Organ Pipes Peak

There is a 3001m khulu named Organ Pipes. It is shown on the maps, but its unclear which peak it is.Fom Drakensville just outside Bergville, the area looks like this:


And from the top of Smugglers Pass the candidates that I think could be the khulu are these:


Based on the pics and maps I assume the right hand rocky outcrop as seen from the top of Smuggler's Pass is what is marked on the map, but the view from Drakensville makes it look like the proper pipes closer to the summit gully of Organ Pipes Pass would be higher.

Anyone know more about this mystery khulu?

Hey ghaz

Do you have any images on top of the saddle just below where the peaks make a u shape, sort of left middle of the image looking down into the gully below?

I'm not really sure this is 100% correct but when we camped where the green square is for 2 nights in Nov last year, the peak with the red arrow was the gighest from what I remember.



My shot from the crest of the pass above the green square looking back down the valley:



and one from a few hours later after sunrise looking in the direction that will help you. You can see our tents left middle. I'm dead sure the red arrow peak was the highest one on that ridge. I'm happy to be proved wrong though...

Serious tribe wrote: Do you have any images on top of the saddle just below where the peaks make a u shape, sort of left middle of the image looking down into the gully below?

Do you mean like this?

@ghaz

I did a trip a few year ago up Tlanyaku Pass and down Organs. Close to Organs, near Thuthumi Pass we came down a section and then went up a section before we arrived at the top of Organs. I was down with a bad case of septosemia and was feeling totally smashed, so i was not paying much attention to the navigating. How i managed to get any images on that part of the trip i really don't know.

However i did, but i don't remember where exactly i took them from.

The image of yours looked like it could be in a similar area. I have added two images, perhaps the forum can id the spots for me.

The first one was as we stood on top of what i assume is smugglers looking down into a small valley and the second was when we were in a small gully near between Thuthumi and Organs Passes.

I can confirm your first pic is taken just above where our tents were in my pics above and looking over the sadle down towards the Organ pipes pass. Basically 180 degrees from the place where I took my night time moonrise shot.
I took this one from almost exactly the same spot you did:

Hi All,

This is an old thread, but a mate of mine and myself want to summit Organ Pipes in two weeks time, and we'll be doing it as a day hike, so time will be of the essence. I'm chief navigator apparently, and just want to make sure I have a better idea of where to go.

Our route is from the Hotel past Ribbon Falls to the Camel, through the Pipes, and then up the gully to the Pass where there is a big cairn. I've attached a pic of that from the last time I was there. The pic is taken after passing the cairn and then looking back towards where I'd just come up from obviously.

From there though, which way do we go? Is it right ie in the direction of Cleft Peak, or left? Is there a clear obvious path either way, or is it pretty much bundu bashing to the top . . . or a top?

Is there a path to the top of the Castle buttress, by the way. If we have time to spare, we may head that way too

Hi Dodger,

Not sure I understand your question correctly, so I'll answer it the way I interpret your question's.

Looking down the escarpment (i.e. standing behind the cairn and looking down towards the hotel exactly as in this picture) you are at the top of organ Pipes Pass. Congratulations, you have made it to the top!!!

From here you can now go and explore, or spend the night closeby in a cave/caves or tent. On your left is Castle Buttress (no obvious path) and Cleft peak. Nice view from he top of Cleft, quite steep though.
On your right will be Ndumeni dome, with 5 caves in its' vacinity, the 2 upper and 2 lower Ndumeni caves, and Rolands cave. Nice flat camping spot on your 4 O' clock, below the rocky protrusion.

For water you might have to walk a bit into Lesotho in winter, nice stream here.

Any other Q's?

As Riaang said, Cleft Peak is left from there (facing the foothills). If you were coming up the pass you would go right. I don't think there's an established path, but it's not bundu-bashing, just uneven terrain.