Berg

Hear Wally's Call from Africa

Click for [RealPlayer]  [Windows Media]

(Requires FREE RealPlayer or Windows Media)

Our trek across—around—the southern and eastern side of the mountain so far has just been spectacular, the clearest of the season. In particular, as we walked beneath the Breach Wall, the day we went from Shira to Baranco was the best weather I've seen of the season.

We went slowly and took a lot of photographs. Everyone in this group was struck with how many photographs I've taken on this trip. The changing light and the changing moods of this mountain always intrigue me and I've loved it and I've loved having enough film to capture some of it. This is my 13th climb of Kili, with Alpine Ascents, over the last five years, but I still find it a marvelous place and beautiful place; the moods are always changing. To that point after all of that...[transmission fails].

[Transmission Resumes]
We walk up through the thick mist; the mountain maintained its mystery, to say the least. We have not seen Mawenza or any of the peak as we climbed up here today. We'll start in a few hours, as you know, 11:30 perhaps we'll wake up and try to be moving by 1am tomorrow.

I have a great feeling about this. Danielle, one of the members of this group is, on her mother's side, a Tlingit Indian; a Native American from Alaska in the Tlingit tribe. And her clan in that tribe is a raven clan. And interestingly enough, throughout our climb so far, including here at Barafu when we arrived, these large, white-necked African ravens, that are present on this mountain so much, one of them always flies near us as we arrive someplace and gives its call. So, we feel blessed by the raven spirit as we undertake to make a successful climb of Kili tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted, I'll probably call you in a few hours as we start, hope I got good satellite coverage, and we can keep you posted as we attempt our climb tomorrow.

—Alpine Ascents Guide Wally Berg, MountainZone.com Correspondent