James "KG" Kagambi: NOLS & KG Mountain Expeditions - Stories From A NOLS Legend

Hot Drinks - Stories From The Field

Today our guest is James "KG" Kagambi, Senior NOLS Instructor and the owner of KG Mountain Expeditions. He joined NOLS as a field instructor in 1987. KG has worked many curses types over the years but regularly works in NOLS mountaineering programs in Patagonia, Alaska, East Africa, and India. KG is not only a senior NOLS instructor; he is the most senior, having more weeks in the field than any other instructor in the history of the school! He has over 870 weeks in the field working for NOLS, that more than 6000 nights!!

He has also completed three of the Seven Summits and in 1992 represented Africa in the U.N Peace Climb for the world on the Eiger. In addition, KG has summited the Eiger three times, became the first black African to summit Denali in 1989 and was the first black African to summit Aconcagua in 1994.

KG has guided on Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro since the 1990s and Today trains search and rescue teams on Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and Rwenzori. KG's long-lasting commitments to the field of rock climbing and mountaineering in Kenya have prompted acknowledgment and respect in his country. While he is away from his beloved duty, he enjoys spending time with his family and children.

• [3:50] KG talked about two jogging students and how one of them was chased by some Maasai. They were hiking in Kenya, and 2 of the female students wanted to go for a jog. KG allowed them to go but under some rules. They agreed to all of the rules and started their jog. When they reached the point which they promised not to go any further, one of the girls didn't stop and kept jogging even after the other girl told her that they should not go any further. While she was jogging, some Maasai saw her and tried to help her get back to her camp. They ran toward her to help her, but she thought they were trying to chase her.

• [18:42] KG talked about his bizarre experience in Patagonia in 1994. It was KG'S second mountain course. After a very long bushwhacking on a rainy day, they got to treeline on a sunny and clear day. So they set up their tents on snow and got some rest. In the morning, everyone was ready to climb the peak, so they started their journey, and by ten, they reached the top of the peak. After hanging out for a while, KG and two of his fellow instructor made a group of 2 students head back down. As they were going down, KG and one of the instructors saw a small dark cloud, and just in minutes, a major wind storm descended upon them. So they started running while yelling to head back down fast and dig the tent's cord even deeper. As they got down, everyone began to dig into securing their tents, and KG was digging a deeper hole when suddenly the wind changed its direction, which made the tent flew up in the sky like a kite and kept going up. As the tent was in the sky, his stuff started to fall out, and his sleeping bag fell into a waterfall that made KG sleep in a wet sleeping bag for days. But eventually, everyone got out of that trip safe.
• Later in the show, KG answers the rapid-fire questions that reflect his jolly personality.