Mt. Kilmanjaro conqured.
On Oct. 13, after more than a year of planning, thousands of air miles and a training program comparable to that of a marathon runner?58-year-old township resident Jonathan Schechter arrived on the summit of the19,340 foot Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Known as the, ‘Roof of Africa,? and located in the United Republic of Tanzania’Schechter, an avid hiker and camper, ascended Mt. Kilmanjaro along with a party of three climbers, plus a support team of 16 porters.
‘It felt like there was a clothespin on my nose and I was breathing through a straw,? said Schechter, an on-call paramedic/firefighter with the Brandon Fire Department and an emergency room paramedic for St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital.
‘My legs felt heavy and hurt. We saw little wildlife after about 13,000 feet. I did see ravens up there. The summit is an amazing place’I did not know what to expect. Kilmanjaro is the largest free- standing volcano in the world. There are lava tubes everywhere, and the smell of sulfur is devastating.?
Schechter’s trek to Africa originated from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Amsterdam, Netherlands to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and concluded at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Following a day-long stay in Arusha National Park at 4,500 feet above sea level, Schechter and his team went up the mountain via the Londorossi Gate on the western entrance, in the Kilimanjaro National Park. The trail continues past the tree line to snow-covered Uhurap Peak.
‘Eight nights on the mountain with two days to come down. The descent is via a shorter, more direct path,? he said.
Only two of the three climbers made it to the top of Kilimanjaro. Thirty-one-year-old Kelly, a Boston native and marathon runner, was forced to stay back at about 15,000 feet due to the altitude.
‘The night before we reached the summit, we camped at 15,331 feet near the rim of the inactive volcano. The next 4,000 feet took us ll hours to cover. There was no hanging from ropes during the climb, it’s a steep ascent, but my feet stayed on the ground all the way. The view from the top of Kilimanjaro is similar to looking out the window of an airplane over the clouds’it would appear to be a moonscape along with the occasional puff of sulphur smoke from the nearby ash pit.?
Schechter has a master of science degree in forest resources from the University of Washington and has worked in Michigan as both a paramedic and naturalist for almost 25 years. He is also a member of the Wilderness Medical Society, certified in advanced wilderness life support.
‘It’s amazing it takes about four liters of water everyday on the climb,? he said. ‘We ate well, too’chicken and pasta during the trip.?
The party exited Kilimanjaro through the Mweka Gate. Schechter returned home last week.
Kilimanjaro was not Schechter’s first adventure. Over the years he has hiked through the Golan Heights in the volatile Middle-East, explored Cape Chaignecto, Nova Scotia, and the endured a safari on Serengeti Plains, Tanzania.
‘My next trip will be at sea level’maybe a bicycle trip to Havana where we can throw back a cold beer with Castro.?