UKC

This is years in the future for me, but I like planning ahead. Kilimanjaro is mostly known as a hike, but there must be ways to find something more interesting to do there.

I've seen some guidebooks where they describe rock climbing routes on the Breach Wall, but it's hard to find info on them. I've guessed it must be because those routes are chossy and dangerous, even if the technical grade is pretty easy.

The Heim Glacier is supposedly also an option, but even if there is glacier to climb, it must be hard to find a guide who wants to go. Considering it's mandatory with a guide on Kilimanjaro.

When I go there I plan on setting off a few weeks so I can both attempt Kilimanjaro and the north face of Batian (Mt. Kenya). Seems to be much easier to find guides for Mount Kenya.

There's always the Great Barranco on Mawenzi.  Ed February and I had a mad plan about this years ago but for some (probably very sensible) reason it never happened.

It would be a Big Adventure though.  In fact any route on Mawenzi would be fairly adventurous.

Actually very few people do the Western Breach route on Kilimanjaro. It's a scramble with potential rockfall.

You might like to read two articles in the Mirrors in the Cliffs compendium, one from Mountain 63 and the second from Climbing 55 a little later.

'A Breach of Faith' is by Rob Taylor and 'Henry Replies' is by Henry Barber. On the other hand it might put you off that particular exploit.

The Umbwe-Western Breach route is what I've been wanting to do if there's nothing more interesting there. I see some outfits still offer it. I thought the guides altered the route usually taken through there to minimize the rockfall risk?

No, the route hasn't changed I don't think. There continues to be a risk of rockfall on the route, as there is with lot of mountaineering routes.

My wife did the Western Breach route last Autumn and enjoyed it. Sounded pretty loose scrambling but interesting and relatively quiet.