Khulu-Baggers Grand Traverse Record

Does anyone know whether or not there is an official Khulu-Baggers Grand Traverse record for most khulu's bagged on a grand traverse? Does anyone know if a 100 khulu traverse has ever been done?

I hope to do an attempt on it some time, according to my personal Khulu list there are 174 khulus (including ones which are not always accepted as peaks but according to my understanding of the definition I can't work out why (eg the Auditor on the Popple Ridge) and ones which don't meet the definition, but aren't on the same ridge as any other peaks and therefore I feel should be included (eg Random Peak next to Mlambonja at the top of Mashai Pass)), 24 of which are climbers peaks not hikers peaks (ie they need ropes to be climbed), 2 are in the Eastern Cape and 20 are in the Free State (ie not on the standard Chainladders to Thamathu route), this leaves 128 baggable khulus on the route.

its actually odd that peak bagging isn't popular, climbing to the escarpment and not climbing a peak is like watching a cricket match and missing the last 5 overs because it looks like a team will definately win.

My friends generally also give me a funny look when i say we should climb 5 peaks on a 3 day hike! They are up for it until we get half way up the pass...

On our 2-week traverse in January 2004, I summitted the following peaks (with similar eye-rolling to what Intrepid describes from most of the rest of the party):

- Thabana Ntlenyana
- Mafadi
- Injasuti Dome
- Champagne Castle
- Trojan Wall
- Pampiring
- Mashai
- Redi
- Litskeketseke
- Terateng
- Icidi Buttress
- Matebeng
- Cleft Peak
- Wilson's Peak
- Stimela Peak
- Verkyker Peak
- No Man's Peak
- Erskine
- Cockade
- Castle Buttress
- Sandleni Buttress
- The Twins
- The Witches

So, certainly much improvement possible on this count of 23 peaks.

I guess that 23 (well actually 22 since Thabana Ntlenyana is in Lesotho and by definition Khulu's are in SA) could well be the record.

I'd like to see an official record for most Khulu's in a specific time period, say 14 days, and a record for the quickest 100 Khulu Traverse. I guess rules can be based on the MCSA rules for speed records, ie no drop-offs or pick-ups, you must go up/down Chain Ladders (or something to the North, eg Namahadi Pass) and descend/ascend Thamathu Pass (or something to the South, eg Bushman's Nek Pass), you have to climb Thabana Ntlenyana (even though it doesn't count, no point in putting any other specific peaks on the list as the point is to climb numerous peaks).

I wonder what the most khulus and passes bagged by one individual is. As much as I would like to say that in the future I will bag all 172 khulus, I have no plan to take up rock climbing, so 22 of the peaks are not possible for me (I wonder if bagged by helicopter counts (not that I have ever even been in a helicopter)), and with about 120 known passes I doubt I will bag all passes. I will be happy with 100 khulu's, 30 passes and 100 caves.

Any way, hopefully Mashai Peak, Bollard Pass, Wilson's Pass, Engagement Cave and Stealth Cave will be on the list of my conquered peaks/passes/caves before I next log onto this site...

I highly doubt that is the record though, since it's not even 2 peaks a day. In fact, Andrew probably sauntered up a few other peaks while I was kipping in my tent on that same trip!

The issue with establishing "records" in the Drakensberg is that participation will be low. By global standards, there of very few people who even hike in the berg (which is a great thing, once you experience the overcrowding in other ranges such as the Alps). A very small portion of these Berg regulars will be interested in record-setting and breaking (most, sensibly, prefer to enjoy the view). Hence, even a very logical record such as the Grand Traverse Record has probably only been attempted 20-30 times in the last 12 years (and has only been improved 3 times in that same period).

Once you add additional requirements like bagging Khulus, etc, it may as well just be a personal challenge as it's very unlikely that many other groups will attempt the same goal under the same set of rules. Not to dampen your enthusiasm or anything but it's probably best to just go out and do it without worrying too much about the rules. If other hikers/runners feel it is a worthy challenge, they will respect the style used in the initial effort. Pretty much how climbing ethics work IMO.

Very old thread - but kind of topical now that the record has had 4 different holders and is likely to be slaughtered in the next 3 weeks!

The record progression goes something like this - in the absence of any better records:
Stijn 2004: 22 (+1 for Thabana Ntlenyana 3482m)
Tony 2014: 28 iirc
AndrewP 2015: 64 (+1 for Thamathu 3300+m on Walkers Ridge)
Myself and Hobbit 2016: 67 (+1 for Manguang 3401m)

And I'm going to guess it will be something insane like 160 in 3 weeks time...