ken4ord

Climb: Rusumo, Rwanda-scoping a lines, next time climbing them Date of Climb: 2/20/2005 Trip Report: Well I made it out to the eastern side of the country this last weekend. We went to Rusumo, Rwanda, on the border of Tanzania. It was pretty fuckin' hot out there. Misti and I had gone to do a Hash, running and drinking sort of thing, I guess they happen everywhere around the world. I am not sure what the hell I was thinking since I had a diarrea thing going on and it was 90 degrees out, but I still tried to run it. After a while I gave up on running was going to be happy to just finish it, considering at this point I was having cold chills, which I assumed wasn't normal. At a view point along the Hash though I spotted this beautiful cliff that is on the Tanzania side of the river. It is about 150m high and overhanging on the righthand side. I believe it is limestone, at some point I will find out. Probably won't get there until late July or early August, since I already have travel plans up until then. A little farther down the trail I saw off in the distance another little craglet down by the river. I am guessing this one may be sandstone and about 30-40m high, but again I will have to go find out sometime. Then later that day I was able to get a better view of the cliff via helecopter. It awesome flying through the gorge and getting a look at crack lines on the wall. (Click on the image in the gallery to enlarge the image and you'll see the lines.)

Sweet sounds like a good trip.

Here is another good website. This one is on personal website deadicated to mainly big wall climbing. http://www.alardsbigwallclimbing.com/

Nice one you guys. So did you guys ski off the top of Buckner, if so how was that?

Nice attempt you guys. I know before leaving the Seattle area I spent some time up in that area of the Cascades during the summer and saw potential for some winter lines given the right conditions. So where is this ever so famous MattP picture?

Hey Minx I thought you would enjoy those pictures of the future lab. Your one of the few people out there that has a clue on how difficult that may be to set up. Went to the border of Tanzania and Rwanda this last week. Found a beautiful limestone (I think) cliff. Didn't get on it yet, but trying to figure out when we will have the time for it, maybe July, Pictures to come sometime this week.

At least I don't have to work there yet. This my office This the view from my office

Today consisted of two conference calls that were each two hours long, discussing the in's and out's (no pun intend) of STD's and testing of STD's. Eww!! We talked about everything from HIV, gonnorehea, syphilus, BV, yeast infections and more. Ugh, made me not want to have sex for a longtime. On top of it all (again no pun intended) I had a fever and the shits. For those of you in the science field or who have ever worked in a laboratory, you are going to love these photos. This is what I have to work with turning this place into a GCP and GLP compliant lab by June.

Go to this website and check out the Ines On Ice video, very cool. She is badass, climbing overhanging ice leashless with Cobras.

Can't wait to get my ass out here for some real rocking climbing.

Thanks treknclime, I was wondering if those were the ice columns that Barber and all others climbe once upon a time. I didn't think they were around still, but from the the looks of it from trailpair's pic looks like they still come in.

If people are interested in volunteering for a friend of mine, PM me. You only have to hang out for 2 and half hour manning a booth. You get free admission.

I think he usually keeps his horsecock in hand.

I could also make a climbing trip down there sometime other than April. It looks like there is a ton to climb all over South Africa.

I will be traveling to South Africa at the beginning of April. I am going to be in the Johanesburg area for work. I might be able to pull off a few days for leisure, i.e. rock climbing. Just wondering if any of you know anybody I could contact for a partner? Any info greatly appreciated.

Hmm, damn not as tall as they look, still might be fun though. I'll definitely will head the warning, I know that I really don't want to visit a hospital out in Africa.

1. Go to Smith with a crowbar and pull bolts from popular routes during the wekend. 2. Get on some difficult sketch route with a newbie belayer that is being distracted. 3. Go climb an alpine route, can't start the route until you see the thunderheads roll in. 4. Go to the Gunks on the weekend and start retro bolting the easy classics. 5. Climb a hard route only replacing those key chain biners for real ones. 6. Turn a route at Index into an outdoor gym, complete with chipping, glue-ons, and over bolting hell out of it.

Yeah surf, sport fish, eat good mexican food, and drink. Forget about climbing, that place is beautiful and great place to just chill.

Hey TrailPair how tall are those ice columns coming off of the glaciers? They look quite steep and interesting. Kili Pic

It is totally french freeable, they are very close together. I took my girlfriend up there and it was her 3rd time climbing outside and she had no problem on following the bolt ladder. Don't worry about it and just go out and have fun.

Bolts really would work there for one the local would just spend hours chipping away at it, even if they were glue-ins. They have already managed to pull most of the pins that were used for TR anchors. One thing I was thing of was those removeable bolt thingys. I don't want to invest too much time there, there are other places to go. As the bike they trip out on it since the only thing they have around here is 3 speeds with steel rims, push lever brakes, that weigh more than my free-ride bike. The other day I was doing some small drops 2-3 foot and they definitely tripped on that.

No Dru, not yet. I will be working as a consultant helping setting up a new lab here in Kigali. The lab will be used for a microbicide ointment clinical trial and they need a to have it GLP and GCP qualified. If things go well with this site they are considering a fulltime position doing audits at other locations, in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. We'll see though. Oh here is a pic from the other day of climbing. This is Sive a new climbing buddy.

Yeah SpecialEd and Minx life is rough here. Yesterday I went mountain biking for about 2 hours and then slept all day long. Later that evening I went out for Indian food and we watched Meet the Parents. It has been fun, but that may change soon, I got a job. So I am going to be like the rest of you, working on the weekdays and playing on the weekend. It is only a contract so come July, I free to travel and climb. The job will involve travel to So. Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya, I'll make sure to bring my climbing gear when I go to those areas.

Saturday: Hung out drank beer and margaritas and cooked up a mean chicken mole, spanish rice, frijoles, fresh salsa, guacamole, and homemade tortillas. With all the veggies coming from the garden. Sunday: Went and TR-ed in the morning at the local crag. Then sat by the pool drinking $1 22 oz Primus while listening to an African band play live music. Life is rough

Hey Thanks Y'all!!! I am going to miss you all too. It has been great and hopefully it will continue to be so when we meet up in the future again. CC.com has been good to me. Hopefully it will continue to be as I read up on what you are all up too and gain inspiration from you all. I post TR's for you all when my trips begin. So far all I have done is gone to several parties and meeting all kinds of interesting people from around the world. Two weekends from now I should have a good TR for you all, going to some island on a lake, swimming, sailing, and eat & drinking. Hopefully talk someone into cragging or biking this next weekend. Until then, take it sleazy.