Nov. 5, 2010

Highs and Lows of Kilimanjaro By Eb Richardson Jack Nelson does not climb mountains. “I like outdoor activities, like skiing,” Nelson said. “I went camping as a kid, but I’m not a mountaineer.” Nelson is the managing partner at Reed Smith’s Silicon Valley office.A few weeks ago, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Until mountain climbing became an endeavor for charity, Nelson had never considered an expedition. From across the pond, Ian Fagelson, the senior partner and a member of the executive committee of Reed Smith in the UK, had a vested interest in getting other members of the firm out of their cubicles and onto the trail. “Ian is a very convincing guy,” Nelson said. “Another guy told me that ... Ian offered to buy him a beer, and then convinced him to go on the trek. I said, 'That sounds familiar. I had a glass of wine in my hand when he asked me.” Fagleson, the father of an autistic son, created The HOPE Centre for Cognitive Education for children with learning disabilities in 1996.In 2008, the HOPE Centre came under the umbrella of another UK foundation, Norwood, which also supports children with learning disabilities and their families. The Mount Kilimanjaro climb was part of a fundraising program for Norwood. Nelson had been comfortable donating money to the HOPE Centre for years, and none of the previous treks rustled the outdoorsman inside him to life. But Kilimanjaro was different. “Kilimanjaro has an allure that other mountains just don’t have,” Nelson said. “After you read 'Snows of Kilimanjaro’ by [Ernest] Hemingway, it becomes exotic and challenging. Africa is interesting. It’s also a climb you can do without skills, because it’s just a long, straight, steep hike.” Fagelson promised that this was the last of the treks, the “big one.” All these elements convinced Nelson to “foolishly” agree to the climb. Kilimanjaro towers 19,341 feet above the desert floor; the highest freestanding mountain in the world. It takes eight days to climb to the top, allowing hikers to adjust to major changes in altitude and temperature. Along the way, the sun’s tropical warmth gives way to near-freezing conditions. As the climbers began their ascent on Oct. 18, some of the captivating qualities that attracted Nelson to the journey were clouded by the arduous trek. By summit night, the enchantment had all but disappeared. “To get to the top, you climb from midnight to sunrise, and it’s just a slog — a six-hour slog. It’s dark, difficult, steep. It’s just one foot in front of the other, and it’s hard to keep going. Plus, the air is very thin, so you have to move slowly.” But as the team reached the top, that allure came rushing back. Miles and miles of the African plains stretched before them, sun rising over the surrounding coastal scrubland. “It’s beautiful at the top,” Nelson said. “It’s a huge accomplishment That was the best part.” That, and raising more than $160,000 for The Hope Centre. Nelson isn’t planning on any big climbs in the future, and neither is Fagelson. But there will be a next trek, and it is considerably flatter than the last; acclimating to the altitude is generally not a problem in the Sahara.