Epic Day Hikes

Been chatting to the guy who holds the current speed record on the 9 summits challenge - he did Mafadi in 27 hours with 3 hours of sleep. He tells me that he feels it can be done faster with proper training (he didn't actively train for his record attempt).

If I am correct, Mafadi is approx a 40km long hike. From the north side it is a gentle slope that goes on forever (as opposed to the steeper south side). So if the Leslies summit stretch is done in 13 hours total and the summit section can be done in 6 hours, set off time of 3-4AM so that Marble Bathes are reached between first light and sunrise, thats a completion time of between 10PM and midnight. Thats 1 long day! A good night sleep and a long drive to Matatielle the next morning for the really difficult KwaDuma I will probably base this day of the record attempt on the result of a day hike up Leslies - if we can't do the pass up and down in a day with day packs, then my original plan will come back into effect and Mafadi gets a day and a half...

Now thats an Epic Day Hike!

@ Ghaznavid. What kind of fitness training do you intend to do as preparation?

Well, hikes like Leslies Pass in a day

I think training is often as fun as the record attempt itself!

"Head off WSW to the Ribbokpeak itself (not to be confused with Vaalribbokkop in the Central Berg). This is a daunting meneer. At 2830m ASL it's the highest free standing peak in the Free State (according to my knowledge)."

Kgotjwanepiek (3085m) being the highest peak in the FS not shared with Lesotho (Namahali being the highest shared). By the way, the source of the Caledon is the vlei at Qoanikeng which is called Thabaputswa (2592m) on RSA maps. The river bubbles its way out from below that and 2 other peaks, Khubetsoana (2494m) and Thaba Kholo (2597m).

In 1891 by issue of a Proclamation in the Gouvernements Courant van den Oranjevrystaat the Caledon source was resolved between the State President of the Orange Free State, Reitz, and the Resident Commissioner of Basutoland after a combined expedition traced the Caledon’s origins.

Thanks Thomas great info!

Where abouts is Kgotjwane peak?

Kgotjwane Peak is SSE of the Caledon source, 7.5km in a straight line, poised on the edge of the Maluti escarpment. Although I dont have my compass handy or a protractor, it is apprx 150 dgrees SSE from the source. On the map it appears to be at 28degrees 40.5minutes South and 28degrees 44.5minutes East. RSA topographical map 2828DA 1:50 000 entitled Golden Gate/Lesotho map called Libono.

The best I can tell from your photo of the Caledon source is Kgotjwane is somewhere in the background more right than left. It is nowhere near Namahali (Sesotho spelling).

If I were to summit it I would drive up and over Moteng Pass from Fouriesburg, park at the Tsehlanyane River just the other side and walk up the valley to the escaprment. Going quickly takes all the fun out of hiking in the Berg but I suppose if one overnighted there, you could go up and back the next day. There used to be wool shed offices and even construction buildings for potential vehicle security but not sure now. Best regards.

Here is a quick map of the area north of the Sentinel showing Kgotjwane Peak towards the northern end. It also shows Metjhatijhane, the most northern point of the Drakensberg.

Thanks Bobby I have been looking for a map like that for a while. Partially due to the goal of "going to Iraq", i.e. bagging the Khulu called "Dad" - the hike objective would be "Bag Dad"...

Do you have a higher resolution version of that map by any chance?

This one did come out a bit blurred. Must be some transformation it undergoes when being resized for the page. I will send a higher resolution one directly to your email address. It is just a quick map so it does not have a title, scalebar , legend, etc. If you want something that can be used with a gps let me know.