mountaineering

Mount Kilimanjaro is not a "tourist trap" as an anonymous reviewer has mistakenly written. My wife, 2daughters, and I read Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro by Carmichael and Stoddard, and we all made it to the Top of Africa. It was grand! We particularly appreciated the advice about using poles on the ascent, and particularly on the descent; it was treacherous going in the muddy parts of the rain forest., and poles were essential. Also, I noticed that Dr. Carmichael is a Professor of Anatomy (and Orthopedic Surgery) at the Mayo Clinic, so I am convinced that he knows more about anatomy than the reviewer cloaked in anonymity. I am a surgeon myself, and the anatomical references are correct. The advice in this book worked for us, which speaks volumes. I understand that a new edition will be out soon, which is good news for those of you who are considering climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
I wanted to add, that while the ascend is tough and challinging in regards to muscular and cardiovascular fitness, the descent poses a different challenge and is hard to prepare for. I found it very helpful to use a sideways descnet technique, especially in the loose gravel on top, similar to slalom ski run downhill. The strain on the upper legs and knee joints is impressive.
Bernd-Uwe Sevin, M.D.

I've often thought about writing a book about a trip as a way to deduct the expense from my taxes, but I've refrained for fear that the result would end up like this book. Poorly written with very limited content, this book is of little interest and very limited use to anyone actually planning to climb Kilimanjaro. It's chief value is as personal account of the authors' climb, but you can find many similar accounts for free on personal websites everywhere.

It is frequently said of Mt. Kilimanjaro that it's not a "technical" climb; the implication being that it's not so difficult. But people have died trying and only half who make the attempt make the summit.

Nonetheless, the process is not complicated; arduous, but not complicated. All you need to start is some idea of what to expect and what to do. This book gives these things to you in a simple format, easily read, with instructions that are straightforward.

Kilimanjaro is far away for most of us, in a country we know virtually nothing about, on a continent that is always seen by the Westerner as dark and mysterious. Altitude sickness and its more serious friends, edema, must be confronted (20,000 feet is no joke) and the weather is variable to say the least ... starting in a rain forest and ending on a frozen snowfield four miles up.

Diseases must be prepared for, as must travel and physical conditioning and numerous other details. Carmichael does a good job of laying all this out and setting you on your way.

The rest is up to you. He does say that his exersize routine involved getting his heart rate to 150 beats per minute for two hours every day; this I find extreme even for me but it gives you a sense of what lies in store for you on the roof of Africa.

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