With only 40 days to go, the excitement builds and preparations intensify! Another trip was made to REI yesterday for the purchase of more gear.. I think one of these days I will have everything organized and ready to go! The emails between climbers continue as everyone debates which vaccinations to get as well as how to pack, etc. It is nice to know I am not the only one with all these questions.

On a more serious note, one of our guides from Alpine Ascents by the name of Suzanne lost her life while guiding an expedition at Denali last week. From the little I know about her, she "lived life" and was doing what she loved when the group she was connected to fell during the climb. Denali is a VERY technical climb, the most difficult that Lori made of the seven summits and is not at all like the terrain we will be hiking on (so no panicking please). Please keep Suzanne and her family in your prayers. We will no doubt remember her during our climb and know she is with us in spirit cheering us on every step of the way.

Lori stated that there are moments in the climb that will be very challenging due to altitude and fatigue. Therefore, she recommended bringing things that will help us during those difficult times. My flag with everyone's name on it will be one of my items and I would like to take some letters or short notes along as well. If any of you would be interested in sending a note along that would be opened by me during the climb, please feel free to send them my way!

I wonder when hiking up and down a ski hill for over an hour with a 25lb pack gets easy...

A friend of mine suggested I post the gear list I need so that everyone has an idea of what exactly a person takes on such a climb. So, here it is!

Climbing Equipment
Adjustable 3 section Ski/Trekking poles. 1 pair.
Headlamp. A good quality climbers headlamp. Bring extra batteries (extra bulbs not necessary for LED headlamps)

Footwear
Running or tennis shoes. 1 pair to wear around camp and also for safari.
Light Hiking Boots or trekking shoes. 1 pair of sturdy boots in which you can wear a light synthetic sock under a heavy sock comfortably, either wool or synthetic. Shoes should be very Water Proof and very Warm.
Gaiters. 1 pair used to keep rocks out of shoes and boots dry.
Wool or Synthetic Socks. 3 pair heavyweight socks (wool is warmer) to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots. Remember to keep one fresh, dry pair of socks available at all times. It is very important to buy new socks regularly as they lose their cushioning over time.
Liner Socks. 3 pair of smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and makes the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavyweight socks.

Technical Clothing
Lightweight Long Underwear. 2 pair. Tops & bottoms, Capilene, other synthetic or wool. No Cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Synthetic/Soft Shell jacket. Mid- to Heavyweight. A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover.
Soft Shell Pants. (Optional) These non-insulated pants can be worn in place of trekking pants while on the climb. They provide a higher level of warmth and also repel light rain.
Insulated Synthetic Pants. Be sure pants can be removed while wearing boots.
Down or Synthetic jacket. Medium to heavy weight with hood.
Hard Shell jacket w/ hood. We recommend a waterproof breathable shell material with full front zipper, underarm zips, and no insulation. This outer layer protects against wind and rain.
Hard Shell Pants. Waterproof, breathable. Full length side zippers preferred because it allows easy removal of pants, 7/8th zippers allowed but is more difficult to remove pants, no short lower leg zippers allowed.

Handwear
Lightweight synthetic gloves. 2 pair, quick drying material. Should fit comfortably inside heavy mitts.
Hard Shell Mitts w/ insulated removable. 1 pair each. A good pair of ski mittens/gloves work well.

Headwear
Balaclava. Look for a simple lightweight model.
Warm Lightweight synthetic/wool hat. Hat should cover ears.
Baseball cap/sun hat. One with a good visor to shade the nose and eyes. Synthetic is nice as it dries quickly.
Bandana. Used to shade your neck.
Glacier glasses. 100% UV, IR, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, leashes, and a nose guard is particularly helpful. No more than 8% light transmission. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses—it is a good idea to have these with “photo-gray” or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or amber). Talk to your eye care professional to find out where prescription glacier glasses are available. Regular sunglasses are not dark enough and do not provide any side protection from the sun.

Personal Equipment
Trekking Backpack. A day pack big enough to carry water bottles, camera, lunch and extra clothing. 3,000 cu.in. max.
Water Bottles: 2 to 3 Wide mouth bottles with minimum 1 Litre capacity per bottle. No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill.
Pee Bottle (1 Liter). For cold nights in the tent. Large mouth, clearly marked bottle.
Pee Funnel (for women). For cold nights in the tent. It is a good idea to practice, practice, practice.
Sunscreen. SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes. Make sure that the sun screen is not older than 6 months. Sunscreen older than six months loses half of its SPF rating.
Lipscreen. SPF 40 or better, at least 2 sticks. Not older than 6 months.
Sports Drink Mix. Powdered electrolyte drink mix. 1-2 Servings per day for 7 days.
Water Purification tablets. 2 bottles.
Sleeping bag. Expedition quality to at least 100. Down is lighter and less bulky, but more expensive than synthetics.
Closed Cell foam pad. One full length closed-cell foam.
Self Inflating pad. One 3/4 or full length w/repair kit. No Ultralights.

Traveling
115 Liter Boundary Bag. This waterproof bag is needed to keep your clothing dry during transport.
Duffle Bag. A small duffle can be nice for storing things at the hotel during the expedition and extra clothing while traveling.
Plastic bags. To line stuff sacks to keep gear dry and line pack. Trash Compactor bags are best.
Small pair of binoculars. For safari.
Trail snack food items. Bring your favorite energy bars, GU packets for summit day, drink mixes etc.
Travel clothes. You will need clothing for three days of safari. Loose fitting cotton trousers or shorts and short sleeve shirts work well during the day. Bring a light jacket for town & safari. Evening time can be cooler. We recommend TWO pairs of trekking pants. Safari lodges are quite nice, so long pants and a nice shirt are recommended for dining. Bathing suit for hotel pools.
Toiletry bag. Include toilet paper, soap, wet wipes, toothbrush, towel, hand sanitizer, foot powder, dust mask, ear plugs etc.

First Aid
Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin (Extra Strength Excedrin is best), Antibiotic ointment, Moleskin, molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal prescriptions, etc. The guides will have extensive first-aid kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your guide know about any medical issues before the climb.
Drugs/Medications/Prescriptions. Climbers should bring Pepto Bismol. Ciprofloxin (Cipro) 500mg tablets for traveler’s diarrhea and for urinary tract infections. Azithromycin (Z-pak) 250mg tablets for non-gastrointestinal infections. Acetazolamide (Diamox) 125 or 250 mg tablets for altitude sickness. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 200mg tablets for altitude headaches, sprains, aches, etc. Excedrin for headaches. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325mg tablets for stomach sensitivity.

I am still in the process of getting everything and it has been interesting trying to find all of the items. I have another list of recommended brands for everything on this list so I have been selecting from that. My dining room is starting to look like a hiking store!

Only 7 weeks until Kilimanjaro!!

67 days to go until I leave or Kilimanjaro!! I guess I should start my training.. ;) The last week has consisted of weights, running, and trekking up and down the ski hills with my pack. The view from the top of the Highland Park ski hills actually has a pretty sweet view of the skyline, so that makes getting to the top worth it!

I had an interview yesterday with a woman from the MN chapter of the MS Society who wants to write an article about the climb, pre-trip and post-trip. It was kind of cool to be interviewed for a story.. I also heard from Lori that there might be a documentary done on our trip, so add a cameraman and journalist to our numbers for the climb!