The Highest free-standing mountain in the world is Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Rising majestically above the African plains, the triple volcanic cones of the 20,000-foot Mr. Kilimanjaro has been the Mecca for climbers since it was first bested in 1889. Although dormant for approximately 360,000 years, with the most recent activity almost 200 years ago, the highest peak known as Kibo is not considered to be an extinct volcano and could erupt again.
The hike to the peak is not an easy one, with almost half of the climbers who make the attempt failing to complete the climb. Altitude sickness is the most common reason climbers turn back, with symptoms that range from swelling of the hands, feet and face, to fatigue, weakness, headaches and then to nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal problems and in extreme cases Pulmonary or Cerebral edema.
It is against this backdrop of challenges and risks that our own Defence Project Manager, Scott decided to tackle the highest peak in Africa.
Scott showed his customary single minded tenacity and determination when he completed his ascent, despite suffering from altitude sickness. Photos show his achievement here on our website, and although we do not know what he inscribed in the famous book at the summit, he has described the experience as the “Toughest thing I have ever done”. Given that Scott remains a “Hands on” Supervisor of our scaffold operations on both coasts with a reputation for superhuman efforts to achieve timelines and scaffold build targets, we all know the levels to which he must have been driven to make this statement.
All the staff at Mr Scaffold are proud to have such a dynamic and tenacious personality helping drive our operations and help us and our customers reach “The Next Level”