Adrian Gibbs - Mt Kenya Jan 2023

Mount Kenya Jan 2023

Mount Kenya was a chosen expedition because I wanted to experience technical climbing at altitude. The most common summit is Lenana (4985m) and this can be achieved by trekking after circa 3 - 4 days there are various routes to approach this.

We then have Summits Nelion and Batian (5199m); 14 technical pitches to Nelion, abseil down to the saddle known as the Gates of Mist, and then 6 pitches to Batian. This was my objective.

January and February is the dry season in this country situated on the equator, the best time to take on this challenge. You may see popular pictures of the white-capped Mount Kenya in advertising for example and this is true in July and August, Kenya’s wet season when Snow will not leave the summit.

I am writing this as I would like to share the experience and I enjoy writing; I also made mistakes and if this can help others in the Chelmsford Mountaineering Club prepare for future travels it would make me happy.

The guiding company ‘African Ascents’ was recommended to me, and I approached them direct… I now know that they usually attract their clients through agents, and organisation and confirmation were pretty sporadic leading up to the trip.

I was on my own and had to basically get my arse to Nairobi Airport for Dec 27th where the guiding company would pick me up. I duly booked flights.

INSURANCES were with BMC. Initially, I thought expensive, and I actually got some better quotes, but when you read the small print stick to BMC! BMC cover the cost of helicopter rescue and evacuation; most cheaper competitors will only cover the 1st £2000. A helicopter rescue on Mount Kenya would be in the region of £15,000

DRUGS; I made an appointment at Boots to check what vaccinations were required, after the consultation I decided I would be ok without any vaccinations… but could have easily spent £300+. Listen to the advice and make your own decisions on what you think is needed

I took with me Imodium, I hate this drug as I feel it traps the bad inside, but if you get a poor stomach it is there to ‘get you through’ for a few days.

I took strong ibuprofen, which is a pain relief and covers most things.

I took, as recommended by Boots online, an altitude sickness drug, half a tablet, twice a day.

VISAS I have been to Africa previous times so should have known better, but of course, previous visits had been through agents and everything was taken care of. When checking in online for my flight it was obvious, I needed a visa and did not have one! Things started to unravel… how quickly could I get a visa? Due to Christmas Holidays, not in time, so I had to change flights at an extra cost to buy time in getting the visas, which was quite a simple process online and cost £58.

Day 0

I eventually left for Nairobi on 30th December, and was a bit unnerved that the guiding company could accommodate the change in date, I thought there was a group of four or five customers and the cost to the guiding company was based on this… but I was assured all would be ok if I could get to Africa for the 30th… this added to my anxiety.

I had this horrible feeling this trip was not to be and something would go wrong, but I pressed on and drove to Heathrow putting my car in long-stay. On arrival, I felt awful, upset stomach headache and so on. Work had been, and is, stressful… or was I coming down with something; should I get on this flight! As you know, I don’t give up and duly got on the flight to Nairobi.

Day 1

On arrival I overnighted in the airport hotel and was picked up in the morning as planned, I started to calm down and feel better. The drive was 4 hours to the gates of the Kenya National Park and the journey was typical of a journey through Africa… Happy hard working people existing in poverty selling their produce at every opportunity. We have too much I ask myself.

On arrival, mid-day, at Chogoria Gate at 2950 m I met my Guide Boniface, the cook, the camp manager and 8 porters… I questioned if there was anyone else on the expedition… No sir, just you. My anxiety came back, I had not budgeted to tip for such a big team.

TIPS, always question how much the tips should be and the size of the team so you can budget your travel expenses. I promptly made the decision these guys will get paid, before I settle the guiding company's balance that I owed them. I paid the team $560 dollars for 5 days on the Mountain.

After taking photos of a monkey and eating lunch laid on by my team, Butternut squash soup, Boniface, (meaning religious person) made it clear he will be watching what I eat and monitoring my health over the next few days; we set off for Lake Ellis.

Lake Ellis 3455m. Boniface and I arrived at c. 5 pm The guides had romped ahead prior and had made camp beside this stunning lake, with stunning views.

We had a Mess Tent, toilet tent (covering a toilet seat on a frame over a hole, dug with a machete by the 1st porter to arrive at Camp) my tent, Cook’s tent, Boniface’s tent and as far as could tell the porters slept under rocks and in trees (I later learnt they all crashed in one tent).

Dinner at lake Ellis was at 6 pm (sunset was 7 pm) and was served in the Mess Tent for myself and Boniface. It was burnt onion soup and Chicken and rice. I am a fussy eater, but it was duly eaten (Boniface was watching) After dinner the daily ritual began, monitoring my health. An Oxygen and heart rate meter was put on my finger and results were recorded. My reading was 83, (%?) and Boniface was pleased. The danger number for them is 70 (%?). After the O readings, we had questions, how much water has been consumed, do you have a headache, do you have nausea, and so on. This regime carried on throughout the expedition, even on the descent. I spoke with other climbers in other parties and they were all impressed with the monitoring of O levels, it seemed no other guiding company was doing this.

One thing that this daily routine does is makes you aware and gives you self-responsibility. I.e., ‘how much water have you consumed?‘ the normal true-full answer would be ‘not sure‘… but when you know you are going to be asked you start self-monitoring… and then probably realise you are not taking enough

In the latter days of the trip, I was expected to consume 3 litres a day, even though I was cold and trudging through ice.

I and all turned in at 8, the sky was clear and every star in the universe could be seen, including numerous shooting stars. The temperature dropped dramatically, I was trekking in a T-Shirt hours earlier and now I was wearing a belay jacket in a sleeping bag.

SLEEPING BAGS The kit list provided by the guiding company stated Sleeping bags will be supplied, so I duly followed and took a thin bag liner. The bag supplied was inadequate and I froze. My advice, on expeditions, take your own!

Despite the cold, I slept ok, until awoken abruptly by a demonic howl! The strange screaming filled the valley for half an hour or so. I was not brave and dug deep into the crap sleeping bag and held my breath.

Evidently, it was a Hyena on the prowl for scraps.

Next morning, I awoke ready for the next day’s ascension at 7 am for breakfast, leaving at 7.30.

My head was dizzy with a dull ache, just like a hangover, used to them, so I pressed on.

Day 2

We travelled to Lake Michaelson.

‘Poly Poly ‘Slow Slow.

Boniface was very disciplined in keeping me at a very slow pace.

‘Mr Adrian you will not be succeed if you press on you need to Chill, painfully 1 foot at a time you need to acclimatise ‘I duly took his advice and glad I did, each day got harder and harder, breathing more laboured, with the hangover becoming stronger.

The scenery on day 2 was breathtaking, literally, beautiful flowers and exotics birds. We also saw leopard food, a large rodent called a Hyrax. Lake Michaelson contained wild trout, I should have brought a travel rod, it would have been awesome to catch trout and cook on the fire.

Another cold night under canvas and Boniface gave me he his sleeping bag.

Dinner and the routine health check concluded we turned in at sunset, ready for a big day tomorrow. Boniface had a plan… because my o levels and strength were good he wanted to take a day out of the schedule, we were to push to 4600 m by lunch and sleep in the sun for 2 hours to help acclimatisation, and then drop back down 300m to camp. The thinking here was climatization and `poly poly` rather than travelling camp to camp burning energy. I needed to conserve energy for the Batian summit and acclimatise.

Day 3

Throughout the journey, we had clear blue skies, no or light winds during the days, and clear very cold nights. I burnt the back of my neck and ears because I’m an idiot and did not use SUN PROTECTION.

I suffered from cold at night, I ‘run’ hot and sweat a fair bit when ascending and I have learnt from this trip how important it is to have personal discipline in changing clothes. We all wear technical clothing that dries quickly, but do not get lazy, as soon as you get to camp change your base layers, even if you think they are dry. The importance of changing into clean and dry socks and shirts is ESSENTIAL to keeping warm. The Summit was always present, but not necessarily all ways in view.

The following image is from Michaelson Lake.

Today after again monitoring o levels and general health, we were going to push for Summit Lenana. The aim was to get there by early afternoon and then descend to the Austrian hut to spend the afternoon continuing to acclimatise for the following days’ technical climb to Nelion and Batian.

I realised with Bonifaces experience, altitude if managed, yes becomes harder, but if you follow the rules, you become stronger. I felt strong and was Psyched for Bation, but first we needed to get to Lenana.

We arrived at Lenana at 13.00, took a few pictures of our success and pictures of Nelion sitting opposite us with blue Skies… we were kicking arse, and looking forward to tomorrow’s climbing, and then this happened.

And it continued ……

Day 4

An hour after ascending Lenana at 4985 m in blue skies, the day before, a storm hit, and when we arrived at the Austrian Hut the wind was extreme, the sky white and the temperatures were c. Minus 5, snow was falling.

In the refuge of the Austrian Hut I was introduced to Davis, my Technical guide for Nellion and Batian summits, he was confident that the storm was short-lived and the snow and ice would go as quickly as it came, I was not so sure.

In the Austrian hut, I met a 36 year Old Norwegian, a true Viking with blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. His name was Steiner and he was on a lover's excursion with his Girlfriend, one week climbing Mount Kenya and one week kite surfing on the beach. Where’s the Girlfriend I enquired… fallen ill with Altitude sickness and has been taken back down by porters… wish I had not asked!

Steiner had approached the Austrian hut from a different route and did not summit Lenana Summit before the storm hit and would go down the next day to join his Girlfriend.

Before he left he gave me a PRUSSIC knot, as through discussions we both wondered if the guides would back up the abseils. Steiner gave me a prussic, in case I had an opportunity to climb Nelion / Batian the following day. PRUSSIC KNOTS don’t leave home without!

Day 5

The Hut was cold and desperate, the storm continued and as I predicted an attempt to climb Nelion / Batian was not going to happen.

I suggested we `!uck off` and get to civilisation and party, but the guides were keen to wait it out a further day… I did not understand, but with hindsight, I think they wanted to stay in the hut because conditions were ‘ uncomfortable’ for a safe descent.

We stayed in the Hut, and it was my 1st real experience of isolation and boredom.

The nightmare begun, 11 Africans and 1 Essex boy, conversation became exhausted.

I was cold, the cold that gets into your bones and you cannot shake off.

I spent 24 hours fully dressed, including belay jacket in the sleeping bag. Bongo, the camp manager, kept giving me a hot water bottle to keep in the bag.

Altitude sickness kicked in, head and stomach aches, but the stomach aches may have been because I was habitually taking painkillers to get rid of the headaches.

Boniface continued to monitor my o levels and general health and made sure I continued to eat. I did not want to eat and forced everything down.

I always thought I was good with my own company, but I was feeling pretty lonely and isolated.

Keep drinking, but you then need to piss… get out of the bag pull on the boots leave the hut, walk 20 yards away battered by the wind and snow, spend 5 minutes trying to find the organ, dribble and then go back to the Hut… Mr Adrian you need to drink and eat more food; `*UCK OFF ` was the reply in my best Swahili.

Back in the bag try to get warm, try to sleep, think nice things. Making love to my wife, hope the kids are ok, worrying about the important business meeting with the bank on the 12th, Hope Dads ok… shit my mind was racing… I want sleep… can’t sleep… drink more… head hurts… take a tablet… make love to the wife again… sleep… take the dog for a walk… wake up can’t breathe, tight chest, calm down Poly Poly Slow Slow… put the head torch on, read a book, read it again.

Oh No… need a shit! Now, this was scary, the place to carry out this operation was 200 yards away from the Hut in a whiteout. You could only find this by hearing the failed and loose corrugated tin roof getting battered by the wind. The same roof battered you in a shower of icicles during the leg-burning procedure over the hole.

THEN Darkness arrived, but this did not bring any rest-bight… it just started all over again, the longest 24 hours of my Life!

BANG!

Loud voices, panicked voices in the darkness: we had visitors to the Hut, It was c. 3 am and a party of 3 Germans and one Guide crashed into the Hut. They were very cold, and I did my best to give them hot drinks from my flask. We chatted in pigeon English; they had travelled through the night to get to the Austrian Hut ready for a dawn Summit on Lenana, I just went along with the chat, no one was going up there I thought to myself.

The Germans asked the guide what time they would be leaving for the summit,… ’sirs the conditions will not allow ‘and a fierce argument broke out. I sunk deep into my sleeping bag and ironically fell into a deep sleep, after 24 hours.

The Descent

Adrian, Adrian we go, wake up……

Within 10 minutes I’m there ready to go.

We leave the Hut and within 15 minutes I’m alive and the emotions of the past two days and the misery of the hut have gone. I’m loving this, crunching through the ice and snow, and look at the views, look at how high we have ascended, very special.

I would have felt more confident with crampons and a walking ice Axe during the initial descent, again ‘don’t bring we supply ‘I will ignore this in the future and take my own. I wore my B3 boots which helped and gave my foot holds some security.

I used walking poles throughout the journey and this really helped me, if used properly they double the strength of your legs, believe me.

BUT they will not provide fall arrest, only an ice axe will do this and if you have had proper instruction on how to use it.

One thing I have neglected to say was my descent was a different route to my ascent, Mount Kenya has many routes so a ‘circular’ expedition can be planned.

After the snow and ice, we travelled through plains and then marsh/bog land and then through rain forests to the final pick-up point, the weather station.

The final image is of Mount Kenya, taken from the Soames resort in Nanyuki, 1 hours car drive away from the mountain.

I’m disappointed I did not achieve my aim, but I did succeed in an adventure and a 1st step into altitude work.

I hope CMC Members enjoy my ramblings and maybe learn from some of my mistakes and experiences.

Adrian Gibbs

14-1-23

Post note

We were the last to summit Lenana, and the guides believe they will need at least a week for the conditions to become favourable again, once the snow and winds abate.

These conditions are rare for this time of year and January and Feb (the dry season) usually has a high success rate.