Timings, Movements and Evacuation ACTIONS ON
While we are unable to recommend the Western Breach as a safe assault option, climbers
are asked to consider the following recommendations for route configurations:
TIMINGS AND MOVEMENTS
- that Arrow Glacier Camp (4871m) be reached in such time as to allow the assault
of the summit to begin no later than 0530 the following morning, though preferably
earlier than this.
- conventionally, prior to 2006 local climb operators would ascend from Arrow Glacier
Camp at 4871m to Crater Camp at 5729m, and would overnight there prior to assaulting
the summit the following morning at dawn. It is our recommendation that such a configuration
be considered unsafe and that assaults from Arrow should attain the summit prior
to climbers sleeping overnight at 5729m. The reason for this relates to the necessity
to attain a higher elevation during the day time than where a climbers sleeps the
following night. There are straightforward physiological factors related to the bodies
response to altitude that are repsonsible for this requirement, which we would be
willing to discuss at greater length with climbers.
EVACUATION
- the Western Breach is not sanctioned by KINAPA as an acceptable descent route on
Kilimanjaro. The reason for this is that it is very steep and the ground underfoot
is unstable and the likelihood of tripping, slipping and falling is high on this
route. In the event of an evacuation being required however, we would advise that
if the climbers is yet to make significant progress towards the top of the rock steps
(pictured below, right), then the climber should descend with their guide to Arrow
Camp, and from there pass via Lava Tower to Shira Huts from where they would expect
to be evacuated by KINAPA’s rescue vehicle from an elevation of 3760m.
- climbers requiring evacuation from the Western Breach who have passed the rock
steps section pictured below, right, are advised to continue upwards beyond the lip
of the Crater at 5725m from where their guide should assist them swiftly 1.46km across
the flat Crater surface to Stella Point from where descent to a safe elevation will
be much faster than if the climber had turned around towards the very top of the
Western Breach and begun their descent down the Breach. It should be noted that this
scenario is the only exception on Kilimanjaro to the otherwise-universal rule of
immediate descent following a climber’s succumbing to a serious altitude-related
condition, and is only advised on the grounds that:
A) a climber succumbing to cerebral oedema (or in some cases, even severe AMS) can
be expected to suffer ataxia; a loss of co-ordination that would create a new and
substantial risk of tripping and falling.
B) it is not viable for a team to effect a safe evacuation-carry down the Western
Breach as there are many sections where the area of safe footing is too narrow to
allow the carriers to stand in proximity to one another
C) the potentially fatal added risk compounded by the likelihood of slipping, tripping,
falling or suffering substantial delays while descending the Western Breach, far
outweigh the risks associated with gaining an additional 150 metres in elevation
before being in a position from which rapid descent is possible. That said, if a
sick climber has more than 200 vertical metres remaining before attaining the top
of the crater wall then the risks associated with descending the Breach should be
considered less than those associated with prolonged exposure to extremely high altitude
and further exertion when already in a critical condition.
The parametric altitudes for a guide to consider immediate evacuation, or else continue
to attain the Crater should be considered to be 5500m to 5600m. Above this elevation
we recommend that evacuation should be upwards. Below this elevation, evacuation
should be downwards. Within these parameters, the guide’s discretion should be respected
as whether evacuation be upwards or downwards.
