Tanzania - Day 3 of Kili Hike

Shira II (12,779 ft) to Barranco Huts (13,077 ft) via Lava Tower (15,180 ft) Distance: ~6 miles

Today was a fun day - good weather, great scenery, great conversation with our guides.  When we woke up in the morning we got great views of the Shira Cathedra, a ridge of the mountain with Mt. Meru in the background, and on the other side a great sunrise view of the Kili peak.  We hiked from the Shira II to Lava Tower, where we had lunch.  Then down to the Barranco Camp.  It was a good acclimatization day because we hiked high and slept low.  It was also the day where we hiked higher than any of us have ever hiked before.  We have all done 14ers in Colorado, but none were as high as Lava Tower.

We didn't get to actually climb Lava Tower.  They used to let people go, but then deemed it unsafe.  You can still climb if you sign a form acknowledging the risks, but our guides said that it was a really bad idea so we all deferred.  Actually, it really wasn't a decision because no one was willing to risk getting injured!

On the way down to the camp we passed some great vegetation in the form of really tall cactus things.  When it started to mist we got some great shots.

This is where our route (Lemosho) met up with a few other routes, including the most popular ones.  From here on out, we knew the trails would be more crowded.  It was fun having the trails basically to ourselves for a few days!

The campsite is at the base of the Barranco wall.  It looked a little intimidating - 800 feet almost straight up!  However, it was fun to camp there and have a clear idea of what to expect the next day.