Cockade Pass Southern Variation

01 Aug 2013 06:04 - 01 Aug 2013 06:50 #57880 by Selous
Hi All

I will post about 2 photos at a time as I seem to get a 404 error. This occurs from my iPad or Mac. Maybe Intrepid could help me.

Towards the upper reaches of Cockade Pass the pass splits into a broader Northern arm which is probably most commonly used and a narrower southern split that seems to be used a little less frequently.
I have not included photos of the lower reaches of the pass I.e. from the Xeni - Cockade junction but rather from approximately halfway up the pass. The Souther Upper split is a fun alternative if you have already done the broader northern arm. They top out probably no more than 150 - 200m from each other. The Southern split is slightly higher.



The Middle Grassy section just before the pass narrows slightly in a rock type "gully"


Looking up Cockade Pass

Please login or register to view the images attached to this post.

Last edit: 01 Aug 2013 06:50 by Selous. Reason: Typo

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Aug 2013 06:15 #57881 by Selous

Approaching the Rock "gully" - it does broaden out


In the rock gully section. Rocks are very stable and one does not feel that any will dislodge and role down.


After the rocky section you enter another grassy section that branches to the left

Please login or register to view the images attached to this post.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Aug 2013 06:21 #57882 by Selous

The start of the Southern Split. The split occurs at the lower left at the base of the basalt rock.


It starts to narrow. Watch out for the odd small rock coming down from the people above you.

Please login or register to view the images attached to this post.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Aug 2013 06:24 #57883 by Selous

Looking down the Southern Split from about 10m from the top


Celebrations

Please login or register to view the images attached to this post.

The following user(s) said Thank You: ghaznavid, brio, tonymarshall, HFc, AndrewP

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Aug 2013 07:03 #57886 by ghaznavid
Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Looks like quite a dramatic alternative!

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
21 Dec 2018 08:48 #74410 by AndrewP
So, at the risk of being ridiculed for the most silly question of the year.

I did what seemed to be this variation a few days ago.  Your photos match what I have in my mind.  Am I correct, that looking up, you took the left hand split?  Because, then is it actually the northern variation ???

Assuming we both actually did the same split, I took a further left split about half way up this variation.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
01 Jan 2019 07:53 #74419 by ghaznavid

AndrewP wrote: I did what seemed to be this variation a few days ago.  Your photos match what I have in my mind.  Am I correct, that looking up, you took the left hand split?  Because, then is it actually the northern variation ???


I do believe it is the left split when ascending. I have done it twice. Once on a day hike with a certain individual who I was about to do a 107h51 DGT with :lol:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
06 Jan 2023 02:33 #78240 by intrepid
Does anyone have a good quality track of the Southern Variation that they can submit to the Downloads section? My track quality of it is OK enough to demonstrate the difference from the other route but I'm hoping someone has a good track with lots of waypoints in the track log, as well as a properly recorded waypoint of the junction of the two routes.

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

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
09 Jan 2023 14:29 #78254 by Smurfatefrog
Here is a track from September 2022, I tried to remove the inevitable GPS jumps in the narrow gully

Please login or register to view the file attached to this post.

The following user(s) said Thank You: intrepid

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
Powered by Kunena Forum