Classic "Easy" Peaks

Hi Guys

This site is awesome for info and sharing experiences!

I'm looking for suggestions of some of the classic peaks that have a nice clear path / line up and down.

We tend to try to run them as fast as possible - have done Rhino a good few times, Cathedral Peak is epic as well.

What are the other 20 - 40km routes with a nice clear route - steep / rocks is not an issue (the steeper the better ) but when you're trying to do it fast, route finding and 5 km of off camber grass is not ideal haha.

Thanks for your suggestions!

How about the Mafadi record? 41km out-and-back route from Injisuthi via Leslie's Pass. Doesn't strictly fit your criteria of a clear path route due to some route-finding on the 3km of river-bed between Marble Baths Cave and the start of Leslie's Pass. Also, Leslie's Pass can be a bit vague at times too. But it's a great challenge to have a go at!

The current record is 9h57m by George Louw. www.movescount.com/moves/move10911751

www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/8-drakensberg-hiking/55197-fast-ascent-of-mafadi.html?start=10#56047

Some that I have done:

Thaba Ngwangwe via Thamathu and Bushmans Pass at Bushman's Nek (27km). Writeup at www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/drakensberg-trips/55435-we-saw-starlings-but-they-weren%E2%80%99t-pied.html

Any combo of the passes around Langalibalele Pass at Giants Castle. I have done North Jarding looped with Langies (with Potterill, Bond and Erskine), Langies looped with South Hlubi (with Thumb Spur Peak), Thumb Pass looped with Langies and Bond Pass looped with Langies (3 of those day hikes where this year - writeups for all 4 on the site). You seem to be a much faster hiker than I am, so you could always do South Jarding and North Jarding with Mount Durnford if you want an awesome but challenging peak.

Just note - Thumb Pass has a very confusing summit. It tops out on a ledge immediately below Thumb Spur Peak and then requires a bit of descent before traversing and climbing a very exposed and steep grass slope. It took me lots of research and failed attempts before I repeated this route (Intrepid and co opened it in 1997). Bond Pass is also a funny pass, it requires careful navigation to get up. I have documented these routes in a fair amount of detail on the threads about them, but don't take either of them lightly.

As Smurf mentioned - Sterkhorn is a nice route. Similar to Cathedral in statistics, but quite a bit easier.

Some that I have considered:
Bannerman Langies is a classic and can definitely be done in a day. Sanqebethu and Bannerman Face are both great peaks on this route.

I believe Giant's Castle has been done in a day, but that is really insane. Took about 4 hours for me to get from the top of the pass to the summit and back again earlier this year (pack stashed near the top of the pass).

I had a shot at Easter Cave peak as a day hike (Didima - Mlambonja Pass) earlier this year, and probably would have done it if there hadn't been a massive fire at the base of the pass (we bailed in the interests of safety).

Cleft Peak via Organ Pipes Pass in a day is one I would like to try, but is a tough one.

The easiest is probably Beacon Buttress Gully via the Chain Ladders/Beacon Buttress Gully. A more classic/challenging option would be Mount Amery - or even Ifidi Peak.

Keen to give that a go soon!

Was probably Ian Don Wauchope. He is beyond fast.

He was already finished with Cathedral Peak before we even got to the first scramble. Absolutely crazy stuff! I can't even vaguely remember his name.