Speedy Ascent of Mount Kenya
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News Link: German climber Felix Berg has set two possible speed records on Africa’s Mount Kenya.
Berg wrote on Summitpost.org that he stepped onto the rock at 8:55 am climbing to the Nelion summit (5189m) in 56 minutes. After a short break, and some rappelling, he then climbed to the Batian summit (5199m) in 1 hour and 17 minutes. “I did not take the time from MacKinder’s Hut and back,” Berg said in an email. “I was quite slow on the way down because I was dehydrated but it was roughly 5 hours total.
The previous record for the Nelion was a team ascent at 2 hours and 45 minutes by Alex Fiksman (and partner). The Kenyan Wildlife Service rangers climbing team made an ascent at about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Berg’s ascent was witnessed by a shocked crew of local guides, porters and rangers stationed at MacKinder’s Hut where he reportedly won a bet of climbing the peak in less than an hour.
Date of Ascent: February 8, 2009
Sources: Felix Berg / Summitclimb.de