“ I became the second woman to reach the top of Mount Kenya ”

In recent months, climbing Mount Kenya has become everyone’s dream. For some, it is about testing their fitness endurance. For others, it helps them determine if they have the mental strength to push themselves when they want to.

But for Rosemary Kamweti, it was to break a gender stereotype.

An avid mountaineer, Ms. Kamweti’s interest in hiking grew out of a desire to become the second woman from Kenya to climb Mt. The peak of Batian in Kenya.

The first wife was Lydia Muthoni in 1998.

“I want to tell you that the decision to go to the snow capped Batian was the idea of ​​seeing the spectacular views that awaited me up there. It wasn’t, ”said the 28-year-old.

“It was curiosity. I wanted to know what made Batian so inaccessible and difficult for Kenyan climbers. And the only way to do it was to climb.

Two words introduced Ms. Kamweti to mountaineering; unexplored force. These were words from a therapist she was seeing.

“I started looking for an activity to tap into this strength that my therapist saw in me and to relieve stress. When I discovered mountaineering, I knew I had found it, ”says the Nairobi-based IT database administrator.

It took him three weeks after this discovery to climb his first mountain – Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The experience marked a turning point for the 25-year-old. She came back “relaxed” and “in tune with herself”.

She climbed to the top of Mt. Ruwenzori in Uganda, the Aberdares, Mt. Kenya, Ngong Hills among others.

While most people take days to climb mountains, she prefers speed climbing where she goes up and down in a day.

A climber since 2018, she had heard that getting to the top of Batian was a reserve for expert climbers, and in particular foreigners. The climb to the summit, whose base is at 4,600 meters and the summit at 5,199 meters, has been said to be of belonging and “technical” therefore difficult. She was outraged.

“I was adamant about whether this was true or if people were just talking about what they heard from other people,” says the outdoor enthusiast.

Preparation exercises

In 2019, she managed to conquer Batian and proved opponents wrong about her New Years goal. With her climbing history, a ton of determination and a stubborn mind, she knew she would succeed. In August 2020, she was on her way to Batian. Unfortunately, due to the bad weather, she had to turn around with the promise of not being easily shaken.

To prepare for the climb, volunteer Ms. Kamweti engaged in indoor and outdoor rock climbing by going to Hell’s Gate most weekends before D-Day. Climbing builds arm strength and legs. Doing this with exercises for the arms and legs kept him in good shape.

She also took to running to increase her speed, which is essential on both ascents and descents. As for her diet, she followed a healthy diet rich in protein and carbohydrates.

But there was one challenge she was not prepared for; a hesitant guide.

He didn’t want to go up with her. He was worried about his young climbing history, his speed, his skill and his mental state especially because of the dreaded crossing between Nelion and Batian (the gap between these two peaks) called the Porte des Mumes and the overhang on the descent route. He refused to continue when they reached Nelion, the second highest peak. The weather was also not favorable due to snow and rain. However, Ms. Kamweti would not.

On January 24, 2021, under the watchful eye of her guide, David Muigai and her experienced climbing partner, James Muhia, at 2:40 p.m., she was 5,199 meters closer to the sun surrounded by snow. Although painful from the climb, she was delighted. Her chocolate bar had never been so sweet.

“I was humble and peaceful. I was so moved. On top of that mountain, from such a high point of view, I didn’t care what was going on here. It was just me and my thoughts, ”she says, adding that’s one of the main reasons she’s not giving up mountaineering anytime soon.

“Calm experiences at the top cannot be found anywhere on the ground.”

How much does it cost

The trip cost him 60,000 shillings.

This feat saw her become the Ambassador for Salomon Kenya, a platform she uses to encourage more Kenyan women to participate in outdoor adventures.

Climbing may seem physical, but it’s mental.

“It’s an activity that pushes you to the limit. There are many dangers on a mountain, from falling rocks, heavy snow to rappelling. It’s a dance with death, and that’s when you test their mental toughness, ”she says.

His next adventure? See how many mountains she can climb in three weeks, climb 7,000 meters and nibble on top of the K2 mountain in Asia, 8,611 meters above sea level, because she heard it is a “technical rise”.