September 2, 2019 from the itinerary: A morning of gentle ascent and panoramic views, walking on lava ridges beneath the glaciers of the Western Breach. After lunch near the Lava Tower junction (4550m), we descend to the bottom of the Great Barranco valley (3900m), sheltered by towering cliffs and with extensive views of the plains far below. Approx 5-7 hours walking. 4 miles walking today.
Got some good photos of our guide today
Couldn't see any glaciers and was generally rather dry. Lots of lava rocks.
Bunny enjoyed the hike today too
Stopped for lunch at the Lava Tower and curious bird sat with me.
We ran into some low clouds when we stopped for lunch. Our lunch spot is also a camping spot, but we didn't stay here. Thank goodness because the bathroom options were terrible here.
Leaving the tower we had to traverse a set of very steep set of slate steps. Unfortunately, no pictures because I was concentrating on not falling....Lots of lava as we make our way into the valley.
The flora changes to reflect high desert. Dendrosenecio kilimanjari is a giant groundsel found only on Kilimanjaro. These unusual plants inhabit the middle altitudes on the Shira Plateau and around Barranco Camp. Dendrosenecio kilimanjari is slow growing but can reach a height of 20 feet. The groundsel has remarkable adaptations for living in the alpine environment. The old dead leaves fold over the trunk to give it insulation. The pith of the stem stores water. Special fluids are secreted that give it resilience to freezing. And its leaves close when it gets cold to keep the frosty air out.
We have to register once we arrive at the camp site which has a view of tomorrow's wall.
There is a small ridge in the camp site where you can get a signal and contact home for the first time in about 4 days.
This site also has some of our first "close up" views of the summit. We haven't seen it for several days.
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