Every time somebody climb Kilimanjaro, there is a story. From the lady who did it for her husband who died in a car accident and wanted to put a stone on top of Kilimanjaro with his name on to the person who want to concur Kilimanjaro for his 50th birthday.



There are so many stories about the snows of Kilimanjaro ? will it last and for how long? The experts say 20 years, but the guides who climb Kilimanjaro up to 3 times a month say 8 years. The first time I climbed we walked on a narrow path between ice picks to the summit. Two years later, I walked on dry ground. However, Kilimanjaro still has that surprise element. Mariska and I climbed in February 2003 with a group and ended up in a blizzard. It was the first time I saw snow as far as behind Lawa Tower. We done the Arrow Glacier route and as we left Barranco camp ice rain started and then snow fall. When we reached Arrow Glacier camp the tents was pitch on 10mm snow. I climbed in 2000 with the Millennium Big 5 Challenge and we also had a blizzard, so I thought this is not too bad, been through this before.

The next day was cold and almost no sunshine as we walk to the Crater. It was a difficult hike as there was a thick layer of snow and we needed to make sure with every step that our feet were on save ground before we took the next step. As we walked over the Crater rim, the most beautiful site was waiting for us ? the Crater covered in snow. The tents in front of the Furtwangler Glacier were a welcoming site as very body was tired. A few people in the group still had some energy left and hike to the ash pit which is about two hours from the camp. To our surprise the blizzard we walk though the previous day was just the tip of it. The blizzard hit us the night at Crater camp with everything it had. The guide waked me at 5h00, wanting to know what we must do. We decided we need to wait for daylight before we can move the group. Only at 7h00 we got out of our tents and what a sight, our tents was halfway covered with snow. The hike from the Crater to the summit is two hours, but we took 5 hours. The snow was too deep and the guides needed to look for alternative routes to get us to the summit. We summit at 11h00, but with not much visibility and with -38 degree Celsius with the wind chill factor.

The Arrow Glacier route is now closed due to rock falls. The main reason for the rock falls is that if it is very cold ice built up around rocks and as it gets warmer and it melts the rocks come loose. They are no way to tell if you'll have snow on top of Kilimanjaro these days. It is a matter of your lucky. The glaciers still remain and will do for a few years more.

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