June 2012 Archives

Jun 26

Redefining Exposure!

By Spencer West / / /
telegraph_small.JPGWe simply cannot believe how the world has embraced Redefine Possible. Especially after such modest beginnings.

We were able to roll out the campaign last year with the support of a talented and resourceful network of incredible people. We hoped to raise money and draw attention (from anywhere we could) to our cause - to help provide clean water projects for East Africans suffering from the effects of the worst drought in the region in 60 years. 

Of course, we had friends and family supporting us (parents can, in fact, learn to use Twitter if it means following their children up a mountain) but our hope was to inspire a global audience. 
Continue reading Redefining Exposure!.
Jun 23

The largest THANK YOU from Africa

By Spencer West / / /
summitthankyou.jpg
As we made our final descent from the moorland to the Marnagu Huts, I began to reflect on the people who helped us realize our triumphant goal of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. After all, it may have taken the better part of seven gruelling days to complete the actual climb, but Redefine Possible truly began many months before. We were urged to pursue this dream by so many believers, had it fuelled by them as we prepared, and were bolstered by their support every step up the mountain.

It's impossible to properly thank all of these amazing people in one message, and it would suck to miss anyone. But at the same time it would be a shame not to try, considering that possible has just been so recently redefined!
Continue reading The largest THANK YOU from Africa .
Jun 19

Possible Redefined!

By Spencer West / / /
Thumbnail image for PossibleRedefined.jpg
Hans Meyer cave to Uhuru Peak: 19, 340 ft.

Hike duration: 3 hours

Temperature: -5 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:
Spencer: "We...
David: "...made...
Alex: "...it!"

This was it. The day that possible would be redefined. It was an almighty struggle, but...WE MADE IT!

We woke super-early (4 AM) to a light breakfast, and then prepared for our final ascent. Our goal, quite simply: to reach Uhuru Peak, the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Continue reading Possible Redefined!.
Jun 18

Day Six: The Last Night of Doubt

By Spencer West / / /
spencermountain-edited.jpgKibo Hut to Hans Meyer Cave: 17,200 ft.

Hike duration: 4 hours

Temperature: -5 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:
Spencer: "Challenging."
David: "Difficult."
Alex: "Depleted."

I thought yesterday was hard and cold. It was. But it was nothing compared to today. This was by far the hardest day yet.

We continued our ascent, crossing the alpine desert. Sound remote and freezing? It is. The terrain was similar to yesterday - loose rocks and nothing green in sight - but today we encountered snow! It wasn't much of a factor, the snow, except as a reminder of what's about to come: the grueling summit attempt.

Continue reading Day Six: The Last Night of Doubt.
Jun 17

Day Five: Crossing the Lunar Desert

By Spencer West / / /
noinclinewalk.JPGMawenzi Tarn Hut to Kibo Hut: 15,466 ft.

Hike duration: 4 hours

Temperature: 5 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:
Spencer: "Powerful"
David: "Humbled"
Alex: "Connected"

Today was hard. And it was cold.

We're talking really cold - five degrees (Celsius) during the day and way chillier at night. It feels like the dark side of the moon, which is fitting because today we crossed what's known as the lunar desert - the saddle between Mawenzi and Kibo peaks - to reach the huts at the bottom of Kibo peak.
Continue reading Day Five: Crossing the Lunar Desert.
Jun 16

Day Four: A Day for Dads

By Spencer West / / /
meditating.jpg
Rest day at roughly 14,000 ft.

Temperature: 10 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:
Spencer: "Kenny West" (father)
Alex: "Tony Meers" (father)
David: "Ella/Arlo Johnson" (daughter/son)

The day was spent resting and acclimating to the altitude and our surroundings, which is essentially some of the most superb alpine views imaginable. And so, without a grueling climb to endure, and as Father's Day is nearly upon us, it's the perfect time and the ideal setting to think about my dad, Kenny.
Continue reading Day Four: A Day for Dads.
Jun 15

Day Three: The Heights of Friendship

By Spencer West / / /
teamhands.jpg
SECOND CAVE TO KIKELEWA CAMP (Third cave): 11,440 ft. - 12,057 ft.

Hike duration: 4 hours

Temperature: 8 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:
Spencer: "Friendship"
David: "Reflection"
Alex: "Uplifting"

My word of the day - friendship - cannot be understated. 

I've gotta be honest: Day Two was a real struggle. I felt better once we were all reunited at the camp by day's end. But the fact that we had to break into two groups (in order to proceed more efficiently) was actually more discouraging than I cared to share yesterday. It was slow going, a frustrating climb and being apart, well, sucked.

Today was a different story, thankfully. 
Continue reading Day Three: The Heights of Friendship.
Jun 14

Day Two: Things Are Ramping Up

By Spencer West / / /
spencemountain1.JPG
Rongai Cave to 'Second Cave': 8,645 ft. to 11,440 ft.

Hike duration: 5.5 hours

Temperature: 10 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day:?
Spencer: "Beautiful"
David: "Pole pole" (Swahili for "slowly.")
Alex: "Grateful"

You could say things are ramping up here.

No one on the team got a very good sleep last night. Not too surprising; it's been a while since any of us have slept outdoors - and pretty much never on the side of a mountain!
Continue reading Day Two: Things Are Ramping Up.
Jun 13

Day One: The Climb Begins

By Spencer West / / /
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Day1-Facebook_sm.jpgNaro Moru gate to Simba camp: 6,552 ft. to 8,645 ft.

Hike duration: 5 hours

Temperature: 10 degrees Celsius

Word that captures the day for:
Spencer: "Inspired"
David: "Moved"
Alex: "Happy"

What a first day! 

The climb began in the little wooden village of Naro Moru, on a small path that winds through some dense forest. It's home to a full range of wildlife, including the cool Kilimanjaro black-and-white Colobus monkey. Not that we noticed animals too much. We encountered other climbing groups along the trail; but we aren't interacting too much - our team is too focused on the job at hand.
Continue reading Day One: The Climb Begins.
Jun 12

Base Camp

By Spencer West / / /
meeting2_sm.jpg
Here we are at the base of our great challenge: Mount Kilimanjaro.

At base camp we had the opportunity to meet the rest of our team - a first-rate staff of guides and porters from the Chagga tribe, which calls the base of the mountain home. These guys are for real, having done countless trips between them.
 
And, most importantly, we met up with Paul DeAngelis, the founder, director and head guide of Mountain Climbing Adventures. He's our head guide. Paul has guided and climbed all over the world. You don't want problems at 19,000 feet. But if you get them, then you want the dude who has experienced it all and trained in all elements of climbing, including wilderness medical procedure. That's Paul.
Continue reading Base Camp.
Jun 11

Greetings from Tanzania

By Spencer West / / /
Moshi-20120611-00022.jpg
We are finally here.  It's kinda hard to believe, that after so much anticipation, preparation and all the incredible attention we've managed to generate for the Redefine Possible campaign, we're finally going to start climbing tomorrow.

In the meantime we're in Moshi, the Tanzanian municipality, which is situated on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Continue reading Greetings from Tanzania.
Jun 10

Gearing Up

By Spencer West / / /
gearing up.jpgOne of the last and most important things on the checklist before we fly to Africa is also the most fundamental: getting equipped! Having the appropriate sleeping bags, outer wear, footwear (for some of us!) and backpacks are obviously huge considerations for the climb. What we use could make all the difference between success and...that other "F" word.
Continue reading Gearing Up.
Jun 9

The perfect send-off

By Spencer West / / /
DSC_0440.jpg
I almost had to check my invitation again to see if this was really happening.

Sure enough, the Redefine Possible team was actually being hosted by the Honourable David Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and Her Honour, Ruth Ann Onley, at the Lieutenant's Suite at Queen's Park. It was a regal dinner in such distinguished surroundings, and incredibly humbling to share with some of my closest friends and champions.

A huge thank you again to David Aisenstat and The Keg Steakhouse & Bar for believing in me and for truly making this climb possible. Thanks to Chris and Tania Carnegie, Marc Kielburger and Roxanne Joyal for their years of unyielding support. And of course, special thanks to His and Her Honour for hosting such a heart-warming dinner and providing what was a truly perfect (and almost unbelievable) send-off for the team.
Jun 4

Sir Spencer of the Realm

By Spencer West / / /
bbc-ed.jpgFrom the moment I was invited to appear on the BBC in Manchester, England, to talk about my journey and the Redefine Possible campaign, I was a bag of cats (as the Brits say!).This is the BBC we're talking about here - as global media reach goes, it doesn't get any bigger.

And as news programs go, this is one of the most widely viewed in the UK! BBC Breakfast, co-hosted Monday to Wednesday by the gracious team of Bill Turnbull and Susanna Reid, is a British television news program simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. In other words, everyone and their corgi is watching every single morning of the week.
Continue reading Sir Spencer of the Realm.
« May 2012 | Main Index | Archives | July 2012 »

FOLLOW SPENCER'S JOURNEY

Like Spencer on Facebook.
Follow Spencer on twitter.
Use the RSS Tracker.
Together We Can Change the World.