When Paul Barr says he’s been to the mountaintop, it’s not just a figure of speech.
At approximately 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in the African nation of Tanzania.
‘It was everything I thought (it would be) and more,? said the 47-year-old owner of the Oxford Yoga Studio, located at 18 N. Washington St. ‘You could see the sunrise. You see the glaciers that are on the mountain. You’re above the clouds, so it was kind of cool to look down at them.?
At 19,341 feet, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. It’s made up of three volcanic cones, two of which are extinct, while the third is dormant and could still possibly erupt.
Barr began his ascent on the afternoon of Saturday, June 27.
‘It was fantastic. Beautiful country, beautiful scenery,? he said. ‘The weather was just perfect. I could have stayed there a lot longer if I had the time.?
Barr set out with a 12-to-14-member support team, which included two guides, from Journeys International, a global adventure travel company based in Ann Arbor.
The support staff prepared meals, set up tents and carried luggage and supplies from one campsite to the next, he explained.
Making the climb with Barr was a 73-year-old Alaskan man on safari with his wife. ‘It was kind of fun to do it with him,? he said.
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is a much different experience than say scaling Mount Everest or K2 because the African mountain is walkable. No mountaineering skills are required because it’s basically a very long hike. His party hiked four to nine hours a day, according to Barr.
The whole experience was both physically and mentally challenging.
‘There were times it was just really, really hard ? it seemed like the top never got any closer,? Barr said. ‘You had to keep telling yourself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I never felt like I was going to quit, but it just got so tedious sometimes.?
Fortunately, Barr suffered no ill-effects as a result of the diminished oxygen supply as he climbed higher and higher. Oxygen levels near the top of the mountain are approximately half those at the base.
‘I didn’t have any altitude sickness or anything,? he said. ‘That was my biggest concern. You don’t really know (how it’s going to affect you) until you get there.?
In order to give your body time to adjust to the altitude, Barr said, ‘You have to go really, really, really slow.?
Kilimanjaro climbers experience five different climates as they hike from the bottom to the top. They go from rainforest areas around the base to an Arctic zone at the summit.
‘It was interesting,? Barr said. ‘When you start, there’s a lot of growth, the trees are really high. Every day (during the ascent), there was a little less vegetation, (fewer) flowers. Every day, there’s a little less and then eventually, there’s nothing. By the time, you (reach) the summit, there’s nothing. It’s just stone. There’s no plants. There’s no animals. There’s no trees. There’s nothing. It’s all volcanic gravel and dirt and sand. It was really cool to go through all those (climate) zones.?
With the exception of the journey’s final leg, all of the hiking was done during the day.
They left for the summit in the middle of the night because that’s when the ‘volcanic gravel? on the ground is ‘frozen,? making it easier for climbers to maintain their footing, according to Barr.
‘If we did it during the day, it’s so slippery that it would almost be impossible to get up to the summit,? he explained.
Even though the last portion was a relatively short distance compared to the overall trek, it did not go quickly.
‘It took us about seven hours to go about half-a-mile,? Barr said. ‘It’s basically a vertical climb of about 1,000 meters. You’re on a path, but it’s basically (heading) straight up.?
When he finally reached the summit, Barr was relieved, joyful and tired.
‘I’m glad that I made it,? he said. ‘It still hasn’t sunk in to be honest with you.?
Barr is pleased he went with experienced guides and a support team.
‘They’ve gone up hundreds of times, so they knew exactly what it took to get up there,? he said. ‘I’m not saying I couldn’t have done it by myself, but it was great to have people there that knew exactly how to get to the summit.?
‘If I had done it on my own, I probably would have gone up too fast or I probably wouldn’t have eaten as good as I did,? Barr noted. ‘If you start to push it, there’s probably no way you’re going to get to the summit. You’ve really got to watch your pace and you’ve got to make sure you’re eating. If you don’t do those two things, it’s really, really hard.?
Barr thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, from overcoming a challenge to the camaraderie of his team. He especially liked being out in the wilderness, away from phones, computers and all the other trappings of modern life.
‘It was everything I could have asked for and more,? he said. ‘I would definitely consider (climbing) other mountains.?
Not only did Barr walk away with the personal satisfaction that comes from literally conquering a mountain, he also raised money and awareness for a worthy cause.
Barr did the climb as a fund-raiser for the Canine Companions Rescue Center (CCRC), a volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to working with the community and area animal control agencies to promote the adoption of homeless dogs.
Founded in 2004, CCRC rescues and adopts approximately 700 dogs annually. Barr has been involved with the Oakland County-based group for about a year.
His trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro garnered between $1,500 and $2,000 in donations.
To learn more, visit www.ccrcdogs.com