Rwanqa north pass (Tata Ma Chance Pass)

Another view up the gully.  

 

From Andrew’s earlier account of Rwanqa North Pass I knew that the gully went smoothly nearly to the top, and I would bypass an obstacle near the top on the left (true right) into a side gully, and that there was a scramble in this side gully. The photo below shows the view up through a narrow gully with a boulder bed, to the obstacle above.  

 

After what seemed like ages, I got to the obstacle and bypassed it on the left, which was a continuation upwards through another narrow gully. The photo below shows this, looking back down this second narrow gully, with the 'obstacle' on the left.

 

There were two scrambles in the side gully, and I went up both, both were quite serious but doable (with an overnight pack), and the one is shown in the right of the photo below.  

 

Above these scrambles the way into the main gully was easy to find as there was a trail. The trail went up to the top of the pass, and it is easy to see how this may have misled the French hiker into thinking this was a hiking pass. I would guess this trail is partially from locals and hikers having a look at the top section of the pass, as it stops abruptly at the upper scramble, and partially from animals. The photo below shows the section of Rwanqa North Pass up to near the top of the pass, where there is a large pillar, seen at the top of the grass ramp.  

 

Above the interesting pillar near the top of the pass, there was a short grass slope easy scramble to the top.  

 

The view back down from the top of the pass, with the pillar in the shade/shadow in the foreground of the photo below.  

 

I took a short break at the top of Rwanqa North Pass, and took some summit photos, much relieved to be up.  

 

There was no water at all in the pass, so I headed down into Lesotho where I found water at the pool, the usual one where you can get water when using the Rwanqa campsite, and I had a good lunch break, enjoying a rest after a tough morning. Then I set off for the afternoon walk past Rwanqa Pass, Black and Tan Wall and Pins Buttress, which was very windy, before descending into the Mnweni cutback at Hanging Valleys. I had a look down Hanging Valleys Pass, and looked across the cutback to Mnweni Buttress Pass, which I would descend the next day, then headed east to where I soon found a nice flat spot to tent next to the stream, and was pleased to be sheltered in the valley from the strong wind higher up.