Khulus

I agree - I worry so much about khulus and set goals to climb khulus because standing on top of a peak with a great view is the single thing I enjoy the most in the mountains - well, maybe taking photos would fight for the top spot... But as long as it keeps being fun, I'll keep doing it.

I do like that Khulu Top idea.

Over the last year or so I have slightly modified my khulu definition to differ from the original. The original list had 160, mine hit 180 with the recent addition of Verkyker Buttress. Additions include some that are obvious and were left out due to not being marked on the maps that Murch used, e.g. Andre's Knob, some were debatable but are included under my provision that anything on a separate ridge is included e.g. Random Peak, Icidi Cap and some are just technically are khulus as they meet the definition, but really don't look the part e.g. The Auditor, Isicutula etc. And of course there's good old Organ Pipes - the highest of which is 3001m and really should be included as an honorary khulu...

I have also played around with a 30m rock climbing rule - if you need to climb 30m+ of rock to reach a 3000+m summit, it is a khulu. The problem is this adds Lionheart on the Eastern Buttress, and the 2 subsidiary summits of the Inner Tower - hence me not adding this to my definition.

I'm now considering modifying my khulu definition to take into account khulu tops and require that for a peak to be a khulu, from at least 1 angle it must look separate from the surrounding higher peaks (provided the nearby higher one is in SA). Maybe a view criteria may work well - and it might force me to climb them all

Lets look at 3 ridges:



No question - Mafadi is a khulu. From this angle neither Injisuthi Dome nor Trojan Wall really look like separate peaks, but both technically do meet the original khulu definition. Wouldn't you say, though, that Injisuthi Dome is really a minor subsidiary summit (aside from being our only other 3400+m peak in the country)? Trojan Wall on the other hand, from the Small Berg looks like a monster and, being the highest point on the escarpment edge does deserve khulu special status. On the other side - Lithabalong - its really not worthy of the title "khulu", its a little lump on the side of a big ridge, just far enough from Mafadi to be within the definition. No view at all. Not worth the tiny bit of effort required to climb it from Mafadi.



Senqebethu vs Bannerman Face on the other hand - Bannerman Face does look prominent from everywhere, but I have never seen an angle where it genuinely looks like being separate from Senqebethu - other than when you can't see Senqebethu. The same would apply to Popple vs. Auditor. To declassify Bannerman Face and Auditor would be very sad for me though



By contrast - Mlambonja, Matebeng and Wilson are on the same ridge, but look like separate peaks to me. I sadly don't have a good photo backing up my point.



Ships Prow is a difficult one - I partially agree with you, Intrepid, and partially with you, Highlands Fanatic. From the above angle Bothlolong is clearly a distinct peak and meets the original definition and thus is clear. Champagne is the 3rd highest peak in SA and highest point on the ridge - so no question there. Ships Prow does meet the original definition but is surrounded by 2 monster (and higher) peaks. From certain angles, though, Ships Prow is really prominent. I also can't see how Ships Prow peak wouldn't have an incredible view. So I like it as a khulu.

Ok - next task for me, revise my khulu definition to separate khulus from khulu tops and revise my list. Also, come up with a khulu top definition...

With specific focus on the Injisuthi area example.

From the Angle shown Injisuthu dome itself looks rather bland, but looking from Mafadi side it is quite prominent, even more so from the Triplets. Also, rather importantly in my books, from far away in Natal, Injisuthi dome is very prominent with few people even seeing the little rocky crown to the right (Mafadi).

I do however agree 100% with Lithabong which was in fact in my mind when making the comment of 'some not being worth it'. Love the Lithabong valley though, superb place to camp (if a little windy). The peak itself, not worth it really but is an easy stroll down from Mafadi so may as well bag it.

Highlands Fanatic wrote: From the Angle shown Injisuthu dome itself looks rather bland, but looking from Mafadi side it is quite prominent, even more so from the Triplets. Also, rather importantly in my books, from far away in Natal, Injisuthi dome is very prominent with few people even seeing the little rocky crown to the right (Mafadi).

Its funny - anyone who reads about what I say on Injisuthi Dome would thing I don't like the peak. It is actually high on my to do list and I imagine it has a better view than the big flat rock that is SA's highest point. My reason for consistently questioning its khulu status is that I don't think its justified that there should be 4 khulus on that ridge - Mafadi has its spot by default due to its geographic relevance and Trojan Wall is the highest point on the escarpment edge, so it really deserves a spot - I am also told its view is well worth it.

I haven't seen it from every angle, but the other 3 I am familiar with are as follows - excuse the quality of the first one, it was taken from near Winterton without a tripod from a moving car:





[from somewhere between Bothlolong and Starboard]



[from near the summit of Mafadi]

I guess I really need to stand on top of this one before making a final call.

Highlands Fanatic wrote: I do however agree 100% with Lithabong which was in fact in my mind when making the comment of 'some not being worth it'. Love the Lithabong valley though, superb place to camp (if a little windy). The peak itself, not worth it really but is an easy stroll down from Mafadi so may as well bag it.

Lithobolong is the only peak aside from Mafadi that I have bagged on that ridge. And the day included me finally bagging Popple (after 3 failed attempts in 2011) and subsequently bagging Mafadi. Lithobolong was very easy and I'm happy I did it, but I wouldn't really bother doing it again. Popple is on my list of possible peaks to do again - although my to do list is too long to worry about redoing peaks right now...

I think I have about 92 outstanding khulus on my to-do list. Including Knuckles, Giant's, Inner Tower, Sentinel, Namahadi, KwaDuma and tons of others...

Thanks Intrepid & Ghaznavid, entertaining reads and photos from both. Seems like you guys have really significant photo libraries!!!

intrepid wrote: I'd be careful about a view criteria simply cause it introduces a lot more subjectivity into the definition. The more subjectivity, the more the debate and the longer it takes to actually agree on a list (the Munro list has changed several times over many years).

True. The biggest issue I have is that peaks which are by sight separate are often too close, yet little bumps on ridges often do qualify.

intrepid wrote: Lithobolong might well be better seen as a "Top". If I remember correctly the obscure hump didnt even have a cairn on it initially.

The cairn on the top was about 10 rocks when I climbed it last year. Even Yodeler's Ridge Peak (which I think is also really a top more than a real khulu) had a bigger cairn.

intrepid wrote: As for Ships Prow, Ive done Botlolong, Ships Prow and Champagne all in a row in once occasion, all in the order of half an hour. Its simply dwarfed by the other two and too close to them. I think like Lithobolong, its merit besides being a "top", is simply that it is among the top 25 "high points" of our country. If it were just over 3000m, instead of over 3300m, then it may not even get as much attention as what we're giving it now - just a thought. And the view isn't overly great...you have to walk further down the actual elongated prow to get the drop-off effect.

In this pic, approaching from Nkosazana, Champagne is on the left, and Botlolong in shadows on the right. Ships Prow is the little "gedunk" inbetween.

I haven't seen it from quite that angle before, I see what you mean. And yet again it is a peak within the technical definition.

Maybe the solution would be to define a peak that meets all other criteria as a khulu only if it has 2 or more contour rings to itself and as a top if it only has 1. That downgrades Lithobolong, Ships Prow and my Verkyker Buttress to khulu tops.

Highlands Fanatic wrote: Thanks Intrepid & Ghaznavid, entertaining reads and photos from both. Seems like you guys have really significant photo libraries!!!

This is one of my favourite topics - good to hear you are finding it entertaining

P.s. I have roughly 8120 Berg photos using up 27Gb of my hard drive! That doesn't count photos taken by other people that I have downloaded.

intrepid wrote:

intrepid wrote: Lithobolong might well be better seen as a "Top". If I remember correctly the obscure hump didnt even have a cairn on it initially.

The cairn on the top was about 10 rocks when I climbed it last year.

I built that one

Nice!