Rolands Cave

It is time to suggest an experiment for Roland's entry.
Without experiment issues of hazards are all hear-say.

So, the next party to go along, please secure a fine line from good gear well above the entry.

Next, wire up a brave soul to the fine line and instruct the good soul to run across the perilous stretch into Roland's.

Please also instruct another fine soul to count the number of times the brave soul depends on the fine line for his/her survival.

I would wager 10/10 times the brave soul survives, even in inclement weather.

If so, we can lay to rest discussion of Roland's entry - concluding that it is as straightforward as Voyager's exit from the Solar System.

I want to head up to Roland's cave next weekend. I've never been there, so it should be exciting. I'm just worried that the cave might be occupied on my group's arrival, especially it being a long weekend. Is it possible to book the cave, lets say through KZN wildlife?

I read some of the above posts and I think I got my answer. First come, first serve.

FYI... if you look on www.kznwildlife.com under bookings for the relevant resort you will see cave bookings :)

Just for interest sake, and for those who did not know (me included before this), Roland's cave can be seen from the Cathedral peak hotel. Not really with the naked eye, however with decent binoculars or camera zoom it looks like below:

From hotel, using about 450mm zoom (x13).



Cropped from this photo:



I believe some of the Ndumeni Upper Caves are also visible this way.

Have you read the chapter of Encounters about Roland Smith? Its a good read.

I got a photo of it from the top of Mikes Pass - you have to know where to look though

ghaznavid wrote: Have you read the chapter of Encounters about Roland Smith? Its a good read.

Indeed a couple of times already, and again yesterday to reference my find. There is no mention in the chapter that it is visible from the hotel. Roland found it while ascending Organ Pipe's via the North Western approach.

I am sure however that I'm not the first one to notice it from the hotel.

It is indeed a good read, would've loved to know Mr Smith personally!!

intrepid wrote: The best weekend package in my books for Rolands is to get dropped off at the top of Mikes Pass by Didima Resort, walk up Thuthumi Ridge to Organ Pipes, and then walk out the next day via the Camel.

I was always under the impression that Rolands cave was a 3 day hike (I dont know why). So I take it this isnt the case?

Do the chaps at Didima drop people off at mikes pass often? Or is it a favour they may or may not help you with?

Scag wrote: I was always under the impression that Rolands cave was a 3 day hike (I dont know why). So I take it this isnt the case?

Assuming you take Organ Pipes Pass via Thuthumi ridge (or Thuthumi Pass for that matter) its not an excessively hard walk to reach the cave. Organ Pipes Pass is long, but not really hard.

Organ Pipes Pass is very scenic, I rate it in my top 3 passes out of the ones I have done to date.

Just for interest sake, and for those who did not know (me included before this), Roland's cave can be seen from the Cathedral peak hotel. Not really with the naked eye, however with decent binoculars or camera zoom it looks like below:

Apply your Crop tool just to the right( Looking at the picture) of where your arrow starts and you should see the largest of the Ndumeni Upper Caves. ME thinks??