NY Mets Pitcher To Climb Kilimanjaro Against Team's Wishes

R.A. Dickey, a pitcher for the New York Mets baseball team, will set off tomorrow to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, despite the wishes of the ball club. Dickey will be making the climb as part of a fundraiser for Bombay Teen Challenge, organization dedicated to rescuing and saving young sex slaves that are put to work in brothels in India. He will be joined on the trek by Dave Racaniello, a bullpen catcher for the Mets, and Colorado Rockies pitcher Kevin Slowey, who is a former teammate.

When the Mets got word of Dickey's intentions, they sent a letter to his agent objecting to the player's plans to climb Kili, the tallest mountain in Africa at 5895 meters (19,340 ft). The team wanted to go on record with their concerns in case something were to happen to Dickey, which would prevent him from playing for the team next season – a season in which the 37-year old pitcher is scheduled to earn $4.5 million. In the letter, Met's management stated that they reserve the right to terminate his contract should something go wrong while on the climb.

Of course, this is mostly just posturing on the part of the Mets, who don't want to see one of their players injured and unable to play before Spring Training even gets underway. But climbing Kilimanjaro isn't exactly fraught with dangers. Yes, it can be a physical challenge, and yes there are some risks involved, but thousands of people climb the mountain each year without any problems, and the likelihood of anything happening to Dickey is remotely small.

As the Adventure Journal points out, the Mets are actually missing out on a good opportunity for PR with this climb, and instead are coming off looking a bit like jerks. Professional sports are always about the money of course, and as I mentioned, they're out to protect their investment. It just seems like they could have found a better way of handling the entire situation.

Alan Arnette Summits Kilimanjaro

Climber Alan Arnette knocked off another one of the Seven Summits today, reaching the "Roof of Africa" on Kilimanjaro. This is his fifth successful summit as he continues his efforts to raise funds, and awareness, of Alzheimer's Disease.

Earlier today Alan sent an audio dispatch from the top of Kili, where he reported spectacular views and clear skies overlooking the African savannah below. Since Kilimanjaro is the tallest free standing mountain in the world, at 5894 meters (19,340 feet), summiteers can see for miles in all directions, which makes the experience different from a lot of other climbs.

Following their successful summit, Alan and his team were planning a descent back down to about 3048 meters (10,000 ft) where the final camp of the climb is located. While there are a number of routes to the summit, all teams use the same route to descend, and as a result, the camp is often a busy and active place. Trekkers spend a final night in that location before hiking back to the base of the mountain on their final day, before making their way back to Moshi or Arusha, the two cities that serve as the launching pad for Kilimanjaro climbs.

In his dispatch, Alan noted that Kilimanjaro is more than the "hike-up" as it is often dismissed as. While it is true that no technical skills are needed to go to the summit, trekkers can be caught off guard by how challenging the climb can be. Not only is the altitude an issue, the trail can be rough and demanding as well, which is something to keep in mind if you are planning a Kili climb of your own. It is an incredibly special place, with experiences unlike any other, but it can also surprise you at times as well.

Next up for Alan will be Carstensz Pyramid, located in a remote area of Indonesia. That mountain is 4884 meters (16,023 ft) in height and offers a significant technical challenge. It is considered the tallest peak in Oceania, which encompasses Australia and a number of island nations in the Pacific. If you take the Seven Summits at their purest sense, the tallest mountain in Australia is actually Kosciuszko, which is 2228 meters (7310 ft) in height, and is generally considered the easiest of the all the climbs.

So far, Alan has been successful on all of the Seven Summits, save Denali. Poor weather conditions on that mountain prevented him from even making a summit bid when he was there in July. Hopefully he'll get another crack at it next summer.

Alan Arnette's Kilimanjaro Climb Begins

Last week I posted a video of Alan Arnette sharing his gear for Kilimanjaro with the rest of us. At the time, Alan was busy preparing to leave for Africa, where he would be climbing that mountain, which is the sixth of his Seven Summits for Alzheimer's expedition. After spending a few days in Europe, Alan arrived in Tanzania a few days ago and began his Kili climb in ernest today. He also started blogging about his adventure, giving us all the opportunity to follow along as he heads to the Roof of Africa over the next few days.

Today's entry is a brief one, but brings back quite a few memories for me. When climbing Kilimanjaro you actually pass through five different climate zones on the way to the summit, and today Alan hiked through the Could Forest. In his update, he notes that it felt more like Costa Rica or Hawaii than Africa, and when I did this leg a few years back, I thought the same. It was warm and humid and it didn't take long for me shirt to get soaked in sweat. That shirt wouldn't dry until I returned to Arusha at the end of the climb.

Alan his trekking the Machame Route, which is considered one of the more challenging, but scenic. I took the same route when I was there, and as he describes the trail, I can remember it well. It was a steep ascent, gaining more than 3800 feet of altitude on the first day, but by the time you're finished, you've arrived at camp, which sits on the edge of the next climate zone, an alpine marshland. Alan will hike through that tomorrow.

For anyone considering a Kilimanjaro trek, you'll definitely want to follow along with Alan's blog over the next few days. I'm sure he'll be posting regular updates on his progress, and he'll likely be sharing lots of information from the trail. It could also be insightful for those considering the adventure, as it is more challenging than what some would lead you to believe. That said, it is also amazingly beautiful and one of the top treks in the world.

Alan was more fortunate than I was on my first day on Kili. I didn't see any wildlife of note that day, but he reports that his team was shadowed by Blue Monkeys at one point. I had to wait until I was on safari to see the wildlife, and if you're going to Tanzania to do Kili, you owe it to yourself to stay a few days longer to visit the Serengeti as well. It is one of my favorite places in the world, easily living up to, and exceeding, all expectations.

Gear List For Kilimanjaro

As many of you know, mountaineer Alan Arnette is in the midst of his Seven Summit Climbs for Alzheimer's during which he hopes to reach the top of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents in an effort to raise money and awareness of the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.  He has already completed four of the climbs (Vinson, Aconcagua, Everest, and Elbrus) and was denied a summit attempt on Denali due to persistent bad weather, and in a few days time he'll leave for Africa, where he'll attempt Kilimanjaro.

Over the weekend, Alan posted an update to his blog sharing the gear that he'll be taking with him on this climb. As he notes, Kili is a different kind of climb, as it is actually a "hike-up" mountain that includes a lot of altitude, but not much technical challenge. The result is that it isn't as gear intensive as some of the other big peaks, although Summit Day does require warmer gear than most of the rest of the trek. Alan also included a video showing off his specific gear and sharing the items that he's taking with him. You'll find that video below.

I know that Kilimanjaro is is a popular destination for many adventure travelers, and I regularly get e-mails regarding the trek. I thought that Alan's blog post and video would come in handy for anyone planning their own trip to Kili as it will help you to know what exactly you should be taking with you when you head to Tanzania. There is no need for a bulky down suit on this expedition, although you do pass through five climate zones from the base of the mountain to the summit, so you still need to bring plenty of gear along.

After Kili, Alan will next head to Indonesia to climb Carstensz Pyramid and then on to Australia for Mt. Kosciuszko, the tallest point on that continent.

New Film Follows Paraplegic Up Kilimanjaro

Remember Chris Waddell? He's the paraplegic athlete who climbed Kilimanjaro a few years ago without the use of his legs. Chris actually went up the mountain by pedaling a hand-cart with his arms, eventually reaching the summit of Africa's highest peak.

Now, a film about his adventure is being screened in a few select spots across the country giving us a first hand look at what it was like for him to go up the 5895 meter (19,340 ft) Kilimanjaro. It looks like a very inspiring and well made film, based on the trailer that you'll find below. I'm hoping I get a chance to see it at some point.

I had the opportunity to speak with Chris on the phone shortly after he had completed his climb, and he seemed like a very genuine, good natured, guy who loved the outdoors and simply wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of his goals. He was also very humble about his accomplishments and just wanted to breakdown barriers as to what the general perception of what a paraplegic could physically accomplish. I have lots of respect for him.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this one.

Sherpa Climbs Seven Summits In 42 Days

Way back last March of last year I posted a story on Ang Chhiring Sherpa, who at the time was attempting to set a speed record for climbing the Seven Summits. Fast forward a year, and he has accomplished his goal and in highly impressive times.

According to this story, which is in French, (use Google Translate), A.C., as he has known, managed to knock off each of the seven summits in just 42 days of accumulated climbing. That's the amount of time he actually spent on the mountains itself, and not his his total time from start to finish of all of the mountains. The individual times for each of the peaks looks like this: Mount McKinley- 12 days; Kilimanjaro - 16 hours, 37 minutes round trip!); Elbrus - 8 hours, 14 minutes; Kosciusko - 2 hours, 32 minutes; Aconcagua - 7 days; Vinson - 4 days;  and Everest - 19 days.

A.C. actually finished off his quest last may when he completed his climb of Everest, but I hadn't seen confirmation of his final time until this story was send my way by Louis-Philippe Lonke earlier today. While the news might be old, it is still a very impressive time and accomplishment that deserves a salute.

It should also be noted that A.C. wasn't making the climb just to achieve a record. He was also raising funds and awareness for the Himalayan Women & Children Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping to educate women and provide basic health care and other services for those living in the Himalayan mountains.

A worthy cause to say the least.

Low2High: Africa Expedition Underway

A unique expedition got underway last week in Africa when Brit Kyle Henning set off on his bike from the shores of Lake Assal near Djibouti, Ethiopia. That region has the distinction of being the lowest spot on the continent, falling 155 meters (508 feet) below sea level. From there, Kyle will ride his bike to Tanzania, covering about 3000km (1864 miles), where he'll then proceed to climb to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa at 5892 meters (19,340 feet).

Henning has dubbed his journey fittingly enough Low2High: Africa, and he has undertaken this excursion to raise funds for the New Day Children's Center, located in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Kyle hopes to raise £2,500 (roughly $4000) for the center to help meet the needs of some of the children there. He has just finished a two year stint in the Peace Corps, where he helped to improve the HIV/AIDS Services Network in the city, but he hasn't finished helping out just yet.

Already ten days into his ride, Kyle has posted a rather large update to his blog to help keep everyone informed of how the journey is going so far. He has also spoken with ExWeb, who have posted a nice interview with him as well. Henning tells ExWeb that he is "having the time of my life" on this expedition and that he is glad that he has taken on the challenge.

This seems like another fantastic adventure. As I mentioned a few days back, traveling through Africa on a bike sounds like a great way to explore the continent. Getting to visit it's lowest and highest points along the way, is an amazing bonus. Hopefully Kyle is successful in his venture, both for himself and the children he is trying to help back in Bahir Dar.

To donate to Kyle's cause, go to his fund raising page here. As of this writing, he has raised about £888.13, so he is well on his way towards his goal, with a bit to go yet.

Martina Navratilova Abandons Kili Climb Due To Altitude Sickness

Last week I wrote a story about tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who was attempting to climb Kilimanjaro for the Laureus Sports For Good Foundation. At the time, she was just about to embark on her climb, calling it "just a basic hike." Turns out, she got more than she bargained for, as she had to be assisted from the mountain and spent some time in a Nairobi hospital recovering.

According to this story, Navratilova reached as high as 4511 meters (14,800 ft.) on the 5894 meter (19,340 ft.) mountain before she turned back. Apparently, fluid had begun to collect in her lungs, and she was showing all the classic signs of altitude sickness. On Thursday of last week she abandoned her climb and was assisted down the mountain by porters, who took her to a nearby hospital before she was transferred to another in Nairobi where she spent three days recovering.

Navratilova is considered one of the greatest female athletes of all time and lives at altitude in Aspen, Colorado. But she had never been higher than 12,000 feet before this climb, and we all know that altitude can doe weird things to the body. It seems that that is the case here. No matter how fit and well trained you are, altitude is the great equalizer and can bring anyone down.

Fortunately, Navratilova is recovering just fine, and is on her way home. She's disappointed that she didn't complete the climb, as it was to raise funds for Laureus, but she now has a healthy respect for mountaineering, and Kilimanjaro in general.

Just a basic trek indeed!