Geology Of Africa's Second Highest Mountain

Ludwig Krapf, was the 1st European to see Mt Kenya. It was on the 3rd day of December in the year of the lord 1849 A.D. together with  Another European Rebmann, was also the first to see Mt Kilimanjaro , they went back to Europe to a critical reception from their peers. They claimed that what they say were not snow capped mountains but calcareous earth. Krapf’s claim was confirmed in 1887 by fellow explorer Joseph Thomson when he saw the mountain from the Laikipia plateau, and described it as an eroded remnant of the old volcano, the peak being ‘’……the column of lava which closed the volcanic life of the mountain….”. the 1st ascent to the upper part of the mountain was made in 1887 by Count Teleki, who reached an altitude of approximately 13800 feet in the Teleki valley. The summit of Mt. Kenya was climbed for the first time by H. J. Mackinder and two Alpine guides on September 13th 1899.

The mountain itself a volcanic pile consisting of Precambrian age Trachytes, Basalts, Phonolites,Kenytes, Rhomb porphyries. From your high school geography you probably know it’s a composite volcano and for those who avoided geography then now you know. Its plug is composed of nepheline syenite and phonolite in ring structure. Here are some of the peaks and their respective heights in meters
Batian 5199m, Nelion 5188m, Point Lenana 4985m, Point Pigott 4957m, Point Thomson and Thomson Flake 4955m, Point Dutton 4885m, Point Melhuish 4880m, Point John 4863m, Point Peter 4757m, Midget peak 4700m.
Photos courtesy of  John Jammin

Rough route overlay of the Normal Route on Nelion, with key features marked.

Mount Kenya as seen from the Hall Tarns on the Chogoria route. Point Lenana is on the left hand side and the twin summits of Nelion and Batian are on the right.

South side of Mount Kenya as seen from the head of the Teleki valley. Batian and Nelion are the twin summits and Point John  in the right forground.

glaciers atop Mt Kenya