Marble Baths

I was very keen to see what the situation was like  at Marble Baths after  having been turned away from Injasuti Camp a while ago.  We had been told that the area is closed to hikers until the road bridge has been repaired and this could take many more months to complete.
So we made another plan! - and hiked to Injasuti from Giants Camp.  Our first day took us to the bottom of Judges Pass where we tented overnight. The following day we hiked across to Centenary Hut, down Heartbreak Hill, past Fergys Cave and from there to Marble Baths. The first major transformation was that of the eMmobaneni River which flows past the bottom of Heartbreak Hill and eventually joins  the Injesuthi river.  I almost did not recognise it as the floods have made it much wider and uncovered many new pools, slides and cream coloured stone ledges - a mini Marble Baths  and this area could in fact become the new playground for hikers and outdoor lovers.
Once we reached the Injasuthi River, the devastation was huge - as far as the eye can see, the river is just a  huge mass of boulders and debris.  We crossed and made our way up the Marble Baths Valley - the path which is higher up is still intact, but as far as the eye can see downstream, it is all just boulders.  As we climbed out on to the ridge we could see a few large white masses of stone - all that remains of those wonderful pools and chutes.  The campsite has been entirely washed away and the river bank gouged out.  As far as we could see, the path that comes down on the other side  valley has been washed away at the bottom.
So Marble Baths is sadly definitely no more - there are one or two pools that one can swim in, but it is nothing like the glorious place it used to be. I am grateful to have visited here many times and enjoyed this once scenic and well known part of the Berg. A sobering reminder of the power of water!

Pools at eMobaneni River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Injasuthi River

 

 

 

 

 

Marble Baths

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

I also noticed a 100m wide landslide in the middle of Leslie's Pass, where the rocky section was, and this could be a problem. I wonder who will be the first to investigate access to this pass.

Hi Elinda

Thanks for the write up and pics.  Truly an epic location has been lost!  And had one been sleeping at the campsite that night that would been truly tragic.As way of nostalgia,

I thought I would add some of the pics that I have taken over the years of this spot.  The first was back in December 1997.

At least the caves are still there

Elinda, on your images it looks like there is a ledge of some sorts on the left hand side of the riverbank as you face up towards Leslies, basically immediately to the left of the large white rocky sections still left in the riverbed. You didn't perhaps have a look to see if this can be used as a tenting spot?

 

Hi Riaang, although that area is flattish, it’s very rough with thick bushes and tall grass. It would need work to clear a suitable area