Mount Amery
08 Nov 2011 09:05 - 09 Oct 2013 11:04 #4645
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Mount Amery was created by intrepid
Here is another classic Berg mystery that I've been meaning to get onto the forums.
Most hikers and several illustrations that I've seen in various books refer to the prominent, pointy peak, distinctly visible from the Ampitheatre, as Mount Amery. It is the one on the left in the image below. Yet the maps (Government survey, Slingsby, new hiking maps and Garmin topographic) refer to the less impressive buttress on the right as Mount Amery (the hiking maps probably simply follow the survey map). So which is peak is the true Mount Amery, and where did the confusion come from? Did the survey maps get it wrong from the start, whereas tradition maintained that it was the peak on the left? It certainly is attractive and a fun grade B scramble, with some lofty views. The buttress on the right is much bigger in size however, and gives some good views into the Mnweni. Their heights are almost identical, I measured the one on the left to be 3140m and the one of the right, 3151m, which for a hand-held GPS is pretty much the same, except that last time I measured both on the same day, leaving my unit on in between, so the buttress on the right is probably slightly higher.
www.vertical-endeavour.com/gallery/drakensberg/peaks/khulus-3100-to-3199m/613-mount-amery.html
Note: the list of peaks at the back of Barrier of Spears records the height of Mt Amery as 3143m, and confirms that the approach from the escarpment is a grade B scramble (the buttress is a grade A). Furthermore it mentions the frontal route, which, if I remember correctly, was opened up by guys that were mentored and introduced to the Berg by Pearse. All of this indicates that in Pearse's tradition Mt Amery was the one on the left.
Most hikers and several illustrations that I've seen in various books refer to the prominent, pointy peak, distinctly visible from the Ampitheatre, as Mount Amery. It is the one on the left in the image below. Yet the maps (Government survey, Slingsby, new hiking maps and Garmin topographic) refer to the less impressive buttress on the right as Mount Amery (the hiking maps probably simply follow the survey map). So which is peak is the true Mount Amery, and where did the confusion come from? Did the survey maps get it wrong from the start, whereas tradition maintained that it was the peak on the left? It certainly is attractive and a fun grade B scramble, with some lofty views. The buttress on the right is much bigger in size however, and gives some good views into the Mnweni. Their heights are almost identical, I measured the one on the left to be 3140m and the one of the right, 3151m, which for a hand-held GPS is pretty much the same, except that last time I measured both on the same day, leaving my unit on in between, so the buttress on the right is probably slightly higher.
www.vertical-endeavour.com/gallery/drakensberg/peaks/khulus-3100-to-3199m/613-mount-amery.html
Note: the list of peaks at the back of Barrier of Spears records the height of Mt Amery as 3143m, and confirms that the approach from the escarpment is a grade B scramble (the buttress is a grade A). Furthermore it mentions the frontal route, which, if I remember correctly, was opened up by guys that were mentored and introduced to the Berg by Pearse. All of this indicates that in Pearse's tradition Mt Amery was the one on the left.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Last edit: 09 Oct 2013 11:04 by intrepid. Reason: Fixed broken image link
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08 Nov 2011 14:19 #4654
by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Re: Mount Amery
2 quote a member of this forum with over 1000 posts on a thread about Khulu's - just to be safe climb both of them...
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08 Nov 2011 23:50 - 09 Nov 2011 00:03 #4657
by Serious tribe
Replied by Serious tribe on topic Re: Mount Amery
Here is some info, perhaps all of which Intrepid has actually seen but it must shed some light on the situation, or confuse the mystery even more.
The images 1&3 from Cradle of Rivers pub 1975 seems to indicate the wedge shaped peak on the left, whereas Camera in Quathlamba image 4 pub 1980 indicates that it is the peak on the right. I have always thought it was this pointy wedge shaped peak on the left.
The images 1&3 from Cradle of Rivers pub 1975 seems to indicate the wedge shaped peak on the left, whereas Camera in Quathlamba image 4 pub 1980 indicates that it is the peak on the right. I have always thought it was this pointy wedge shaped peak on the left.
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Last edit: 09 Nov 2011 00:03 by Serious tribe.
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09 Nov 2011 05:52 #4659
by Stijn
Replied by Stijn on topic Re: Mount Amery
I may be missing something, but it seems to be as if all those book sources ST attached confirm the steep wedge-shaped peak as Mount Amery?
I've also always thought it was that one - it's one of the more striking escarpment peaks. Still haven't summited unfortunately. I've only been nearby once and I was the only person keen to head up and the motivation died shortly thereafter when the close-up view made me realise that it's a little more than a quick dash away from the group.
I've also always thought it was that one - it's one of the more striking escarpment peaks. Still haven't summited unfortunately. I've only been nearby once and I was the only person keen to head up and the motivation died shortly thereafter when the close-up view made me realise that it's a little more than a quick dash away from the group.
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09 Nov 2011 06:21 #4661
by Serious tribe
Replied by Serious tribe on topic Re: Mount Amery
Yes Stijn, you are correct. I was mistaking the far right peak as higher, but in fact this is closer to the camera than the other two mentioned by Intrepid. So all the evidence points to Mt Amery being the wedge shaped pointy peak, which is as i initially thought.
Now that i have grabbed the 'new' map out of its house, it does appear to me though, in contradiction to what Intrepid said, that Mt Amery is correctly marked on this map, whereas on the old Slingsby map it definitely is the peak on the right, ie closer to the Singati Wall.
Now that i have grabbed the 'new' map out of its house, it does appear to me though, in contradiction to what Intrepid said, that Mt Amery is correctly marked on this map, whereas on the old Slingsby map it definitely is the peak on the right, ie closer to the Singati Wall.
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09 Nov 2011 08:16 #4666
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Replied by intrepid on topic Re: Mount Amery
Indeed, the first edition of the new hiking maps (No 1) had Mt Amery marked as the left (northerly) one. The height was not indicated. In the second edition of the same map, they changed this to the buttress on the right and included the spot height of 3143m, exactly as it appears in Slingsby's map. See image below (Edition 2 on left).
So, I think its fairly safe to say Mount Amery is the wedge-shaped, northerly peak. Either the survey people or Slingsby got it confused, and in turn influenced the other party. First edition of the new hiking maps seems to have been influenced by a consultation with someone that actually knew, but subsequently someone else must have compared with the survey map and Slingsby's map and thought "Hmmm...". Garmin topographic map is simply based on the survey map and repeats the error.
So, I think its fairly safe to say Mount Amery is the wedge-shaped, northerly peak. Either the survey people or Slingsby got it confused, and in turn influenced the other party. First edition of the new hiking maps seems to have been influenced by a consultation with someone that actually knew, but subsequently someone else must have compared with the survey map and Slingsby's map and thought "Hmmm...". Garmin topographic map is simply based on the survey map and repeats the error.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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23 May 2012 08:56 #54018
by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Re: Mount Amery
Just remembered this old thread now. It does partially answer my question as to what on earth I actually climbed on the last day of the GT - it was not Mount Amery...
The south peak is clearly higher than the other one:
Thus on the khulu definition if the north one is the peak, the south one also qualifies for khulu status as there is no higher khulu within a 1km effort shadow, and the north one gets khulu status on the special inclusion for "historically relevant peaks" - I think Reg Pearse naming something is pretty historically relevant!
The south peak is clearly higher than the other one:
Thus on the khulu definition if the north one is the peak, the south one also qualifies for khulu status as there is no higher khulu within a 1km effort shadow, and the north one gets khulu status on the special inclusion for "historically relevant peaks" - I think Reg Pearse naming something is pretty historically relevant!
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23 May 2012 09:03 - 23 May 2012 09:05 #54020
by Stijn
Replied by Stijn on topic Re: Mount Amery
Ghaz, if you look at the maps in intrepid's post, you will see that the whole set of sub-peaks in your photo are what he refers to as "the northerly wedge-shaped peak". The southern peak is off-frame to the right.
Last edit: 23 May 2012 09:05 by Stijn.
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23 May 2012 09:08 #54022
by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Re: Mount Amery
Ok, I am now less confused on this topic, my post on "what peak is this" may then have the actual Mount Amery...
On the bright side that means that there is in fact an unnamed Ampitheatre peak...
On the bright side that means that there is in fact an unnamed Ampitheatre peak...
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24 May 2012 09:15 #54046
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Replied by intrepid on topic Re: Mount Amery
The whole thing in your photo is Mt Amery, ghaz. It simply has a subsidiary summit which is too close to the main summit to separate,
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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