Pins Cave

mykitchin wrote: Thanks Tiska, that was my feeling too. Will also do the route in the opposite direction to what we had intended (Up Rockeries, and down Fangs). After you mentioned Pins cave I did some digging and I'm quite keen to try it out. Fangs is one of my favourites, but always keen to try out new caves! I came across a post of yours from 2012 where you mention its easy to find the cave once you're in Pins pass (I have Tony's GPS route file for the pass). But was wondering about the size and weather shelter qualities of the cave, as there doesn't seem to be much info on this cave!

Hi mykitchin.

Pins is tucked into the true right hand side of the throat of Pins Pass, about 15-20 minutes from the highway which skims the pass top. The cave is secluded and well off the beaten track in spite of its proximity to the trans-Mnweni highway. Pins pass doesn't get used much and anyone on that Mnweni highway would be unlikely to stop and descend the pass as most are en-route and in a hurry at that point.

The cave offers decent protection from the elements. Three of us spent a summer's night there when the storm went on till about 3 or 4 am and the rain till dawn. There was a bit of spray from all the water coming over the rock band, but we were dry in the morning. Between April and November, none of that would be a concern. I would say the cave could fit 4 or 5 in winter. More with a bit of work.
Ghaz off piste from VE, shows a photo of the cave here:
drakensberghikes.com/blog/pins-pass-hike

And Tonymarshall has a photo inside the cave as part of his thread:
www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/11-drakensberg-passes/55455-pins-pass.html

I looked for Pins for many a year, without GPS. I can't say I looked hard because we were mostly getting along with the cross Mnweni hiking on those trips and didn't spend more than half an hour looking. Two things made it harder than usual to find:
1) Pins pass has a modest top out and not where you might expect it on the high ground contoured by the highway path
2) it isn't easily visible - if at all - from the top and is a fair way down.

Pins cave is located at about 3030m, so is over 150m vertical down Pins Pass.

Water: Intrepid and I tried heading into Lesotho for water. From the top of the pass, drop down the bowl in front of you and head down. We found water within about 10 min, but at other times of the year, you may have to go further. If trying to get water in Pins Pass itself, the earliest point where you can sensibly get into the very eroded gully to collect water is about the point where the gully separating the Inner and Outer Pinnacles joins Pins Pass. This is a very long way down, and I do not suggest this.

We thought the cave could sleep 6 at most, but that will be crowded and 1 person will in truth not be sleeping on an awkward slope. There is place for another 2 people outside the shelter of the cave, on very rocky ground, and in direct firing line of the drip.

A short distance below Pins, there's a small tunnel cave with a low roof - which is mentioned in the post Tiska shared (as well as my writeup on my Pins Pass hike in 2016). It could take 4 at a push, and requires an easy scramble to reach