By the Numbers
20ºF
Night temperature at 13,000 feet
15,893
Summit of Mount Baker (feet)
22
Days on Mount Baker
T MINUS SIX MONTHS
Plotting the course: I was invited to photograph a group of German geologists who were using very detailed GPS readings to measure how tectonic-plate movement is shifting the Rwenzori Mountains. Months before our departure I bought waterproof clothing and bags to protect my equipment from the wet climate. Then we planned our strategy. The range is on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At my urging the team decided to travel on the Ugandan side to avoid rebel activity in the DRC.
T MINUS TWO WEEKS
Essential packing list: At the base of Mount Baker, the temperature was in the 80s. As we climbed, it became cold, wet, windy—and then snowy. We went from sweating to freezing in just a few days.
- A warm sleeping bag
- Four waterproof bags
- A GPS device
- Chocolate (not enough)
- Polarizing filter for camera lens to diffuse the mountain light
- A backup hard drive for downloading photos every night
- Aspirin for altitude sickness
T MINUS 48 HOURS
Ready for launch: Climbing to such a high altitude in the Rwenzoris was a dream, and I couldn’t wait to get there. I flew from my home in Panama to New York, then on to Amsterdam and finally to Entebbe, Uganda. I met the geologists there, and we drove together to the western border. In a town at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, we arranged for 15 porters and cooks, as well as one armed guard, to accompany us up Mount Baker.
