In the final chapter of this three-part Kilimanjaro series, Steve Baskis shares the emotional and physical realities of making the final push to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and returning home afterward. Through exhaustion, altitude, cold, illness, and trust, Steve reflects on what it means to climb as a blind veteran and how teamwork becomes essential on the mountain.

This episode also features a powerful conversation with guide Celiann Gonzalez, who shares her experience supporting blind climbers through the expedition and the life-changing moment when temporary snow blindness forced her to rely on others for guidance herself.

Together, they explore disability, resilience, vulnerability, adaptation, and the lasting impact of adventure long after the climb ends. This episode concludes the Kilimanjaro story project and highlights the importance of communication, trust, and challenging assumptions about blindness and what is possible after loss.

To follow future adventures, podcasts, videos, and community projects, visit https://blindendeavors.org

After a long journey across continents, Steve Baskis and the climbing team arrive in Tanzania to begin their ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. What follows is a raw, immersive look at life on the mountain—where weather, altitude, illness, and exhaustion test every member of the team.

Through field recordings captured along the trail, listeners experience the climb step by step. From the logistics at the national park gate to the muddy trails, cold camps, and long days of hiking at altitude, the mountain quickly reminds the team that reaching the summit will require resilience, trust, and teamwork.

Along the way, the expedition brings together an extraordinary group of climbers, including fellow blinded veterans Lonnie Bedwell and Aaron Hale. Aaron, who is both blind and deaf, approaches the mountain with remarkable determination after completing an ultra-distance run across Tanzania to reach the base of the climb.

For Steve, the mountain is also an opportunity to document what adventure sounds like when experienced without sight. Through conversations, environmental sounds, and candid moments from the trail, listeners hear the rhythm of the climb—the rain on the trail, the voices guiding each step, the laughter among teammates, and the songs of the Tanzanian porters who call Kilimanjaro home.

But as the team pushes higher, the mountain begins to take its toll. Weather slows progress, the trail becomes slick and unpredictable, and illness spreads among the climbers. At high camp, exhausted but determined, the team prepares for the most difficult part of the journey: the midnight summit push.

In the next episode, the climbers step into the darkness to attempt the summit of Kilimanjaro.

To explore the full Kilimanjaro Story Project—including the Endeavor Journal blog posts, the full three-part podcast series, and additional media from the expedition—visit: https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/

In Episode One of this three-part series, host Steve Baskis begins documenting an extraordinary expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro — the tallest mountain on the African continent.

Three blind veterans, Steve Baskis, Lonnie Bedwell, and Aaron Hale, prepare to take on one of the world's most iconic summits. Each man carries a powerful story of resilience, service, and rebuilding after vision loss, and together they are setting out to challenge both the mountain and the limits others place on blindness.

In this opening chapter, Steve introduces the mission behind the series, shares what it means to document the climb from a blind perspective, and sets the stage for what lies ahead. Listeners will also hear directly from climbers Lonnie Bedwell and Aaron Hale in personal phone conversations recorded during the preparation phase.

This is not just a story about reaching the summit — it's a story about what is possible after loss.

Follow the full expedition story and ongoing updates here:
https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/

To explore more content and updates, visit:
https://blindendeavors.org