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Bay Area blind woman trying to set record hiking Kilimanjaro
Kristie Colton is part of the largest group of blind hikers to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, attempting to break the world record.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - A woman from Mountain View is not letting her disability stop her from breaking world records.
Kristie Colton is blind and she’s joining a group of hikers from around the world to become the largest group of blind hikers to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in the fall.
From snowboarding in Utah, hiking the Grand Canyon, and most recently, running the Boston marathon, Colton loves adventure.
The backstory:
At nine years old, she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a rare degenerative condition that causes vision loss.
"Growing up, I always still wanted to do the things I loved before the diagnosis," Colton said.
The genetic disease affects the macula and causes progressive loss of central vision, but leaves some peripheral vision.
She needs a cane or her guide dog, Vorden, to get around.
'One of my greatest strengths'
Though she was once embarrassed by the disability, she said now it’s one of her greatest assets, motivating her to live life to the fullest and show the world that anything is possible.
"I ran my first marathon when I was 16," she said.
When she heard a group of blind hikers were setting out to break a world record climbing the nearly 20,000-foot summit at Kilimanjaro, she said she had to be a part of the excursion.
"I decided it was going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity," Colton said.
Over the span of 10 days, she will be one of 11 blind hikers climb the mountain with a sighted guide.
"I have two because I’m a lucky girl," she said.
Colton will be joined by her best friends, Grace Eysenbach and Jungyeon Park.
‘Big dreamer' reminds others what they're capable of
"Being friends with Kristie is a lot of fun because she’s a big dreamer, so she’s always plotting some sort of scheme or adventure or challenge she wants to take on," said Eysenbach.
Eysenbach called it an honor to be Colton’s guide.
"They’re trusting you to be a second set of eyes, so it makes the hikes feel more meaningful at the end, because it really feels like a group accomplishment."
They’ve been training for weeks, hiking at Castle Rock State Park and Reinhart Regional Park, preparing not just their bodies, but also their coordination as they get to know Colton’s specific sight needs.
"It’s been a lot of communication, a lot of trial and error, but it’s going really well," said Colton.
She hopes to inspire others who might have their own obstacles to enjoy everything life has to offer.
"To someone who is young and diagnosed with a disability, I would tell them ‘lean into it, don’t be embarrassed don’t be shy about it, own it,’" she said.
What's next:
Colton is halfway to raising $6,500 to cover expenses. She is raising money via GoFundMe.
Any additional funds raised will go to Guide Dogs of America, which is where she adopted her guide dog, Vorden.
She and her guides will fly out of SFO to Tanzania in late September.
The big hike begins on Oct. 1 and will last 10 days.
The Source: Original reporting by Crystal Bailey of KTVU