A few weeks ago, we told you about Heather Cranney - manager of the Timmins, ON branch - who was en route to Africa to hike Mount Kilimanjaro in support of the Red Cross, raising almost $600. She recently returned and shared with us a bit about her experience in her own words:
On October 2, I started climbing Mount Kilimanjaro located in Tanzania. I tied my trek to the Canadian Red Cross, Timmins branch’s Feast or Famine fundraiser for two reasons: 1) we rely on this fundraiser to support our many programs which assist the vulnerable in our area, and 2) this last year the branch has had so many moments that made me stop and be thankful that I can be part of a team which truly makes a difference in the lives of the people we serve.
The terrain on the trek was so varied from rainforest on the first day to an incredible blizzard the last night. Climbing over rocks and up rock faces with a 1,000 ft drop, I truly felt challenged because here’s a secret: I am afraid of heights! Getting passed the Barranco Wall with porters going by as I grasped the volcanic rock with great fear was a highlight - simply because I faced my fears head on.
At 12 AM on October 7, we were trekking our last ascent to the summit. The moon came over the mountain and everyone was so quiet; concentrating on breathing. All of a sudden, my guide and a few others broke out singing happy birthday to me as I turned 50. There are no words to describe the feeling!
The high altitude sickness really never hit hard, until the last night, when my chest cold hit home and it was harder to catch my breath in the extremely thin air.
For me, the best surprise of the trek was the number of Inukshuks on the trail, visible in the horizon. I knew I would be always welcome to return when my guide asked me to place a rock on one of them.