Hiking through miles of dense rainforest in well-worn boots, greeting a family of monkeys as they swing from tree to tree, climbing higher and higher until your head spins and each breath is a challenge. For Scott Hudgins ‘12, an accounting major at Mays Business School, this was winter break.
After finishing the last of his final exams, Hudgins packed his bags for Africa where an incredible adventure awaited him—one that few college students get to experience. After twenty hours on an airplane, Hudgins and his father, Jack ’81, landed in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania’s capital city, where they would start their climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. Often referred to as the Crown of Africa, at 19,331 feet, this dormant volcano is the highest peak on the continent.
Mays accounting student Scott Hudgins ’12 (right) and his father, Jack ’81 (left), spent nine days ascending Mount Kilimanjaro this past December.
Before they even hit the trail, they began the trip by roughing it. Hudgins and his dad rented a room at the city’s nicest hotel for the evening: a cubicle featuring a full-sized mattress just over an inch thick, a tiny bathroom, and no air conditioning.
The next morning, Hudgins donned his climbing gear, loaded up his backpack, and met with the two Tanzanian guides to begin the nine-day climb. The team typically climbed for seven to eight hours each day, stopping at strategically placed campsites only for necessary meals and sleep. On the longest day, Hudgins and his team climbed for eleven hours, skipping a campsite.
Starting in the tropical rainforest, Hudgins ascended into five climate zones before reaching the mountain’s summit on December 23. He described the weather of the desert-like scenery as very hot during the day and incredibly cold after sunset. When they finally reached the mountain’s summit, Hudgins and his father were welcomed with woven bracelets by their guides who exclaimed, “You’re part of Africa now.” For Hudgins, this acceptance into the culture was the best part of the journey.
After some rest and time for pictures at the campsite, the climbers left the barren rock landscape of the summit and began their trek downward, where Hudgins boasts that he raced his guide and completed the descent two days ahead of schedule.
Hudgins saw more of Tanzania than just the mountain, where he witnessed poverty filling the streets of the capital city. “There weren’t enough tiny huts to house the amount of people living in Dar Es Salaam,” he said. The city’s pollution is another major issue; many American cars were visible on the streets, but without the filters for fuel and exhaust that keep them environmentally friendly in the U.S.
Another disparity Hudgins noticed was the lack of opportunity for Tanzanians to achieve professional success. “Our guide was incredibly intelligent, speaking five languages. If he were in the U.S., he could really make something of himself, but it’s much more difficult in Tanzania. The opportunities just aren’t there,” said Hudgins. “These people really look up to us and admire the things that our country does. I was asked ‘If the U.S. doesn’t lead the world, then who will?’ It was then that I realized how much other nations rely on us for support, and that despite all of the negativity associated with the U.S. right now, we really have so much to be thankful for.”
So what’s next for the outdoor adventurer? Hudgins says he and his dad plan to trek to the base of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. They are also considering an expedition to the North or South Pole. But for now, it’s back to school and work for the climbing duo. Hudgins’ father Jack, who graduated from Mays with a degree in accounting, is a CPA in Amarillo. He is a partner in the accounting firm Hudgins Crosier Sumpter, PC.
