Winter 1997
|
Winter 1997 |
|
It took Rose-Hulman mechanical engineering professors Lee Waite and Jerry Fine more than a year to realize their dream: Climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the African continent. Once there, they had less than 15 minutes to enjoy their achievement. The temperature was 14 degrees. There was a brisk wind. There was snow on the ground. The altitude (19,340 feet above sea level) made breathing a laborious task.
"We felt like we were on top of the world, and in many respects, we were," says Fine, an avid climber who has scaled mountains in South America, Central America and the Rocky Mountains. "I never imagined reaching the top. It was a dream. Still, I'm amazed." Waite, a mountain climber for the past three years, admitted: "I didn't want to leave, but was advised against staying up there too long. It was an awesome experience." The two professors and Fine's 23-year-old daughter, Sarah, a doctoral candidate at the University of Delaware, spent part of their summer vacation climbing one of the seven summits — the highest points on each continent. Kilimanjaro is the fourth highest of the seven. (Mount Everest is the highest at 29,028 feet above sea level.) Joined by a couple from Virginia, they started the ascent July 27 on the Machame Route (6,000 feet above sea level), one of the most remote and technically challenging of several routes to the summit of Kilimanjaro. They hired four professional guides and 12 porters to lead the way, set up camp and prepare meals along the way. All Fine and Waite had to bring was sleeping bags, warm clothes and strong leg muscles. The mission would cover 45 miles and over 13,000 feet of elevation. Day One stopped at 9,800 feet above sea level. By the third day, the contingent had climbed to 12,800 feet. The evening of Day Four was spent at 15,100 feet. They would climb the last 4,200 feet the next day, starting at 12:15 a.m. There was no moon and the climbers' way was lit by flashlights. Things at this stage became increasingly more difficult. "I remember looking at my watch thinking that it must be broken. I was thinking that we had climbed for an hour, but only 15 minutes had passed," states Waite, 40. "I also remember thinking, 'Why do I feel so bad?' I took a quick inventory. My feet didn't hurt; neither did my legs; and my feet and hands weren't freezing. I wasn't nauseous. I finally realized that I was just plain tired. Every step was an effort and the oxygen was very thin. Time was moving slow." At 18,000 feet Fine started feeling the effects of the challenge. "The slope just seemed to go on and on, and physiologically, the matter was getting harder," the 50-year-old said. "I was really breathing fast. I just tried to concentrate on slow, steady stepping, synchronized with two breaths." Then, a beautiful seep of light appeared on the horizon. The object of their journey was in sight! "I was really breathing hard and the altitude now seemed to be getting to me," recalls Fine. "But the lure of the summit was strong . . . I remember saying to Sarah and Lee, 'We got it now. Hang on and hike!" An hour later, at 6:45 a.m. they reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro. After a group hug, the professors unveiled a Rose-Hulman flag at the mountain top. "It was important that Rose-Hulman be there. It's an important part of our lives," Waite said. Now, Fine and Waite are modest about their accomplishment — even though less than one-third of the persons who set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro eventually get to the summit. "When you compare us to others, we're extremely conservative climbers. We're high-altitude trekkers," Fine states. "Frankly, I'm humbled that anyone really cares. We didn't do this for the publicity. We did it for the sense of adventure and the challenge. It was great being at the top with my daughter and my best friend. It will be something we'll never forget." As for the future, Waite and Fine would like to climb one mountain in each continent in the world — they have accomplished two of the seven. "We're not looking to scale Mount Everest. That would be too risky," Waite said. "We're still keeping in shape for something. I don't what it will be, but I know it will be exciting. It always is when Jerry is involved." — by Dale Long Professors Jerry Fine and Lee Waite would like to hear from Rose-Hulman alumni who might have climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro or other top peaks in the seven continents. You can contact them by calling (812) 877-8353 or (812) 877-8404. Their e-mail addresses are Jerry.Fine@Rose-Hulman.edu and Lee.Waite@Rose-Hulman.edu
  |
But nevertheless, Waite and Fine felt as if they had climbed much higher.