Kilimanjaro's Summit: A Journey of Family, Spirit, and Near-Death

By Matt Clark, CEO of Ohana Kava Bar

How many of you have ever dreamed of hiking one of the seven Summits, or all of them? I did after moving out here to Colorado about 15 years ago and began hiking our 14ers. I learned about the seven summits. The tallest peaks on every continent. One of which is Kilimanjaro. The highest mountain on the African continent located in Tanzania. Also the highest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,310’.

Background of the Journey

In 2022 my friend Mike Brantner invited me to go hike Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu which topped out at almost 16,000 feet. My father joined me on this journey. This was about a year after my mother’s passing. It was a beautiful experience hiking in Peru, the scenery history and food was amazing! The total hike was around 45 miles topping out at 16,000 feet.

Before we even returned I started researching the seven summits again for our next adventure! I saw Kilimanjaro was about the same distance and “ only “ 3000 feet higher. I wanted to hike this mountain with my father too. He’s getting older and as dad says “well what else are we gonna do?” And as Warren miller says “if you don’t do it this year. You’ll be another year older when you do.”

We left for Germany on a Sunday and laid over for the better part of 4 days. Instead of flying 24 hours straight to Tanzania. It gave us time to explore Germany and adjust to the time zone. None of us had been to Europe either so it was a fun little extension to our journey. In Germany we went to the oldest standing medieval town for a day. We saw ancient and archaic torture devices, old churches and walked the barrier wall. Then we went to a medieval castle. That was decorated with historically accurate paintings, furniture and suits of armor.

They say Europeans don’t realize how large America is and Americans don’t realize how old Europe is and I agree I didn’t realize From Frankfurt to Paris is the same drive time as Colorado Springs to Ouray about 6 hours !

On to the hike of Kilimanjaro!

For the hike we only had to carry our day packs, water and jackets. The porters, 17 in total for the three of us carried the rest. Pole pole is the saying and Hakuna Matata. Slow, slow, no worries. The first couple days the pace was annoying me. Staring at the guides back pack all day because I couldn’t walk much slower to put room between us and anytime I’d get out from behind him and go a little faster he’d get in front and slow me back down and say. Pole pole. Hakuna matata. I eventually realized we’re not hiking very far every day. There is no rush and nothing else to do but get to the next camp eat and sit around. We’re hiking 3-6 miles a day and 1000-2500 feet of elevation gain a day except summit day which is the hardest it’s 10 miles total, 3 miles up and 4000 feet of elevation gain to the summit. Then 3 miles back to base camp and 4 miles down to the next camp. We go from 15000 to 19310 feet on summit day.

Summit day and the previous day blend together. The day before summit day is a short 2-3 hour hike to base camp. We got to camp around 11 am. I took an hour nap, woke up had lunch, went and laid back down until dinner at 5. I slept maybe another hour. After dinner I fell asleep around 9 pm and awoke at 10:15. We began our ascent at 11:11pm. We were one of the first out on the trail and we caught up to a large group and passed them. We were all feeling good. At some point Dad separated with one of the guides and porters. The porter took his bag and some how they got in front of Mike and I. Somewhere over 16,000 feet I froze mid step and the guide was like what’s wrong. I said I don’t know! He asked again?! I had no answer, I didn’t know?! I just froze mid step. The guide took my bag and sat me down. I had some water a small snack and we continued on. I kept asking if I was ok. The guide kept saying yes. I’d struggle with some steps and Mike was behind me and would give me a small nudge. At some point I had a near death experience. Anyone else ever had one? Or maybe it was a spiritual experience. I’m still not sure. But I saw my deceased mother and grandmother together in a white and gold angelic background. At some point after that I felt better I think around 18,000 feet and said to Mike “I got a new download! “ I was running the wrong program this whole time and David Goggins came to me again. I say again because he came to me when I got a concussion two years ago. He started cussing at me asking if I was gonna let this mountain beat me?! Gods greatest creation is stronger than a giant rock and can over take this mountain with ease. He kept saying stay hard mfer! I started moving and feeling better.

Now we’re just before Stella point the second highest point. I saw Dad was already coming back down this was around 5:45 am. When he saw me he looked me dead in the eyes and started crying saying Mom carried him to the top. I started crying too. How did we have the same hallucinations or near death experience?! The guides don’t let us stop for long. We hugged, took a quick picture and continued on. When I got to Stella point I started crying again. Just standing there grossly weeping. The guide said let’s go. I said ok. He said let’s go again. I said ok. He eventually grabbed my arm and walked me over to sit me down to have some hot ginger tea and a snack. We then continued on the last 300 feet of elevation and I’m not sure how far but it took about 30 minutes and we got to the summit and took our picture at 6:36am. We got back down to camp at about 9:30 in the morning. I passed out for two hours. They woke us up for lunch and when finished they said we had 12 minutes to get out of there. I was like I’m gonna need at least 20 to 30. I’m exhausted. The three of us were dragging our feet the whole way down to the next camp, which was only 2 miles, but we had another 2 miles to go to the camp we’re supposed to get to. The guide wanted to stop and spend the night at the first camp since we’re struggling. I said give me 15 – 20 minutes to close my eyes and have some coffee. I took a coffee packet and dumped it under my tongue and chugged some water down and closed my eyes. I woke up popped a zyn and took 3-4 more to power me through on the way to the next camp that was another 2 miles down. Total of 5150 feet of descent this day. We had dinner. I laid down in my tent and put on a movie. A few minutes later, Dad hit me and said turn your movie off you’re asleep. I said no I’m not and then a few minutes later he said it again and I turned it off and went to sleep. It was a long two days.

The last day we had six more miles to go and almost 5000 feet of descent. At some point I got in a faster pace and the guide was like let’s wait for the other two I said nope the other guide is with them and the goal was to make it to the bottom before 11. I made it at 1030. Bobby and Veronica that run Ramblin’ Travel were waiting for us. I started singing and dancing when I saw them. There’s a song they sang to us on the mountain. Jambo, jambo wana…Hakuna matata

I couldn’t walk for the next two days, and I got sick. We headed out on a safari for four days. We went to Tarangerie, Ngorongoro crater and the famous Serengeti. On the Serengeti we slept in some really fancy tents. There was a hyena stalking me one night on my walk back to camp. One morning there was an elephant walking through camp. We saw all the animals. Lions, elephants, zebra, wildebeest, rhinos, lots of birds, eagles, flamingos, storks. Even the elusive and solitary jaguar and cheetah with her cub.

We then suffered the 26 hour return flight to America. I struggled for a week being sick, jet lagged and readjusting to crappy American food and lifestyle.

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