First Ascent on Mt Kalongo
An unclimbed 400 meters cliff in northern Uganda
Will we be able to climb it?
The south face looks impossible.
We aim for the north face
Maybe we can follow this line to the top?
DAY1: First attempt
Team: Luke, Josh and Emmanuel
Condition: Hungover from local 'Corporate Night' party (i.e. oldies music)
Start: Noon, or a bit later
Approach: the long way, swimming through tall grass for hundreds of meters
Result: NOT NEARLY HALF WAY UP
2 ½ hours for 3 pitches
Day 3: Second attempt
Team: Luke and Emmanuel
Condition: Not hangover but tired from climbing another peak (called Amiel), the day before
Start: 8am, after eating chapati and eggs
Approach: much easier, guided by local man Paul, whom we met at breakfast
Making upward progress...
the view gets better
Paul calls Luke on his mobile
"I think you should come down now, you are too high"
Out of water
Easy climbing but very little gear while padding on black slabs
Clouds are menacing, some rain drops...
The slabs would be slippery and unclimbable if it rains
We stop taking photos as we are getting desperate to summit…
We are nearly at the top. but a hold-less section , or the rain, would make it impossible to finish.
Backtracking from here will be very difficult.
Will we make it?
yes
VICTORY!
NOW WE ONLY HAVE TO DRIVE 8 HOURS BACK TO KAMPALA...
G. the mechanic emails us: "hoping you traveled well to Kampala,in fact you left here in Kalongo rock big dream and lot of questions among people,mostly in Africa few people do go for search kind of practice, Emma you are the first people to climb kalongo rock in Acholi history"