Gatberg / Intunja

Hey all...

just want to find out? how accessible is Gatberg from Monks Cowl? and is there a route<map or GPX file somewhere? 

thank you 

We did it last week.

It is quite a long walk from Monk's Cowl if you want to do it in a day (~10km in and then again out, excl. Gatberg/Intunja itself), but doable if you're reasonably fit. There are camping spots at the base in the eMhlwazini riverbed, if you have time to overnight there.

I don't have a GPX file, but the navigation is easy: hike up to Blind Man's Corner (M3-2100 on the official Cathedral:Culfargie-Monk's Cowl Map, which is map no. 2) via the Sphinx or Keartlands pass, turn right and take the contour path over Hlatikulu neck (M2-2100), as you would to Keith Bush Camp. As the path starts winding down to the river, you'll see a clear split at M1-1950. The lefthand path goes up to Keith Bush camp, and the path straight down goes to the eMhlwazini river / contour path around Gatberg.

Path 1 (not recommended). At this point (M1) you can look across the river valley and see a path up Gatberg on the opposite side of the river (offset about 100m downstream from where you meet the river coming down), approaching Gatberg from the East. It is steep, eroded, and slightly exposed and scrambly in places, although I wouldn't call it dangerous. It was made more challenging for us by the fact that the whole mountain has been burnt to dust recently, so those trusty grass tussocks are currently missing. Going up is also definitely easier than coming down it. The path peters out at the upper rock bands of Gatberg, almost at the altitude of the "gat" (or maybe it was just indistinguishable from the dust and ash, but we couldn't find it).

Path 2. There is another, less steep and exposed, and less erosion-prone, and probably more official path, which I would recommend. You can't see it as you approach the eMhlwazini river. When you reach the river, walk past the camping spots, cross the river, and take the contour path around Gatberg so that you approach Gatberg from the Northeast. You have to cross a couple of streams before the path becomes visible, but it is quite clear. The walk around feels longer, but is probably not much slower.

Hope that helps. If someone else has a decent photograph or gpx file that would probably be better than my description...

thank you so much. that is an excellent explanation and your first route sounds awesome... i'm going to take that route. whooohoooo

Enjoy!

Just for the record, my concern on the first path described above is erosion and long-term sustainability more than safety. Maybe some of the VE members who know that area well can comment, but the path looked quite bad in places - almost to the point where people would start walking next to it, forming a second path and multiple lines up. The way you see on some passes and the Cathedral Peak route up the little Berg, for instance. The one other time I hiked past Gatberg on the way to Gray's in summer, I didn't see the path, though. So it could just be the winter look. I don't know how much traffic it experiences: it is out of the way.

On the safety side, I would avoid Route 1 on a windy day as well. We had to go off-route and down the slope in places to avoid getting blown off the top of the ridge.

Does anyone know if the top of Gatberg will accept a tent or two for overnighting?

Stunning photo!

Can you fit 2 tents on top: yes
Would I recommend it: no

There are a few problems with camping up there:
1) You are very far from water.
2) If there's a thunderstorm, you are basically on top of a lightning rod.
3) If there are really bad winds, it has potential to end very badly due to it being a narrow summit with big drops on both sides.
4) You will have to carry a lot of heavy gear, plus water, up from the river - which is a steep sustained climb even with light packs.

That list sounds a bit like the Berg generally, Ghaz. 
Might be what a vertical endeavour is about. 

Ok thanks. Wrt. water etc. - just want to do a quick one night stay from Monks so Ok to carry water from stream below on way up. Caution wrt. lightning exposure is very well noted and considered.