条目 in Aberdares

Climbing on dragon's teeth in a stunning area

Beautiful campsite amongst the jagged rock features of Dragon's Teeth.

Some bouldering has been done in the Aberdares, though while there are hundreds of freestanding boulders in the area, the rock quality is unfortunately not so good (especially up high at the Dragon’s Tooth proper). It’s probably not worth lugging crash pads up the brutal hike to the higher features, but additional development could be kept lower down where the rock is of seemingly higher quality. We've uploaded the established boulders in any case for intrepid souls, and the guidebook by Nathan Brand can be downloaded here: https://www.mck.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Northern-Kenya-Bouldering-Guidebook-Final.pdf

Drive to the Twin Peaks parking lot and then take a grassy jeep trail on the right for about 0.5 km to a small campsite at the end of the road. Continue walking on that bearing up to the closest obvious ridge.

The rock here is dusty but overall better quality than that found at the higher elevations. Exploring other nearby ridges at this same elevation could yield quality bouldering, and access is much easier than at Dragon’s Teeth proper.

Sit start and compression climb the overhanging arete.

Stand start widely hugging the blunt arete just around the corner to the right of Wino. Slap up poor slopers to a flat ledge and slopey topout.

Climb the featured slab on the boulder about 50 meters uphill from Wino.

Go out the uphill exit of the Dragon’s Tooth caldera and look down and to the right. Across a small stream there is a low ridgeline with a collection of boulders. These chossy but decent problems are on two of the taller boulders towards the beginning of the ridge. Most boulders here are too fragile to hold quality problems, unfortunately.

One of two of the taller boulders towards the beginning of the ridge with a couple of chossy but decent problems.

Stand start on positive crimps and climb straight up to topout.

Stand start on positive arete a few feet to the right of Dragon Dentures and climb up and left to finish at the same topout.

One of two of the taller boulders towards the beginning of the ridge with a couple of chossy but decent problems.

On a tall and narrow boulder just a few meters past the Dragon Dentures boulder. Stand start on crimps and climb the center of the thin slabby face on good rock to easier ground up high. This is also the downclimb for this boulder. Good landing, but tall.

Stand start with right hand on blunt arete and left hand on good sidepull. Climb the arete to a small bush and then top out to join Incisor.

Access in Kenya ranges from very simple (especially in National Parks and Lukenya) to totally impossible.

Please do not pay to climb (outside of National Parks and Lukenya) as you'll ruin access for everyone else.

If you encounter any access issues, please notify the Mountain Club of Kenya so we can monitor and deal with it: https://www.mck.or.ke/contact

Access in Kenya ranges from very simple (especially in National Parks and Lukenya) to totally impossible.

Please do not pay to climb (outside of National Parks and Lukenya) as you'll ruin access for everyone else.

If you encounter any access issues, please notify the Mountain Club of Kenya so we can monitor and deal with it: https://www.mck.or.ke/contact

Start on the first rib that heads to the highest point on the northeast face of morning side. First stance two thirds of the way up. Abseil with double ropes straight down from sling anchor.

Start on the second rib on the right of Rodeo. The first stance is about two-thirds of the way up then climb the final short pitch, 10-12meters(same as the final pitch of Rodeo. Sling anchors on top for direct abseil of 2 ropes.

Climb towards the third rib on right from Rodeo. Climb the slightly overhanging face on the left of the skyline and move slightly right towards recess. Good Belay stance. Second pitch, head left on easy ground towards the top anchor with slings used by Rodeo and ranch house ribs.

Climb the route from Ground Level up the very prominent rib that starts from ground level. See Topo

From the campsite look Northeast. Climb the right-hand skyline that faces east. One pitch will get you to the top where you could scramble over to the sling anchor that is at the top of Rodeo. There is also a sling anchor just beyond the top of the pitch. This may need a new sling.

Climb’s the buttress to an exposed belay with good stance. From the first exposed belay, the climb proceeds up grove over easy ground to an obvious second rock horn belay below the summit. The finish is directly above the horn belay over a nose of rock (committing but excellent holds) then grove to the summit (Severe, about 70 meters long, 60 meter rope recommended). Alternately, climb as one pitch of 45-50 meters to the second rock horn belay and only use first exposed belay point on the rappel. Descend following the same line as the climb

Climb the obvious seem that is about 30m to the right of Alex's Incisor. The line is clear in the topo.

Access in Kenya ranges from very simple (especially in National Parks and Lukenya) to totally impossible.

Please do not pay to climb (outside of National Parks and Lukenya) as you'll ruin access for everyone else.

If you encounter any access issues, please notify the Mountain Club of Kenya so we can monitor and deal with it: https://www.mck.or.ke/contact

Ascends a groove in the center of the North face of the Fang. Pull up on small holds to two large rock spikes (crux). Exit grove to left and climb to shoulder of summit. Belay from sling anchor. Climb slopping summit ridge to top of the Fang, Belay from sling on summit rock and aerial repel to base

The right most of the three sections of Bookshelf Face. Start at the inside corner at the end of the sloping rock lead up to the face. Move to the base of the face and ascend from the right moving to the left slight overhang.

Original party traversed the ridge by scrambling to the summit of Snaggletooth Ridge from the top of Bookshelf Face and repelled from the southwest face of the Ridge.

Access in Kenya ranges from very simple (especially in National Parks and Lukenya) to totally impossible.

Please do not pay to climb (outside of National Parks and Lukenya) as you'll ruin access for everyone else.

If you encounter any access issues, please notify the Mountain Club of Kenya so we can monitor and deal with it: https://www.mck.or.ke/contact

The climb starts from the corner at the highest point of the dirt slope on the East Face of Gino. The climb goes up a narrow face to a bushy ledge at about 15 meters. From the ledge, chimney climb up a grove to a pinnacle facing south toward Satima Peak. Repel from a sling around the pinnacle. Sling and repel ring in place.

Starts on the face 3 meters to the right of the Outside Corner in the center of the photo above and ascends directly to a grassy ledge. Move directly up the slab behind on small holds (crux) to the south end of the summit ridge.

About 15 meters from the start of the Outside Corner is a steep narrow face with large holds between two dark grooves. Ascend the face protecting with slings. The face narrows to a pinnacle in about 20 meters, pass to the left avoiding bushes and scramble to a belay seat and rock pinnacle belay. From the belay point ascend slightly left up a scoop with limited protection (crux). Climb direct from scoop to summit about 20 meters from belay. Repel from sling on summit pinnacle using the same route as the ascent.

A alternate first pitch (VD) start from the corner 3 meters to left of the original direct route joins at the to first belay (Paul Drawbridge 5-7-14).

East facing crag that is about 40 meters tall.

Access in Kenya ranges from very simple (especially in National Parks and Lukenya) to totally impossible.

Please do not pay to climb (outside of National Parks and Lukenya) as you'll ruin access for everyone else.

If you encounter any access issues, please notify the Mountain Club of Kenya so we can monitor and deal with it: https://www.mck.or.ke/contact

A low quality warmup when it's raining and you want to scramble rather than hike Satima.

Go 7ish meters up thin projecting bit of red rock slinging horns to grassy area. Continue up grassy area, then get back on rock a little to the left and continue up to base of pinnacle. Belay here.

Short with a couple fun moves.

Start at bottom of South side of reddish rock at base of small grassy slope. Traverse up and left towards good holds on steepest part of face. Get a marginal cam in and sling a few horns, then straight up steepest jugs onto slabby finish to pinnacle of rock. Sling but no rap ring in place on pinnacle.

A much bolder second pitch up larger rock across gap looks possible, although gear and rock quality potentially marginal.

A great route with 20 meters of steep juggy climbing, and a 10+ meter runout on slab to finish.

Start to right of black water streak on good holds. Make a few moves up to sling horns, then traverse left over water streak where possible. Straight up face until rock gets too mossy, then traverse left around arete. Make sure your last piece is bomber and your belay is tight, because there's no pro until the top, then pull up onto slab. Continue up on slabby face to the right of grassy gully as you run it out to the top. Anchor can be built on a large shallow horn and a mossy crack.

Steep scramble off to the right to descend.

Approach: From Amphitheatre Camp Site in front of the East face of Ngumu Rock, walk uphill toward the base of Ngumu Rock, then walk right up a steep hill, behind a large boulder scrambling around some small boulders at the top of the slope. Bear left heading into Ngumu Rock as though entering the large cleft filled by a huge chock stone boulder at the summit. You should see a large pedestal block on the right. There is a small grassy ledge at the base of Ngumu near two trees, just to the right of the block pedestal. Begin P1 here.

1. (poor pro). Easy start at grassy ledge. Head up a slick rock corner to a good ledge for hands. Traverse ledge to the right about 5 feet until you reach another small sloping ledge just past a bush. head up toward the right after the bush and place anchor on knobby wall.

2. (good pro). Start up knobby wall. About 10 feet up, knobby wall ends at a small rounded pocket/pod. Step into pocket (crux). Above the pod, there is an obvious vertical book with many knobs. Climb the book. Some stemming required; avoid pulling directly on knobs.

Descent: Rappel from large block at summit 50m (double rope required) direct to base. Beware of knobs and branches when pulling rope. Walk down to the North