After hiking for over a week, Lake Orion resident Mary Chayka-Crawford finally reached the summit of the 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa with four other hikers from the original seven in their group.
Chayka-Crawford and her husband Stewart Crawford traveled to Tanzania, Africa from Feb. 6-March 6, and both went on the Kilimanjaro climb and later an African photo safari.
Chayka-Crawford said Stewart, who does not have as much climbing experience as her, made it to 17,002-feet before altitude sickness forced him to turn back. Chayka-Crawford said she was pleased that she never felt any of its effects herself.
‘I think he was real happy with that,? she said of her husband. ‘He made a good choice to go back.?
‘We started hiking on Feb. 11, and we finished on Feb. 19,? she said. ‘We had seven hikers, one lead guide, three assistant guides and five porters.?
On the final day, the final group started climbing at 12 a.m., after camping at 15,200 feet.
‘We went from 15,200 to 19,004,? Chayka-Crawford said. ‘It’s quite a haul, mostly straight up on a narrow volcanic path. It was zero degrees and we had head lamps.?
She had made it to the summit by 6:30 a.m., just as the sun was ‘peeking out of the clouds.?
‘We had a beautiful clear morning,? said Chayka-Crawford.
She found that they don’t call Kilimanjaro the ‘roof of Africa? for nothing.
‘It was just spectacular,? she said. ? You could see forever. We stayed up there about 30 minutes.?
Chayka-Crawford was unable to get any pictures of her own from the top, because after Stewart decided to go down he gave her the camera, which he had been keeping inside his jacket.
‘I put it in my backpack, and I don’t know if the camera or the batteries froze,? she said.
The couple did get lots of pictures from their photo safari, which Chayka-Crawford said was quite an experience.
‘It was odd because it was like, there’s a giraffe, there’s a zebra,? she said. ‘It was in a park, so the animals are used to people and the trucks.?
She said the average temperature was about 90 on the ground, and very, very dry.
‘The rainy season starts the first of March,? Chayka-Crawford said. ‘It got up to 100 one day.?
She said their guides were ‘phenomenal,? as were the people they encountered.
‘The people were just genuine and gracious,? she said. ‘They have a huge spirit and huge heart.?
‘I would definitely go to Africa again,? said Chayka-Crawford. ‘The climb was very challenging and I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I would want to do that climb again. I’m looking for a new challenge.?
Chayka-Crawford is considering somewhere in South America for her next climb.
‘I’ve never been there,? she said. ‘I’m just thinking about it right now, but it will probably be next year or maybe even this fall.?