My Words About Their Words: Kilimanjaro

At 19,341ft (5895m) above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on the African continent and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.  Kilimanjaro is actually a dormant volcano consisting of three volcanic cones: Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo.  Uhuru Peak is the highest point on the rim of Kibo and thus the highest point on the mountain and in Africa.  Conveniently, Uhuru Peak can be summitted without any climbing equipment or technical mountain climbing skills.  You just have to be able to withstand the effects of an altitude where there's half the amount of oxygen in the air as at sea level, bear the subzero temperatures, and walk to the top.  It sounds so simple, but my past experience with high altitude trekking in the Himalayas and written accounts of Kilimanjaro "climbs" tell me otherwise.

Kilimandjaro by Jeremy V on Flickr (used with permission)

In preparation for my upcoming "climb" of Kilimanjaro,