Injisuthi security

Hi All

im taking leave for 3 weeks in september,me and my hiking partner want to do the Mafadi.We want to take it slow...5 to 7 days.How safe is it up there,it'll only be us two,any suggestions/info? The usuall-up Corner and down Leslies.

Update on my partner Anny, that fell easter weekend,in the Cowl ravine: last weekend we did 4 day little berg hike in the Injisuthi area,she recovered very well from her operation and is extremely positive.

Hi Hermann

Also glad to hear about the recovery. And straight back into the mountains! Great stuff!

Great route, especially if you stick to the escarpment (Trojan Wall, Triplets, Red Wall, Injasuthi Buttresses, just WOW!)

I did the same route last year August with two friends, and there was a lot of activity around Centenary Hut at night (long trains of lanterns/lamps, presumably smugglers). We also saw two locals at the top of Corner Pass when we topped out who kept following us until nightfall as we went in Leslie's Pass direction along the escarpment.

Then in December we went up Hilton's Pass and down Leslie's in a group of six (although two got airlifted out before the descent), and we only encountered two shepherds on the escarpment in the basin which drains into Hilton's Pass. The first one said "give me smoking" and he later came back with the second guy who said "give me sweet", but they were pretty friendly.

In none of these two trips did we get any visits during the night, even though our location was known to the locals.

I have hiked to and stayed in Centenary Hut on two occasions over the last few years, and have never seen any smugglers at night in the area. There was some litter on the path below the Judge, I am assuming that no self respecting hiker would have left that there, so it could be smugglers. As for the escarpment above Corner Pass, I was only there in winter which is also not a good time for shepherds, and saw absolutely no one. August is still very cold up there with limited water, and a good chance of heavy snow, so their herds aren't near the edge.

Sticking near the esc as Gollum says is a good idea, really good opportunities for amazing images.

Just be careful though and vigilant and ebjoy.

HI Everybody

Our condolances to the family of the deceased(cathedral peak fire)

We didnt do the Mafadi..decided to do it next year Easter,with a bigger party. We went to Cathedral for 6 day hike...came back this afternoon.We left the 6th,went up Mlambonja pass and traversed to Tseketseke pass. We didnt see one Basuthu,only when we were camping on top of the Elephant,we saw one herder,two horses a dog and a couple of cattle,in the Moroleng river basin where Tseketseke tops out.
Most of the escarpment/lesotho is burnt in the Xeni pass Mlambonja area,the river is also not flowing.

Anny did very well.....5 months ago with broken ankle!!! coming down Tseketseke was long and tiresome! When reaching the Tseketseke hut we were looking forward for a refreshing wash and just to relax with our feet in the water.......no water.... we did manage to find some lower down.
Was a awesome hike...we were planning to climb Cathedral Peak next weekend.
thanks for all the input on security issues....

For your info:

Last Wednesday, October 20th, 2 of us were camped by the Centenary Hut. About 18h, just before dark, while we were chatting by the tent, a group of not less than 20 smugglers coming down the ridge opposite to the hut walked past us. They were all carrying huge polypropylene bags and were quite spread out along the ridge. It took about 5 minutes for the whole caravan to go past. We greeted them and the greeted back smiling. We never felt threatened. They were obviously coming down from Corner Pass. There’s a clear path down the ridge that I can’t remember seeing before, so they obviously must be using this route now. I wonder why they weren't using the usual Judges Pass.

I’d stayed in Centenary Hut twice before (20-09-2008 and 20-01-2010, for the usual route to Mafadi up Judges down Leslies) and I’d never seen any smuggling activity around the hut.

We made sure all our belongings were inside the tent for the night, stayed alert during the night but we didn’t experience any incidents.

Hi homearanya

Welcome to the forum.

When you say the ridge, are you referring to the ridge that goes up from Centenary Hut and then drops into Corner Pass. On the image, it would follow the line of spot heights 2560 and 2909 that i have put on the ge jpeg?

@homearanya: Last year August me and two friends (plouw and ccjoubert) were hiking toward Corner Pass. We passed Centenary Hut at sunset and chatted to two hikers who camped next to the hut. About 4km along the contour path we saw a lantern train (also around twenty lamps and also spread out) approaching the hut from below. We were pretty concerned for the two guys at the hut but there were no incidents reported when we arrived back at Injisuthi camp.