Cathedral Peak
10 Dec 2017 09:18 #72477
by tonymarshall
Replied by tonymarshall on topic Cathedral Peak
Hi Dr1kus,
Lots of good info and images on the "Cathedral Peak" thread.
Lots of good info and images on the "Cathedral Peak" thread.
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26 May 2018 09:59 #73545
by Adder Dodger
Replied by Adder Dodger on topic Cathedral Peak
I was supposed to do Castle Buttress yesterday with a friend, but he couldn't get off work, so being alone, I decided to hike up and down Cathedral instead. The weather gods were kind.
Here are a few pics from the top.
Here are a few pics from the top.
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12 Sep 2018 16:16 #73970
by ruthtbl
Replied by ruthtbl on topic Cathedral Peak
Recently went with the KZN MCSA on a day hike up Cathedral Peak. It was awesome!
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12 Sep 2018 19:06 #73984
by Adder Dodger
Replied by Adder Dodger on topic Cathedral Peak
Great video And well done! :-D
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29 Sep 2020 13:06 #76130
by Godfather
Replied by Godfather on topic Cathedral Peak
Hi everyone ! I'm a new member on this absolute gem of a site. I have been browsing around and have already learned alot. I have done day hikes of the sentinel peak and some others at royal natal park and I am keen to do more day hikes on par with the sentinel peak hike.(if anyone has any suggestions). I was wondering if anyone has any advice about the cathedral peak hike. Namely: Can one do it in a day? Can one do it unguided(preferably) ? Do you need climbing equipment to scale it ? Any other advice?Thanks for your time and knowledge !
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29 Sep 2020 13:59 #76131
by tonymarshall
Replied by tonymarshall on topic Cathedral Peak
Hi Godfather, welcome to VE.
Lots of info on the "Cathedral Peak" thread, which should answer all your questions and assist you to plan and enjoy your hike.
Lots of info on the "Cathedral Peak" thread, which should answer all your questions and assist you to plan and enjoy your hike.
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01 Oct 2020 22:32 #76150
by Godfather
Replied by Godfather on topic Cathedral Peak
Found it ! Thanks so much, it was very helpful!
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05 Oct 2020 16:24 #76167
by Exploremp02
Replied by Exploremp02 on topic Cathedral Peak
Just to update on Cathedral - went up on Saturday. They have taken the chain ladder down. Apparently if you take a guide from the hotel they will (I gather somewhat reluctantly) put the chain up for you ( I found out afterwards when we got back to the hotel). It was a bit more of a tricky scramble getting to where the chain ladder was than I remembered from before - maybe I'm just getting old. Ropes would help. Unless you're an experienced rock climber it would be advisable to check ahead with the hotel if there is a guide prepared to take you up.If you're happy to forego the adrenaline of the last ascent to the summit, the hike/run up to the top of bugger gully is still awesome and well worth the effort.
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06 Oct 2020 13:16 #76178
by CraigBurnsStellenbosch
Replied by CraigBurnsStellenbosch on topic Cathedral Peak
@Exploremp02 I can't believe they took the Cathedral chain ladder down!? Does anyone know the reason for this?
Considering it's such a popular hike, you'll get a lot of hikers with no climbing experience attempting a C+ scramble with no ropes and significant exposure. From your second picture I can see the rope has been taken down from the rock traverse section too.
On another note, how did you get access to Cathedral this weekend? We wanted to do the Bell Traverse but KZN wildlife said the Cathedral area is closed because "Didima is a COVID isolation hotel" (do they think the patients are going to walk out like zombies and infect hikers?) and the Cathedral Peak hotel said access to the area will only be granted to overnight guests of theirs (which I also take serious issue with, effectively saying only wealthy people can buy access to the mountain).
We ended up climbing Sentinel instead up Mcleod's Variation which was great fun.
Considering it's such a popular hike, you'll get a lot of hikers with no climbing experience attempting a C+ scramble with no ropes and significant exposure. From your second picture I can see the rope has been taken down from the rock traverse section too.
On another note, how did you get access to Cathedral this weekend? We wanted to do the Bell Traverse but KZN wildlife said the Cathedral area is closed because "Didima is a COVID isolation hotel" (do they think the patients are going to walk out like zombies and infect hikers?) and the Cathedral Peak hotel said access to the area will only be granted to overnight guests of theirs (which I also take serious issue with, effectively saying only wealthy people can buy access to the mountain).
We ended up climbing Sentinel instead up Mcleod's Variation which was great fun.
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06 Oct 2020 14:08 #76179
by Exploremp02
Replied by Exploremp02 on topic Cathedral Peak
@CraigBurnsStellenbosch, apparently it was being stolen??? A long way to go to steal a ladder . Perhaps they were worried about hikers getting themselves into trouble.
We drove down early Saturday and went straight up and then stayed a night at the hotel - I don't think they are letting day hikers in which I also have an issue with. Didima looks very run down and didn't look inhabited when we drove past. (I'm a doctor - there is absolutely no reason to have a Covid isolation hotel at Didima - that is an unacceptable explanation from them) I also had to can a day trip to Cathedral a few weeks ago because the area was closed - went to Mnweni instead.
Along the same lines we were at Dragon Peaks the previous weekend with a group of mostly non-hiking friends. I wanted to take them on the short and easy but beautiful walk to the blue grotto for lunch, but they wouldn't let us in to the area either from Drakensberg sun or from the Cathkin activity centre. I understand that they are afraid of being closed down but I still think that it is a pretty poor show. There is no legitimate reason to prevent day hikers from going through.
We drove down early Saturday and went straight up and then stayed a night at the hotel - I don't think they are letting day hikers in which I also have an issue with. Didima looks very run down and didn't look inhabited when we drove past. (I'm a doctor - there is absolutely no reason to have a Covid isolation hotel at Didima - that is an unacceptable explanation from them) I also had to can a day trip to Cathedral a few weeks ago because the area was closed - went to Mnweni instead.
Along the same lines we were at Dragon Peaks the previous weekend with a group of mostly non-hiking friends. I wanted to take them on the short and easy but beautiful walk to the blue grotto for lunch, but they wouldn't let us in to the area either from Drakensberg sun or from the Cathkin activity centre. I understand that they are afraid of being closed down but I still think that it is a pretty poor show. There is no legitimate reason to prevent day hikers from going through.
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