Cathedral Peak 31/01

Appreciate the update.
It seems February is generally not a good month for the Mlambonja River. I've had some interesting episodes at this time of year involving either precarious crossings or an improvised change of route.

I have heard reports that the Mweni and Ntonjelana Rivers are pumping and moving boulders too. Seems like the rains are taking effect. Please let's all be carefull with river crossings!

Good point about taking ropes, DRI. Back in 1995 we called off a hike to Ndedema Gorge cause of heavy rain. Another group still went to the same place on that weekend. One of the members got washed away during a river crossing and they never found the body. I've carried rope with me ever since then.

Bergbees, my usual rope is a nylon ski rope, 7mm thick, about 20m or so. It's the kind that's available everywhere. It's cheap and lightweight and for all-round use a dynamic climbing rope wouldnt be needed (too heavy and bulky anyway). I've used it for river crossings, building shelters, hauling packs up difficult sections and also to make a rope ladder to help people up exposed bits.

They can take full body weight as long as it's not shock-loaded. I've even tested one on a short abseil in the traditional manner - hurts like hell but works. If I'm going on tricky rock passes, especially with people that don't like the scrambly bits, I take an additional 12mm nylon rope with loops already tied into place to make it into a crude rope ladder.

Usually I take a very thin nylon cord too which weighs very little. This can be used to tie packs to tents for security and also as an additional hauling rope. I've had cases where the packs were clipped to the main rope spanned across a flooding Mlambonja River, and a second rope was used to pull the packs across.

It's a good idea to take 2-3 load-bearing carabiners too.

I am so glad this post came on, as I am about to write a complete story on the new campsite, as I have just been at Didima for 5 days, and took a stroll down to have a look.