Entries By mark tucker
We were up early, slammed a quick breakfast then had a fun gathering of local staff and rewarded all of them with financial bonuses.This crew took great care of us while on the mountain, it felt really good to show our appreciation. A few hour descent to the park gate, a couple hour drive time watching the daily routine out the window of our monster truck and here we are. Back to hot showers and clean clothes. We just finished a dinner of fondue and topped it off with a bunch of summit certificates handed out to a group of well-deserving mountain climbers.
More excitement ahead as we repack for the game viewing safari we start tomorrow. A great trip just keeps getting better.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
July 21, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 10,000'
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in from the final camp: down here at the Mweka Camp, 10,000 ft on Kilimanjaro. It’s all tall, giant heather; it’s beautiful. It looks like a fabulous night for a summit climb but that’s exactly what we will not be doing. It’s a done deal.
We will enjoy our last night on this beautiful mountain. Tomorrow we head to the trail head.
On The Map
July 20, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 19,340'
Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 9:20 p.m. PT
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in, I guess they call it Uhuru Peak, the tallest point in Africa. Here we are!
Pretty good conditions. The team did fantastic. I am happy to report 100% on top! Yes, everyone is doing well. A few beautiful clouds above Mt. Kilimanjaro and clouds below, a beautiful sunrise. We are having a gas, everyone is doing well. A couple more photos and we are going to start the descent. We are going to head down into the rain forest. That will be the goal.
Thanks for everybody’s support back home. We will check in again soon.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls from the summit of Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft) with 100% of the team.
On The Map
July 20, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 15,000'
Mark Tucker checking in from Barafu Camp. We are at the lower camp at about 15,000’ just under the southeast edge of the Kilimanjaro Summit. We have the jungle below and the top of the mountain above and a team that is rip-roaring and ready!
We put on a couple of miles today from the Karanga camp. The upper mountain is a bleak zone, but quite beautiful in its own way. We’re going to have a quick dinner and crawl into the tents for about five hours of rest to get us ready for an early a.m. departure. I am happy to report that we are 100% go power with this team. Everybody is getting pretty excited and doing really well. A couple of minor headaches but the overall health and well-being is very very good. We are ready the weather is cooperating we had to puffy clouds in the afternoon not unusual. Last night was beautiful so we are keeping our fingers crossed that we have one of the same. We have a pretty bright moon illuminating our trip so we are in pretty good shape.
Talk to you later,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker & Team
Mark Tucker Checking in from Barafu Camp
July 19, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 13,160'
Hello,
This is RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in from the Karanga camp on Kilimanjaro, situated at about 13,160', or 4011 meters above sea level. We are looking so good. Having a gas - wish you guys were here. We have the most amazing night out. The moon is getting fuller and brighter as we speak. We are poised for our next push to the Barafu Camp tomorrow which will be our high camp. Things worked out very well today, we timed our selves perfectly for the ascent of the Barranco Wall, which is right out of camp, some step traverses, some ledges and face, several rock bands. Just really fun climbing. Everybody did great and we took some really nice hero photos. Then we did a traverse, only a couple miles today, and into this camp. And we're on the impressive south side of Kilimanjaro with the Diamond, Heim, Kersten, Decken Glaciers hanging right above us. It's quite a sight. So, the weather is holding and everyone on the team is healthy. They are definitely keeping our kitchen staff busy keeping those pots filled. No loss of appetite for this crew. We are doing so well in and we are psyched up. We had a bit of a summit talk today, passing along some information going over some tactics that will be useful in the near future. So all is well, and we will check in tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from Karanga Camp, 13,160 ft, on Mt. Kilimanjaro
On The Map
July 18, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 14,900'
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in from Camp 3 Barranco camp on Kilimanjaro. Yet another beautiful day of hiking and climbing for the group, lucky, lucky, us. We are at about 12,800 feet now. We did get up to almost 15,000 feet today and broke a lot of people's altitude records. Everyone did just fine. We are staring up at the Barranco Wall which we will tackle in the morning. It's actually a very fun part of the climb, a little bit of scrambling. For tactical beat we are going to drag our feet a little bit in the morning. There are a few other teams up here so we will let them get a head start and hopefully have the wall pretty much to ourselves which will be great photos and just a bit more fun. It will be a little bit of a shorter day tomorrow getting to our next camp. Some of the folks on a six day climb will push all the way to high camp tomorrow. But we'll go ahead and split that into two days. It really helps out for the success ahead. So, its a beautiful night outside. I am staring up at the glaciers, what's left of them - they have been dwindling, but who knows that could change. I can't ask for a better group of folks, we are having a fun time and everyone is just doing really well. So fingers crossed, couple of more days of this and we will be heading for the summit. Can't wait.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checks in from Barranco Camp at 12,800 ft on Kilimanjaro,
On The Map
July 17, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 12,200'
Mark Tucker checking in from Camp 2, the Shira Plateau, about 12,200 feet. We had a nice breakfast and a leisurely pace. A bit of an ascent from our Machame Camp. But a step at a time, a break at a time, and a traverse through a very mystical-kind of environment in and out of some riverbeds. A pretty enchanting walk and everybody's doing very well. I'm very pleased with the performance of the team. We're all happy and healthy. We just finished a fabulous 3-course meal and people are crawling into the tents. We're having this moon interrupt a little bit of our star gazing. It's a little bright because no clouds, clear skies. There was a bit of marine layer type sea of muck below us, but not a cloud in the sky today, perfect conditions. A little bit dusty on the trail but a little handkerchief over the nose at times worked out just fine. We're having a gas. One of our team members, Alberto, wanted do a shout out to his Pops. So, "Hey to you." He's having a good time doing really well. It will be another 6:30 up, and hopefully breakfast at 7:15, hitting the trail by around 8:00. Great day tomorrow, break some altitude records. We are hoping to go just over 15,000 feet and then back down to 12,800' for the night. Very great opportunity for acclimatization. Climb high, sleep low. It is just setting us up for success. So all is well. We'll check in tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checking in from Shira Camp.
On The Map
July 16, 2013
Posted by: Mark Tucker
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Elevation: 9,800'
Mark Tucker calling from camp number one on Kilimanjaro, Machame Camp, about 10,000 feet. What a great day. Got out of our low lands, slick-slick. Team was already, packed, started our hike at the gate under perfect conditions. A little bit overcast, kind of cool in the canopy of the lower flanks of Kilimanjaro. What a group. So thrilled with performances today. Everybody did fantastic. And right towards the end of the hike coming into camp, the mountain started to show the upper reaches. That just thrilled one and all and gave us that last little boost to come into camp. Bit chilly right now. It's 9 or 10 in the evening and we're all bedded down after real nice meal. Everybody's got a good appetite. I have quite the international crew: three Norwegians, a Puerto Rican, a guy from Mexico and a few US on the team. Really fun getting to know them; we are all having a gas and will check in tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker calls in from Machame Camp.
On The Map
The team, as well as our luggage, is here at the Dik Dik Hotel. We caught up on some jet lag with one member saying, "Best sleep ever." After a nice breakfast, we had an orientation meeting then went straight into equipment checks. So important to take the time to start a climb with what you need for any mountain. The team came well prepared as very little was missing.
Once the team was organized for the climb, we had time to check out the local sights. Some of the team made a trip to Arusha, a nearby city, while others hiked around our neighborhood visiting shops, schools and an orphanage. We are all doing well and looking forward to the start of the climb tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
New team member! We now have a second man on the team. Carter is his name and is husband of Lucy. We put him right to the test by climbing the 218 steps up to the colonnade at St. Isaac's Cathedral. No crampons, nor ice axe needed, but we did put on at least another six miles touring around and he handled it no problem. Super nice guy and loads of fun to be with, guess I need to make him a summit certificate. So much to see, what a great job they do here to make it user friendly. The rich history and the sights we visit, accompanied by a local guide, are overwhelming to say the least. Can't forget the multitude of food options with the group making some great choices. Definitely not cheap to get some calories on board, but if you do a little research the taste buds are well rewarded. I have been on the Borscht taste testing program when possible, this kind of beet-type soup can take on many identities. So far the smoked pear version has been the most far out in flavor. Being at the end of the Bay of Finland and part of the Baltic Sea,they say that they get about fifty sunny days here a year. The usual maritime climate prevails. We have been fortunate with the glorious days we have been so lucky to experience. Better get here quick before the nice days are gone for this year. That said, could not of had a nicer evening boat cruise to top off such a wonderful day.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Previous Page
Next Page
Great achievement for all specially for those that live at sea level
Posted by: Alberto Sr. on 7/22/2013 at 5:41 am
Hey I agree with Ana! You guys rock!!! Especially the Mexican guy! Hahaha
Posted by: Jasmin on 7/22/2013 at 2:23 am
View All Comments