Glacial recession goes on! Point Lenana, the third highest summit and the highest accessible to walkers is now best reached from the Top Hut by the South Ridge, this involves a bit more scrambling but is safer. The original line went up the Lewis Glacier. This has now become dangerous in its upper reaches as it involves walking up an icy slope covered with unstable loose stones.
Chogoria to Ithanguni: A
new route up is being slowly developed through the forests of Mount Kenya
just to the north of the Chogoria Route. Some twenty years ago the Chogoria
Route was the most beautiful and wild route up the mountain. The cutting
of a road up to the Parklands and the development of Meru Mt Kenya Bandas
and the Chogoria Park Gate destroyed this magical walking route. The new
route captures the atmospere of the forest on this side of the mountain.
The route follows elephant and buffalo trails past waterfalls and beautiful
forest clearings and streams to rech the lower slopes of Ithanguni an outlying
summit of Mt. Kenya. An EWP group ascended the mountain by this route in
July 1999. Allow a minimum of 6 days from Nairobi to Nairobi to climb Point
Lenana by this route. The walk is particularly demanding on day two - up
to a magical campsite high up on Ithanguni (at circa 3850m). Another attraction
of the route is that you pass Lake Alice on day 3, arguably the most beautiful
location on Mt Kenya. Adventure Travel will, with EWP, be running a trip
up this route in August 2000.
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We now accept credit card payments. As yet not over
the internet but only by mail, fax or phone.
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We have been requested to set up a trip to Aconcagua
for the winter of 2000/2001. Is this to be a third major destination for
EWP? the trip will be of an experimental nature although we will be using
one of the local experts to help set up the trip and guide us up. As is
our tradition we will avoid the normal route and walk up a more remote
valley to gain the base of the Polish Glacier. Strong climbers could then
tackle this, others will traverse around at this altitude to make the final
summit assault by the Normal Route which will then be ddscended by the
whole group. The Polish Glacier is a technical ice climb with pitches up
to 60 degrees on ice, you need to an experienced mountaineer and ice climber
to tackle this and be capable of carrying a fair share of all equipment.
The normal route is little more than a walk and just about requires crampons
and walking poles (or long ice axe). We will fly in via Buenos Aires and
Mendoza. For more information ask us for more details
by email.
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The Kamchatka peninsula is located in eastern Russia, north of Japan. Part of the "Pacific Ring of Fire" it combines the wilderness and rich wildlife of Alaska with the magnificent volcanic features of Iceland. High, glaciated, active volcanoes, geysers. fumaroles and hot water springs are set amongst pine forests rich in wildlife with rivers teeming with salmon. There are few settlements and facilities outside of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski are minimal. There are quite a few good paths but often rivers have to be waded across as there are few bridges.
We have now had the experience of running several
expeditions to Kamchatka for private groups. A big problem of visiting
the area in past has been the very high price of the flight from Moscow
to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski combined with the high prices being charged
in Kamchatka for all tourist services. With recent price changes we are
now able to offer a scheduled trip to Kamchatka for a more reasonable price.
The trip is partly porter supported - full support is available on request.
At most campsites meals are cooked on an open fire and the menu often includes
fresh salmon! Often campsites are located by a hotspring so many hot baths
can be guaranteed along the route.
EWP 2000 trip to Kamchatka
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Sadly we have to report that the situation in Uganda
is still not stable. In particular the "Mountains of the Moon" lying on
the borders of the new and lawless Republic of Congo are a hide out for
armed gangs and for the time being we advise the area to be avoided. Even
villages in the valleys are not totally safe.
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Recently the Kilimanjaro National Park Authorities have announced changes aimed at preserving the mountain environment from further destruction. From the year 2000 the burning of wood in the park will be forbidden. This action sadly is long overdue and the areas around some of the moorland huts will take many years to recover. In recent years porters have walked as much as an hour from Horombo to reach areas where firewood was still available for their cooking. It is hoped that gas, paraffin or equivalent stoves will be used in future.
An important aspect to remember is that wood fires, which were often built inside huts, were used to keep porters and guides warm. Often their clothing is inadequate for the job they do and the new regulations will result in considerable problems for them
If you are going on Kilimanjaro - with EWP or not - please help look after the environment by enquiring with your ground operator what provisions are being made for cooking and for porter clothing.
Another major issue is rubbish which again requires the co-operation of all visitors. Please check what your guide does with rubbish, it should all be carried off the mountain.
While on these sordid topics we again ask everybody to help us tackle the excrement problem. At most of the locations on the mountain there are toilet huts. Please use them. If you are unable to use toilet hut then take care, be very thoughtful as to how you deal with your excrement and more important toilet paper. We suggest using an ice axe or trowel to dig a hole deep enough for at least 10 cms of earth to cover everything. Ideally burn toilet paper before burying. Enough!
PS Park fees are going up again! The shortest trip
up Kili costs about $400 in park entry fees - which goes to the National
Park. Over and above this come tour operator fees. Tour operators offering
trips for under $500 are probably involved in evasion of payments. Be warned!
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