The vanishing snow of Mount Kenya

The ultimate joy of a mountain climber is reaching the snow-covered peak.

But those who have been scaling Mt Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain, have a reason to worry.

Mountain glaciers are melting at an alarming rate and if this continues, the fun of climbing this mountain may vanish forever.

About a century ago, there were over 18 glaciers (masses of moving snow at the peak of the mountain) on the mountain which stands at 1,599 metres above sea level.

But today there are only 11 and four of them are a pale shadow of what they were 30 years ago, thanks to the effect of global warming and climate change.

Mr Hiram Munuhe a veteran mountain guide says he has watched the glaciers disappear before his very eyes over the last 20 years.

At first he could not understand what the cause was but not any more. He knows exactly what the problem is.

“Today, I fully understand the effects of climate change on Mt Kenya’s biodiversity. Unfortunately, this is affecting my job and those of 600 others who derive their livelihood from guiding tourists to climb the highest peak on the mountain,” he explains.

Every year, about 40,000 people climb the mountain according to records from the Kenya Wildlife Service.

To a mountain climber, there is no joy when one has not reached the highest point, Batian, which has to be accessed by climbing through masses of ice.

Bare rocks

But many are the times Mr Munuhe’s visitors are disappointed when they find the climbing less challenging since they have to walk on bare rocks.

“Most climbers use Austrian hut as the base for the climbing especially when they are on the South East face of Nelion and Batian.
They have to walk near the Lewis Glacier which is melting,” he says.

Mr Gitau, a Kenya Wildlife Service officer who has worked as a rescuer at Mt Kenya National Park for 10 years, named some of the glaciers most likely to disappear soon as Lewis, Northey and Gregory but noted that if the current trend continues, others may not survive for long.

“I cannot predict when all the glaciers on the mountain will be gone but what I can state here is that some glaciers are now melting as we talk,” he said.