Winter Grand Traverse
24 Jun 2020 13:50 - 25 Jun 2020 07:08 #75854
by relihanm
Replied by relihanm on topic Winter Grand Traverse
To fellow adventurers:
With months of work pressure and Covid 19 restrictions I have been deprived of serious escarpment hiking for too long. I am now keen to change this drastically by attempting a GT in early July 2020 (provided it is permitted by then). At this stage I have found 1 adventurous hiker interested, but I am putting the word out for more adventurous souls to express interest. I have done the GT once before as a khulu-bagging one ( www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/grand-traverse-write-ups/55708-gt2014-15-don-t-follow-the-lights.html?start=0 ), but this time I would like to do an unsupported standard GT (Sentinel car park -> Chain ladders -> Mont Aux Sources -> Cleft Peak -> Champagne Castle -> Mafadi -> Giant's Castle -> Thabana Ntlenyana -> Thamathu Pass -> Bushman's Neck). I might start with Gudu Pass from Royal Natal to get to Sentinel car park. Due to the need for a heavy pack to carry adequate cold gear, I have no intention to attempt a speed GT and thus project a 7-10 days hiking plan.
Because of the greater risks associated with such a winter GT (and because cell phone reception is almost always absent up there), I have just bought in a Spot X 2-way satellite messenger ( www.findmespot.com/en-za/products-services/spot-x ) by which I should have message contact with the outside world along the route and can show anyone my position on a web page.
Those who are interested in this and feel up to such a GT, provided they have substantial past hiking experience and adequate cold gear, should post their interest here or message their interest to me directly.
There is a good chance of seeing no Basothos anywhere on such a GT (the shepherds move West to lower altitude in winter) and thus the risks of any Covid 19 transmission are probably lower than virtually anywhere else on earth, but securing legal permission to do such a GT seems to be the most likely obstacle that could derail this plan.
With months of work pressure and Covid 19 restrictions I have been deprived of serious escarpment hiking for too long. I am now keen to change this drastically by attempting a GT in early July 2020 (provided it is permitted by then). At this stage I have found 1 adventurous hiker interested, but I am putting the word out for more adventurous souls to express interest. I have done the GT once before as a khulu-bagging one ( www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/grand-traverse-write-ups/55708-gt2014-15-don-t-follow-the-lights.html?start=0 ), but this time I would like to do an unsupported standard GT (Sentinel car park -> Chain ladders -> Mont Aux Sources -> Cleft Peak -> Champagne Castle -> Mafadi -> Giant's Castle -> Thabana Ntlenyana -> Thamathu Pass -> Bushman's Neck). I might start with Gudu Pass from Royal Natal to get to Sentinel car park. Due to the need for a heavy pack to carry adequate cold gear, I have no intention to attempt a speed GT and thus project a 7-10 days hiking plan.
Because of the greater risks associated with such a winter GT (and because cell phone reception is almost always absent up there), I have just bought in a Spot X 2-way satellite messenger ( www.findmespot.com/en-za/products-services/spot-x ) by which I should have message contact with the outside world along the route and can show anyone my position on a web page.
Those who are interested in this and feel up to such a GT, provided they have substantial past hiking experience and adequate cold gear, should post their interest here or message their interest to me directly.
There is a good chance of seeing no Basothos anywhere on such a GT (the shepherds move West to lower altitude in winter) and thus the risks of any Covid 19 transmission are probably lower than virtually anywhere else on earth, but securing legal permission to do such a GT seems to be the most likely obstacle that could derail this plan.
Last edit: 25 Jun 2020 07:08 by relihanm. Reason: Omitted Champagne Castle & Giant's Castle, spelled Thamathu & Basotho incorrectly, orientation correction.
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