ken4ord

Climb: Mt Kenya-main summits and surrounding peaks Date of Climb: 8/15-9/1/2005 Trip Report: So as you all know I am living in Rwanda, with not much climbing around these parts, but I finally got a chance to get out of Dodge, I mean Kigali and get to some mountains. My partner in crime was to be a dude that I started cooresponding with on the Mountain Club of Kenya website. Two weeks on a mountain with a complete stranger, I was a little worried. After he started sending me pics on Mt Mendle, Yosemite, and the Diamond I was a little relieved, but started to worry that I wouldn't be able to hold my own. Well would find out. Well finally the day came and Asa and I met up at the Nairobi airport. First impression was alright I am going to Mt Kenya and with a stranger that I might be able to deal with for two weeks. After a bit of shopping in Nairobi we headed to Naro Muro. There we stayed at some guest lodge with a bunch of tourons, where the hell were all the climbers? We made arrangement with some porters, bought more food and made it to the park gate the next day. We had 4 porter for the first few days to hump some food up to our high camp, only one was to stay with us the rest of the time. At that point we had no idea who we would get for a porter for the rest of our trip or what they would be like. Luckily for us Micheal Muchemi was our porter for the trip. Micheal was definitely one of the coolest most laid back porter up there on the mountain. Just a true and genuine guy and very helpful for all kind of things from fuel, smokes, etc. I would highly reccomend contacting him an muchemimike@yahoo.com. Micheal will most likely be able to arrange all of your needs cook, porters, transport or at least get you in contact with the right people. Da Gate That day pretty easy hiking on a dirt road that most will just hire a car for a cruise up. Us being cheap and used the excuse that it was good acclimatization hiked it. it also gave us a chance to meet our four porters for the first few days and find out who was going to be with us the rest of the time. The next day was what was called the vertical bog section. I was not looking forward to it with a pig back, but before we knew we were through it and it was way easier than expects. It was cloudy in the morning but it started to burn off by the afternoon. Da Foggy Morning We finally got our first views of the mountain after 2.5 days being around. Damn I was excited to get on some rock and hopefully some ice. Da First View Da Base Camp Once we arrived at MacKinders we decided quite quickly we should do Point John as a warm up to our trip and use it to scope out South Face ice route potentials. Da John We got an early start to the day. Way to early, we were unsure how long it would take us and not really sure if we find the trail quite easily. It turn out not to be a problem, pretty straight forward up a scree slope, past a tarn, up some talus, and then we were climbing. Da Mountain Shadow Da Tarn Da Climb Point John was quite nice around 5.6 climbing and about 5-6 pitches. The rock was incredibly solid for following a drainage. We finally made it to the summit and the views were incredible. Da Summit Da Views looking to the west to Lenana Da Views to the east looking at the Diamond (L) and Ice Window ® routes. That was Day 4, I was itching to get on some ice, but after seeing the routes and comparing them to the pictures of yesteryear and having evrybody so far say "Oh those things aren't climbable anymore.", I began to have a lot of doubt that they were doable. Did they know something I didn't about those routes? I heard the shit came funneling down the routes all the time, but how does everybody know this without anyone going up there? Food for thought on a Day 5 rest day. Day we rested and thought about what to do next, the South Normal route was iced over, the ice climbs we were unsure of, summer was on the north side of the mountain. That day we decided we would the walk up Lenana the following day. Some people in the bunk house were leaving as early as 1am, wtf, we finally decided on a 3 am wake up. Some point after shots of wiskey and many smokes we decided to leave at 6, but we forgot to mention it to Micheal our porter. 3am rolls around and Micheal is at our tent, damn! Well we were up so might as well get going, we finally rolled out of camp at 4am and could see the lights of many parties ahead of us. At this point in the trip I think both of us were feeling quite well and we carried on a brisk pace. We caught the last group at Austrian hut, rested a bit, ate, drank and then carried on. Before we knew we caught the rest of the folks and passed most of them on the way. Good thing for our pace cause we got to the summit right at sunrise. Da Sunrise Da Lenana Summit (Point John down and left, Nelion behind) While everybody was heading down and going out that day, they just sort of came up and crusied down. Asa and I were up there early and I figured we should make good use of the day. I tried to talk him into following the ridgeline with a lot towers and blocks along the way until we were directly about the MacKinders camp, but that was a no go. I then was able to talk him into crossing the glacier and hiking point Thomson, especially since we were both interested in climbing Thomson Flake. It was a nice hike with good views. Da Summit of Thomson (Nelion in the back again, South Face Normal Route) Nelion, Thomson Flake, edge of Point Thomson That day we decided if we try the ice climbs that maybe we should do them later in the trip. Essentially we were pysching ourselves out of it, also we want the summits. So we decided to make our way north and try the North Face normal route. We had also gotten word from the brit Nick that he could climb and he got a harness and could meet us at Kami Camp. So we pack food for a few days, stashed the rest of our stuff in the hut with the caretaker, and did the beautiful hike to Kami Camp. Da Hike (Micheal and Point John at Two Tarn) Da Killing of Time (me getting artsy) Da Fool Getting Bored Killing Time on top of Point Peugot (Batian behind me and I forget what is in my lens) Well day 7 finally rolled around and our attempt of the North Face Normal Route. Nick was there and quite stoked to get on the route. We decided on a more reasonable start even though it was a 28 pitch route and thought we would try and get to the base at day break. We made it and I got firsts. We belayed the first pitch and then we pretty much simued to the amphitheater 12-15 pitches over pretty easy terrain. Da Climb The climbing was awesome. The rock is not as solid as Point John, but it was still pretty good quality. There was some sections of a lot a loose looking stuff. One pitch was pretty scary blocks all stacked together, luckily they all stayed put. Eventually the route reaches the West Ridge and from there it is about 4 pitches to the summit of loose scary climbing. Nick did a nice launch, and faced out and down the west face, and almost took his hand off. Luckily it all work out with no injury and we made the summit and had our summit smokes. Da Fools on Da Summit We made the summit at 4pm which was quite late. I really wanted to get to the amphitheater, from there the route down should be pretty obvious, well clouds and snow started to move in and made our 4 pitch traverse down/climb/rappel down the West Ridge difficult. Eventually we reach the descent rappel stations where the Normal Route meets the WR, but it was too late, it was dark. We continued rapping though. At some point we got off route. Rather than go up the steep face in the dark we decide to try and make our way down. I went to the ends through steep terrain and build a hanging anchor. Frazzled and not looking forward to the next rap I took off again through the steep terrain in the dark with no ledges, at the ends of the rope though I hit a ledge. I built another anchor and waited. While waiting I took a rock and hucked it off and listened, I didn't hear anything for a long time, and that rock continued on for quite a while. Not knowing where we were heading I was hesitant to keep descending and offered the rappels to the other guys, they declined and we hunkered down for the night. Da Ledge (how Nick kept smiling the whole time I will never know) It was a long and cold night, but finally day broke and we were off on the rappels. It turned out to be only 7 more rappels and some walking down some scary scree slopes above cliff band. We were all sort of glad to be on the move again and also glad that we decided to spend the night out. Even Nick who had to be on the other side of the Mountain sometime around noon. Da Rappel (first rappel the next day) Da North Side (The white spot on the right side about halfway up is the amphitheater we rapped the steep wall to the left of it and spent the night about level with the base of the amphitheater.) Asa and I got to rest that day while Nich had to head up and over, poor bastard. We headed down to Shipton Camp and spent the day there. It was nice to be down low, also felt good to sleep in a bunk, though it was uncomfortable as all hell. The next day was our 9th day on the mountain, Asa and I were both quite tired and we began talk of leaving the mountain, him to Mombassa to chase women, drink beer, and hang on the beach, me go home and join Misti on a volcano climb in the Congo. I still had the ice routes in my mind, but not so motivated at this point. Nick came back down with his crew, he looked spent, we kicked it, drank tea, smoked cigarettes, talked about our climb together. He eventually asked us if we were going to try an ice route, both of us were sort of ambivalent, he talked us into at least getting up there and swinging the tools around and rapping down so that we didn't feel like we brought them for only show and tell. He left and I worked on convincing Asa while we worked our way back to the rest of our food and gear at MacKinders. Luckily for me it didn't take much convincing once we arrived at the MacKinders Camp and there were some Italians that were resting before going up and trying the Diamond. At this point I knew I would want iron for Diamond attempt, which we didn't bring, but I kept thinking of the Window and thought it could go. We went up the next day to investigate like the Italians were doing on the Diamond. Da Diamond (the Italians are there but you can't see them, the belayer is on the left hand point of the diamond Glacier, the leader was up on the wall right of the ice, I don't know why he wasn't taking the ice straight on.) Da Beginning of Da Window Da 3rd Pitch, oh it felt good. At this point I knew it could go. I felt for the most part confident that I could pull the route. I just had to talk Asa into he still had doubt, but I managed to talk him into going as high as we felt comfortable. We both agreed we needed a day of rest before taking it on. I relaxed, Asa fretted. The next day we took off at 3am, fuck I was getting tired of early starts like that. I reminded myself it was the last one, at least for this trip. We made it to the base right at day break, perfect timing, it was awesome place to be at the bottom of this huge amphitheater. I let the pictures show the way up. Da 4th Pitch Da 5th Pitch Da 6th Pitch Da 7th Pitch Da 9th Pitch Da 11th or 12th, began to loose count Da Fool on the Summit Cooked 13 hours from camp Da Asa on the final scramble Da Descent Da 19th Hour The next day we packed up and left. Da Crew An awesome time up there and highly reccomended for any of you fools coming out to Africa, who knows maybe I'd join you. I was one happy camper at the end of my trip. Stay tuned France and surrounding area next month. Gear Notes: Basic alpine rack cams and deez nutz, 2-8.3mm 55m ropes, wish we had some balls and iron for the Diamond Coulior. Approach Notes: We approached from Naro Muro, an easy place to get guides, porters, food. Our porter for the trip was Micheal Muchemi I highly reccomend him, we met a lot of other porters while we were up on the mountain and I felt fortunate that we got him. You can contact him by muchemimike@yahoo.com. Sirmon route is suppose to be really nice and there is a nice big wall on the approach I will have to check out at some point.

That is the best TR I have read on this site. That fucking rocks, what a freaking adventure. Inspirational!!! Cheers to both of you. And may the person who stole your celebratory beers rot in devils club hell!

Well finally got around to going out to Tanzania to check out a cliff I flew by in a helicopter when I first got out here. It sort of sucked because after dealing with both of the borders Rwanda and Tanzania for over an hour, Tanzania refused to let us climb. So my friend and I took off to see about some boulders that we saw on the drive. We managed to get a little pebble pulling in to redeem our day. Nothing really difficult and not worth the drive really, especially for you all.

Cheers Matt. Very helpful information and exactly what I was looking for. Also thanks for the additional beta on the map, I take it that Decathlon and Le Vieux Campeur are outdoor stores?

Ice season for me probably won't be until March, that would be up in Morrocco.

So some of you pebble wrestlers have had to been to Fontainbleu. So I got questions and need beta. I will be in Paris for a week, just chilling doing city shit, theater, resturants, museums, I am sure I will need a break from the bustling city of sweet Paris. I heard that you can take a train out to Fontainbleu pretty easily. Anybody know where I catch the train? How much it costs? If it runs daily morning and night so that I can do just a day trip Font? Once in Fontainbleu can I walk to the bouldering? What areas in Fontainbleu is a must while there for a day? Got any favorite curciut? Got beta? Cheers to all that can help me out.

With a 70m rope you can get down to 4 pitches. Scramble to the big tree. P1 to the clump of of trees after the 5.9 crux. P2 to the horizontals belay. P3 to the ledge in knobland. P4 to goatland. I guess it might be 5 if we belayed to the big tree.

I can sort of see your point, yes I see rap slings as garbage. I guess what the difference is that rap slings are not meant to be permenant where a bolt is. Maybe I am wrong on this. Yes when it was placed that bolt was supposed to be reliable. Also yes if it was necessary for the route to be safe and the first assentionist and/or the community wanted it replaced, by all means replace it. In this case we have a bolt that is not necessary maybe because modern gear or maybe like Dru said it was placed by someone trying to bail. I don't agree just because something is suspect it should be removed. Whether or not it is used is up for the person climbing the route to decide, just like any other piece of gear you are hopefully assessing the quality of it. That is one of the thing I like about climbing, the engineering of a safe route. So Tomtom what should we do, remove all suspect items, bolts and pins or how about those expando flakes or the blocks that seem to somehow magically stay on the cliff just to make routes safe? That does not make sense to me.

It sounds like you guys need to take your poo discussion to www.ratemypoo.com and settle who has the biggest grade poo.

Fuck yeah. I might have to order that one. I like all of the Unchained series, and this one has all the big names. Also great footage from BC, Southern Utah, and I think there was a little bit from E27 or it was Hood River. Those guys are sick and those hardtail drops, no thanks, I likes suspension.

Damn I am going to be waiting forever with this connection that I for this shite to load.

That outlet in J-tree ! I went there one time bought a boat load of some drinkable wine a $2 a bottle and glasses for the wine $0.25 each. Also got large brie wheel for $5, decent crackers, chocolate, and all kinds of goodness for pennies. We ate like kings on that trip.

brilliance from a llama! Please leave the bolts as is....there is plenty of gear above and below these 1/4" rusty bolts. And I do believe there is plenty good belays above the bolts Selkirk mentions...just stretch the rope a bit more... Ditto. Once it starts, it is a slippery slide. I have never trusted 1/4 inch bolts old or new. And I have always found bomber protection on Orbit even at the exposed corner (2 small wires are bomber). All the belays I used took good pro and I clearly remember thinking how amazingly good the natural pro at 45 meter belay stations was. Ignore the bolts. Why replace something that is not necessary? My vote, leave as it is, because there is already plenty of natural gear to be had, rock preservation, and historical reasons. I love being on old routes and seeing old spinner 1/4 inchers or old soft irons. Just recently on Mt. Kenya on the route I came across an old wooden peg. My respects to the guys and gals of yesteryear.

Did you aim for the ledge? I didn't really have to aim, but definitely needed to stick it to prevent the bounce then pendulum.

I don't know about that, I think there is no way I would buy those tools if I couldn't replace the pick. At certain point they are a throw away tool, seems sort of wasteful. Everything else seem really cool.

I spun around facing out from the cliff, looked at my hand a saw a part of the cliff in it's grasp. I thought, 'What the fuck is going on? Oh shit! I got to hit that ledge or I am fucked.' I tossed the rock out of my hand. Luckily I hit the ledge and avoided a long pendulum fall.

Great job once again. Damn I miss the PNW!

Yeah no shit. That was just plain ole' bad. This more my style.

Hey DeChristo, I must say luckily for me the only Finger of Fate that I have been experienced with is this one . Still I can't imagine the Finger of Death is worse than having a cathedar! I was in the hospital for appendicitis and they wanted a urine sample. I hadn't been able to piss for days at that point, they threatened me by laying a cathedar on the table next to me. I tried everything I knew to try and pee, finally I gave up and succumbed. When the nurse whipped this 20 inch hose out of the package, not being hung lke a horse I asked the nurse for something smaller, her responses was, "One size fits all dear, just relax.". Then she proceeded shove whole thing all the way up, the only good thing about it was I got to pee after 2-3 days not being able to, other than that it was burning hell.

That's what "work" is for... Come on you guys, do the math it is really only around 1160 hours. I must be bored at work, I my next vacation now!

Thanks everyone, I guess I got some work ahead of me research wise. So I was checking out that link taht MichealO put up the Backpacker article about the Sweetie Pie Doubler any of you have any experience with these? Does anyone know what zippers WM and FF use? Micheal, I think why they are insulated is so that you can keep the wedge on top, otherwise you would both be laying on the zipper.

Alright so me and the lady are looking for new bags, and not exactly sure what we want to get. I know she is thinking 0 degree, I am thinking I have fallen asleep outside at 13000 on Rainier in a raging storm with a 15 y.o. 32 degree down bag. So I am thinking along the lines of a 20 degree bag. Of course we want them to zip together nicely, last a long time, be light, good quality down, and I need my bag broad enough to be comfortable when I am flying solo. I have liked Marmot bags that I have slept in. Currently my old is a Northface, and is not that comfortable, it is a little narrow, I just bought it cause I was able to get it real cheap. We were thinking about Featherfriends, she likes the idea of picking her own colors. When I lived on the east coast everybody used to talk shit about them. I was looking at the Western Mountaineering site and their bags look pretty decent, but I have never heard anything about them. So what are your toughts? Can you help me out with the decision?

I have Stubais and I like the weight of them, but as Josh mentioned the secondary points are quite relaxed. The secondary points hardly engage on anything steeper that 50 degrees. For glacier travel and hill walking they are fine. I'll have to check out those Camp aluminum crampons, even though I still have managed to get up some steeper than 50 degree ice routes with my Stubais.

Yep, that is about right, U2 sucks just about as bad. Only difference is that U2 release one decent albumn and couple of songs here and there that are worth listening too.

Knotzen, nice selection! I have seen the TCTTHWHL a ton of times, excellent film, Peter Grenaway(sp?) , the only one I really didn't like of his was the Draughtman's Contract, I never got into that period. Maybe I will have to try that one again. Das Boots and The Professional are also really good too. Other good picks from the rest of you all are Snatch, Lock Stocks and Two Smoking Barrells, Repoman, and The Big Lembowski hell yeah. The ones I have seen the most are: A Clockwork Orange Rocky Horror The Wall I have seen each easily over 20 times. Still all time favorite film is Wings of Desire.