Bannerman Pass

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Hi Guys

Has anyone done Bannermann Pass?
If so is it possible to make it up in one day with some newbies?

I know that the pass itself isnt very difficult but it is a long walk in.

Thanks
Heath

Hi

Yes it is possible, but will be a long day - the key is too leave early even by 6/7am to ensure you are out of the pass with enough daylight to pitch tents etc - depending on the level of these "newbies" you will need approx 4hrs to do the pass alone from my experience.

The hike to Bannermans hut and foot of the pass also mustnt be underestimated, it is long and has a sustained gradient, and the section on the contour path is not flat and twists in and out of few gulleys/over ridges. So assess energy levels before the pass, as you dont want to get stuck in there in the dark.

As Kliktrak says - the pass is only 3km but takes roughly 4 hours due to the loose rocks. This is the only berg pass where trekking poles are actually annoying. Consider overnighting in Bannerman Hut and tackling the pass first thing in the morning, dont even consider sleeping in Spare Rib Cave, its not flat, the floor is rocky and its damp and covered in moss, its just a horrible cave.

If you are not planning on going anywhere from the top of the pass, it is possible to conquer the pass and return to the car park with overnighting in Bannerman Hut in a day, or you can even walk over the ridge past Senqebethu and descend via the walk-in-the-park that is Langalibalele Pass...

Thanks Guys

Thats kinda what I've been expecting regarding the long day.

I appreciate the advice!
Heath

Has anyone done this pass recently or in winter? What is the situation with water up the pass? Where is the last water before Spare-Rib cave?

There is normally water quite far up the pass (till about half way, so past Spare Rib Cave), but I have never been up there in winter (only summer and autumn), but I imagine the pass gets very little sun in winter and the water is probably all frozen.

With regards to Spare Rib Cave, have you been there before? The inside of the cave looks like this:


It won't be that wet in winter, but its not flat, its rocky, its cold and miserable. It definitely doesn't sleep 12. If you do sleep there, make sure you have tons of warm clothing...

On the bright side, Bannerman Pass is awesome, in my opinion the view from the top is one of the best bits of escarpment in the entire range, and Spare Rib Cave is really easy to find, you can see it from almost everywhere on the pass.

Bannerman Pass as at yesterday evening:

Last weekend, elinda, Richard Hunt, and tonymarshall did a hike up Bannerman Pass and down Langalibalele Pass. We left from Giants Castle car park, dropping down into the valley to cross the Bushmans River, before following the Bannerman Path along the valley up to the Contour Path. The Bannerman Path was used as a firebreak edge and divides the burnt and unburnt sections of grass in the photo below.



Once we reached the top of the ridge, Bannerman Pass was visible, at the centre of the photo below. The adjacent peaks are The Thumb, Bannerman Face and Gypaetus Point.



After Bannerman Path joined the Contour Path, we headed northeast along the Contour Path towards Bannerman Hut for this view of Bannerman Hut and Bannerman Pass.



We had lunch at the hut, which was clean inside, with table and benches and bunk beds in place, before heading up the slope towards Bannerman Pass.



We had decided to overnight in Spare Rib Cave, about halfway between Bannerman Hut and the top of Bannerman Pass. The cave was visible from the hut, and is in the lower rock band to the left (true right) of the pass, at the centre of the photo below.



The clouds had been building up all around since midday, but the pass stayed clear, although we could see the storm over Natal was moving nearer as we ascended the lower reaches of the pass.



Soon we were below the rock band with Spare Rib Cave; there are two caves, the one nearest the pass is quite damp and you walk past it to the next one which is better.



There are three waterfalls near the top of Bannerman Pass on the left (true right), the middle one is the prominent one in the photo below.