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Upinde wa mvua

  • Grade context: UK
  • Ascents: 17

Seasonality

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Description

Boulder with a mix of problems and grades set against a lovely backdrop

Access issues inherited from Lukenya

Lukenya is owned by the Mountain Club of Kenya and entrance is free for members. Non-members have to pay for daily membership (KES400 for Kenyan citizens, KES800 for others, payable by Mpesa Paybill No. 880926, account: guest fee). No commercial groups are allowed without prior agreement from MCK. Some climbs are occasionally off-limits when eagles are nesting (in particular Eagle's Nest Face). If this is the case it is normally communicated on a notice in the sign-on book at the gate, through a climber Whatsapp group and on the relevant page on theCrag. There are many other wild animals that call Lukenya home, including a resident leopard, snakes, hyenas. In general, these will all stay well out of your way, but be aware at night and avoid confrontations with bigger grazers like giraffes or eland. This is a wild place, so treat it with respect, pack out any rubbish, and bury human waste at least 30 cm underground (bring a spade or trowel!).

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Approach

Park at the second of the Plains Area outcrops and walk along the top of the rock.

Ethic inherited from Lukenya

Lukenya is mostly trad, with some specific sport crags. No bolting is allowed without special permission from the Mountain Club of Kenya - get in touch with them if you think you have spotted a sport route, think there should be an extra bolt on a climb, see some degraded equipment, etc. Avoid cutting down any vegetation beyond a few bush branches - if you think a particular tree poses a real danger to climbers please bring this to the attention of MCK. Don't harass any of the local, sometimes rare wildlife.

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Tags

Some content has been provided under license from: © Mountain Club of Kenya (Copyright Mountain Club of Kenya)

Routes

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Grade Route

Stand-start on the left-hand side of the boulder, with hands on good holds. Work your way up and right along the jugs on the arete.

FA: Ian Thorpe, 24 Oct 2021

Second line from the left, straight up from a stand-start on two decent holds. Up and slightly right. The sit-start is V2, from the low blocky hold.

FA: Ian Thorpe, 24 Oct 2021

The best of the easier lines. Stand-start with hands in the diagional crack and follow it rightwards. The sit-start is V2, from the low blocky hold.

FA: Ian Thorpe, 24 Oct 2021

Stand-start on crimps in the middle of the boulder, with left and right in two slightly offset holds about halfway up the boulder. Straight up.

FA: Emmanuel F, 24 Oct 2021

Sit-start matched on the lowest good hold at the bottom of the arrête and power up using both sides of the arete.

FA: Emmanuel F, 24 Oct 2021

The sit-start to Machungwa. Start on the two low crimps down and right, hard scrunched-up move up and left to the start hold of Machungwa, and finish straight up. Harder for the tall.

FA: Livio van Enckevort

A welcome route in the shade in the afternoon. At the back of the boulder start standing with feet low under the overhanging left side and hands on two good holds in the orange streak. Straight up.

FA: Ian Thorpe, 5 Mar 2022

Start matched on the right hand hold used for Zambarau, but go right of the arete via a big first move.

FA: John Schunk & Schunk, 5 Mar 2022

Easiest route up the backside of the boulder. Stand-start with hands on two good holds at 10 and 2 o'clock - straight up.

FA: Ian Thorpe, 3 Sep 2023

Sit-start in the middle of the backside of the boulder, with hands on two quite low slopey holds in the black streak. Bump up to better holds, get a foot above the bulge and rock up. Nice exercise in sit-starts!

FA: Ian Thorpe, 3 Sep 2023

The sit-start to Rainbow Road. Start with both hands on the low jug, follow the crack up and right.

FA: Ian Thorpe, Jul 2022

Start matched on the same holds as for How old are you now?, but go up and right to a decent crimp, and straight up from there.

FA: Livio van Enckevort, 9 Sep 2023

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Wed 14 Jun
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