Mount Kenya
| Mount Kenya | |
|---|---|
| Elevation: | 5,199 metres (17,057 feet) |
| Latitude: | 0° 9′ S |
| Longitude: | 37° 18′ E |
| Location: | Kenya |
| Type: | Stratovolcano (extinct) |
| First ascent: | 1899 by Halford Mackinder |
| Easiest route: | rock climb |
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya, and the second-highest in Africa (after Mount Kilimanjaro). The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 m), Nelion (5,188 m) and Lenana (4,985 m).
The mountain is an extinct volcano standing alone, which last erupted between 2.6 and 3.1 million years ago. Its slopes include several different biomes; the lowest parts are dry upland forest, changing to montane forest of juniper and podocarpus at about 2,000 m, with a belt of bamboo at 2,500 m that the changes to an upper forest of smaller trees covered with moss. Twelve small glaciers may be found scattered among the complex of seven summits.
The area around the mountain is protected in the Mount Kenya National Park.
The Kikuyu people believe that their supreme being Ngai lives on Mount Kenya, which they call Kirinyaga.
The missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf was the first European to report a sighting of Mount Kenya, in 1849. The first recorded ascent of Mount Kenya was made by Halford Mackinder, C. Ollier and J. Brocherel on 13 September 1899. The highest point (Batian) is a technical climb; the classic Diamond Couloir climbing route is a Grade IV of about 20 pitcheses, up to YDS 5.9 in difficulty. Point Lenana can be reached by a hiking trail. Mount Kenya is best climbed in January or February on the south side and August or September on the north side.
On July 21 2003, a South African registered aircraft, carrying 12 passengers and two crew, crashed into Point Lenana — no survivors.