Icidi Pass

21 Jan 2010 16:45 #74454 by Stijn
Icidi Pass was created by Stijn
Rating:* *   10/10Difficulty of the pass...

This is most probably the most difficult non-rock pass in the Drakensberg range. A very long river section, which involves boulder-hopping and bush-whacking, is followed by some incredibly steep and sustained grassy slopes in the upper reaches of the pass. It is not frequently used and the spectacular views are not much of a compensation for the frustrating river section.
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08 Feb 2010 14:46 #934 by kwam
Replied by kwam on topic Icidi Pass
I did the Icidi pass from the Cultural centre some years ago and remember there being an awesome cave on the left of the valley (almost like Xeni cave, only with a view). I have read that Grasscutters cave is presently not the best accomodation option but this cave (perhaps Jubilee?) was further up the pass and at the time really really special, does anyone know the name of the cave or been there recently?

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09 Feb 2010 09:43 #935 by intrepid
Replied by intrepid on topic Icidi Pass
What exactly have you heard about Grasscutter's Cave that it is not good accommodation?

Both caves are used by the locals, and you will see signs of this (like fires and a bit of rubbish), but it's not too bad and I would happily still use both caves. I quite like Grasscutters - very well sheltered and has a small waterfall going over the front. Lies very close to the trail, but it's so well protected by trees that you can easily walk by and not know it. Jubilee is also a fantastic cave with a lovely view. It lies above the trail, easily visible, and from below it is characterised by a large, beautiful section of overhanging sandstone, which comes to a point in the middle with wide, black streaks running down across the face. Both caves lie pretty close to each other, but it sounds like you are referring to Jubilee.

This is one of my favourite valleys and the caves are great!

Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.

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09 Feb 2010 16:48 #937 by kwam
Replied by kwam on topic Icidi Pass
thank you very much, it certainly was / is Jubilee, one of the most amazing places I have seen, I remember us sheltering there after hiking the whole day in pouring rain, having had to turn back at the actual pass, it was so wet we couldn't (and I mean couldn't) get up the grass slopes, they were too slippery! I don't remember jubilee being dingy at all (perhaps I have low standards) why would the locals use either cave? it's not like they are on the way to anywhere?

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09 Feb 2010 18:26 #938 by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Icidi Pass
I've been trying to work out which cave we stayed in before going up Icidi. It was relatively small, with another cave next door perhaps 5-10m away. Which one would that have been? Where is the other relative to this?

The night we stayed there, some locals camped next door. We offered them tea and sugar and so on. We kept pretty much to ourselves after that, but without any hassle. They were there to grow dope in the valley.

We went up Icidi pass the next day. Left at 4:30am in the soft rain (it was 31 Dec) and made the mistake of hugging the south side of the valley hoping for easy access into the pass. Our shins got destroyed by sharp, leafless sticks, so after about 30 minutes we dropped back into the river and walked up stream. The river was pretty full and we had to go up some steep river banks to work our way round some 3-4m high waterfalls. After all that, the pass seemed like a breeze, although there was still more to come that day as we needed to find a cave - it was summer and we had laughed off taking the tent. We made it to Mbundini cave by about 1:30pm - just just before the mist enveloped the escarpment. No one in our party had been to Mbundini cave before, so we were pleased to find it. The nice bottle of red wine didn't even make it out of the bag that night - everyone was too tired!

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10 Feb 2010 07:17 - 10 Feb 2010 07:25 #939 by Stijn
Replied by Stijn on topic Icidi Pass
Great story - if anybody ever finds a semblance of a path on Icidi, please let me know!

I haven't been to Jubilee but Grasscutter's Cave would certainly not be described as small! The sleeping area is limited as far as I can remember (we didn't sleep there, just walked past) but the overhang itself is massive. Like something you would expect to find in Golden Gate.

Another one to add for some Icidi nostalgia:

We came down the pass in 2001 with the constant presence of helicopters in the river below us. A few hours later, just after a scramble past the first waterfall, we arrived at the scene. There were about 6 slaughtered cattle lying in the river. The police were on the scene - hence the choppers. After explaining to us that Basotho had raided the cattle from the foothills and slaughtered them at the first major obstacle in the pass (presumably carrying the meat up the pass into Lesotho), one of the policemen requested that we take photos of the scene as they did not have a camera with them. He left us with the address of the Bergville police station and we posted the images to him a few days later. :lol:

Needless to say, we waited until we were well up the Mnweni valley before drinking from the rivers again!
Last edit: 10 Feb 2010 07:25 by Stijn.

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10 Feb 2010 11:35 #940 by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Icidi Pass
Stijn wrote:

There were about 6 slaughtered cattle lying in the river. The police were on the scene - hence the choppers. After explaining to us that Basotho had raided the cattle from the foothills and slaughtered them at the first major obstacle in the pass (presumably carrying the meat up the pass into Lesotho)....


Interesting that they chose Icidi pass. I would guess because no one in hot pursuit would expect them to go that way? On the other hand if cows can't walk up Mbundini or Mnweni Pass, which are probably the least rocky in the catchment, then thieves are left with carrying meat up in any case. Icidi would be the first valley with a pass in it when coming from the Mnweni Valley.

Its also interesting that choppers would go after 6 stolen cows. I wonder if there were events leading up to this? Was it winter Stijn or your supertraverse summer trip? If in winter, you'd expect the meat to last quite a while in the shade.

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10 Feb 2010 12:43 #941 by Stijn
Replied by Stijn on topic Icidi Pass
This was during April so fairly chilly already. And yes, there did seem to be an awful lot of fuss for 6 cows...

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11 Feb 2010 07:59 #942 by BergAttie
Replied by BergAttie on topic Icidi Pass
Living in the area and knowing a lot of cattle farmers, this kind of reaction is par for the course. Stock theft is a virtual industry here - an ongoing war if you like. So the reaction towards the six solen cows should be seen in that context. A medium sized farmer in this area can expect anything up from 30 cattle to be stolen every year.

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11 Feb 2010 09:12 - 11 Feb 2010 09:27 #944 by intrepid
Replied by intrepid on topic Icidi Pass
kwam wrote:

why would the locals use either cave? it's not like they are on the way to anywhere?

Its not so much the Basothos in this case, as it is the locals (the amaNgwane). As with most caves in the Mweni, it is shepherds, hunters and dagga farmers that use them.

mnt_tiska :

Interesting that they chose Icidi pass. I would guess because no one in hot pursuit would expect them to go that way? On the other hand if cows can't walk up Mbundini or Mnweni Pass, which are probably the least rocky in the catchment, then thieves are left with carrying meat up in any case. Icidi would be the first valley with a pass in it when coming from the Mnweni Valley.

My observation is that, while Icidi is not a regular dagga smuggling route, it does get used on occasion for raids. I've seen a horse there which had not been dead too long (it had fallen off one of the steep scrambles out of the river bed). Also, I started picking up some clothes along the route, only to eventually stumble onto a whole suitcase full of clothes which had been abandoned - at this point I gave up! It seemed some Basothos had raided the valleys and had dropped their loot on being pursued up the pass. I've also encountered Basotho on the escarpment, in icy winter conditions, heading for the pass. I guess it serves as an access to the Mweni from the Khubedu valley. Its quite possible that the people using Icidi are buddies with the guys that steal from the hikers at the Amphitheatre.

Stijn :

if anybody ever finds a semblance of a path on Icidi, please let me know!

Soon after Jubilee Cave the track seems to vanish. Then there are 2 important cairns along the river bed which mark where one should scramble out of the bed and walk through the bush instead. The waterfalls can be avoided, but one has to plow through horrible, shin-slicing bush instead - the worst I've encountered in the Berg so far!

mnt_tiska :

I've been trying to work out which cave we stayed in before going up Icidi. It was relatively small, with another cave next door perhaps 5-10m away. Which one would that have been? Where is the other relative to this?

Grasscutters is on a flattish area, more or less on level with the river. From there its a brief climb and onward contour (approx 400m) to Jubilee, which marks the junction of a beautiful little side valley. I would describe both caves as big, though the main sleeping areas of Jubilee is only on one side, and could possibly be described as small. There is a small annexe cave some 30m away.

Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Last edit: 11 Feb 2010 09:27 by intrepid.

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