Injisuthi escarpment

In December I am basically planning on going up Judge Pass, Khulu Bagging Judge, Popple, Corner, Trojan Wall, Injisuthi, Mafadi, Red Wall, Lithabalong and Nteledi II (as always I am highly optimistic in advance), then return via Leslies. I have a few concerns that I'm hoping some of you can answer.

Security

If I am correct the central berg "security threat zone" is basically from Redi to Popple (not that Redi is in the central berg, but you know what I mean), so my route shouldn't really enter it. Has this area been extended since the smugglers started using Judge Pass? How safe is it to camp near the base of Judge Pass (well more around the corner to the North of it - not referring to the peak The Corner)?

Upper Injisuthi Cave and Marble Bathes Cave - do we need night patrol on these? From what I hear we don't?

Water

The map leads me to believe that the river on Judge Pass may be as prominent as the Martial Eagle Stream is on Bannerman Pass, but from what I have seen when looking at the pass it looks like the stream that formed the pass will be more wet rock than an actual stream, anyone know what the case is with this?

As far as water goes on the top, I see a tiny stream just north of the Corner as well as Mahlabachaneng running off Mafadi (if I am correct this is where the name Nteledi comes from as the water "makes me slip"). How good are these streams for providing us with water? And what about the streams between UI Cave and Leslies Pass? I imagine that there is a stream flowing down Leslie's Pass as with most Berg Passes, I doubt many passes where mainly formed by wind erosion (although sometimes I wonder)!

As always I assume that the water in this area is more than adequate for drinking, nothing like Bushman's Nek area?

Still no responses on this thread, can I get some input from anyone?

Hi Ghaznavid,

I'm perhaps not the best with recent knowledge to answer your questions on security, but here goes.

Regarding security on the summit, I'm not aware of any issues in this area and you should be fine from Popple to Leslies Pass, although it might be wise to avoid overnighting in an obvious visible position between Popple and Trojan Wall, especially near the smuggling routes, not sure of your overnighting plans.

I can't comment on water on Judge Pass as I've never done it, but on the summit you shouldn't have a problem at all in December, assuming it's a normal rainfall season this summer. I've done this route several times, and even though you'll be khulu bagging on the ridges, water is never far away. There could be a bit of a walk down to the stream for water from UI cave, but not that bad. From UI to Leslies Pass, also never far from water, and all the running water is good for drinking in this area. Don't forget the iNjisuthi Butresses, both are easy to summit khulus!

intrepid wrote: So ghaznavid, you reckon Poppple will let you onto it's summit this time?

Lol, I think the Dragon has been conspiring against me, maybe it backed the Mongols in the Mongol/Ghaznavid wars...

Thanks for the responses, that is very helpful to know. It is basically what I expected, but its always good to confirm what I thought.

I read the account of a very similar hike (up Corner instead of Judge Pass) in Encounters with the Dragon, but that was in May, not December (and we have no intention of trying to climb the side of the escarpment and drop into the pass 67% of the way up), so that has also helped.

Hello!
Do you have GPS coordinates for the camping spot near the base of Judge Pass?

Hello, over the Easter weekend we camped at S29° 13.790' E29° 25.852', 2415 m, which is a flat spot on the spur to the south of the Judge Pass Valley.