General ideas for Berg hikes

So I am new in many ways. A virgin you might say. A 50-year old virgin even! I used to do a fair bit of hiking in the Cape many years ago. Been walking regularly for over a year now and I have done a few 2-3 day trails. Done a LOT of online reading and quite a bit of shopping. Going on my first 'Berg trip next week (Mnweni 3 nights) and I have ambitions to do a fair bit of solo hiking and a GT in time. So all in all it feels like maybe now is the time to share a few thoughts and get a few comments, laughs, etc.

....... I guess I should start with motivation: love of solitude, need for exercise, enjoyment of walking, pleasure in preparing for and handling a challenge. I guess you guys know enough about WHY this stuff is worthwhile but I am keen to hear any thoughts?

.......Approach to gear? Lightweight seems the ONLY way to go these days. The research is compelling, the gear better and better, and the feedback from experienced long-distance thru-hikers is overwhelming. cannot get my mind around ultralight but 3-season base pack of 7-8kg with 600grams food per day, water about 2 litres average I guess, and fuel maybe 100g average gives me an total pack weight of about 12kg for 3-4 days. Lightweight by definition but not reckless I would think?

....I should add that I see real merit in keeping a detailed spreadsheet list of all gear so I know that I am going on my 3-night Mnweni trip with 11.8 kg total pack. This approach is crucial to any of us wanting to manage weight, and surely that's all of us?

welcome to the VE forum Cabby

I concur with your thoughts on "stuff". I have that spreadsheet and am very weight conscious without going all the way to obsessive.

All I would say in relation to Berg hiking is that staying warm and light involves high quality lightweight down and a lightweight breathable shell. Weather conditions are very changeable and the highest risk tends to be hypothermia.

With this sorted, you are good to go. Enjoy the mountains!

Hi! Where are you planning on hiking this weekend?

@MarkT, I am going up Mnweni on Monday and back down Rockeries on Thursday. Going with a guide (Gustav Itchy Feet) since this is my first trip up the escarpment. I did some day hikes around royal Natal last September but this is my first "go high and camp" trip.

@ASL, thanks!

Jip, I think I am OK on clothing. I have a good down jacket (850 fill and a hood but still only 360g). I have not yet decided whether I will carry my K-Way Kilamajaro shell jacket (550g) or my First Ascent ARX (250g). Leaning towards the ARX given low-rainfall time of year. Whaddayathink?

Hot off the Press: spent some time reading a great site called Zen Stoves

zenstoves.net/StoveSystems.htm wow these guys really do the research and if you ever wanted to know anything about stoves, this is surely THE place. As a result I dug out some old solid fuel tablets (Coghlans) and made myself a stove & pot stand using tea-light tin-foil and a piece of wire. My stove and stand and wind shield (cut up a roasting tray) come in at 50g, which is a 150g saving over pocket-rocket-plus-empty-canister (200g). I can also take just the tabs I need (2 tabs = 14g per 500ml boiled) and not guess how much is in my half-used canisters (always a waste and a pain).....I think this may be the way to go!