the top for them as well. After some time we meet another group of
one that are going back untimely. Stan's state doesn't improve and he
frequently needs rests, he feels dizzy, but continues.
The sky is starting to
lighten up behind Mawenzi and every time we walk to the right we manage to
feast our eyes on the unbelievable colors of the sky. We won't make it on time
to see the sunrise on Stella point at about 5,700 m/18,700 ft, but it doesn't
matter. I look upwards from time to time and the crater's edge doesn't come any
closer, as if somebody stacks more and more rocks on top. If you hurry little
bit the mountain takes away from you the little oxygen that it has given you,
it is very impatient with the impatient ones.
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Mawenzi and the sunrise
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