General help for overseas visitors to the Berg
16 Feb 2016 10:51 #67043
by flying.morad
Replied by flying.morad on topic General help for overseas visitors to the Berg
Thank you guys for the information. This is exactly what I needed ! I will let you know how it all goes. 
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16 Feb 2016 21:09 #67050
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Replied by intrepid on topic General help for overseas visitors to the Berg
Welcome to VE Morad.
The recommendations for Cathedral Peak are still valid, yes, since smuggling is an ongoing issue and is not likely to slow down any time soon. Some details may have less relevance from time to time, such as the camp spot at the bottom of Phillip's Folly, as the smugglers change their route preferences over time, but for example, camping right at the top of Organ Pipe's Pass is always best avoided in my view, even just for a good night's sleep and not having to listen to gumboots all night. The security issues in the Berg should be understood in the following contexts:
1) Smugglers, shepherds and hikers cross paths all the time in the Berg without incident, and a lot of encounters can be very friendly and rewarding (even with smugglers)
2) Relative to the rest of South Africa, the incidents involving hikers in the Berg are very infrequent. Smuggling and theft of horses and livestock on the other hand is extremely problematic in and around the Berg.
3) The problem areas in the Berg tend to shift. Currently the Northern and Central Berg are pretty quiet, and the Southern Berg has increasingly become an area of concern. Bear in mind that not every incident is reported, and sometimes the details are too uncertain to publish on this site.
4) The impact of one incident involving a hiker, even after a few years of relative quiet, tends to be felt throughout the hiking community because crime out in the mountains can leave you feeling very vulnerable, and because it seriously violates what we consider to be sacred and special - and it shouldn't be happening "out there", right?
The precautions and incident histories on this site are aimed at keeping people's eyes open at all times and giving them a realistic picture, rather than keeping them away from the Berg. As a solo tourist out there, being new to the Berg, you are theoretically a bit more vulnerable. You obviously have a lot of confidence and experience in going solo which definitely counts for something. I would hate for you to get mugged out there and have that be your experience of our mountains, as it wouldn't be the first time that has happened to a lone visitor from overseas, hence my precautions.
About the dogs, it is mostly as Andrew has already pointed out. I think there may have been one incident of a hiker actually being bitten by a dog over the last few years, if I even recall correctly, but this would be an unlucky statistic rather than a major risk. If this does ever happen, I recommend aborting your hike and getting tetanus and rabies shots as a standard precaution, even if the dog appears to have been healthy.
Hope this help, and have fun out there!
The recommendations for Cathedral Peak are still valid, yes, since smuggling is an ongoing issue and is not likely to slow down any time soon. Some details may have less relevance from time to time, such as the camp spot at the bottom of Phillip's Folly, as the smugglers change their route preferences over time, but for example, camping right at the top of Organ Pipe's Pass is always best avoided in my view, even just for a good night's sleep and not having to listen to gumboots all night. The security issues in the Berg should be understood in the following contexts:
1) Smugglers, shepherds and hikers cross paths all the time in the Berg without incident, and a lot of encounters can be very friendly and rewarding (even with smugglers)
2) Relative to the rest of South Africa, the incidents involving hikers in the Berg are very infrequent. Smuggling and theft of horses and livestock on the other hand is extremely problematic in and around the Berg.
3) The problem areas in the Berg tend to shift. Currently the Northern and Central Berg are pretty quiet, and the Southern Berg has increasingly become an area of concern. Bear in mind that not every incident is reported, and sometimes the details are too uncertain to publish on this site.
4) The impact of one incident involving a hiker, even after a few years of relative quiet, tends to be felt throughout the hiking community because crime out in the mountains can leave you feeling very vulnerable, and because it seriously violates what we consider to be sacred and special - and it shouldn't be happening "out there", right?
The precautions and incident histories on this site are aimed at keeping people's eyes open at all times and giving them a realistic picture, rather than keeping them away from the Berg. As a solo tourist out there, being new to the Berg, you are theoretically a bit more vulnerable. You obviously have a lot of confidence and experience in going solo which definitely counts for something. I would hate for you to get mugged out there and have that be your experience of our mountains, as it wouldn't be the first time that has happened to a lone visitor from overseas, hence my precautions.
About the dogs, it is mostly as Andrew has already pointed out. I think there may have been one incident of a hiker actually being bitten by a dog over the last few years, if I even recall correctly, but this would be an unlucky statistic rather than a major risk. If this does ever happen, I recommend aborting your hike and getting tetanus and rabies shots as a standard precaution, even if the dog appears to have been healthy.
Hope this help, and have fun out there!
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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23 Feb 2016 12:18 #67138
by ghaznavid
But jokes aside:
- Dogs, exactly what he said, just pick up rocks and threaten to throw them at the dogs. When AndrewP and I did that 5 day GT last year, we had a scary moment with a dog that wouldn't run away even though we threatened it. I now pick up 2 rocks so that I can throw one of them if the gesture of picking them up fails
- EKZN Rangers have never done anything more than greeting me, no need to stress about them. I also rarely see them in the mountains.
- Locals - most are friendly, but don't leave your stuff unattended if there are people around. If you do leave your stuff, find a well hidden spot - I have left my gear unattended in a busy area for 3 hours, no one touched it. It was placed in long grass on a flat spot above a big slope - so it wasn't clearly visible from below (I GPS marked it to make sure I could find it again). They most certainly know how to open zips, though!
Replied by ghaznavid on topic General help for overseas visitors to the Berg
As demonstrated by Oneye being able to post thisOneye wrote: a few incidents, none fatal
But jokes aside:
- Dogs, exactly what he said, just pick up rocks and threaten to throw them at the dogs. When AndrewP and I did that 5 day GT last year, we had a scary moment with a dog that wouldn't run away even though we threatened it. I now pick up 2 rocks so that I can throw one of them if the gesture of picking them up fails
- EKZN Rangers have never done anything more than greeting me, no need to stress about them. I also rarely see them in the mountains.
- Locals - most are friendly, but don't leave your stuff unattended if there are people around. If you do leave your stuff, find a well hidden spot - I have left my gear unattended in a busy area for 3 hours, no one touched it. It was placed in long grass on a flat spot above a big slope - so it wasn't clearly visible from below (I GPS marked it to make sure I could find it again). They most certainly know how to open zips, though!
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