21/07/2024
MT. KENYA DAY DASH: A daring ascent to the roof of our motherland.
Once upon a time, when the youths of Kenya were protesting against an unfair tax bill, Mkuu, the chair of Karura Village, invited his fellow villagers to join him in a hiking challenge. The goal was to conquer Mount Kenya from Old Moses to Point Lenana within a day using the Sirimon Gate route.
Excitement surged among the villagers, but Taa initially hesitated. Some moons earlier, he had attempted such a feat using the Narumoru route but he was not successful. He was however swayed by the allure of being on the most challenging adventure of hiking from Old Moses to Point Lenana in less than twelve hours. Typically, such a hike takes at least two or three days. His adventurous spirit got the better of him and he signed up for the challenge. Mkuu, Njong'i, Sanifu, Maua, Doktari, Kubwa, and Hapi were the other Villagers from Karura who couldn't resist the opportunity to visit the roof of their motherland. Additionally, Kofi, Chache, and Moste from a neighboring village heard about the challenge and eagerly joined in.
The day arrived, and as they carpooled to Mwisho wa Reli, Taa and his friends were vibing with excitement. The journey to Nanyuki was smooth thanks to the recent Kenol-Sagana-Marua road upgrade to a dual carriage way. They made a pit stop at Chaka to enjoy some boiled meat before continuing to Nanyuki town, where they picked up their guides, cook, and supplies for their mountain stay.
They arrived at Mt. Kenya National Park, Sirimon gate at around 5.30 pm, checked in and proceeded to the base camp.To acclimatise they had agreed to spend the night at Old Moses base camp which sits at an elevation of 3,300 meters above sea level. En route to the base camp, wildlife sightings added to their thrill, as they could see buffaloes chewing cud on the side of the road. As the altitude increased, the fog thickened, and the cold started biting as they navigated the steep and winding road leading to the base camp.
Old Moses welcomed them with a cold embrace which had everyone rush to their backpack to layer up with their warmer gear. They were then ushered in to the wooden cabin designated as the climbers sleeping quarters. One end of the cabin had a room designated as the commercial kitchen and the other end had several rooms stacked up with double decker beds which was to be their accommodation for the night.
Njong'i wanted to take a shower but he aborted the mission as soon as he touched the water. With his fingers numbed he could not handle the thought of the freezing cold water in contact with his member. He agreed with the rest that a few hours of sweaty armpits could not prematurely unite him with his ancestors.
Despite the shock of leaving civilization to be accommodated in a dimly light wooden cabin with temperatures nearing freezing point, the villagers enjoyed a hearty three-course dinner that was whipped up by their cook as they settled at the camp. Brief introductions were done and their guides briefed them on the hiking itinerary that was to start as early as 3.00am. Everyone had settled into their sleeping bags by 10.00pm, ready to rest.
The close to freezing point temperatures made it impossible for Taa to sleep. Wrapped in layers of hiking gear like an onion and snug in his sleeping bag to resemble a mummy, he spent the entire night staring at the bunk above him. You would have thought he was a young bride on her wedding night unaware of what to expect from her new roommate. When 3:00 am arrived, he was eager to shed his mummy attire and put on his hiking boots. Shortly thereafter, they had a quick breakfast, picked their daypacks, and fastened their headlamps and stepped out of the wooden cabin.
In the early hours, when Maara allegedly dumped his mother, the villagers formed a circle, clasped their hands together, and prayed that the mountains' would be kind to them. One after the other they lined up into a formation like buffalo soldiers marching to battle. Point Lenana was the enemy.
Their guide had indicated that there was no nothing to worry about as there were no beasts on the trail as the shrubs and vegetation growing in such a high altitude were not palatable. The temperatures were also too low and most mammals could not survive them. The zone was technically safe even in such an ungodly hour.
The hike had been broken down into three phases. The first phase would be a trek from Old Moses to "Viewpoint", a magical spot overlooking the dimming town lights as the sun rose. The target was to be at viewpoint by the break of dawn and then trek to Shiptons Camp and arrive there by 9.00am, and then climb to Point Lenana and summit by midday.
As they marched to Viewpoint, Taa who had taken the sweeper position could hear shrubs shaking violently behind him and he thought there was a beast trailing them in the darkness. Before he could even shout 'take cover', he turned only to see Jungu a white guy with two hiking poles in hand asking to be given way. Jungu was barely dressed unlike the villagers who had dressed up like astronauts, he also had a tiny backpack unlike theirs that looked like they were loaded with a weekβs supply of groceries.
As planned, dawn found them at 'Viewpoint' where they took a short break to snack and answer nature calls. Let there be light, their headlamps were switched off as the rays of the peeping sun had started piercing through the morning darkness. The rapid gain in altitude took its toll on the villagers. Some experienced headaches and stomach upsets. Last night's dinner refused to settle and some had to run to the bushes to eject it through whichever outlet. The freezing point temperatures were also unforgiving and Taa could see mucus flowing freely out of Mauaβs nostrils who was right ahead of him. Taa's fingers went numb, and when he tried to take a leak, he found his member coiled up like a snail that had detected some sodium chloride.
As the winds continued to blow from the valleys below them to the mountain peaks above them, and after trekking for over 14 kilometers, the villagers arrived at Shiptons Camp at 9.00am as they had anticipated. The camp was setup at the very base of the highest peaks of Mt. Kenya, precisely at 4,200 meters above sea level. From here, the villagers could see all the three giant peaks Batian, Nellion and Lenana towering over them. They learnt that the naming of the peaks was done after a Maasai laibon, Mbatian, his brother Nelleng and son Olonana by Mackinder, an English explorer. Ordinary climbers stay the night at Shipton Camp before attempting to summit the peaks in the morning. The villagers were however on a challenge to summit the same day and spending the night there was not in their menu.
As they settled their wobbling knees on some rocks at the camp, Jungu reappeared. This time, he was running down from the peaks having already summited and was now dashing back to Old Moses with a satisfied nose to nose grin painted on his face.
Shipton had been designated as their major layover and the facilities at the camp provided a welcome respite: bathroom breaks, a chance to shed non-essentials, and refuel from mountain springs that oozed naturally purified but very cold water that was trickling down from the glaciers at the peak of the mountain. The villagers sampled their snacks here as they soaked in the majesty of the peaks in front of them, eager for the final ascent. Kofi and Hapi who were on their first ever hiking conquest however tapped out at Shipton. The rest who were now lighter and recharged were ready to ascend the 2.5 kilometers trail that lead to Point Lenana.
As they climbed, the trail revealed Mount Kenyaβs rocky, barren beauty. Although there was no vegetation, the trail was surrounded by life-sustaining tarns that act as reservoirs when the glaciers at the peak melts. Rocks were all over and Taa wondered if the stone that the builders refused had originated from this trails.
The climb to Lenana was the hardest part of the challenge. A few faltered, including their guide who succumbed to altitude sickness. Like Moses, he could see the Promised Land, but he could not lead the villagers to it. He rested on one of the many boulders and urged the villagers to proceed to the summit which was now a kilometer or so away.
With every step he took, Taa felt like the weight of the mountain was resting upon his shoulders. He battled altitude sickness but persisted with support and encouragement from Maua and Mkuu who were just ahead of him. He did not want to imagine what would happen if Thor was to appear and start swinging his mighty hammer on the boulders right above them. One step at a time, and the villagers made it to the Via Ferrata that guides climbers to Point Lenana. One after the other, they grabbed the iron rod staircase and lifted their heavy legs and made it to the roof of their Motherland. As anticipated, they made it to the summit by noon.
Standing at 4,985 meters above sea level, Lenana greeted them with harsh winds and unpredictable weather. At one moment the sun was shining brightly, but the wind would shortly follow and then a mighty fog would take over only for the sun to reappear. Before they could even savor the beautiful view of the other peaks that surrounded Lenana, or gaze at the un-melted glaciers below them, a blinding fog would reappear obscuring their view. Despite all the challenges, they savored the moment and froze it in selfies.
As Taa sat quietly foraging his daypack for something to eat, only to find his lunch had frozen, he was filled with profound admiration for his creator. He who makes the sun shine intensely enough to melt glaciers atop mountains, He then makes the melted ice form streams that merge into rivers that carry essential minerals to support life below the mountain. After the land quenches its thirst, the creator preserves the remaining water by freezing it into glaciers, and only releases it in measured amounts when necessary.
With a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, the time had arrived for the villagers to leave the rooftop and return to the base camp, which was more than 16 kilometers away. The prospect of walking such a distance on weary legs was daunting for most. However, there were no taxis, motorcycles, or shortcuts available to transport them back to Old Moses. "Just as an elephant doesn't discard its tusks when tired," they gathered their daypacks, and one by one, they embarked on their journey back to Old Moses.
Sanifu nearly froze as she glanced down the steps descending from Lenana. Covering her eyes and mouth with her hands, she pondered how she had managed to ascend so high. While being afraid of heights might be tolerable, realizing this fear at 4,985 meters above sea level while standing on a bare rock can induce a panic attack. Her complexion paled. With encouragement from the team, she regained her composure, grasped the handrail, and carefully descended like a cat navigating a muddy terrain. Maua attached herself to Njong'i's backpack as they marched towards base camp.
Descending from the peaks proved more challenging than expected. The steep, gravel-filled terrain demanded cautious and steady steps to avoid breaking their limbs. After grappling for over two hours, they reached Shipton, where they rested briefly, retrieved their gear, and pressed on toward Old Moses. Kofi and Hapi, who had chosen to stay at Shipton, had already departed for the base camp. The villagers aimed to return to their starting point before nightfall.
Like any endeavor that pushes the body to its limits, hiking can sometimes evoke vows never to repeat the experience. This thought crossed Taa's mind as he wearily trudged along the trail leading back to Old Moses. Yet, deep down, based on past experiences, he knew that when the call of nature beckons, he will back on the trail.
As the sun vanished behind the clouds, signaling the nocturnal awakening of wildlife, the villagers reached Old Moses. Despite fatigue and cold, their hearts overflowed with fulfillment. With hands together, they expressed gratitude to the mountains for their kindness, then headed to their vehicles, ready to return to civilization. A grand feast awaited them in Nanyuki town, where they celebrated and rejoiced before returning home the following day, ready to live happily ever after.
