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Hi,

I need some advice, I have never been hiking in the berg in the summer. I want to take my wife for a 2 day hike somewhere in the berg. I have been to Injasuti in the winter and found the 2 day round trip hike, sleeping at the marble baths cave the first night and grindstone cave the second night a very easy relaxing weekend out.

Any suggestions concerning doing this hike in spring? I was thinking 30 September -2 October?

I do not have a suitable tent.

Sounds like a very do-able trip. Can't see any issues that might present themselves in Spring. The river crossings going to Marble Baths can get difficult in mid-summer, but only after heavy rain and that is very unlikely in Sept/Oct. Mist when crossing over from Marble Baths to Grindstone might make things slightly more tricky, but again it is very unlikely in Spring and even in summer would clear for at least part of the day - certainly enough to get bearings.

Notes on summer/spring hiking (this is my favourite time of year to go hiking, you probably already know most of these):
- Assume you will experience a thunderstorm between 12 and sunset, watch the sky and do not ignore the warnings. Rememeber that the wind dying down means the storm is about to start
- Have your raincoat handy at all times, discuss what you would do in a hail storm beforehand so that if it happens you will both be ready, when a storm is about to start consider putting your rain coat on.
- Keep an eye on the surrounding terrain for suitable shelters so you are prepared for rain/hail
- If you don't plan on hiking in shorts, make sure you have good raincoat pants. Also, if your backpack has no rain cover, buy one before the hike
- Gaiters are your best friend, mist and rain give you wet socks... I make rain out to be such a big issue after on 3 occassions having to hike in wet socks and shoes, not fun...
- Try to leave early in the morning so that you don't have to hike over the middle of the day
- Take 3 million photos as the berg looks so awesome in summer!

Hope that helps...

and for budget alternatives to backpack covers in case you don't have them, I just stick a strong bin bag in my backpack and load everything into that. Its worked every time, including river crossings where the bottom of the bag went underwater (in that sense better than a back pack cover). Also in summer I just hike in running shorts. They dry pretty quickly.....
I've spent some time trying to keep socks dry. Now I don't bother. Crossing rivers with shoes on when you have to walk in the water is easier and the excess water comes out quickly enough. I'm a minority on that point though I'm sure.
But late Sept won't be that wet?

Thanks for all the advice guys!

I use a plastic bivy bag as a liner inside my backpack and then I package everything else in smaller bags ( so that if I need my emergency bivvy bag I can take my stuff out without getting everything soaking wet, I just found that any other plastic liner does not hold up well with the wear and tear of packing and unpacking ones bag)

My folks just spent sometime in Scotland during the coldest it has ever been there so I have access to lightweight waterproof pants and decent gaiters.

I might end up staying 2 nights at Marble baths rather and trying Leslies Pass How is the security going up that pass and how doable is it up and down in one day?

Both caves in question are solid caves, not difficult to find, with good trials leading there, so shouldn't be a problem not taking a tent along - just make sure you have booked the caves before the time. You never know in the Berg, but the likelihood of it being very wet around those dates is lower than in summer proper. And the river-crossing issues are normally only in mid to late summer, like January through to March.

Yes it would be do-able going up and down Leslies in a day from Marble Baths, but still long and not to be underestimated. To get to the base of the pass is time consuming along the boulder bed, unless you can find the overgrown trail next to the river. The pass itself gets pretty steep in places, and is easily underestimated because of its popularity. How fit is your wife and is she familiar with the Berg? It may not be the best idea if she is new to the Berg, and even more so if she is new to hiking. If you attempt it, be very disciplined about a pre-determined cut-off time. No major security issues that I'm aware of, just don't leave valuables behind in the cave.