David Hikari Sekiguchi's Blog: Climbing Mt. Kenya

Normally day hikes take at least a day to prepare for. Imagine how long a five day hike would take. To make things even more hectic, imagine trying to prepare everything in two weeks before the trip. If you can imagine a hyper chipmunk bouncing all over the place, then I believe you would have a pretty good idea of what the last two weeks were like.

At the beginning of the year, my coworker Josh and I threw around the idea of hiking up Mt. Kenya. A distant yet possible idea that just so happens to be Africa’s second largest peak next to Kilimanjaro. Of course the trip was pushed back months at a time until finally we decided to do it the last week of May, a decision I gladly welcomed.

After the preparations were finished, Josh and I were dropped off with our packs and gear at a coffee shop in Nairobi. Minutes later we met with our Kenyan guide who helped us pack our gear in his car and were off. Six hours later, we changed cars and threw our packs on top of a beautiful Land Rover Defender (my new favorite car!). Our chariot of adventure took us up the worst road I have ever been on in Kenya. For about 20 kilometers, we slipped, slide, and slowly made progress winding up the mountain. Eventually we were dropped off seven kilometers from our trail head were we made base camp. Josh and I quickly learned the fierce cold weather on the mountain wouldn’t retire until the sun came up.

After a cold first night (out of many), we ate a hearty breakfast featuring sausage, eggs, and pancakes. After finishing up, we licked our chops and headed off for another seven kilometers. Stunning scenery of rolling hills splashed with colors gave me a thought. I imagined hiking I was hiking in the canvas of a great artist. Later that night we camped in a cave were our guide helped make a gorgeous glowing fire (well welcomed) and cooked a kings meal. Remembering my SOTO stove, I decided it was time for a test. Making my way down to a nearby stream, I filled my cooking pot about half a liter with the water. Around seven minutes later, the water was boiled and fresh. I thought it was like drinking crystals that sparkled in the firelight.

The next day Josh and I went from 3,300 meters to 4,200 meters in elevation. By the time we made it to our high camp, we were so tired. I was feeling the effects of altitude sickness. By God’s grace I slept it off that night. There were fresh water lakes called, “Tarns” near our camp fed by freshly melted ice and spring water. Even though the sun was high and bright, I had to wrap up in my jacket and keep warm socks on. The frigid night air was brutal and forced me to bunk that night with four layers on!

The next morning at 3 AM, Josh and I set off for the summit. We made good time, but the elevation and early morning made the hike arduous. To make matters more challenging, the slope was loaded with scree and possessed a steep incline. We hit a number of false summits followed by a brief exhaustion. The wind was whipping at us in the face and the early morning cold was bitter. There were a thousand and one reasons to turn back, but both of us were too determined. Three hours later, we reached a blessed ladder about six rungs high. That was the most beautiful rebar that I’ve ever seen drove into the side of the mountain. One foot then the other. I felt like Buzz Aldrin must have felt when he set foot on the moon. Unlike Buzz, we quickly discovered that we were not alone. There were some soldiers from the UK at the peak and freezing for pictures. I took some of my own. Then my water reservoir froze and then I froze. Everything was freezing up there and ten minutes later we can to come down. Just standing on the peak was a feeling like conquering the world. Okay...maybe almost conquering the world because our peak was third highest on Mt. Kenya. For the sake of the story, we’ll assume that the top of the world lies on the third highest peak.

The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming and the beauty of the land was breath taking. In that brief moment, I thanked God for giving me the strength to carry on and press through in life. Minutes later we began the 20.5 kilometer long descent to base camp. That night we slept in lodges that were warmed by a fire place. Pensively, I gazed into the coals the last night of the trip which made me appreciate everything I had. I spent some time writing with pen and paper instead of with keys on a computer. Tucked away in a cozy cabin far from Nairobi, I was sad to know that our trip was coming to an end. Tomorrow we would start the six hour journey back to our cramped little city: Nairobi...maybe it’s the vehicle exhaust is what keeps the weather a little warmer there...