Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro: IncNow Associate Reaches the Roof of Africa
IncNow Associate Brett Weber climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Winner of Iron Soldier and Honor Graduate at the US Army’s Basic Leadership Course, Brett is also an avid endurance athlete, competing in ultramarathons after earning All-American Collegiate Rowing Honors. We are excited to share his experience traveling to Tanzania and reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro at 19,341 feet.
For a long time, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro had been one of the biggest adventures on my bucket list. In September, I finally had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania and attempt the climb. Standing 19,341 feet (5,895 meters) above sea level, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and one of the Seven Summits.
Over the course of the climb along the Machame route, our group traveled through several completely different environments. We started in the rainforest before gradually moving above the tree line and into increasingly rocky and barren terrain. As we climbed higher, the temperature continued to drop and the effects of altitude became much more noticeable. Each day consisted of hours of hiking, followed by time at camp to eat, recover, and prepare for the next stage of the climb.
The most difficult part of the trip was summit day. We began our final ascent in the middle of the night, climbing for hours in darkness and freezing temperatures. Eventually, we reached Stella Point along the crater rim and continued toward Uhuru Peak. Standing at the summit at 19,341 feet as the sun came up over Tanzania was an experience I will never forget.
One of the things that impressed me most throughout the trip was the work of our Tanzanian guides and porters. They carried equipment, prepared our camps, cooked our meals, monitored our health, and somehow maintained an incredible amount of energy throughout the entire climb. Reaching the summit would not have been possible without their experience and support.
After coming down from Kilimanjaro, I also had the opportunity to experience another side of Tanzania on safari. Seeing the landscape and wildlife of East Africa firsthand made the trip about much more than simply reaching the top of a mountain. It gave me an opportunity to experience a part of the world and a culture that I had never encountered before.
Looking back, reaching the summit was obviously the goal, but the experience reinforced something I have learned through rowing, the military, endurance sports, and now mountaineering: large goals are usually accomplished through a series of small, consistent steps. On Kilimanjaro, you cannot rush to the summit. You simply keep moving forward, one step at a time, while trusting your preparation and the people around you.
I am incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania, meet the people who made this experience possible, and stand on the Roof of Africa. Kilimanjaro had been on my bucket list for years, and reaching the summit made the months of planning, training, and preparation more than worth it.