Technical Climbing Equipment

Technical Climbing Equipment


Apart from other requirements such as appropriate clothing, footwear, gloves, sun glasses and other personal effects. Technical climbing, unlike hiking call for a thorough preparation to reduce incidences that might occur. Suitable gears are required if one is to successfully complete the attempt.

Below is a list of equipment necessary for the climb.
Crampons
Boots (They can be Normal hiking boot without very hard sole)
Bivy Sacks/ bags
Sit Harness
Helmet
Locking Carabbinas
1 Long and 1 Short string
1 Long Cordlet
Snacks and Energy Balls  
Set of FRIENDS
Rock nuts   
Double slings  
Figure 8 or Tubers
Ice axe   
Ice Hammer  
Screws   
Ropes   

The most important Gear clients should bring: (the Guide will have the rest)
1. Crampons
2. Boots (They can be Normal hiking boot without very hard sole)
3. Bivy Sacks/ bags (Not necessary when using the Normal route)
4. Sit Harness
5. Helmet
6. 3 Locking Carabbinas
7. 2 slings (Can be long or short)
8. 1 Cordlet
9.  Belay Device.
10. Snacks and Energy Balls

 

TREKKING COMPLICATIONS

Hiking in wilderness places may pose a series of problems. Sunburn, blisters and cramp, frostbite and sprains are problems common whether you are trekking on the paths of Kilimanjaro or hiking at Hells gate national park.
On the highest mountains, the fast climb from sea level to 4000m or 5000m above sea level is a further problem that should be approached with proper training before departure or a schedule including a few days for acclimatization and a constant attention to any signs of mountain sickness or edema.

For international travelers, besides vaccination against yellow fever, typhoid and cholera, an anti-malaria prophylaxis is absolutely essential; the medicines most suited to the malaria stocks present in the area should be used. Some populations of anopheles resistant to chloroquine exist in vast areas of Kenya., Tanzania and Uganda. To drink water that has not been disinfected or boiled is looking for trouble. Swimming in stagnant water will expose you to the risk of contacting with schistomasoma, a potentially lethal parasite.

HIGH ALTITUDE COMPLICATIONS

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS): The signs and symptoms associated with AMS are persistent headaches, difficulty in sleeping, fatigue, and loss of appetite, insomnia and nausea. 
Treatment: - Lots of rest, reduced hiking speed and staying under shelter. If no improvements after 48 hrs, then descend. Diamox drug is recommended.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (H.A.P.E.): It is associated with yellow sputum, hard breathing, dry cough and increased abnormal heart and breathing rates. Other symptoms are shortness of breathe even when resting and a distinct gurgling sound (rales) from the chest when breathing.  At times, some white or yellow blood-spotted sputum is observed.
Treatment: - Descending is the best option as it can easily graduate to a point of immobilizing the victim. Resting won’t help if same altitude is retained.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE): - Symptoms are characterized by impaired coordination, uncoordinated speech. The situation is complicated by irrational behavior, severe headache, slurred speech, coma and finally death.
Treatment: - Descend immediately as it turns lethal fast. The guide should be firm and listen to no talk from the victim.  It is common to find clients insisting on pushing on despite bad condition.

Dehydration: This is heat exhaustion arising from excessive loss of water when hiking in tropical conditions. It is characterized by lethargy, fatigue, headaches and giddiness. Drinking a lot of water and wearing loose clothing is the best remedy.

Trauma: A condition arising from deep shock or excessive loss of blood after a major injury. First aid can be administered to stabilize the victim but for any drugs given, the physician should be told. For groups with a physician. The victim can be supplied intravenously with haemocel to stabilize before evacuating. A victim in deep pain can be injected with morphine, but the physician should get this information once the victim is got to hospital.

Hypothermia: This condition arises when the body loses heat faster than it can generate.  As such, the body’s core temperature falls below the critical level.  It is surprisingly easy to graduate from very cold to dangerous cold due to a combination of wind, wet clothing, fatigue and hunger even when the air temperatures are above freezing point.
Symptoms: - Shivering, lethargy, numb skin, slurred speech, irrational behaviors, muscle cramps, dizzy spells and violent bursts of energy are common.
Treatment: - Get the victim to shelter immediately.  Remove wet clothes and cover with warm blanket.  If severe, zip-up two sleeping bags and put the victim together with another person into the bags.  The victim is warmed by the body heat of the other person who is supplied with hot drinks rich in simple or double sugars.

 

First Aid & Medical kit
If you are on an organized trek, you may only need to carry anti-malaria medicines and mosquito repellent cream. However, if you are independent, equip yourself with enough medicine to cope with minor accidents and injuries while on the trek. The quantity will depend on the number of days you will spend trekking and where you will be trekking. When trekking on high altitude places, you may need to add some medicine to deal with high altitude complications. You can obtain all types of medicine in Nairobi and other large cities in East Africa. If you are on regular medication at home, take enough supplies for your trip if there is any doubt of their availability abroad.
NOTE: You should always seek medical help for correct diagnosis and treatment before taking any medication or giving it to a patient. Self diagnosis and treatment can be very dangerous.