Malibu natives Tyler, Miles and Austin Jennings pushed themselves to new physical and mental limits as they faced the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the African continent.
By Megan Farmer / Special to The Malibu Times
It was just after 6 a.m. as the sun began to peek through the clouds in Africa. At first, only a few small rays managed to pry through the fog with a soft glow, then a sudden burst of light radiated through the sky, opening up a breath-taking view from the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. It was exactly the reward that Malibu brothers Tyler, Miles and Austin Jennings were hoping for when they finally reached the top of the tallest peak on the African continent. Eight days, 19,341 feet and an immeasurable amount of pain and sacrifice, all made perfect sense to the Malibu natives in that moment.
The brothers journey began last March, when 28-year-old Miles, a lawyer and Pepperdine University graduate living in London, decided he needed to get away to a place where his Blackberry couldn’t follow him.
“I wanted to do something that was more of an adventure than just travelling to some European cities,” Miles said, and so he chose the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. About 20,000 people attempt the long and difficult journey each year, but only 42 percent achieve reaching the summit, according to the Kilimanjaro National Park Rangers. The climb also can be dangerous, with the park reporting an average death rate of 10 people a year.
Despite the risk, the brothers eagerly planned their trek. Adventure is a frequent hobby of the Jennings boys, sons of former three-time Malibu Mayor Jeff Jennings and his wife Kris. Tyler and Miles had previously climbed Machu Picchu, and all three brothers have gone running with the bulls in Spain.
“My brothers and I really try to experience as many different things as possible, and doing new things together makes it that much more meaningful,” Austin, an accountant for the energy drink company, Red Bull, said.
After months of preparation and anticipation, the young men got their first real look at the challenge they were to face on their plane ride into Tanzania. From his window seat, 25-year-old Austin could see Kilimanjaro off in the distance.
“It was pretty crazy, all we could see was this sea of clouds and a massive peak that was jutting out above them,” he said.
As the plane flew in closer, and Mount Kilimanjaro became larger and clearer, Austin said he could feel an adrenaline rush and pure excitement at the thought of reaching the top of the mountain.
The Jennings brothers’ hike began at the base of Kilimanjaro, in the middle of a rain forest, but the terrain would change several times throughout their eight-day journey. The lush green jungle transformed first into a bushy moorland, and later into a more barren, deserted landscape.
The beauty surrounding the Jennings was not lost on them; growing up in scenic Malibu instilled the brothers with a deep appreciation for nature. While hiking Kilimanjaro, 30-year-old Tyler, a photography digital technician, did what came natural to him and frequently stopped to take shots of the surrounding environment.
“It was definitely one of the most incredible places I’ve ever seen. Life is filled with ordinary events, and this is very extraordinary,” Tyler said.
The climb may have been beautiful, but it was also very difficult. The physical and mental demands wore on the brothers the longer and further they hiked. Austin recalled questioning their pace on the first day of their journey.
“We started off hiking at a pace that felt sluggish, our guide was just shuffling his feet,” he said. “All I could think was, is this really going to be our pace the whole time?”
But, by the last couple days, Austin appreciated how slow they had traveled, as he realized it was necessary to acclimate to the elevation changes, which is usually the primary reason people fail to reach the summit.
“On the last day, I couldn’t quicken my pace up without losing my breath. The lack of oxygen near the top makes it difficult to focus and increases the chance of getting altitude sickness,” Austin said.
The most important factor running through all the Jennings’ heads was that they were determined to make it to the top.
“I was absolutely unwilling to be the only Jennings brother to not make it up,” Miles said.
Tyler said the mantra running through his head on the final day was, “I’m not going to fail, I’m not going to fail.”
The last day was the most challenging for the Jennings as they began hiking at midnight with the goal of watching the sunrise from Kilimanjaro’s summit. They left their camp in the pitch-black darkness, with no light except a single ray projecting from their headlamps.
The only things the Jennings could see were the feet of the person in front of them. At one point Tyler looked up into the starry night and pointed out the moon to his brothers.
“I’ll never forget that sight. It was a crescent moon, but none like I’ve ever seen because the arc was on the bottom,” Austin recalled.
He stood in awe for a moment before continuing on his way.
They travelled like a pack of mules through the night, headed up the mountain in a line, shuffling along, literally less than a foot away from the backpack of the person in front of them. The trail on the way up was littered with blood and vomit from those who traveled earlier, a reminder of the difficulty of their mission. At one point, the brothers had to take a short break for Austin, who became too lightheaded to go any further. After a quick bite to eat he was ready to continue, but now there was lost time to make up.
The young men quickened their pace in a mad dash to reach the top, and just as they arrived at the peak, the sun slowly rose on the horizon. All three took a seat and watched the show. The brothers all hugged each other with exhilaration and felt proud that no one was left behind.
“The sunrise above the cloud line was spectacular, it was a surreal experience. Sharing the memory of reaching the top as the sun came up with my brothers is something I’ll never forget,” Miles said.
“When you get to the top, the feeling of accomplishment is pretty overwhelming,” Tyler added. All the brothers agreed it was a powerful moment, and they hiked the last 500 meters together to take a group picture at the summit sign.
Austin agreed that reaching the top of the mountain evoked a feeling of elation and held more meaning on a deeper level: “Our journey was difficult, but reflected a life lesson to take one step at a time. Each step may not get you far individually, but string a series of them together and you can accomplish almost anything.”