Twins Cave

Just curious as to how, why and when the 2 concrete slabs were taken up to Twins Cave? Was somebody planning on building a latrine up there???

As I recall, they've been there since before my first visit, which was in April 2001.

From memory, the slabs date to the mid 1980s when there was actually a functioning bog at Twins Cave. It was a way of dealing with the sheer numbers in popular spots like Twins. I recall there was also one at Lower Inj Cave. The Berg was heavily used by hikers in that decade. On long weekends, there'd be a queue of parked cars along the then dirt road leading down the valley from the hotel gate. There was also much discussion about restricting total numbers of hikers (not just the size of hiking parties) in the Berg over the busy periods. Now the paths are starting to grow over and its a much more select bunch. Apart from the fact that a lot of people have left SA, I've often wondered why.

Interesting... This seems to be a general trend in SA with most hikers moving to softer options like "slackpacking" as evidenced by the large number of guided, hotel-stay "hikes" on offer these days, for example the Whale Trail. These trails are very expensive (in the region of R3k-R5k for a 5-day trip) but increasingly popular.

In fact, if you book yourself on most hutted-hikes these days, there is an option available to have your packs/food transported to each overnight spot for you. I've heard rumours that the Tsitsikamma trail has also become a guided slackpacking trail now?

Hey, I'm not complaining - I like the Berg unspoilt and empty, thank you very much

I think people are getting lazy and spoilt with all their toys such as 4x4's and quad bikes, staying in expensive lodges.

Well we better keep on trying to bring more kids into the mountains. I am a teaching at a promary school in JHB and we take 20 or so new kids every year into the Berg and eventually a few of them to the top of Kili. Hopefully they will cotinue taking trips to the Berg later on in life.

True we don't want the berg packed out and quota systems in place, but informed and responsible fresh blood is always a good thing.

I think that when a few of us on the forum (40-45 year olds)were in our formative years, there were few if any computers, few if any computer games, and a lot of us did outdoorsy type of things, because being inside was well, just plain boring. I am a case in point, I first really only used a pc in 1991 when I was 23. The later generations now have access to a whole host of electronic paraphernalia which keeps them inside and sends the adventure bug on different course to what ours did. We now see less people in the 12-20 year old range take up hiking in the mountains, as opposed to hiking from one end of a mall to the other, (present 12-20 year olds on the forum excluded). There are just so many ways to amuse yourself these days away from the mountains.

Anyway, that is my 2c worth.

"Slackpacking" - In The Drakensberg !!??

No sweat lads, there is sure to be some form of Natural Selection retribution amongst those numbers.

May I suggest that the new Mountain Register have THREE tick boxes added.

SERIOUS TRIBE
SlackPACKER
TissueFlinger

That way we will know when to misdirect the AIR SEARCH.

"RESPECT THE DRAGON"

[My Three Cents Worth]

Hi there
We looking to do the Northern Traverse this year and was wondering how one goes about booking Twins Cave for accommodation. Any help would be appreciated.
cheers

Phone the Didima offices and book it through them. You may also be able to book it online, but I'm not 100% sure on that one.