Whenever Peter Naituli goes up Mount Kenya, he comes down with a different tale. At the age of 12, he first climbed the mountain on a school trip when he was a student at Greensteds International School in Nakuru.
He got to Point Lenana at 4,630 metres above sea level, but he felt like he could accomplish more. He started rock-climbing two years later and has slowly been learning the ropes.
Now, he has climbed the mountain more than 40 times. And he keeps going back.
Born to a Kenyan father and a Norwegian mother, the 22-year-old grew up enjoying being active in sports.
He often keeps fit, which helps him stay ready for climbing expeditions. His training includes rock-climbing in Lukenya, Hell’s Gate National Park and climbing gyms in Nairobi to build endurance, flexibility and strength.
While his hobbies include weightlifting and martial arts, mountain climbing is his favourite as it quenches his thirst for adventure. He enjoys writing and telling stories about his adventures through filmmaking, hoping to create awareness about the Kenyan climbing scene.
Peter has never wanted to lead a normal life. His family and friends thought that mountain-climbing without a rope was one of the most bizarre things he had chosen to do. In January 2020, he decided to attempt to climb one of the rockiest sections of Mt Kenya barefoot and without any rope. That is when they realised he was willing to test the limits.
Kristin Naituli, Peter’s mother, could not help but feel guilty for letting her son perform such daring stunts.
“Since I realised I cannot stop him, I decided to join him. When I started climbing I began to understand the security routines and that the climbers have a way of keeping themselves safe,” she said.
Ascending barefoot
Accompanied by filmmaker Ash Mulama, Peter documented his journey towards becoming the first climber to reach Point John, 4,883 metres above sea level, without any rope or shoes.
The film, dubbed Cold Feet, symbolises Peter’s resilience and courage to attempt a physically challenging and life-threatening climb. He saw it as a test of self-confidence.
“If you have the ability, strength and resources to explore and fully experience the world, then go do it. It is not enough to do what everyone else is doing because I believe that I have the potential to do more,” Peter proclaimed.
Months before the awaited conquest, he trained four hours a day. He walked and ran around barefoot, lifted weights and bouldered (climbing surfaces with artificial rock protrusions) at least once a week. He travelled to his second home in Norway and walked shoeless in the cold, pushing his body to see how long it would take to completely lose feeling in his toes.
Despite preparing himself to the best of his ability, he knew there was a possibility that the feat that lay ahead of him could cost him his life. He visited his grandmother in Meru to receive her blessings and proceeded to climb the mountain.
The whole journey took a total of four days; two for the ascent and two to come down from the mountain.
“We carried up to four kilogrammes of fresh meat, a mix of lamb and beef, green vegetables and maize flour,” he said.
The Mountain Club of Kenya hut served as their shelter for the trip. Being one with nature, he freshened up using icy water from a nearby glacier.
On the big day, strong winds posed a threat to Peter’s goal but they could not stop him. He felt intimidated the night before the climb but the moment he started, it felt natural. He proceeded to ascend, trusting only the grip of his hands and feet to hold him. Ash continued to film his friend every step of the way as he dangled on a climbing rope hooked onto his harness.
Even though his toes were extremely dry and chipped, he sat atop Point John and enjoyed the spectacular view. He came back down a triumphant man.
“All the indigenous cultures knew the benefits of being barefoot as opposed to having shoes because they believed that there is energy coming out of the earth. From that perspective, it makes Peter more connected to the mountain,” said Kristin.
The 56-minute film has been showcased at the London Mountain Film Festival and the Dutch Mountain Film Festival and has won awards in both. It is currently available online on adventureentertainment.com.
15 hours of hell
Peter describes June 23, 2017 as the night that almost ended his climbing career. On the northwest side of Point Batian (5,199m), Mt Kenya’s highest peak, Peter and his climbing partner, Robert Wang’ombe, were caught in the middle of an alpine wind storm with winds of hurricane strength.
“The wind was now shooting up in full force from below me, blinding and suffocating me. It was incredibly difficult to see where to place my feet. Despite the sun, I would feel extremely cold every time I stopped to try and place gear.
“My fingers were already numb at that point so I decided to run the next 30 metres of easy terrain out, at the end of which I found shelter in a small cave. I put my jacket down and pulled Robert up to the tiny refuge at roughly 4,800 metres,” he said in a detailed narration on Climbing Life Kenya.
He was only 17 when he led his 46-year-old partner up this trek. Battling sleep deprivation and frostbite, the two had to find a way out of the storm in the dark.
“We were in bad shape. Our lips were sandpaper and bleeding. We were thirsty, fatigued and hungry. We had to keep moving and just get off the north face of Batian even if that meant spending a couple of hours facing the heart of the storm,” Peter recounted.
Fifteen dreadful hours later from their ascent, they came back to Shipton’s Camp as mere shadows of the two men who set out to conquer Batian; bodies weak and clothes torn to shreds.
However, Peter only took this ordeal as a learning experience and returned to complete the climb five times and later went ahead to face the mountain – alone.
Alone on Batian
A climbing partner is regarded as the first line of defence in the event of an animal attack, spotting falling rocks and helping to find the way when one gets lost. They also help build their partner’s morale when they feel like they are too tired and cannot continue with the climb.
Many mountaineering experts advise against climbing unaccompanied, but Peter was determined to do so.
“I needed to prove to myself that this was something I could do. This was the first time since I dreamt of the idea that I truly felt I was ready,” he said.
After months of training, Peter set off to climb the treacherous peak again in June 2019, but this time he was going to attempt a free solo climb. This is the most dangerous form of rock climbing where a climber uses no artificial support. Any wrong move can lead to a fatal fall.
He started his ascent on Point Batian at midnight with a flashlight on his helmet and his bag of supplies at his back. His hands and feet held on to the rock covered in ice, which made it almost impossible to get a good grip. After almost an hour of slipping and falling a couple of times on the ice, he decided to turn back and return when the weather conditions were more favourable.
“The North Standard Route is not hard for a skilled rock climber, but its altitude and thinner air are what give it its reputation. Weather changes and falling rocks are never too far away. When the bad weather closes in, it can be very unforgiving,” Peter said.
Three days later, he attempted the climb again. Luckily, he found that the ice had melted. He successfully made it to a camping site on the northwest ridge of Batian to rest and replenish his energy with a bowl of sugarless oats and biscuits. He used his walkie-talkie to let his trainer, James Maina, update him on his situation. He only had two hundred metres of broken ridge left to climb to his destination.
At the age of 20, Peter single-handedly completed an ascent of the highest peak in Mt Kenya. He screamed in exhilaration when he arrived at the highest point in the country. The joy he felt was unimaginable. He waved the Kenyan flag, kissed the mountain and started his descent.
Upon reaching the base of Batian, he was received with a hot cup of tea by a fellow mountaineer. However, the consequences of the climb followed him home when his left knee gave in a few days later. It did not faze Peter, who has had a few knee surgeries and pulley tears from previous expeditions. Peter documented his solo climb and it is available on YouTube.
Being a guide
The adrenaline junkie also works as a guide. He trains and leads climbers on treks on Mt Kenya.
“It is a brutal job but very fulfilling. You always have to calculate the risks in the extreme environment around you for the safety of your clients. The satisfaction comes when your client succeeds in a climb and goes home with an amazing story to tell,” he said.
The preparations are thorough to ensure that climbers gain confidence, get fit and have the necessary skills such as knot-tying. Most of the training is done outdoors at Hell’s Gate.
The two main seasons to ascend Batian are from late December to mid-March and from June to October.
“If you use the Naro Moru route, the shortest time you can take is four days if there is good weather and if you are moving fast,” he said.
The most common route to get to Batian is through Nelion. Most of the time if it gets dark before descent, climbers can take shelter in a bivouac hut on the summit of Point Nelion built by the late Ian Howell, a pioneer of mountain climbing who completed 13 solo ascents of Nelion to ferry building materials in a few weeks in 1970, according to the Mountain Club of Kenya. Different treks have shelters that provide mountaineers with a safe place to rest.
The longest period of time Peter has spent on the mountain was 17 days, which he spent guiding other climbers on different routes to different peaks that he is now very familiar with.
He said more Kenyans are showing interest in mountain climbing.
“The climbing community used to be full of expatriates, but now 90 per cent of my clients are Kenyans,” he said.
A climbing expedition team consists of a guide, a cook and porters to carry climbing gear, cooking equipment and supplies upon request by a client, which cost around Sh80,000. BY DAILY NATION