Drakensberg FKTs - Definition and Rules

CornelvHeerden wrote: As this is the first attempt, I was thinking at starting right by the Guard house where you sign the mountain register, run all the way up past the Sfinx over Breakfast stream, summit where the cross used to be, and go back down. Any other suggestions?

As I mentioned - I would imagine the FKT on this one belongs to Stijn at something like 5 hours (if I recall correctly he made it back to camp in time for lunch). He did post it on the site, although I can't find it now. I believe he did it from Injisuthi which makes it even more impressive.

I would use the Mafadi speed record rules as a guideline:
1) You may do the route from any EKZN office
2) Timer starts and stops at the EKZN office where you sign the mountain register
3) You must touch or add a rock to the summit cairn
4) No pre-stashing of gear (although you may stash gear while on the attempt - e.g. leaving your pack at the wormhole if you decide to)
5) No use of any means of transport aside from your feet (i.e. no bicycles etc)
6) No outside assistance is allowed between the start or finish

The mountain register at Monks Cowl is by the boom gate, so I would start and stop the timer there. If you prefer Keartlands Pass, I don't see any reason why you should use a different route.

It is also in poor taste to take shortcuts through regions that have established trails - e.g. on a Mont-Aux-Sources speed record one is expected to do the zig-zags properly.

Re no 1) for other records: this would include Sani Mountain Lodge, Sani Stones Chalet, Sentinel Car Park and Mnweni Cultural Centre. It does not include a dropoff point on a road. Cathedral Peak Hotel wouldn't count as there is no mountain register there.

@Andrew: perhaps a standard set of rules for each peak specific speed record is an idea? Thabana is different as it is in Lesotho and thus Sani Stones or Sani Mountain Lodge are logical start points (although one could do it from Vergelegen if they really wanted to).

I don't know the FKT on most of the routes I mentioned, but just to throw out some numbers in the hope that you guys will challenge me based on what others that you know (or you personally) have done:
- Mafadi 6h22 (AndrewP)
- Namahadi about 10 hours (KobusB on his 9 summits solo record trip)
- Cleft Peak approx 14 hours (AndrewP from Sentinel Car Park in September last year)
- Sterkhorn approx 5 hours (Stijn)
- Giants Castle 14 hours (doubtful that this is the fastest, but this has been done)
- Thabana Ntlenyana 12 hours by practically everyone moderately fit staying at Sani Top
- Both Hodgesons from Sani Mountain Lodge 6 hours (myself and a lady from MCSA, easter weekend this year)
- Rhino something like 11 hours (Intrepid - up Rhino Pass down Mashia Pass)
- Thaba Ngwangwe 13 hours (Kiktrak, Hobbit - 11 years old at the time, and myself)

As I mentioned, the above are the fastest times that I know of personally - anyone who knows of faster times, please post so we can establish a good starting point.

Sjoh, from Injisuthi it is quite impressive! But will this then not be another record? This is what makes the FKT concept for me so interesting - it allows you to do what suit you best, and every challenge differs from the next one.

If proper records could be kept, and specific starting and stop points can be established, thus making it easier for future attempts to give it a valid go - even for something like Cathedral Peak. For the Sterkhorn attempt we will start right by the boom, and end there again. The Mafadi Speed record rules sounds perfect, and this will establish a further guideline in terms of these attempts.

I completely agree regarding the use of established trails. In case of Sterkhorn, your fastest way will be with the established trails in any case.

Take the Mafadi speed record (being the only speed record I have ever had a go at - the story is posted somewhere on this site under a thread "You Be The Judge") -
Established by KobusB at 27h odd if my history is correct (Leslies Pass from Injisuthi)
Broken to 10h30 or so (give or take 45 minutes - I don't know the exact time) (Leslies Pass from Injisuthi)
Broken to 9h46 (Leslies Pass from Injisuthi)
AndrewP 7h58 (up Apes Pass down Leslies Pass from Injisuthi)
Current record AndrewP 6h22 (up and down Judge Pass from Giants Castle)

One could set the route in the rules, but that takes away from the challenge. When the speed GT guys set off - they know they have to use the chain ladders, Thamathu Pass and bag 6 specific peaks - everything else (routewise) is at their own discression. I believe Andrew was the first person to have a go at the record without using the Jarateng (he instead climbed over Durnford, Senqebethu and Popple). When Andrew broke the Mafadi speed record for a second time a few weeks ago - he did it by a completely different route that was about 4km longer and included climbing the steeper side of Mafadi. These variations make the records more interesting and gives the upper hand to people who know the Berg better.

For Sterkhorn from Monks Cowl you really only have 2 choices - Sphinx or Keartlands Pass. Sphinx is the easier route, Keartlands is shorter and the final bit can easily be jogged or run. I suspect the trail runners on this site would use Keartlands as a way down, while the hikers would use Sphinx.

Starting from Injisuthi doesn't make the trip easier in any way and thus I don't see any reason why starting from a more distant car park should disqualify what is probably the current FKT.

As I say - I don't know Stijn's time, it might be slower, it might be faster, but I rate that anything slower than 5 hours would be highly unlikely to be the fastest time around. I rate it is entirely possible to do Sterkhorn in 3-4 hours if you are fit and strong enough (and know the switchbacks on the way up).

ghaznavid wrote: Cathedral Peak Hotel wouldn't count as there is no mountain register there.

Surely there could be an exception to the rule here? If you're going to go for an FKT on Cathedral Peak, you'd be completely silly to start at Didima. Actually, isn't there a day walk register at CP Hotel?

ghaznavid wrote: Rhino something like 11 hours

I've done Rhino in 6.5 hours and that included at least an hour and a half chilling on top. I'm sure someone must have done it faster??
Planning on giving it another go, this time putting a bit of effort in. Maybe in October this year.


@AndrewP absolutely fantastic effort on your recent GT, very inspiring stuff!
Question: When last did you give Mafadi a go via Leslie's? Or what I mean is, how fit were you then compared to your record via Judges? I know you went up via Apes recently as well. I haven't done Apes Pass yet, but I imagine there isn't much of a path up there?
Your fitness must be at an all time high right now!

@ghaznavid
Ok I understand what you are implying - any route, from a mountain register or a set starting point count as the FKT for that specific peak then. For example, it does not matter whether you start at Injisuthi or Monk's Cowl if you intend to do an FKT for Sterkhorn. This does make sense, and as you say - if you know the mountain, you will have the upper hand.

I appreaciate all the responses, and hope to have contributed a bit to the forum! I am still a rookie insofar the rest of the Berg is concerned, and can't wait to explore a whole lot more of it.

Dillon wrote: Surely there could be an exception to the rule here? If you're going to go for an FKT on Cathedral Peak, you'd be completely silly to start at Didima. Actually, isn't there a day walk register at CP Hotel?

There is a register at the hikers carpark just down the road from the camp. There may be a register at the hotel - I am not sure. One way or another - as long as a call is made before someone goes for a record from Didima area, all should be good.

Note that there is no mountain register at the top of Mikes Pass, hence it wouldn't qualify.

Ps. I am proposing rules - don't take my post as a hard and fast rule.

Dillon wrote: I've done Rhino in 6.5 hours and that included at least an hour and a half chilling on top. I'm sure someone must have done it faster??
Planning on giving it another go, this time putting a bit of effort in. Maybe in October this year.

Cool - any advances on 6h30

There has been some debate on the starting point criteria, and obviously it is important to have a fixed starting point.

I do think the starting point should be relevant to the challenge. I take the Mponjwane climb as example: this is started from the adjacent Mponjwane cave, definitely the starting point used by most if not all.

And I keep on harping about the Beacon Buttress example I gave earlier, maybe I'm the only one doing such things and, if so, it is irrelevant, but to start this from the carpark changes the dynamic of it: It changes from a sprint to an endurance event. I'm good at the former, incompetent at the latter.

We have sprinters, and we have ultra distance guys, and we have climbers. Relevant FKT challenges for all.