Mountain Madness guides its clients up Kilimanjaro on the Shira Plateau or the Fisher route. The route Dave chose had about 80 climbers from various companies. To put this into perspective the other side of the mountain (which included the other routes) had 2000 people attempting the summit. Usually the client/guide-porter-cooks ratio is about 4 to 1. This means that for 2000 clients there were 8000 guides, cooks and porters. In summary, there … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – Route Itinerary
The following is a list of camps and descriptions that we stayed at while hiking up the Shira route. Base Camp is located at 6500 feet among lush vegetation. During certain times of the year elephants and herds of animals can be seen in this area. During clear days, there are stunning views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Several small roads and trails are in this area - some of the trails lead up to small mountains from which there are … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France
Chamonix sits almost in the shadow of western Europe's tallest mountain, Mount Blanc at 15,780 feet in the far southeastern part of France. The town is nestled in the middle of a narrow valley surrounded on both sides by the towering peaks of the Alps. Chamonix is located at about only 3400 feet but it has the feel of being much higher because of the large mountains, glaciers, and snow fields that surround it. The Chamonix Valley stretches … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – History
During the Paleozoic Era another mountain range stood above what is now the current Mount Blanc. Over the years it eroded and eventually filled in with several seas. Marine sediments have been uncovered by present day geologists at high elevations. Then 40 million years ago a new mountain range formed due to a folding in the earth's crust in this part of the country. Mount Blanc took its present general shape about 15 million years ago as this … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Mer de Glace
Mer de Glace is well worth a visit for visitors of all ages. It is the second largest glacier in the Alps - approximately 9 miles long, almost a mile wide, and about 1200 feet in its deepest places. It moves more than 100 feet every year and is currently retreating. There are several ways to reach the glacier; for those who enjoy hiking, we highly recommend walking from the middle stop on the Aiguille du Midi. This hike works for those who … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Equipment Rental
Several companies and stores in Chamonix rent ice climbing, glacier climbing, mountain climbing and paragliding equipment. Most of the mountaineering stores in Chamonix are open in the morning till about noon and then close until mid/late afternoon and then open untill about 7 or 8pm. There are many stores in Chamonix that rent ski equipment. Expect to pay about 80-100 euro a day for ski rental equipment including the boots. Several sport … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Hiking
There are many excellent hiking trails in the Chamonix region ranging in difficulty from very easy to somewhat strenuous. Summer is an ideal time for viewing wildflowers with numerous varieties throughout the summer, depending on elevation. A few of the trails that I hiked or were recommended to me are listed below: Glacier de Bossons is well worth the trip from Chamonix for those in reasonable shape. The entire round trip hike takes about … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Other Attractions
The town of Chamonix offers plenty of shopping, relaxing or people watching. Chamonix reminds me of Whistler, British Columbia. It has the feel of being a high mountain village when in actuality it sits only approximately 3400 feet above sea level. Many local tourist shops sell stunning photographs of the surrounding mountains. These photographs are often only a few euros and are good presents for friends and family. However purchasing frames … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Hotels & Lodging
There are several nice places to stay in Chamonix. I was in Chamonix in the middle of July and had no problem finding a hotel at the last minute. All the locals I spoke with agree that July and August are the busiest months for the summer season. The following hotels and hostels are listed as basic references for where to stay in Chamonix, covering a wide range of budgets. If you have stayed at a hotel in Chamonix not listed on this page, … [Read more...]
Mt. Shasta, CA – Shasta
Ever since I was a child I have wanted to climb Mt. Shasta. I remember driving by on the 5 freeway and being impressed by its massive flanks as early as the age of six. Recently I organized a trip to climb this mountain. I realized that the odds were probably against us. The stats do not lie; only 33 percent of those that attempt that summit actually do make the top. Our trip date was the end of August. We hoped for good weather, but we were … [Read more...]