Nodes in Naibor Enkeju

Naibor Enkeju means White Foot in Samburu. The crags on the east side of the hill are up to 300 feet high and give fine open climbing on sound rock. Trad.

These five routes on Vulture Face are not easy to grade. Opinions vary enormously and different people have called the last pitch of Gorilla everything from Very Difficult to Very Severe, and many other things besides. An explanation of each grading is therefore given for each climb and it is hoped that when in doubt climbers will launch out and have a go.

Four of the routes were put up in 1958, with the late Nicholas Forbes—Watson, who was then a forest officer in the district, taking part in all the first ascents. The original route was Gorilla, followed immediately by a descent into Vulture Cave by Forbes—Watson, whose principal interest in the crag was ornithological. Leopard followed and then on Queen's Day 1958 Michael Adams led Lion and Spider was also added. The fifth route, Cheetah, was climbed on 13th October 1963 by a party which was looking for Spider, which it failed to find. There is scope for a girdle traverse.

The routes are taken from left to right facing the crag.

Mild—Severe in seriousness because of the exposed run—out of pitch 5, but technically only Very Difficult. The easiest route on the face. (1958 grading).

Start at a tree at the base of the prominent crack which divides Lichen Slabs from Vulture Face.

1. 12 m. Up the wall and slab on the left of the crack to a large block belay.

2. 11 m. Up the crack and left wall.

3. 9 m. Continue straight up for 5 m and then break out right to a sitting belay.

4. 23 m. Climb upwards and to the right. Various belays are possible. It is an advantage to go as far right as you can, to simplify belaying at the end of the next pitch.

5. 34 m. Rising traverse to the right taking the line of least resistance. If one of the obvious belays cannot reached because of shortage of rope there is a small knob that can be used on the face.

6. 6 m. Straight up to a flake belay at the base of a wall.

7. 27 m. Straight up to finish on a prominent nose of rock.

(N.B. Opinions about belays and lengths of pitches differ for pitches 4, 5 and 6).

A route of continuous interest which takes a direct line and gives many fine positions. Grading Severe, both technically and in character, but the difficulties can be well protected.

Start 11 m to the left of a tree with many trunks growing close to the rock.

1. 11 m. Easily up to a ledge.

2. 21 m. Up to the left to an exposed belay (or runner if pitches 2 and 3 are climbed as one).

3. 9 m. Climb the wall above and to the right and follow the slanting ledge to the Big Block. (At this point Lion crosses Gorilla).

4. 9 m. An ascending traverse left leads to a belay in the corner beside a bush.

5. 37 m. (of climbing). The rib to the left of the corner is climbed on holds ending with a move into the groove at 6 m. A rectangular excursion follows. Traverse right for 6 m on good handholds, climb the wall above, and then traverse back to the left before ascending a further 9 m to a large ledge.

6. 9 m. Easily up to a large ledge.

7. 21 m. The wall above is climbed bearing right and gives a magnificent move at 12 m up to a ledge. The final wall above the ledge can be surmounted after traversing either right or left.

A route of notorious character which deserved frequent ascents.

Grading Severe. This grading is given reluctantly and applies only to the final pitch on which the frustrations are in the first few feet and anything but exposed.

Start at the tree with many trunks which is close to the crag at the right hand end of its base.

1. 27 m. Climb diagonally up left to the Big Block the end of pitch 3 on Lion).

2. 14 m. Traverse along the obvious crack and round the corner on to Gorilla Ledge. 37 m of rope may be needed to reach a rock belay by walking along the ledge. A walk then leads to the base of the chimney.

3. 9 m. Up the chimney to a stance.

4. 11 m. Continue to the tree and cave.

5. 15 m. The bottleneck inside the cave provides a strange problem. The climber who has overcome the problem finds himself lying on the chockstone. The climb finishes in good position on the outside of the fissure where jugs appear for the final pull up.

A route with one hardish exposed move. The description is only tentative.

Start as for Cheetah.

1. 21 m. As for Cheetah.

2. 24 m? From the Fig Tree climb up and to the left. This pitch contains the crux, a spidery move out of a niche.

3. 30 m. Ascend up and right, crossing the line of Cheetah, to exit right of the final overhangs.

The third pitch is the most elegant at Naibor Enkeju withfine continuity and situation. Being long and on the thin side it gives the climb its name. The holds are all there.

Grading Hard Severe. The "hard" is only added because of the need for sustained climbing on the third pitch.

Start: Scramble up to a small tree 9 m to the right of the start of Gorilla, at the righthand end of a complex of flakes and cracks.

1. 21 m. Up the crack above and then angle left to the Fig Tree.

2. 9 m. Ascend to the right to a belay.

3. 35 m. (but can be broken at 18 m). The steep groove and lefthand wall give superb positions on excellent small1 jugs. At 18 m, Where the angle eases, work left up to a platform, from which a slanting ledge is followed to a belay.

4. 18 m. Continue diagonally left until the overhang gives an exhilarating finish on good holds.