Trip Report
Mt Kenya, north face TR (many photos)
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Sunday July 12, 2009 2:58pm
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During the second world war Felice Benuzzi, Giovanni Balletto and Enzo Barsotti escaped from a British POW camp with the sole intent of climbing Mt Kenya. Their only map was food can label. My map...
I was in Kenya last summer with a bit of time for climbing. So I arranged a trekking guide, a couple of porters and a cook for 7 days on Mt. Kenya. And - a new experience for me - I also had a climbing guide meet us on the mountain.
The Chogoria route on the eastern side is the longest and most scenic. If you get past the mud on the forest track,
and avoid the wild elephant that we surprised.
It's an easy couple of days walk up past the Gates of Nithi,
and the Chogoria gorge towards the high peaks.
The upper parts are the mountain have curious plants (giant senesia)
[ Click to View Linked Image]
and curious animals (rock hyraxes)
At dawn on the fourth morning I'm on the top of Point Lenana (16,300'). This is the "trekker's peak" and will be either an acclimatization hike or a consolation prize.
The real goal is Batian, the highest peak. Basecamp is at Kami Tarns at the toe of the North ridge.
At five the next morning we scramble up the scree to rope up and wait for sunlight at the base of the route. The mountain guide (Kimani) arrived in camp last night and the trekking guide (Dickson) is joining in on the climb.
What is kiswahili for "look out for the rope around your leg"? Kimani leads into Shipton's notch.
The climbing is mostly easy (5.3 or so) with sections of 5.7+. I'll give it the plus for altitude, cold and having to jam ice filled cracks. After 16 pitches we're on the top around noon.
Every afternoon (I'd been watching for days) the face is covered in thick mist and hail. Getting off quickly and knowing where you are going is key.
We're down on the scree by sunset and back in camp at dusk. The next day is downhill all the way. Celebrating with Batian directly behind me.
I've marked up the route on this picture of the north ridge, taken from Simba Col.
Mt Kenya is a fantastic place. I was on Kilimanjaro the year before and there's no comparison - climb Mt Kenya instead. On Kilimanjaro you're never far from 250 of your closest friends; in 7 days on Mt Kenya I saw only two other parties. The success rate on Mt Kenya is quite low (10%?) and the primary reason is navigation, particularly in the mist. Having a guide is almost cheating - I'm glad that I did.
I've posted a more extensive photo essay ( http://homepage.mac.com/roy16/Mt_Kenya_2008/index.html); if you want to see more.
Cheers, Roy
[edit:] fixed broken links
roy
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About the Author
roy is a social climber from New Zealand -> Santa Barbara. |
Comments
Russ Walling
Social climber
from Poofters Froth, Wyoming
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:14pm PT
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Hey! Way to go! Thanks!
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Scared Silly
Trad climber
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:28pm PT
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Cool, BTW Felice Benuzzi's book is an excellent read. One of the ultra classics.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:31pm PT
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Holy!!!!! That's pretty badass!!
and curious animals (rock hyraxes)
Is hyraxes African for Marmot?
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:33pm PT
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i nominate YOU to travel throughout the world, directing my eye to the sights as you see them. please, continue to set the bar this high, and knock down a few adventures along the way.
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BriGuy
climber
black hills, south dakota
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:43pm PT
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Nice TR, great photos, well done sir.
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John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
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Jul 12, 2009 - 03:56pm PT
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Wow, Another stellar trip report. What a great adventure. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I have a friend living in Kenya. How long where you in Africa?
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roy
Social climber
NZ -> SB,CA -> Zurich
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Author's Reply
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Jul 12, 2009 - 04:14pm PT
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Hi,
Rock hyraxes seem occupy the same ecological niche as Marmots. Their sandwich stealing skills are not quite as polished as their cousins in the Sierra. Unbelievably, their closest genetic cousins are actually elephants. Fortunately elephants don't seem partial to sandwiches.
I was in Kenya for 3 weeks last year. I'm an advisor/mentor for the local Engineers without Borders student group and we go each summer to work on water and electrical infrastructure for a community health clinic on the shore of Lake Victoria. I'm heading back there on Tuesday with another student group. No climbing planned for this trip unfortunately.
Cheers, Roy
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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Jul 12, 2009 - 04:29pm PT
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Im always amazed to see peaks at 16,000 and 17,000 feet without hints of snow. Cool TR, thanks!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 12, 2009 - 04:32pm PT
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Excellent photos - thanks!
Has the Diamond Couloir ice just melted away then? Like the snow on the Eigerwand?
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 12, 2009 - 06:05pm PT
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Roy,
WOW !
YES !!!
This shot is to die for:
Cheers,
Roy
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 12, 2009 - 06:16pm PT
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Tusker beer! That one deserves a photo, Tami:
I read about your adventures on the airplane home from Yosemite - a friend gave me some old CAJ's to read, and there you were.
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roy
Social climber
NZ -> SB,CA -> Zurich
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Author's Reply
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Jul 12, 2009 - 07:22pm PT
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Hi Tami & Pete,
I detect an immediate change in focus from the Canadian side - Tusker was up to 75 shillings (more at the expensive bars and on safari). I'll definitely be sampling some by Friday night.
For something so close to the equator (0 deg, 10 min south) the difference in snow pack on the north and south sides is surprising. The glaciers are essentially gone on the north side. There was something left of the Tyndall glacier on the south but I couldn't see down the diamond couloir. Enough snow to warrant an axe and crampons to go through the gates of mist between Bation and Nelion. But I wouldn't hold out hope for an ice climb in the diamond couloir itself.
Hi Roy et al.
Thanks for the comments. It's good to be able to pay back with a TR when I read so many other great ones.
Cheers, Roy
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Jul 12, 2009 - 07:34pm PT
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Neato! I don't think I have ever seen a TR on that route/mountain before... here or elsewhere.
After the events of last Sunday I am becoming more and more convinced that there is nothing better than uber-long 5.6-5.8 routes with friends at altitude.
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goatboy smellz
climber
Gulf Breeze
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Jul 12, 2009 - 08:29pm PT
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WILD!
With names like Gates of Nithi and elephants and all.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 12, 2009 - 09:08pm PT
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Now that was a TR! Well done!
An old Scots mate of mine did it with his wife back in '76?
Being Scots you know he wasn't springing for no damn
guide!
They camped just below the tree line on the way up.
In the middle of the night they felt rumbling and thought
it was an earthquake until they heard the heavy breathing.
When they realizied they were surrounded by elephants on a
moonless night the 'heavy breathing' started inside the tent.
Alan, a true Scots hard man, said he'd never been so scared.
In the morning they awoke to marvel at the multitude of footprints everywhere except within about 3' of their wee tent!
The elephants clearly knew they were there but... om mani padme hum?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 12, 2009 - 09:39pm PT
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Pass the Pitons Pete,
You will be glad to know that the Diamond Coulouir has not disappeared. Global warming has melted out most of the first 200ft. and created a modern ice climb. Jay Smith, Kitty Calhoun, Brad McMillan and I climbed it in two parties 3 or 4 years ago. The first pitch starts out with 30 feet of M6/7 followed by 150 ft. of WI5+. After that the rest of the climb is cruiser WI4.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 12, 2009 - 09:56pm PT
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I hope Kitty Calhoun changed her underwear. One time, there was an advert in a climbing magazine, showing a picture of the underwear she wore on Everest for 237 days straight.
Scary...
...like elephants round yer tent.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Nov 28, 2011 - 05:09pm PT
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Mount Kenya looks wild. All that giant vegitation is trippy looking.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Nov 28, 2011 - 09:14pm PT
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Love the wild life and trees!
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Rolfr
Sport climber
Penticton BC
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Nov 29, 2011 - 02:42am PT
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What a great trip report. Thanks for bringing back memories of my own time there. An amazing country and landscape, I was there with my wife Deb and another non climber Larry in 1981 with a vague hope of climbing Mt. Kenya, but like Tami we ended up on safari instead.
Also like the Scotsman we were too cheap to hire safari guides and ended up camping in Maasai Mara Game Reserve in our North Face Dome tent with similar wildlife experiences. An unforgettable time of memorable misadventures, from being surrounded in our camp at night by hyenas, being attacked by baboons, to breaking the axle on our rented Toyota Corolla with a trunk full of Tusker Beer. My wife stayed with the car frighteningly entertained by a local Massai warrior intent on displaying his prowess with spear and club while Larry and I hitched into the next village 30km away to repair our wheel. Still trying to figure out why we thought it would be safer to leave her alone in the car?
It was also the time Deb played the worst or best practical joke on me. We had camped for the night at Lake Nakura, home to the millions of pink flamingos and a repulsive fat venomous snake the size of a sour dough loaf of bread with nasty fangs. It frequents the tall grasses around the Lake Nakura region and is responsible for numerous native deaths each year and sure enough the only outhouse near our camp was 300 yards through tall grasses. With the one flashlight between us , all three of us would huddle together and make mad frightening dashes to the John then afterwards unwind around our roaring campfire. While sitting around the campfire Deb secretly grabbed a stick and slyly moved it behind me and quickly jabbed me with it. I launched 5 feet into the air screaming “SNAKE’’ and positive death was only moments away, while Larry and Deb rolled with laughter. To add insult to injury she repeated it 20 minutes later with the the same results.
Good on you for climbing a great adventure off the beaten track .
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Nov 29, 2011 - 08:14am PT
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Cool looking trip.
Thanks for the trip report.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nov 29, 2011 - 10:17am PT
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Nice TR, brings back fond memories, I was there in 2005.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Nov 29, 2011 - 10:32am PT
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Awesome TR that I missed from a few years ago!
Here's the Tusker Beer photo that someone requested, and a few others from the area.
Kris
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OlympicMtnBoy
climber
Seattle
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Nov 29, 2011 - 11:00am PT
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Great bump! I missed this the the first time round. I loved No Picnic on Mt Kenya and have been curious to get there some day.
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Nov 29, 2011 - 11:14am PT
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Awesome TR, thanks so much for the great pictures. Those weird trees kind of look like Joshua trees to me. The photo of the Chogoria gorge is magical. Again, thanks!
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Eric Beck
Sport climber
Bishop, California
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Nov 29, 2011 - 11:30am PT
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Lori and I went to Africa in 2001. Sadly, our Mt Kenya summit was Point Lenana. Still, a great trip. We circumnavigated 3/4 of the mountain through the surreal landscape of pristine tarns and giant lobelias and groundsels.
Billboard in Nairobi:
"Tusker has no equal.
Tusker makes us equal."
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Nov 29, 2011 - 12:11pm PT
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Roy-great TR and those plants are awesome! How is the kayak project coming along?
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Kupandamingi2
climber
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Nov 29, 2011 - 02:05pm PT
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Excellent - representin' Kenya. If your ever back out and can spare a day, I'd be happy to take you to some of the excellent cragging we have here too. I'm in Nairobi and with a 1.5 hour drive some great crack climbing, sport, and more devious trad all in surreal settings with girrafee, baboon and the like that remind you where you are. In fact, invitation for cragging extended any ST'er that makes it out here! Enjoying a tusker as I type. Excellent lager.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Nov 29, 2011 - 03:29pm PT
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How is the political situation there now? From what I've heard in the news in the last year, it doesn't sound like a really safe place to travel. Please debunk the myth if possible. I'd love to return one day.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Nov 29, 2011 - 04:20pm PT
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Now this is a truly exotic TR. I remember when I first heard about the Diamond Couloir in the early 1970's. I'm glad to read from Donini that the climb is still there, if now rather beyond my ability.
The route you climbed looks beautiful and adventurous -- exactly what mountaineering routes should be.
Thanks for posting it.
John
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wbw
Trad climber
'cross the great divide
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I've carried my ice climbing gear on some pretty long hikes without using it, for various reasons, but traveling to Mt. Kenya in 2000 was something else. We wanted to climb the Window Route, but after carrying all that shite Denver-Nairobi-Chogoria-Austrian Hut, and then finding out that there was no ice on our route, we had to regroup. I did manage an afternoon of very exotic ice bouldering on the glacier near camp to justify bringing my tools almost halfway around the world.
I'm pretty sure we did the same route as the one in your trip report. I remember climbing through rain, snow, lots of mist, looking out across Africa during a slight clearing in the weather and seeing Kilimanjaro on the horizon. We really wanted that summit, but alas after really pushing it through some crap weather, lightning turned us back when we were within spitting distance of the top of Batien.
That trip, and our travels around Kenya to places like Samburu N.P. were the stuff of my dreams I've had since childhood.What an amazing experience.
Thanks for a great TR.
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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This is one fine TR.
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roy
Social climber
NZ -> SB,CA -> Zurich
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Author's Reply
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Dec 4, 2011 - 11:57am PT
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Well this has come back to life... Glad to see that it is enjoyed.
I've been back to Kenya each year since then including this summer and it felt pretty safe to me. But the Somali attacks on the coast resorts started just after I left. I wouldn't have any hesitation in going back to other parts of the country (including Mt. Kenya) and I'll probably go again next year.
(Warning: blatant TR promotion) This year's trip went a bit further afield - the Rwenzoris on the Uganda/Congo border. If you like strange plants and high mountains check it out:
http://www.supertopo.com/tripreport/tripreport.php?articleid=11201
Cheers, Roy
p.s. Guido - the kayak lives in our little house in the old part of Zurich. Wheeling it through the cobbled streets to put in at the lake attracts a lot of attention.
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