RYAN’S ADVENTURE
‘IT was definitely a challenge and a half,’ says 24 year old Ryan Doherty who successfully climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Ireland.
The Ballymakellet resident decided to take on the mammoth task of climbing Africa’s highest mountain as he was inspired by the daily courage shown by his young cousin Cathal Gallagher who hasn’t let Cystic Fibrosis spoil his zest for life.
‘I didn’t realise it would be difficult. It pushed me to the limits but it was the least I could do for people with Cystic Fibrosis,’ says Ryan, who finished college three weeks previously.
Having trained in the Cooley mountains, Ryan flew out to Tanzania on June 18th, arriving at base camp two days later.
‘It took me five days to summit which I managed to do a day ahead of schedule which was a bonus,’ he recalls.
It was, however, an achievement which required an enormous effort and inner strength.
He suffered a blow when the other Irish climber who had flown out at the same time had to abandon her attempt on the second day due to altitude sickness, which left Ryan to summit on his own apart from the team which included a guide, cook and porter.
‘When we arrived at base camp it was starting to snow. It was a very clear night and the temperature was down to -10. When I woke up in the morning, the tent was covered with snow and a bottle of water I had was frozen solid.#
It was, however, ‘roasting during the day,’ he said, so he had to pack and carry clothes for two different climates.
Ryan says that he lost all concept of time as he made his way up the mountain. ‘I skipped one of the camps and did two days’ worth of climbing in one day,’ he recalls.
As he approached Stella Point, one of three summits on the mountain, he says that his body stopped working and it was only sheer determination which kept him going,
‘I was exhausted, I couldn’t lift my legs and to take even one step was a challenge.’
As he dug deep within himself to find strength which he didn’t know he had, Ryan cleared the brow of a hill and saw a sign congratulating him on reaching Stella Point. ‘I could see Uhuru Peak, which is the highest peak, and decided I wanted to continue on to that, even though the guide said that technically I had reached the summit.’
After taking a break for some food and drink, Ryan had enough new found energy to make it to Uhuru Peak at 5,895m or 19,341 feet, in 40 minutes. It was, he admits, a very emotional experience, as he was so euphoric that he started crying.
‘I was so happy that I had managed to get to the top.’ He donned his CF jersey and unfurled the Irish tricolour for some souvenir photos before making his way down.
‘It took me seven hours to summit and only two hours to go back down.’ He passed a number of climbers who had collapsed and were being given oxygen, which underscored just what he had achieved.