Mountaintop Thrill: Count two more! In just three years, Fort Lewis College climbing expeditions have reached the highest points on four continents—and done some good along the way.
Europe… check!  Africa… check!   The Fort Lewis College Outdoor Pursuits climbing expedition can check off two more continents in their quest to climb the highest mountains in the world.   The 10-member team, led by Outdoor Pursuits Coordinator Chris Nute, has successfully completed its climb of 19,563-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. The successful climb came just two weeks after the team conquered Europe's highest mountain, Russia's 18,510-foot Mount Elbrus.
According to Nute, the team was on Kilimanjaro for a total of six days and completed a traverse of about 50 miles. Unlike previous climbs, this time the group was not alone. All climbers of Kilimanjaro are required to hire local porters to carry gear up the mountain. The 10 members of the expedition made the trek with 29 porters. “We were a small village,” said Nute. Upon completing their climb, the team headed for the small village of Kidia, located on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. There the team participated in a four-day service project on the village’s secondary school. They built a net ball court, painted the entire front of the school and one of the classrooms. “We were very much appreciated and the village was overly thankful for what we thought was so little,” Nute explained. “They said that we built them a castle that should have taken years in a matter of days. The entire time and experience was very humbling.” To celebrate a successful end to their expedition, the team traveled to Moshi, Tanzania, for a four-day safari. The climbs of Kilimanjaro and Elbrus are only the most recent in a series of successful summits on the Outdoor Pursuits resume. Previous teams climbed Denali in Alaska, the highest point in North America; Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak in the Southern Hemisphere; and Mt. Rainier in Washington state.	To reach a summit and return to camp before nightfall requires a pre-dawn departure. Climbers near the top of Mt. Elbrus.
Members of this year's expedition are: Chris Nute, team leader Josh Kling, assistant team leader Sarah Baskins, assistant team leader, senior, Art Education Catherine Baskins, junior, Interdisciplinary Studies Stephanie Euwema, senior, English Communications Tricia Harutun, sophomore, Elementary Education Ben Johnson, freshman, Anthropology Tony Miles, senior, Art Kylie Nulty, junior, Biology Allen Ottman, freshman, Undeclared The Outdoor Pursuits program at Fort Lewis College is open to all students, regardless of ability. It offers a wide range of outdoor services including: guided trips, clinics, equipment checkout and gear repair, maps and advice. For more information about Outdoor Pursuits, call 970-247-7293.