Page 23 - 2021 AMA Summer

Climbing into the dusk Ololokwe
Every year, the Army runs a bunch of Ex GRAND PRIXs in Kenya, and every year, people go out there and
do a bit of AT. And every year, people fish up ‘climbing Mt Kenya’, by which they mean trekking up to Pt Lenana, which is the third highest peak on Mt Kenya. Now don’t get me wrong; that’s what 99% of all of the people who climb Mt Kenya’ do. The altitude makes it a real challenge, and the scenery, vegetation and wildlife are all stunning. And a few get to go and do some top-roping on Fischer’s Tower in Hell’s Gate National Park. But there is so much more to climbing in Kenya; so many opportunities which get passed by. Just one point; all of these except Lukenya require a 4x4 to get to, and many require a National park ranger to accompany you because of the wildlife.
The North. Since BATUK is in N Kenya, it probably makes sense to start up there. In
Sunbird and Giant Lobelia
the far North are the stunning Big Walls of Poi and Ololokwe. I was lucky enough to do the first ascent of ‘Handholds Are Not Always Your Friends’ [HVS 5a, ten pitches] on Ololokwe, over two days in 2015 [with an unplanned bivouac....]. The silence, the wildflife on the plains below, the vastness of the views and the remoteness make climbing here a sublime experience. Don’t do what a friend of mine did, and drop your car keys into the bush from five pitches up. It took them three days before they got back to Nairobi....
Very close to the Archer’s Post Training Area is the rarely visited Lebendera, with a
few long routes, including another HVS 5a ***, The Belfry, and masses and masses of unclimbed lines. Just watch out for the thorn bushes [a trial in a lot of climbing places in Kenya], and the crocodiles in the river. Lastly for now is Hell’s Gate, still handy for Nanyuki, where there is so much more than Fischer’s Tower and the top-roping. The volcanic rock offers fabulous single and multi-pitch climbing, such as the legendary ‘Olympian’, eight wild, wild pitches of up to 5.10+**** [5.9 if you pull on the gear....]. And with zebra and antelope at the bottom of the crag, and vultures cruising overhead....
Mt Kenya itself has a multitude of amazing climbing routes, most of which are rarely climbed these days. A pity, since the rock is generally good, the approaches spectacular, and the views and sense of adventure mind-blowing. Batian and Nelion can be climbed in a day by the
Crux Pich Handholds Aren't Always Your friends
Crux Pitch East Gate Route
The second day on Ololokwe
High on East Gate Route
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