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- Jul 12, 2011
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Climb For The Cause Dispatches From Kilimanjaro
Clif and Olivia SimonÂson, widÂow and daughÂter of Andrea Grace SotÂer-SimonÂson, pledged to raise monÂey by climbÂing KilÂiÂmanÂjaro as a way of repÂreÂsentÂing all of those famÂiÂlies ​“climbÂing their own KilÂiÂmanÂjaro” as they batÂtle with the physÂiÂcal and emoÂtionÂal burÂdens of canÂcer. The Climb For The Cause founÂdaÂtion raised nearÂly $90,000 before they joined MounÂtain MadÂness on their KilÂiÂmanÂjaro climb last week. We were hapÂpy to send them with a satelÂlite phone so we could hear about their progress along the way. Check out the first sevÂerÂal disÂpatchÂes from the mountain:
(All phoÂtos from preÂviÂous trips)

HikÂing in Arusha NationÂal Park before the climb. MM Collection
July 10, 2011
From the Arusha NationÂal Park, Itikoni camp site- Olivia, Paul, Mary, IsabelÂla and Dylan.
IsabelÂla is the youngest girl that our guide, Ben MalÂiÂty, has ever takÂen up the mounÂtain. There are 18 peoÂple total in our group from all over the UnitÂed States, as well as the world. YesÂterÂday, July 9th, we were all met by our guides at the airÂport. FolÂlowÂing our arrival after an 8 hour plane ride from AmsÂterÂdam we took a 1‑hour rocky, dusty, bumpy car ride on the wrong side of the road! ComÂing into camp many of us were wearÂing shorts, flip flops, and t‑shirts in unexÂpectÂed freezÂing weather.
PriÂvate LuxÂuÂry Camp in Arusha NationÂal Park. MM Collection

Fine dinÂing, the MadÂness style. MM Collection
Once we finÂished an amazÂing dinÂner (all of our meals have been absoluteÂly deliÂcious) we were assigned our tents. They were luxÂuÂriÂous, comÂplete with beds, a showÂer and a toiÂlet. EveryÂone was jet lagged but hapÂpy to be in this place we had all been dying to see. The next day, Ben briefed on the advenÂture ahead and we learned some Swahili.
JamÂbo= helÂlo
JamÂba= fart
MamÂbo= whats up?

On the driÂve to the trailÂhead. David Bates photo
Around 2:00 we went on a short hike to two waterÂfalls and took picÂtures of monÂkeys, a giraffe and a mass of ants. Dylan was dared by Ben to wresÂtle a water bufÂfaÂlo, but was beat by Paul who already had him tamed… not realÂly. After the hike those of us who wantÂed it took the world’s best hot buckÂet showÂer. LatÂer, we had ​“famÂiÂly bondÂing” over popÂcorn and cards in our own lounge. We have all had a wonÂderÂful time in just the past two days and are excitÂed for what lies ahead.
KwaÂheri! (bye!)
-Olivia
HikÂing in on day one. MM Collection
July 11, 2011
This is Olivia and Paul disÂpatchÂing from yesÂterÂday, July 11, from ForÂest Camp at 9,000 feet. Today was our first day on the mounÂtain. We drove 4 hours, on what our whole group would agree was the roughÂest car ride on the most uneven roads we have ever expeÂriÂenced. It was fanÂtasÂtic! We drove through sevÂerÂal vilÂlages and in all of them we saw chilÂdren, men and women in their daiÂly rouÂtine workÂing with liveÂstock in the fields. It was such a fanÂtasÂtic sight to see the way these peoÂple live and how difÂferÂent it was from our own.

Wildlife keepÂing a watchÂful eye on the group. David Bates photo

Part of the friendÂly crew. Shane CheÂlone photo
A giraffe walked in front of our car and we saw baboons on the side of the road. When we got to the mounÂtain, we met our porters and walked an hour and a half to lunch, which we ate at about 8,000 feet in the forÂest. We then hiked to ForÂest Camp at 9,000 feet where we now reside. At dinÂner, everyÂone was talkÂing about the amazÂing porters. While we were huffÂing and puffÂing up the hill, they were runÂning past us carÂryÂing loads twice our weight on their heads. BreakÂfast, lunch, and dinÂner, as always, was deliÂcious beyond all means. I am pretÂty conÂvinced that we’ll be micheÂlin men by the end of this trip. Until tomorrow!
Camp on the first night. MM Collection

ArrivÂing to camp, already set up and sleepÂing bags rolled out! David Bates photo
July 12, 2011
This is Olivia and Paul, our secÂond disÂpatch, on July 12 on Mount KilÂiÂmanÂjaro. We’re at ShiÂra Camp at 11,000 feet. Today is our first full day of campÂing on the mounÂtain. We were wokÂen up this mornÂing at 6 for breakÂfast with hot water. We hiked for 7 hours with lunch in between. We hiked from 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet. In two days we’ve gone from sub-tropÂiÂcal through diverse monÂtane forÂest and now we are in the giant heather zone, a scene straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. We have a great view of the mounÂtain from our camp, and tomorÂrow we begin our ascent of the mounÂtain. We’ve had a great time, our whole group has realÂly bondÂed and we’re getÂting along very well. And we’re realÂly dirty, everyÂthing’s covÂered in dirt and we’re feelÂing great! The porters have been amazÂing the whole way. We’ll talk to you tomorrow!

EnterÂing the giant heather zone. David Bates photo

Mess tent on the climb. David Bates photo
July 13, 2011
This is Olivia callÂing from Moir Camp at an eleÂvaÂtion of 13,600 feet. We’re all realÂly startÂing to feel the altiÂtude! It was our secÂond day on the mounÂtain, and durÂing the whole hike, KilÂiÂmanÂjaro was towÂerÂing over us. There were these cool plants that bloomed durÂing the day when the sun was out and closed at night. There was an amazÂing rock overÂhang that we took picÂtures at. It’s those things along the trails that make us want to keep going.
GetÂting into camp is usuÂalÂly the best part of the day, and on our down time we like to play cards with the porters and eat popÂcorn. Although some peoÂple in our group are major athÂletes, they have nothÂing against the altiÂtude, which is the dark horse in this whole expeÂriÂence. Although we are high on the mounÂtain, we still have highÂer to go. Kwa heri! (Bye!)

Cards with the porters. David Bates photo