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Bouldering in Lukenya
Lukenya has a lot of bouldering, and much more to explore! |
Campsite Area Boulders
The boulders within walking distance of the MCK campsite. Perfect for a morning warm-up after camping or when you've had too many drinks. There's also some challenging test-pieces too. One of the best areas, with a bit of everything. The biggest most obvious clump of boulders near the campsite includes The Roost, Whale's Mouth, The Wave, Oversized Block and Satellite Dish boulders. Others require a bit more searching, see the individual boulders for locations and descriptions. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
B-Shug
A low flat boulder split by a crack down the middle. Only problem so far is a V4 up the left-hand arete at this crack. |
Campsite Area Boulders B-Shug |
V4
★★ B-Shug
Sit-start with right hand high on a good one-pad crimp and left high on a marginal half-pad crimp round the left of the arete. Go straight up arete to top. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Dump Truck
Beautiful big boulder a couple hundred meters from the campsite car park. Walk down past the poo sign and to the right to Nightcrawler. Go pasrt this and into the trees behind, keep going on animail trails and you should come to a small rocky plateau and Dump Truck boulder. If in doubt follow the pin. |
Campsite Area Boulders Dump Truck |
V5
★★★ Dump Truck
Start on the big horizontal rail then a huge move up to the higher horizontal slot above, and easy top-out. Not too hard once you actually get it, but low-percentage for many people. |
V4
★ Lot Lizard
Start to the left of Dump Truck, on wide crimps. Staying left of Dump Truck, go up through a couple of powerful moves and an easier top-out. |
V3
Truck Stop
Start on obvious horizontal to the right of Dump Truck. Navigate right to a big move and an easy top out. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Falling apart
One of a handful of boulders down the hill from the campsite. Nice problem with an unfortunately placed tree in the way of the topout. DO NOT cut or damage the tree - FA was done without doing so, you can too. |
Campsite Area Boulders Falling apart |
V4
★★★ Through the tree
Follow the crimps up the left-hand side of the face, and struggle over or under the tree branch at the top. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Giant shoe
Boulder hidden in the bushes below Gumshoe. Potential for a hard, high line going up rather than traversing right on Lone Boat for a brave, strong soul! Getting off the boulder is a little tricky - traverse along the boulder at the top, climb up onto it then off the backside. |
Campsite Area Boulders Giant shoe |
V3
★★ Lone boat
Sit-start on the far left of the boulder, get established on good hand-holds and traverse on these to top out on the small boulder on the right. |
V4
★★ Iceberg
Crimpy sit-down start. |
V1
Jack, don't let go
Round the side from iceberg, good warm-up. Pretty vertical on crimps. Don't let go! |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Little House on the Prarie
Great boulder with a few top-class problems on a 30 degree overhanging face, from V2-V5 (plus some easy but slightly heady slab problems on the back). One of the best boulders at Lukenya. |
Campsite Area Boulders Little House on the Prarie |
V1
★★ Treehugger
Starts in the juggy crack on the left, follows the crack up right to the dihedral and goes straight up. A really nice climb with an airy top out. The small tree in the middle of the line is off! |
V3
★★ Laura
Far right of the boulder. Sit start at the bottom of the obvious rail, and move up and right using a combo of powerful moves and heel hook trickery. Mantle up and over onto the slab, and walk up to finish. |
V5
★★★ Log Cabin Proposal
Up the face on the left side of the boulder next to Treehugger. |
V4
★★ Wood Stove
Up the middle of the boulder, traverse left on crimps, then same top out as Treehugger |
V3
★★★ The Blind One
Far right of the boulder. Sit start with you right hand on the rail and left hand on an undercling jug. Powerful moves up to a crimp and then the overhanging rail, before topping out on the same finish as Laura. |
V1
★ Donovan McSlabb
Straight up the slab on pebbles to the top. Avoid arete on right and large feature on left (slab only pure and simple) |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Night Crawler
First boulder on the right off the path with the poo sign from the campsite car park. |
Campsite Area Boulders Night Crawler |
V6
★ Back Bone
Sit-down start on good rail, moves up the rail and over the lip. Avoid dabbing on the tree that is directly under you. On the boulder with a tree in front of it just to the right of Nightcrawler. |
V6
★★ Night Crawler
Sit-down start on the arete, left hand on good side pull and right hand on lowest crimp, starts up the arete and then takes a big swing to the face of the overhang with a very tricky mantle to the top. A true Lukenya test-piece. |
V3
★ Creepie-crawlie
Surprisingly fun, to the left of Nightcrawler. Sit-start on the lowest handholds; hard first couple of moves to get stood up, then easy up to the top. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Oversized Block
Part of the same group of boulders as the Wave and The Roost. |
Campsite Area Boulders Oversized Block |
V4
★★ Kenyan Cowgirl
Highball. Crouch start below and right of the horizontal crack on a pinch and an edge, moves left following the crack and then goes straight up. |
V0
Kenyan cowsmallboy
Go up the easy broken rock to the right of Kenyan Cowgirl. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
The One with the View
Part of a cluster of a few boulders in the bushy area between Gumshoe and Upper Cliffs. This boulder overhangs a slab which drops away, so spot and climb carefully. |
Campsite Area Boulders The One with the View |
V2
★★ Quicky
Mental. Traverse left and up on good holds, just don't swing off and down the big drop underneath. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
The Roost
The side closest to the campsite of a big group of boulders next to the MCK sign. Easily recognised by a chickenhead at the top of the left-hand side of the boulder. |
Campsite Area Boulders The Roost |
V2
★★★ Chickenhead
Sit-down start matched on really nice jug, moves left and up with a big move to a nice edge up at the lip. One of Lukenya's best! |
V3
★ Rooster Tail
Sit-down start on the same jug as Chicken Head, moves right and up. (Very tensiony for shorter climbers and probably a full grade harder due to the heinous intermediate side-pull crimp before the jug near the top.) |
V4
★★ Kuku Kienyeji
Stand start on the left side of the boulder, traverse across the middle of the face, and finish up the same moves as Rooster Tail. Pumpy! |
V4
★ Wet fry chicken
A fun and delicate climb up the left of the boulder. Start on same holds as for Kuku kienyeji, then move left and up using small holds and a sidepull to the top, always staying left of Chicken head holds. A good spot is needed to protect from the tree behind. |
V7
Polla Gol
Right of Rooster Tail. Sit-start on the lowest possible holds. Very hard first move (crux), to get to a better hold out left. Straight up from there. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
The Wave
Highball located to the left of big offwidth in middle of boulder. |
Campsite Area Boulders The Wave |
V2
★★ Ripple
Highball. Stand start and go straight up the face. A really nice technical boulder problem. Avoid using boulder on the right, though it could possibly be a V0 variation if used. |
Nathan's Project
On the face round the side from Ripple - unclimbed VHard project. Start on obvious holds to the right of the far left arete and climb small crimps to a big move and an easy topout. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Trash boat
Block that looks like a boat (named as used to be next to a pile of trash, which has all been cleaned up now). |
Campsite Area Boulders Trash boat |
V4
★★★ Trash boat
Low start on compression of the block that looks like a boat near a pile of trash. Compress your way up to the throne topout. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Upper Roost
Overhanging face on boulder sat on top of The Roost. |
Campsite Area Boulders Upper Roost |
V0
Upper Roost Warmup
Travel on jugs on overhanging face above Chicken Head. |
V4
★★★ Flirt
Start on small crimps on right face of arete on block to the right of upper roost warmup. Landing better than it looks. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Whale's mouth
Overhanging boulder near the MCK sign with a big horizontal crack running through the middle, part of the same big bunch of boulders as the Roost and the Wave. Cuts into the bunch of boulders, mostly traverse and up problems. |
Campsite Area Boulders Whale's mouth |
V3
★★ Mom Pants Traverse
Same start as Oversize Shorts with low left traverse and finishes up Carolyn's Baby. Really fun moves on the overhung traverse. |
V2
★ Oversized shorts
Crouch start on far right of prow, traverses just a few moves left and then up the face |
V1
★★ Carolyn's baby
Sit-down start matched on low slot edge, goes straight up on great slopers edges and incuts. |
V3
Whale's mouth traverse
Start on left most holds in the whale’s mouth and finish on the top out of oversized shorts. |
V1
Tonsil Tickler
The line furthest left, or deepest inside the whale's mouth. Short but with a tricky first move. Stand-start on the lowest usable holds and a high foot, straight up through the horizontal break and slanting crack above. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Satellite Dish
Small, unassuming boulder just near The Roost, with a low-qualty warm-up. |
Campsite Area Boulders Satellite Dish |
V1
★ Satellite dish
Up the boulder using the feature that looks like a satellite dish. |
V1
Fish in Space
Stand-start on the left side of the boulder, just right of a tree. Start with both hands on the arete and feet below, and work your way up to the highest point of the boulder and top out there (just before joining Searching for UFOs). Useful to have a friend to hold tree branches out of the way. |
V2
★ Searching for UFOs
SIt-start to the left of Satelitte Dish, with left hand on good crimp on low rail and right hand on a low gaston crimp. Hard first move to stand up and reach a diagonal crimp up and right. Easier to the top. Useful to have a friend hold branches out of the way. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Rookie Rock
On the way down to Little House on the Prairie, some good beginner or warm-up climbs. |
Campsite Area Boulders Rookie Rock |
VB
★ Credit Card Warm-up
This is the obvious easiest line on the boulder. It's juggy all the way up and easily doable for most climbers in flip flops. |
V2
★★ Ice Cube
Sit-down start with left hand on rail and right on low crimp, moves up the short problem using slopey compression and crimps. It's a nice lowball. |
V1
★★ Dancin' Shoes
Sit-down start with left hand low on arete and right hand on a very low undercling, moves a few moves up the arete and then traverses right across and up a the slab. Avoid going all the way up arete or around on the left side. |
V1
★★ Rookie of the Year
Sit-down start (almost lying) on low jug and goes straight up the right side of the boulder. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Cereal Killer
Long, oblong boulder about 3 metres high, good for beginners. |
Campsite Area Boulders Cereal Killer |
V0
★ Cheerio
Up the easiest part of the boulder with lots of textured holds and good feet. Stand-start. Good for first-timers outside or for a quick warm-up. |
V1
Frosted Flake
Ascend the boulder using the flake on its left-hand side. STand-start. |
V1
★ Special K
To the right of Cheerio, where there is an orange band of smooth rock on the lower half of the face. Stand-start on small feet and the lowest decent handholds. Straight up from there. |
V2
Cap'n Crimp
Stand-start on the lowest-usable crimps. Hard first move to a decent hold, straight up from there. |
V1
Feetos
To the right of Special K. Stand-start on the lowest good holds. Find your feet and go straight up. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Razorback
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!). |
Campsite Area Boulders Razorback |
V5
★★ Razorblade
Start low in the cave on a crimp rail and up to bigger jug (left of razorback start holds). Up and left the steep face on small crimps, avoiding any of the larger razorback holds to the right. Join razorback for the topout only. Would be 3* if not a bit of an eliminate! |
V4
★★ Razorback
Sit start on low rail. Make big move up to the crimp and commit to the top out. |
V3
★ Angelina
Nice warmup for the other two, with an interesting topout. Sit-start on the obvious hold on the right of the boulder, going to another good hold with quite a big move, then up again. Keep your nerve for the topout, the holds are there. Spotter should jump on top of the boulderer if they fall to avoid tumbling down the rock behind! |
V4
★★ Social Distancing
Beautiful line going up the arete, avoiding Razorback holds until the jug for the topout. Sit start low to the left of the arete, come round to the right of it to a good crimp, then a big move up the slanting crack. Keep it together and go for the finishing jug before the same topout as Razorback. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Golden Nugget
Beautiful golden arete boulder visible from the top of Gumshoe. |
Campsite Area Boulders Golden Nugget |
V4
★★★ Golden Nugget
Crouch start in full compression. Climb the fridge trending left to the top out. Takes the proud south-facing face and the two aretes. Start with a right hand on the arete on the rigth and a left on a crimp in the centre of the face. Work your way up with compression magic. Spotter for the FA was tied into a rope anchored on a nearby tree to avoid a tumble down the cliff below and protect the climber! |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Upper Pleistocene Cranial Remains
Project! |
Campsite Area Boulders Upper Pleistocene Cranial Remains |
First ascentionist gets to name
Take the overhanging crack from right to left. Still unclimbed. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
Pick your poison
Small boulder hidden in the bushes just to the right of Satellite Dish, with a short but surprisingly high quality problem. |
Campsite Area Boulders Pick your poison |
V5
Pick your poison
Start with right hand on good crimp and left on your choice of bad holds lower down. Pick between two poor choices of of foot beta and make two moves to the lip and top out. The sit-start from the two lowest crimps remains to be done. |
Campsite Area Boulders |
???
How do I mark this on the map? there's a bunch of easy problems on this boulder, can write up once it's located |
Abstract Hyrax
Boulder with one sit-start. |
Campsite Area Boulders Abstract Hyrax |
V2
Abstract Hyrax
If you hate it-starts stay away. Sit-start on big holds low on the lip, and awkwardly and with difficult mantle up. Straight up from there. |
Nemesis Area Boulders
All the boulders within easy walking distance of Nemesis. Remember this isn't MCK land so be respectful and park off the road at the Nemesis parking spot. Probably more potential for exploration in this area, especially going towards Main Wall or further right of Nemesis. Watch out for some cave paintings, possible leopard and hyena dens, and ticks... |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Golden Block
Just up from Nemesis, hidden on the bushes. Golden Block comprises two big boulders, the first is the big face with a large root running along the bottom of it, with V3 highball Fanta Orange. The second abuts this to the left, and is an overhanging arete. |
Nemesis Area Boulders Golden Block |
V3
★★★ Fanta Orange
Starts crouched. Straight up the face on good holds, just don't look down at the top to avoid fantaing your trousers. |
V4
★★★ Golden Shower
Same start as Golden Power, bail right around the arete. |
V5/6
★★★ Golden Power
Start on arete, make your way left onto face and then straight up through big powerful moves. |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Nemesis Posse
Little cluster of boulders just before Nemesis and Baboon Cliff. |
Nemesis Area Boulders Nemesis Posse |
V3
★★ Lizard Sandwich
Start on the slab on the left. Go up and right. |
V3
★★ Dos
Start on small crimps in the mdidle of the face. Up and right to finish. |
V1
★★ Tres
Stand-start far right and traverse left and up to finish. |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Paradise ladder
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!). |
Nemesis Area Boulders Paradise ladder |
V2
★★★ Paradise ladder
Nice. #juggy |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Horse Boulder
Boulder up and left from the left end of Nemsis. Tick hotspot. |
Nemesis Area Boulders Horse Boulder |
V2
★★ Farasi
Sit-down start on low jug and goes up left of arete on good crimps. |
V5
★★★ Horse Trailer on a Cadillac
Same start hold as Farasi and goes left on a powerful traverse and topout. |
V2/3
Bigrock Horseman
Sit-start low to the right of the arete, go up on crimps and big left-hand gaston staying right of arete to the top. |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Kichwa Kobe
Easily accessible, high-quality boulder with fun, interesting moves and a good landing. |
Nemesis Area Boulders Kichwa Kobe |
V4
★★ Kilpikonna
Sit-start from a squarish hold under the arete. Powerful first move up to a crack, then easier but fun moves up the arete to finish. |
V2/3
★ Touching cotton
Sit-start at the furthest right and lower point of the big diagonal cracks. Work your way up this leftwards to get establish on good holds when the cracks end. From here either dyno to the top or use a poor intermediate crimp and bump up. Top out from there. |
V1
Cigare au bout des lèvres
Not a classic but can be a good warm-up. Stand-start on a horizontal crack on the left of the boulder, then right and up on good holds. |
V2
Prairie-dogging
Same sit-start as for Touching cotton, the lowest holds on the right of big diagonal cracks. From here move up right on holds in cracks and mantle over the top. |
Nemesis Area Boulders |
Bergmeister
Short, overhanging boulder with a couple of powerful problems. |