At听the age of听60,听Dr.听Milt听Allen is still learning.听His most recent classroom, however,听was an unlikely one:听Mount Kilimanjaro.听
The chair of the 黑料不打烊 Department of Music began his ascent of the mountain, which is听the highest听single free-standing mountain in the world,听on听Dec. 13 and听reached听the听summit听Dec. 18.听
鈥淚 think you learn from anything,鈥澨鼳llen said.听鈥淲ithout question,听(the climb)听put things in perspective,听especially when听you听have a life-threatening experience and听think you might听not come down听from the mountain.鈥�听
Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano听located听in Tanzania, Africa.听About听30,000 people听attempt听to summit the mountain annually,听with听about 60听percent completing the climb听(in a non-pandemic year).听
A few days into the climb,听Allen听began to fight altitude sickness. The听severe nausea听from Altitude听Mountain听Sickness (AMS)听prohibited him from eating,听and he also听experienced听the beginnings of edema, the buildup of fluid in the brain, lungs and听extremities. The health struggles were compounded by the physical reality of climbing a mountain, including lower oxygen levels.听
鈥淭he听third听full day of听climbing,听altitude sickness听emotionally got us,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat was compounding it was we were burning 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day, and I was ingesting nothing. You鈥檙e saying to yourself, 鈥楧on鈥檛 think about it, don鈥檛 focus on it鈥� because medical help isn鈥檛 there.听They carry an oxygen tank, but the only time they use it is if you鈥檙e coming down听the mountain听on a stretcher.听
鈥淚 kept telling myself,听鈥�30,000 people climb it a year, only 30 die. Victory not without toil. Keep going.鈥欌��听
The decision to climb听Mount Kilimanjaro, also called 鈥淜ili,鈥� grew out of a perfect听storm.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very challenging 18 months,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淭his fall, I hit the big 6-0,听and we were in the middle of a major pandemic.听(Climbing Kilimanjaro) has听been something to look forward to.听
鈥淚 figured, 鈥榃hy not?鈥櫶齀鈥檓听a runner,听cyclist听and former triathlete. That mountain鈥檚 been听kind of hollering听at me since I听started going听to Africa. I had to see why it was calling.鈥�听
While he has been cycling and doing triathlons for almost two decades, Allen听is not an experienced mountaineer.听听
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 climbed a mountain in my adult life,鈥� Allen said, but felt his baseline of physical activity set him up for success.听听
In addition to his cycling and running, he added听trekking听to听his normal routine, completing between 100 to 130 miles per week.听听
鈥淲ith hiking I would go out to听Horsethief Trail at听Kanopolis听Lake, which was the听closest thing to听Kilimanjaro听I could find around here,鈥� he said听with a laugh. 鈥淚 would do the outward loop a couple times听and knock out from 12听to听15 miles in a morning.鈥�听
The听total听distance听covering听鈥淜ili鈥� was听manageable听鈥� 42 miles 鈥� but Allen said he knew he听couldn鈥檛听train for the altitude on the flatlands of Kansas.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to go to听Kanopolis听and knock out 12 miles. It鈥檚 another thing to knock out听five听miles that contains 40听to听45 percent grades and vertical drops,鈥� he said.听
From the beginning, climbing听Kilimanjaro was different than the YouTube video tutorials听Allen听watched.听听
鈥淲e were five minutes in, and the heavens opened up. It just poured,鈥澨齢e听said. 鈥淩ichie听(another climber)听and I discovered this听was听not at all like the听YouTube听videos we had seen. After two hours of pouring rain, there was听still听an hour to听hike to get to听our first听camp.鈥�听
All climbers are required to have a guide and support crew for the ascent.听While initially he planned to climb solo听with the support crew,听Allen听was asked听to join another climber from Aruba听for the adventure听once he arrived in Africa.听His climbing partner听Richie听was an experienced听trekker,听who hiked听an average of 20 km per day听during previous climbs in听Peru and Chile.听听
鈥淎fter the first two days, he said 鈥楾his is nothing like (Peru or Chile),鈥欌�� Allen said. 鈥淗e said it was way more intense. He did not expect it to be听as intense.听Neither听of us did.鈥�听
The听grueling听experience bonded the climbers and crew quickly.听With his听shoulder-length听mane of white hair and status of oldest in the group, the crew听began听calling Allen 鈥淧apa,鈥澨齛n informal term for 鈥渇ather鈥� in听the region鈥檚 native language,听Swahili.听
Following two days of steady climbing, Allen said he awoke the second night听鈥渁t 2 a.m. and my heart was beating so fast I couldn鈥檛 sleep,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was trying to calm myself, but the air was getting thin. I thought, 鈥楾his could be it. The trip could be over. This听is a听really dangerous听situation.鈥欌��听
After a rough night, the group faced a听5-mile climb that was supposed to take a maximum of six hours.听听
鈥淲e take off,听and听I鈥檓 in bad shape,鈥� Allen said.听鈥淭he air was getting thinner, I hadn鈥檛 eaten breakfast, I couldn鈥檛 drink. We were moving听very听slow. The听guides听were watching me and checking me, 鈥楶apa, you good? Papa, don鈥檛 sleep.鈥�听
鈥淏y the time we get to听Lava听Tower, both of us were pretty rough. I couldn鈥檛 talk. I couldn鈥檛 eat.鈥�听
Because he was fighting altitude sickness, the听day鈥檚 climb took nine hours. The pattern of longer days of climbing continued for the remainder of the ascent.听
Increased altitude was not听the only obstacle. The听journey involved听hiking through听five climate zones:听rainforest,听heather,听moorland,听alpine听desert and听arctic zones.听
鈥淭he ascents and descents were听getting听tougher 鈥� much tougher. The air was thinner,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淲e were getting anxious because we were getting close.听We鈥檙e听at altitudes听higher than Pike鈥檚 Peak.听听
As the days passed and the climbing intensified, the team shifted from the casual 鈥淧apa鈥� to the听endearing听Swahili听term of father, 鈥淏aba,鈥澨齱hen referring to Allen.听The affection was听mutual. Allen said the expertise of the guide and porters was essential for the climb.听A special bond was forged with one of the porters,听Hussein.听
鈥淥n summit night,听I would walk three to five minutes, and I would collapse on a rock,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ussein听would come over and sing听me songs and say, 鈥楤aba don鈥檛 sleep.鈥櫶鼿e and another porter, Saleem,听tried to keep me warm. I couldn鈥檛 get up听to move without their help. They would lift me up. At one point, I听just听couldn鈥檛听move. Those guys, twice, put my arms around them and drug me for 20 yards.听Then I found a bit more strength.鈥�听
The climb to the summit began on听day听six听of the journey. In order to reach the听19,341 foot听summit听of听Uhuru Peak听at sunrise, the group set off before midnight.听Allen said he knew climbing the final听3 miles听would be grueling, both physically and emotionally.听
鈥淚鈥檇听been moving sick for three or four days,听and they can see I鈥檓 struggling,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had already gone deeper than I鈥檝e ever had (to go before).听I鈥檝e never gone below the well that far or that much.鈥�听
Allen continued his slow climb.听About three hours into the听pre-dawn ascent, his fellow climber听expressed concern.听听
鈥淩ichie pulls the head guy over and said, 鈥楬e鈥檚 dying, you need to take him down,鈥欌�� Allen said. 鈥淭here was a lot of discussion. Amos, the lead guide,听came over and asked me if I wanted to go down. I said, 鈥楴o.鈥�听
鈥淚 was second guessing everything. I told myself, 鈥楢ll this time and you鈥檙e not going to make it. You鈥檝e come so far and not finished.鈥櫶齅y thought was,听鈥業f I bail now,听it will be a听crushing defeat, but听I听just听can鈥檛 do the听descent听in the dark.鈥欌��听
The climbers were in an arctic zone,听in the dark,听with temperatures听and wind chill combining for听10 to 20 degrees below freezing.听
鈥淚 thought,听鈥業鈥檒l keep moving forward until I either pass out or it鈥檚 daylight. If it鈥檚 daylight, I can听descend听safely,鈥欌�� Allen said.听
He didn鈥檛 pass out, but at one point,听Allen said he started to slide sideways听off of the path.听听
鈥淚 felt听Hussein and Saleem听reach out and grab me.听They just pulled听me up,听sat听me听on a rock听breathing hard and not听saying a word,鈥澨齢e听said.听鈥淚t was pretty clear what almost happened. Finally, after a听little听bit,听Hussein听reaches over, puts his arm around me and hugs me really tight and kisses me on the听side of my听head and says,听鈥楤aba, please take care.鈥欌��听
The听tumultuous听climb continued.听听
鈥淏efore the sun rose, I felt I wasn鈥檛 going to make it,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淣ot only was I not going to make it, I thought I was going to die on the mountain.听Mentally, I was saying my goodbyes.鈥�听
As the climb approached the six-hour mark, the sun began to rise.听听
鈥淔or me, daylight, seeing it the peak, I was redeemed,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥楳aybe I have a shot.鈥欌��听
He kept pushing forward, minute by minute, until he heard familiar voices听of the rest of the climbing party who completed the summit.听
The victory听of reaching the summit听was, indeed, worth the toil.听
鈥淲hen I reached the top, everything fell away for a brief moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he pain, the tired, the pressure, the fear: I had made it. I had summitted Mount听Kilimanjaro. I was听literally听floating above the clouds.鈥�听
Allen said听cresting the summit was about more than the physical听ascent.听听
鈥淚t听gives the听mountains you climb in your personal life and professional life a little different perspective,鈥� he said.听听
It also taught lessons about leaning into听adversity.听
鈥淚 wanted to make a statement about fear and challenge, patience and perseverance, love and belief,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淚 am thinking of students and faculty. I thought by at least attempting to climb the mountain and overcome that obstacle, if it even helps one student, say, 鈥業 can do this听(whatever it may be),鈥� then it鈥檚 worth it.听听
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why听we听teach. That鈥檚 why听we鈥檙e here.鈥�
Story by Karen Bonar
