Bannerman Pass

We had arrived at Spare Rib Cave before the rain, but there were so many drips from the roof of the cave that it was almost like rain inside. We could get water easily in the cave from the drips near the pool of water in the long grass in the photo below. There were also many other caves and overhangs in the nearby rock bands.



The cave afforded a good view down the pass to Bannerman Hut, and of the approaching clouds and storm, and it rained on and off during the late afternoon and evening.



Spare Rib Cave from the approach path, which contours from the pass past the other cave.



We settled in to the driest sleeping areas, although each spot still had occasional drips from the roof.



Sunday morning we headed up the pass, with cloud covering Natal below.



Up to the height of the waterfalls, the pass has a lot of boulders,



and then a longish grassy slope up to the top.



We had a break at the top of Bannerman Pass, and took some group photos with the blanket of cloud in the background.



Then it was up and over the Sanquebethu ridge, before heading towards Langalibalele Pass with a visit to Bannerman Cave on the way down the ridge. We had mist and rain the whole way down Langlibalele Pass, and I won’t do a write up of Langalibalele Pass as the poor visibility didn’t permit any good photos of the pass.

Thanks for sharing - sadly I never knew where the proper cave was when I did Bannerman Pass. Every time I did Bannerman Pass I ended up sitting in the horrible cave waiting for a storm to pass. Not really a pass I plan on repeating.

It was the 2nd pass I ever did, Langies was the 3rd. Memories of my many failed attempts on Popple. That was before I was on VE, 3rd fail on Popple was just after I joined - anyone keen for a historical Ghaznavid-making -excuses-for-not-getting-up-Poppole-Peak writeup? 3 hikes - 3 different excuses. Got plenty of pics

A pity, the correct Spare Rib Cave is not that bad, although I guess you guys aren't alone in making this mistake. Spare Rib Cave is damp, but the sleeping areas are level and clear of moss, although quite spread out, and the cave is cold. The three of us had dry floor to sleep on, but with more than four in a group, someone would sleep on a damp floor at this time of year.

This is the cave nearest the pass, viewed from the approach path, the second cave - Spare Rib - can just be made out to the left of the left hand edge of the first cave.



The first cave with the mossy, sloping, rocky floor looking back from the path to Spare Rib Cave, with Bannerman Pass in the background.



The path between the two caves, viewed from Spare Rib Cave, with Richard standing at the edge of the other cave. There is also a small overhang between the two caves, behind elinda. Note the other overhangs on the other side of the pass.



The largest sleeping area in Spare Rib Cave.



Spare Rib Cave is spacious inside, unlike the other cave.



Smurf, I've got some pictures of Bannerman Cave, I'll put them on that thread. It's a bit tricky to get photos of Bannerman Cave from a distance, because it's set back in a 'corner' in the rock face, and the steep slope outside the cave makes it difficult to stand back far enough to get the cave surrounds in a photo and still show the cave, but I'll see what I've got.

From my first failed Popple attempt:

The view of Bannerman Face after the storm had come to an end:


Zooming in on the wrong cave (right one is so close):


The cave from nearby:


Bannerman Face from just outside the wrong cave:


Bannerman Falls (well - 3 of them):


As much as I don't like Bannerman Pass, it is a really beautiful route. However Gypaetus Pass kicks it for views and is a much more pleasant and less rocky (but very steep) route...

Hallo

Does anyone have gps co-ordinates for the following routes:

Giant's Castle Main Camp to Bannerman Pass; and
Langalibalele Pass to Giant's Castle Main Camp.

The co-ordinates which I downloaded from VE does not seem to be working with Sunnto.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Hikerparsons. Try this it was my route from last year. Sorry don't t have them as separate routes, but I hope this works for you..

www.wikiloc.com/trail-running-trails/up-langalibalele-down-bannerman-20955416 (Up langalibalele down Bannerman)

Thank you. Much appreciated!

Good afternoon. I am planning to hike Bannerman pass and want to get an early start from the Wildlife Office. Can anyone suggest a decent campsite to use close to Giant's Castle KwaZulu Natal Wildlife Office?

HikerParsons wrote: Good afternoon. I am planning to hike Bannerman pass and want to get an early start from the Wildlife Office. Can anyone suggest a decent campsite to use close to Giant's Castle KwaZulu Natal Wildlife Office?

I was told one can camp at White Mountain Resort just few kms down the road. However I haven’t used them myself yet -  www.whitemountain.co.za/