Organ Pipes Pass - Camel Route

interesting, anyone got further experience / info on this one?

ghaznavid wrote: 5) There is some spot in the town before the reserve where people sometimes park if they want to hike up Didima Gorge. It isn't an official spot, but is included for completeness.

We completed the Camel route in mid January 2016, plenty rain and mist. We found it awesome and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Everyone refers to the "bad or dangerous"spot. We decided to circumnavigate it at the time has it was really wet and misty.

This is a close up of a Google Earth image showing the short detour up and around the bad bit.



The rest is really not to bad and insures a quick ascent to the top of Organ Pipes.



Enjoy

Do you have a GPS track to share for a line around that bad bit?

Camel Route is on my to-do list for day hikes, possibly this year. It is one of the few passes I have left at Didima. Could be looped with the South Tseke Pass route for an unusual day out.

No problem ghaznavid, below was our actual track starting out from our overnight camp above Ribbon Falls and ending in Roland's cave.
Check points 656 to 673.

Valuable info, thanks, I did a quick solo on Wednesday (23rd) from hotel carpark to top of Organ Pipes and back - nearly went off that bit on my way down as it was wet, slippery and had no proper hand holds. Fortunately I had no pack so I was able to pull some desperate moves and get across. Met a group further down who mentioned an alternative. Much recommended!

I have a question regarding the 5 different parking spots:
If I would like to hike via C24, to C26 to get to Ribbon Falls on route to the Camel, which parking would you advise? Will that be the parking just before the "s" taking you up to the hotel?What will your suggestion be?

Do you know if there is a trail marker for the Ribbon falls trail at the parking area?
We're going to have a very late start. I'd like to prevent us unnecessarily looking around for our starting point.
Much appreciated!

@Petroengel

There is a marker at Cathedral Peak hotel.

You start at the stables basically, walk through the gate and start walking towards the valley with the black wattle forest on your right, river on your left. You could also drop down to the lower path on the other side of the river - this one branches off before the black wattle forest. But to get back to the higher path - the path shortly also drops down a bit lower towards the river, and you then get to a crossing - turn left to Doreen Falls (on the way to Ribbon falls cave)/Rainbow gorge or right to Mushroom Rock.

Both of these paths will get you to the lower berg and to the base of the Camel, then up Organ Pipes pass to the escarpment.

We did this route (Up Ribbon falls cave to Rolands cave and then down via the Camel) this past weekend and it was very wet and slippery, and navigating in the rain and mist with very low viz made it a bit tricky. Very easy to get lost in such conditions, so I would recommend taking a GPS along with the tracks loaded.

Enjoy

firephish wrote: interesting, anyone got further experience / info on this one?

ghaznavid wrote: 5) There is some spot in the town before the reserve where people sometimes park if they want to hike up Didima Gorge. It isn't an official spot, but is included for completeness.

I think Ghaz is referring to the spot near 28 deg 55 min 56 sec S, 29 deg 16 min 04 sec E - the ruins of the old Brotherton Store about 2km south of the Mhlwazini-Mlambonja river confluence.