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Slideshow (98 photos)

Mt. Kenya (Kenya) (map)
 

A bicycle repair shop on the way to Chagoria

 

Photographing children while our truck waits to be repaired [again]

 

Feuling up for the journey to Chagoria

 

A bicycle repair shop on the way to Chagoria

 

Repairing the truck tire [again]

  Austrian Hut
 

Killing time at Top Hut, the building next to the Austrian Hut

Enjoying the sunset, if not for the altitude sickness

 

Soaking in the warm sun in front of Nelion

 

Our camp near the Austrian Hut

Our camp near the Austrian Hut

 

Nelion as seen from Point Lenana

Waking up to the sun at our camp near the Austrian Hut

 

Feeling full after eating

 

Stormy weather moves in after setting up camp near the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Reviewing route beta (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

Chris' tent near the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Ravenous after our successful ascent of Nelion (4 hours) (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Looking tired after our climb (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Yummy food at the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

The summit of Nelion (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Sunset at the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Sunset at the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Sunset at the Austrian Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Lucie comes out to celebrate when we return from the summit (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Group shot in front of Nelion (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

  Batian
 

Southwest Ridge: Soloing the "easy slab" (more like 5.5 in places) to the notch

 

Southwest Ridge: View from the southwest ridge, during a break in the snow

 

Southwest Ridge: Let's get the hell out of here…retreat!

 

Southwest Ridge: Batian (centered) and Nelion (to its right) as seen from McKinder's Camp (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Southwest Ridge: Diamong Ice Couloir and the twin summits of Mt. Kenya (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Southwest Ridge: Jim sets an anchor to wait out the storm (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Southwest Ridge: Fueling up for the descent (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Southwest Ridge: Horrible rappelling in the snow on the descent (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

  Chagoria
 

The road through the jungle to the forest gate was really bad -- 4WD and muddy (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

The town of Chagoria; we didn't want to hang out here very long

 

Shopping for expedition food

Bags of grains at the Chagoria market

 

We transferred our expedition supplies to the green 4WD truck; good thing too, as it was hellish 4WD

  Chagoria Route
 

Lucie at the trailhead of the Chagoria Route

 

Sunrise at the Mintos Hut area

 

Our super cool 4WD vehicle that took us to the park gate (plus the driver)

 

Drinking juice boxes so we don't have to carry them (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Writing in the journal at camp at the start of the approach (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Our first day on the approach to Mt. Kenya (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

On the hike up to Mintos Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

Our camp at Hall Tarns near Mintos Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Hanging out in front of the filthy Mintos Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Filtering water for the day in one of the lakes near Mintos Hut (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Ready for the next day's hiking (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Jumping a bog in Temple Fields in a forest of giant groundsel (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Resting at Tooth Col (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

The beautiful Gorges Valley with Mt. Kenya at the head (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Lucie pets a soft cactus-like plant (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Just about at the Mintos Hut on our first day of the approach (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Finally we can see the summits on the approach (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

Lakes at Hall Tarns near Mintos Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

View from our campsite near Mintos Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

On the endless slog up to the Austrian Hut, Lucie begins to feel sick (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

On the final approach to Austrian Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

  McKinder's Camp
 

Eating at McKinder's Camp (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Talking about options…should we climb another route? (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Stream through the moss near McKinder's Camp (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Never able to keep warm, Lucie bundles up (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

  Naro Moru Route

Hiking through a forest of giant groundsel

Our descent to McKinder's Camp went around Point John; the summit of Batian is just behind

 

Hiking with an umbrella to shade from the sun

 

Must have a little sun block (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Descending back to the roadhead, just entering the jungle (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Resting at the Met Station, totally beat (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Our porters at the Met Station (Copyright © Lucie Wellner)

 

Batian and Point John; the long ribbon of white is the Diamond Couloir (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Pretty flower along the hiking trail (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Repacking on the hike out (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Jim washes up, first time in 2 weeks (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Jim washes up, first time in 2 weeks (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Descending through the jungle to the Met Station (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

On the final march to the forest gate, glad to be done with it (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

  Nelion

Normal Route: We soloed several pitches up to some ledges, then racked up here at daybreak

 

Normal Route: Chris leads the section right of McKinder's Chimney

 

Normal Route: Looking down from the summit at the Austrian Hut and glacier traverse

 

Normal Route: Sitting at a belay high on the route

 

Normal Route: At the top of P15, Chris downclimbs into a gully and up the other side

 

Normal Route: Jim sitting in front of the Howell Hut

 

Normal Route: Victorious on the summit of Nelion

 

Normal Route: Enjoying the view from the summit of Nelion

Normal Route: Hanging out on the summit; the clouds are already starting to develop for the afternoon snow

 

Normal Route: One of the many raps from the summit

 

Normal Route: Traversing the glacier to the start of the route on a recon outing (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Zigzagging up ledges at the start of the route (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

Normal Route: Racking up after soling a couple pitches (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Leading up to the ridge past Baileys Bivy (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Chris belays somewhere on the route (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Traversing and dealing with the ropes (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: View from the summit of Nelion (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

Normal Route: Sitting in front of the Howell Hut (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Examining the single-point rappel anchor; looks good (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: Investigating the ruined Bailies Bivy (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)

 

Normal Route: This thing is barely hanging together; completely unusable (Copyright © Chris Yenkey)