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Day
1 Sirimon Gate - Old Moses
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Me and the trecking team
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Gate 2650m left around 1200 arrived Old Moses 1430 3300m. Slight headache,
porters arrived 1450. Easy stroll up rough 4x4 track. Head got worse took
some Ibro and got in pit around 1645. Felt better for dinner @ 1800. Whole
dorm to myself only 5 Danes and me there big party camped at site below
hut. Temp +6 in dorm but frost outside in morning
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Day
2 Old Moses - Likii hut / camp 3900m
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Up at 0715 and left at 0910 2 short stops on way, arrived at camp1235
3.5 hr . Tent for me they all had a cold night in a squalid hut. Watched
rock hill rats for a bit they are a bit like marmots. Dark at 1900 in pit
to warm up. Bed at 2000
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Shipton Hut
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Day
3 Likii - Shipton hut (4200m)
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Froze
over night zero in tent. Left 0900 reched a high point on ridge 4200m
before dropping down & back up to hut Arrived 1220 3.5hr. Met to other
Brits (Matt & Tom) doing Batian on Sunday (independent climb but had
trekking team). Dorm had an loo onsuite loo. Very crowded in hut 46 6th
formers inc 5 teachers and leader going onto a school building project
next. All but 2 and a teacher to climb Lenana at 0200 + others at 0330 so
not too much sleep.
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Mount Kenya Nelion & Batian summits
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Day
4 Shipton - Kami camp (4400m)
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Up at 0730 needed dump but not too successful. Only 2 Scadanavians left
both bad with altitude. Breakfast porridge pancakes bacon.
Left with Josphata 0925 climbed to start of climb 4550m 1050 then round to
camp 1145. Camp was set up had a brew then up to col at 4600 left at 1200
at coll 1230. Enjoying view when British army arrived with Gurkhas to high
point of spur to get cell. Back at camp 1315. Feeling altitude but no need
to take anything , didn't eat all lunch far too much. Duncan (technical
climbing uide) arrived 1400 and went over things.
Started to cloud over from 1500, Porter team left at 1845 for hut after
they had made my evening meal, getting cold so got into pit to warm up.
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Climbing; below Amphitheatre
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Day
5 Summit day (got to just short of 5000m)
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am pm
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Up
at 04:00 forced porridge down should not have as was sick after last
mouthful (only porridge) ok after. Reached base of climb and met Duncan
arrived same time 0600. Started climb 06:30, the 2 Brits arrived as we were
setting off still intending to bivi near summit. Good progress with the odd
difficult move all straight forward though even in boots. Started to cloud
over around 11:00 some photo as we started Firmin Tower some iv+ moves. Sun
went in and started to get cold and the altitude started to really wear me
out. Had 2 gels over 3 pitchs. 1200 really clagging in and began to shiver.
Got to end of knife ridge, start of pitch 19 some 4950m, could see a lot of
ice on next pitch. Decided to descend. Descending 1215. Having Duncan on
descent really paid off as he new where all ab points were and if 1 or 2
ropes needed. A figure of 8 would have been good. Duncan spoke to 2 Brits
in the mist near the start of Firmin Tower, they were still going for it.
Stopped for food and rest at bottom of amphitheatre. Clag still in and
slight hail still. Reached bottom of climb 1618 and back at hut 1810.
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High point before the clag came in
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Day
6 Shipton to Mount Kenya Lodge
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am pm
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View down to Shipton hut from high up the mountain, before the clag came
in.
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Up at 0600 gave Duncan my technical guide a 40$ tip. Lovely and clear,
he pointed out where we had turned round. When pressed on how many times he
had made it to the top he said about 20 but he had lost count of how many
he had not, not making it was the norm. It also transpired that the other 2
didn't get as high as us and returned into camp around 2100.
Left hut with Josephat and climbed up to 4540m to gain the pass out.
Excellent view of the mountain. Long trek out passed camp used from this
side. Arrived at lunch stop 1245 only a further 7Km to go to Mount Kenya
Lodge. Arrived at Lodge 1447 they recon it was a 25K trek, it has
spectacular views, total journey time 7.5hr (itinerary said 10, not bad for
an old man which is what Duncan had called me) . Hut slept 3 but others
slept else where. It had kitchen and hot shower and loo. Shower hot water
heated by wood fire.
Day 7
Walked out to road head and home.
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Expedition provider; African Safaris & Adventures http://www.africansafaris.co.ke
Trecking guide; Josephat Maina josekiago@yahoo.com
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