Mother Kinangop review by Jane Gatonye

Every hiker refers to Kinangop as Mother.
So I sought to know the qualities of mother. Here’s what I found :
Nurtures, respectful, strong, humble, empathetic, authoritative, supportive, loving.

Jane Gatonye

For Kinangop;

Nurtures – maybe hope, that when we are super fit, we can do this without strain.

Respectful – definitely respects no one. Every step is a fight.

Strong – beyond doubt, Kinangop is not for the faint hearted.

Humble – nothing is further from the truth. Kinangop asserts itself, with no apologies.

Empathetic – resounding yes.

Authoritative – now if mountains could talk, what do you think Kinangop might say?

Supportive – Kinangop has both attitude and altitude. That summit… You need all your inner strength to get to the top and come down before rain gets you, otherwise we might need to airlift you.

Loving – does this word even exist for Kinangop?

We started this hike a bit late. That put us under a lot of strain to speed up. Not summiting was not an option. Good hikers know the secret to success is maintaining a steady pace. When this is compromised you pay through exhaustion while still far from your goal, or you fail to hit the summit altogether. Keeping our focus on why we came gave us energy to keep moving.

After what seemed like “four hours”, but could have been two, someone in the team told us we had gained 300m.
(Altitude gain to summit is 1600M). We were so upset with this guy we told him not to report any other statistics. We were already so tired, and here he was telling us we had barely started!
Conversations then shifted to politics, personal development, even relationships. It’s interesting how you feel free to discuss any topic while on the mountains with people you might never meet again!
Maybe this is a symptom of altitude effects?

Somewhere on the trail I must have landed on safari ants. These ants have the maddening habit of climbing to the most sensitive parts of your body, then attack! That day it seemed they had singled me out to feed their babies.
If hiking before was difficult, now it became real tough, alternating between trying to smoother them and making the next step.

Then came the section of mud bath. I missed a step and my leg was almost a foot deep in mud. I could hardly pull myself out, but my team mates were wonderful. They got me out, miraculously, my feet were still dry, the boots passed that test with flying colours.

It was now 1.30pm, the time we had been told we must turn back, but summit was still far off. No way were we heading back!
Thunder was strong behind us. We ignored the signs and kept pushing.
2.30pm, we were at base of summit. Just then, one of the guides caught up with us. His mission had been to make us turn back. He didn’t have the heart to insist, seeing how hard we had tried. Instead he sped us up and down to avoid rain getting us before we were done. Climbing wet slippery rocks can be disastrous.
By the way, Kinangop summit is one way traffic. No overtaking or coming from opposite direction.
And you quickly learn to go on all fives, yes, fives!
We started going down at 3pm.

Descent was remarkably slow, the baboo area had rained, it was wet and slippery.
We got to the bus at 8pm. Tired but fulfilled.

A more than 60% summit rate was fantastic for Kinangop. Everyone saw the summit, some from a distance. To God all glory.
Those who summited remained dry.
Those who did not summit were rained on.
Nature knows no fairness.

The day was really beautiful.
We were so grateful for the torches our guide had kept putting on our need to carry list. We appreciated the advantage of quality hiking boots, with good grip and water resistant. A good boot will not only improve your stability and reduce the risk of slipping and falling but also keep your feet dry despite the weather/mud.
We were super grateful too for our guide and the armed ranger, both stayed with us till we were safely in the bus.

Plans of revisiting? You never know, maybe one day, but right now, looking forward to the next hike, elsewhere. Is Twelve Apostles an option?
You are now thinking Jesus’ Apostles exited the world long ago. You are right. But find out about the Twelve Apostles. It might just be the thrill for you.
(Hint: Aberdares is full of gems waiting to be discovered).

Mother Kinangop

Nurtures – nurture that adventurous spirit in you, step out and experience nature. Hiking is one of the best options.

Respectful – respect the trails, do not underestimate the mountains, do not litter.

Strong – you can do this. 90% of the battle is mainly won in the mind.

Humble – if you do not approach with care, mountains will humble you.

Empathetic -let no one and nothing derail you from where you have set to go. Not your friends, not the weather.

Authoritative – pep talks to yourself on the trails is not that uncommon!

Supportive – support where you can. Everyone will need a hand at some point, guaranteed.

Loving – love nature. Love yourself. Treat yourself well. Prepare for every hike. Give yourself the tools you need. Your guide will always give a list well in advance.

God’s creation is unimaginably beautiful. Purpose to enjoy it.
Wear your hiking boots and carry some water.

See you on the trails.

Kinangop fun fact
Skull summit – a legitimate point to reach and turn back.
Marked by skull of an elephant, hikers don’t see it when ascending, it’s just to the left of the trail. You can’t miss it when descending.

Go out, go out I beg of you And taste the beauty of the wild. Behold the miracle of the earth with all the wonder of a child.

Edna Jaques