This second FAQ on The Cairn Project blog, dives into challenging moments and the ones that carried us through. Think scree slopes that felt like quicksand, a mid-mountain power nap that became strategy instead of weakness, and a pact to keep moving unless a heli was required. We cover gear drops, logistics, and what it really felt like when the ridge wouldn’t get closer. Part 2 is about grit, disorienting aftermaths, and finding the stubborn joy in not quitting, no matter how steep the slope or how tired the legs.
The Hardest Physical Moment
Without question: the climb from School Hut to Gilman’s Point. Two miles of scree that felt like quicksand, every step sliding back half a step, the sun soft on our backs but the trail shredded by climbers ahead. It was a grind that stretched into eternity, and the ridge never seemed to get closer. Read more about the most difficult parts of the FKT here.
The Mid-FKT Power Nap
We took a short power nap mid-mountain at Barranco Camp, a reset that was part of our strategy to finish. Sometimes the smartest move in a 36-hour push is closing your eyes for thirty minutes so you can keep moving for twenty more miles. Get the details on the bivy sack nap here.
Curious how we planned the checkpoints and why hot soup mattered more than gels? Start with Part 1: Behind the Miles: Kilimanjaro FKT FAQ.