Climbing

Climbing

A descent of the Tugela Falls

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 3066

The Tugela Falls is world famous and one of the most spectacular places on Earth. Said to be the second highest waterfall in the world, it falls about 950m into the Royal Natal National Park. There is the rare occasion that it runs dry, it flows most of the year, and in the summer wet months after heavy rain it cascades over the escarpment with awe inspiring beauty. The falls has three big drops, 60m at the top to a cascade, then a huge 250m free drop and then a third drop of about 170m, thereafter numerous smaller drops of 70 to 20m before levelling out and leading to a winding steep sided valley before a deep narrow sided gorge of the tunnel.

Ezemvelo Distances Itself From The Recently Erected Via Ferrata Route

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 5340

For immediate release: Legal Action to be instituted against those responsible…

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo), an authority responsible for the management of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site, has distanced itself from the recently erected via ferrata route across the face of Beacon Buttress within the Royal Natal Management Unit of the Ukhahlamba Drankensberg Park World Heritage Site.

In Memory of Jack Botha

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 5025

At the age of 98, Jack Botha passed away peacefully, and I doubt whether many of his contemporaries are still around to do justice in honouring this great South African climbing legend.

Centenary of the First Ascent of the Sentinel

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 4136

WJ Wybergh and Lt NM McLeod first climbed the Sentinel via the standard route on 29 September 1910.

The KZN section of the mountain club of SA plans to celebrate this ascent on the weekend of the 4-5th September 2010. The idea is for as many people as possible to ascend the Sentinel via any route they wish on the morning of the 4th and then have a celebratory jol at the Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge that evening. (We are happy to provide top-ropes on the two pitches on the Standard route so you won’t need a climbing partner for standard route.)

Gully opposite Monks Cowl

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 3495

I wonder if anyone has further information on the following:

(All references made to Maps here relate to Slingsby old Maps - the REAL ones that you can sleep in/on/under, fold, eat off and use in high wind/rain/snow, without them turning to mush- including orientation/grid lines, spot height etc.)

In memory of Des Watkins

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 4669

Aged 89, another pioneer in Drakensberg mountaineering passed away recently.

Anniversary of Angus-Leppan route on Sentinel

Details
Parent Category: Drakensberg
Category: Climbing
Hits: 5377

It has been 50 years since Peter and Pam Angus-Leppan opened up their now legendary route on the north face of the Sentinel. A group of climbers ascended the route on 22 March 2009 in traditional climbing gear used in that era, to commemorate the ascent.