Who is doing or has done the Grand Traverse

I would really like to track when guys are doing / planing to do the GT. I think it would help with consolidating ideas and posts, and would be great for rallying support.

We are planning a GT and I will post about it below, but I would love to see the others that ppl have done this year / and are doing.

I am part of a team 4 -6 (waiting for confirmation of numbers) that are doing the GT from 16 /17 to the 25 /26 of September. Probably going to be a chilli hack, but we are up to it. We are planning a 2 resupply trek (mainly because we have the luxuary of an awesome bunch of mates gagging to carry extra weight up the pass to us).

We are doing training hikes of various lengths though the whole of winter, the next one being 16-19 June up Greys and onto Champagne Castle and surrounds.

Would love advice from ppl who have done a GT or 2 (I have hiked the entire berg but never start to finnish), espetially from ppl that have done / attempted the GT in and arround September.

I will post more as we get closer.

The Durban based Mountain Backpackers berg hiking club co-ordinates an annual GT in mid/end April to beginning May. A resupply hike is also part of their planning, to ensure resupply of the entire GT team by members of the club.

The club arranges regularly labelled GT training hikes and monitors progress to ensure the GT team is at the required level.

for more info:
www.mountainbackpackers.co.za/

www.mountainbackpackers.co.za/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=3&calculations=0&fabriklayout=fe_fixtures

The Mountain BackPackers Club based in Durban has released info on their 2012 GT.

Can be found on this page:
www.mountainbackpackers.co.za/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=3&calculations=0&fabriklayout=fe_fixtures

1 Apr - 6 May GRAND TRAVERSE 2012

Yes we are going to do it again!! This year we will do it the hard way from Bushmans Nek to the Sentinel. Only experienced, fit and well equipped hikers need apply. Dates to be decided.

Please contact the leader : John Pickup

0721512031
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

kliktrak wrote:
This year we will do it the hard way from Bushmans Nek to the Sentinel.

Could I ask why going north is harder?

Here are a few reasons, most of them psychological
1. it’s up hill, not down!! True, Bushmen’s is lower than Sentinel car park.
2. The first day is a bitch with a heavy pack.
3. Sani top hotel comes up far too quickly and disappears too fast.
4. Resupply is not as easy, probably at Organ pipes, team have further to lug your stuff.
5 Old GPS's units bitch about having to reverse such a long track.
6. Thabana approach is longer going this way, especially with jelly-legs caused by overstaying your welcome at the hotel.

Otherwise, - no problem at all.

Spot on Geordie, it's mostly psychological, but I feel there is also a physical reason.

Having done GTs in both directions, I found it a lot harder dealing with the bigger, more frequent southern Berg ridges at the beginning of the GT, than the other way around. Although this was probably mostly psychological, it must also take a physical toll on the body; as you infer, the easy start from Sentinel car park with relatively easy ridges in the first two days is a lot easier on the legs than climbing a pass (even an easy pass) and then dealing with several big ridges in the first two days from Bushman's Nek. Since the first few days seem to set the mental tone for a long duration hike, this perception then prevails throughout the GT, with the end result the perpetuation that north GTs are more difficult.

I'm sure there are different views on this, and welcome more discussion on this subject.

I have also done the GT twice, and in both directions and would agree that South to North is more difficult - climbing Walkers at the beginning is tough with a heavy pack and as you say, Sani arrives much too soon. The ridges are steeper to climb heading North and the total height climbed is greater than when you do the North to South traverse. Both Grand Traverses were completed in the April - May months, when the weather is more settled although of course never entirely predictable. September - October are generally windy months, although having said that we did experience very strong winds on some days in April!

9 of our group of 10 that did the GT 18-30 April this year, jumping atop Mafadi, higher than the highest point in SA.....

I have signed up with the Durban Hiking club for their 2012 south to north grand traverse, thanks Kliktrak for providing the details!

Any tips from those who have done GT's in the past are welcome.