SITE HISTORY

Our objective was simple - TO REACH THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM. Although our objective was simple achieving this goal was not. This web site was originally created as an attempt to tell our story, educate and excite others and in some way express to those who visited this site the incredible emotion that comes from being on and around these incredible creations we call mountains.

The Beginning - Jason and I have been friends since childhood. We grew up in the same neighbourhood in North York which at that time was a suburb of Metropolitan Toronto. We had a group of friends which went through Junior High and High School together. In 1996 we both toured Europe for a month. Before visiting the homeland of Friuli in Northern Italy we visited Jason's uncle in Lausanne Switzerland he brought us to his chalet in Martigny. Many thanks to him and his family for their incredible hospitality. For someone who had never seen many mountains before it was an amazing experience. Imagine a chalet on a mountain and when you look out the window you see another grass covered mountain and nestled into the cliffs are small towns - the Swiss truly live in heaven.

We were determined to see Mount Blanc so we drove to Chamonix just inside France and it was a cloudy awful day. We were undecided about taking the cable car up 3842 meters to Aiguille Du Midi. From Aiguille Du Midi you could look out and see Mount Blanc. Basically we thought it would be cloudy and the ride up would be for nothing. As fate had it a boisterous American came by and overheard us debating and said that the clouds are not very dense and that we would regret not going up. His face had that gleam that we would later have on the way down.

So it was decided, we paid and after taking two cable cars 4 KM. up this is what we saw:

There was a lone hiker on the observatory when we were there and as he looked over the edge his words, (which he spoke out loud to himself) summed up our feelings at that moment "Ce` Magnifique".

     

In late 1998 Jason called me and mentioned that he had been reading about the Seven Summits and those that had achieved climbing each of the highest mountains on each continent. Jason had learned of a millennium summit of Kilimanjaro and he asked me if I was interested. I immediately said "Yes". This is where we began. This was originally written February 1st 1999. On January 1, 2000 we were back in the clouds on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

This is the opposite view from Mount Blanc looking down on Aiguille Du Midi
 
If you would like to see more pictures of us climbing in Milton, Ontario go here - Kelso June 2003

If you would like to see pictures of climbing above Canmore, Alberta go here - Yamnuska

EMAIL JASON

EMAIL SANDRO
Jason.jpg (5509 bytes)My name is Jason Rudy Moretto and I hail from North York, Ontario, Canada. I was born on May 6, 1969, the last of four siblings who all happen to be significantly older than I am. My parents originally came to Canada approximately fifty years ago from an area in northeast Italy called Friuli; a geographically diverse region which encompasses the Alps in the north, the Adriatic coastline to the south, and borders both Austria and Slovenia. I currently work for a major Canadian investment bank/dealer, in institutional equities research. I graduated with a commerce degree from the University of Toronto, and am a licensed accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst.. Presently, I am studying to attain a public accounting designation in the U.S. I am also involved in the elder association of my fraternity, Zeta Psi.

My fascination with mountains began when I was very young, visiting cousins in Switzerland and northern Italy over the years. Oddly enough, I was only thirteen months old the first time I had a taste of high altitude in the Italian and Austrian Alps! I have always longed to return to the mountains permanently and dream to someday retire in Switzerland or northern Italy. Although I have been to the Rocky Mountains, I prefer the Alps because of their deeper cultural and historical richness.

       

With the love of mountains rooted within me, it was not surprising that I became fascinated with tales of mountaineering. This led me to stumble upon reading about the Seven Summits - the challenge of climbing the highest peak on each continent. When I connected Kilimanjaro with a story of a local accountant who climbed the mountain I thought this to be a difficult but achievable goal. I coupled this goal with my desire to go somewhere special for the end of 1999. Thus, the goal to conquer the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro at the dawn of the Millennium seemed a logical decision. 

 

 My name is Sandro Grigio and I have been rock climbing since 1999. My first beginner course was with a company called Equinox Adventures and it was an introduction to outdoor rock climbing at Rattle Snake Point in Milton, Ontario. I've always had a numbing fear of heights. I never actually went up the venerable Toronto landmark called the CN Tower until I was around 20 years old. Fear! You have to face it always. Don't hate fear because for climbing at least it does keep you serious. Overcoming it is quite a natural high if ever there was one. This is what makes climbing so interesting to me because it is very cerebral as well as physical activity.
It is Zen because for someone in fear they need to be in that moment, in that place. In traditional lead climbing where your putting your own gear in focus and skill go hand in hand. This is true in all forms of climbing really but as you progress from top rope to sport to traditional, mixed, ice etc. You view each previous one as less and less scarier because you have become familiar with it. We usually do not fear the familiar so get to know the mountains.
    The risks in climbing should not deter anyone, safety is not an option but a rule and proper methods should be learned and always practiced. Never see yourself as too damn good to double check or to review a basic safety rule. This will keep you safe.