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Longido

  • Grade context: US
2
YDS

Description

Longido lies just L of the main Nairobi-Arusha road, 25 km. S of the Namanga border post. It is a steep-sided hill, about 2600m. high, with bush on its lower slopes and forest higher up. There are 2 summits; the higher E top is heavily forested on all sides. The western has numerous crags; the biggest of these is almost 300m. high and faces the main road. Although Longido is in Tanzania the problems in getting there are slight. No special currency arrangements need be made and the border crossing is relatively straightforward. So far little climbing has been done on the cliffs and there appears to be potential for some fairly hard long climbs. (by Andrew Wielochowski)

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Approach

25 km. S of Namanga the W face of Longido dominates the road. A radio station and reflector on the ridge above mark the access route to the central and S sections. A steep tarmac road leads from the main road up to the radio station in 2 km. There is a watchman here. Above this a clear rough path ascends to the reflector. 100m. below this traverse L and cross a stream bedtogain a ridge which soon gives easy access through shady forest to foot of the face. Crossing 2 further streams leads to a similar ridge rising to centre of the cliff. For the N end it is best to walk up game and cattle trails starting NW of the h ill. The walk up on any side takes about 4 h. Bivouacs below thecliffsareplentiful andpleasant, but there is no guarantee of water though a few seasonal streams do exist in the forest belt. It is possible to leave vehicles at the radio station. Garage facilities available in Namanga on the Kenyan side. Taking a vehicle across the border can be diffi - cult and a Tanzanian road tax of 1000 TSh must be paid (valid for 3 months). It is just as easy to leave a vehicle at Namanga and continue by matatu to Longido. The main W-facing cliff is cut by a prominent L to R diagonal fault. R. 114follows the most prominent chimney line in centre of the R-hand half of this cliff. The upper section quits the main chimney line and traverses R below huge roofs to find a spectacular escape to the summit ridge. (by Andrew Wielochowski)

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Some content has been provided under license from: © Mountain Club of Kenya (Copyright Mountain Club of Kenya)

Routes

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Grade Route

Start on a big vegetated terrace just R of the chimney base. Climb vegetated chimney to highest tree, below a steepening (45m.). Now the R side of chimney over several overlaps (crux, one aid point used on 1st overlap); belay on chockstone a few m. up the narrower part of chimney (30m.). Continue more easily deep inside chimney to good tree belay below a steepening (40m.). The chimney, then move R to gain a comer and hence a slab (one aid point used on 1st ascent). The slab to easier ground on R and a big airy ledge (35m.). The difficult wall immediately behind, then through blocks to ledge on R. Above R-hand end of ledge a crack leads up and R; climb this, then a slab above to thickly vegetated ledges (45m.). Move down and across slab on R, then up more easily to gain a long easy ramp below red overhanging walls to a tiny cave belay (35m.). Pull over cave roof, with or without aid, through bush to ledge (5m.). Traverse R to big open ledge (10m.); continue R below huge roofs; using a sling on a tree, tension down to a continuation of the traverse; after a few steep slab moves an easy traverse leads to tree belay below a chimney (35m.). Climb chimney and step R below chockstone to a ledge. Traverse R across a slab to a hidden ledge (35m.). Now go up easily to the top (20m.). Descent: Follow ridge S till easy forest paths can be taken down or back to a biv. site.

FA: Andrew Wielochowski & R.Corkhill, 1984

The first route to tackle the main cliff. Initially it follows the prominent fault cutting cliff from bottom L to top R. The upper half takes a chimney and gullies to the summit. The fault itself is an immense system of vegetated gullies; it has been climbed in its entirety (V). The first 150m. of R. 115 uses easy slabs R of the main fault till a horizontal ledge system is reached; above this is a steepening wall. Descend and cross (V) to L side of gully. Now a crack is followed on the extreme L of gully till a ledge is reached (biv. site on 1st ascent). A slab Rof the crack is climbed till a traverse L rejoins the crack. Fine chimney climbing follows for 100m. until further progress looks uninviting. Make an exposed traverse R across buttress on the R to enter a small gully and follow this to summit; there are 2 crux pitches (V) in this section; on the 1st ascent some aid was used on both.

FA: Iain Allan & M.Savage, 1973

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Mon 29 May
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