|
Thumbnails |
|
Slideshow (98 photos) |
Mt. Kenya (Kenya) (map) |
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) |