Mlambonja Snow Hike Aug 2025

We were excited about this hike. Last month the snow stopped us from reaching the escarpment. We tried both Corner pass (chocked up) and Around the Corner pass (steep side slopes covered with ice near the drop-off right at the very top!) but had to go back down for safety sake. This time round we opted for a pass with a wider top section. We normally do Giants but the weather forecast said the northern berg will get more snow. That was apparently all they got right. 

We were in for a treat. Not only did it snow more than the 10cm prediction, but the winds were pumping at the top. More about that later.

We left Joburg later than usual and experienced fog pretty much all the way, so we only left Cathedral Peak hotel some time after 10am. We opted to ascend via 1TreeHill, rather than the usual Xeni zig-zags. The thing I like about 1TreeHill is you get up high quickly. I really don't like walking in the humidity and heat lower down, so the quicker I can get higher, the beter. Also, you do the first 500m ascent rather rapidly while your legs are still fresh. 1TreeHill has a really nice path to follow and you cross numerous streams along the way, so water is normally not an issue either. We were making good time until Ian's new hiking shoes started giving him trouble. Heel blister type trouble. And today was mainly an ascent day. Eish. We dropped the pace and just took it easy for the rest of the day. We normally stop at the rockplates where the 1TreeHill path links up with the river section. True to form we stoped here for a quick snack.

Once done we hit the trail into the gorge section. I see somebody had flattened a pretty decent section of grass about 250m from the rockplate section. Beautiful views over the river below, should make for a nice overnight experience. More exposed than lower down at the big tree, but with nice views down the valley.

Up we went, and before long we rounded the corner to be greeted with close-up views of the snow coered pass ahead of us. At this spot it was as if we walked into a deep freeze. You could clearly feel the drop in temperature, and it was lovely. The closer we got, the better it looked. While the sun was still shining the snow was not very solid, and the last section up to the col above Twins cave was very slippery on the steep grassy snow covered slopes. As we got closer to the top it started to harden a bit, but the grass beneath would mean you would slip around a lot as it couldn't support our weight. I resorted to gripping my hiking pole sort of in the middle of the shaft, held it horizontaly to the ground and slammed it into the snow. This worked surprisingly well as the contact patch was now much larger than just the tip of the stick. However, for the last 100m or so we went into the scree field and boulder hopped to the top. The snow covered boulders was far more stable underfoot than the grassy slopes. We arrived at Twins before dark, but Ian was hanging back a bit as his heels were quite sore by now. He arrived just after dark and was a very happy camper when he took off his boots. It was actually a perfect night. Pretty cold but with virtually no wind, we had a lekker kuier and by 9pm we all crawled into our sleeping bags.





 

Saterday morning arrived and after breakfast we headed to the top. Ian fitted his microspikes for the last bit to the col last nigt, and he was waxing lyrical about how good they were. We brought ours along and had already decided on Friday night to use them. If anyone is still in any doubt as to how well these things work, let me state it very simply and clearly now: they are an absolute gamechanger. It totally transformed our snow hininkg experience. It was just so much easier, faster, safer with them on. Why we haven't used them before is beyond me. Just ignorant I guess. However, from now on they are coming along on every future snow hike, they are that good.The plan for today was.....no plan. We were initially thinking of hopping ver to Rolands Cave, but seeing the snow conditions at the top made us realize that the Camel could be a bit spicy, so we decided to chill for the day. We walked to the river, had a super nice pour over coffee, chilled, and saunterd up to Easter cave. Sat there for a while then back down to the river again for water. Just a very relaxing day, which we basically never do, so it was actually quite nice for a change to sit around, relax and basically do nothing but enjoy the views and one anothers company.Easter cave, in my experience, has always been a cold cave, even in summer. There's been occasions where we had to crawl into the cave as the wind was trying it's level best to blow us off the mountain. I even saw some berg grass being blown past the cave, and with berg grass being stronger than berg rock, this takes some doing! But today it looked like it was going to be different. The sun was shining with very few clouds in the sky, and virtually no wind blowing. So, we decided to stay put rather than drop down to Twins cave again.Well, as soon as the sun set the wind started blowing, and it increased in strength till it was eventually howling. It wa sblowing hard enough to literally move me around while lying in my sleeping bag behind a stone wall. It was insane! Fortunately we were all in bivvy bags, so we could zip up to keep the freezing wind out. But the intensity was something else. Note to everyone reading this: if you want to test out windproof and cold weather gear, overnighting in Easter cave during winter is the perfect testing ground. My Suunto Vertical however gave me a 100% sleep score for Saturday nigh, so my gear must have worked ok.




 

It was a full moon and you didn't really need a light in the cave, with all the snow reflecting the light into the cave.

Sunday morning alarm went off waaaay to early today. 5H45 was just too cold for me, I wanted to stay in my sleeping bag for a while longer. Looking at the other 2 I could see they didn't need any convincing to stay in their bags either. The wind was still PUMPING!!!!
We eventually got up, hastily dressed, and got ready to move. No having coffee in the cave today, the wind was simply too strong and making everything very uncomfortable. Now to get out of the cave. It was a bit of a balancing act to get over the little ledge about 10m away, but again the micro spikes made for secure footing on the snow covered rocks.

We followed our footprints back to the top of Mlambonja pass. The last section to the top, say the last 75m or so, was truly insane. The wind speed was such that it was difficult standing upright, and the snowdrift was snowblasting my face whenever I turned around to see if the other two were still with me. There's this little rocks section between the two cairns where you get onto the footpath, and I literally had to crawl throuhg the rocks onto the path, the wind was that strong. The other two did the same, and we litterally started crawling/crouching forward. I got about halfway down the top section, about 50m or so, when the wind strated blowing so strong that I had to stop and hold onto whatever I could find. I sat here for what felt like a few minutes, and then started timing the gusts. Whenever there was a bit of a lull I'd get up about halfway standing and move forward about 3 or four steps, before kneeling down again and riding out the next windburst. It was quite an experience!

I looked behind and the thers were still in their original positions, on their knees in the footpath. I could see another 50m away that the wind around the corner wasn't so bad, so I moved forward, dropped my pack and went back to help my wife. Ian was helping her as well, and when I arrived he could move forward to get around the corner to safety. I was literally shouting at Sanet at the top of my lungs, right next to her, but she couldn't hear me. I wanted to take her pack but she wouldnt let go. She later told me she felt the extra weight of the pack helped her stay on the ground. I helped her past me and just held onto the back of her pack to keep her a bit more stable. We all made it around the corner and took a minute or two to rest. Goodness, me, the wind today was something else!!

It was still pumping lower down as we got to the Twins cave col, but not nearly as strong as on the lip of the escarpment. You still had to watch your step as it was a bit gusty, but fortunately the deep snow meant that when you slip the fall wasn't painful. Just don't slide down guys! We eventually got down out of the snow and stopped to take the micro spikes off. Now it was just the usual walk down the valley. When we got dow to Friday's lunch spot, it was so hot that we were down to T-shirts, no more warm gear required. It wa slike a different world than up on the mountain. Basically no wind, balmy sunshine, and it got so hot on the descent of 1TreeHill that we wished for the cold again.

That's just mountains for you. They clearly make their own weather, and you have to be prepared for anything, at all times basically. We were glad to be down safely and the drive back to Joburg was probably more dangerous than the mountains. Gheez, how some people got their drivers licenses are beyond me! Ian, however, is a supurb driver and he got us back home safely. 

We had an awesome snow hike and can't wait for the next one to come!

 

Great pics and always nice to have a rest day to enjoy the scenery.  That wind sounds hectic, know that feeling!  Those spiklets sound like a great idea a friend in the UK has a pair and swears by them.

How much water was there at the small wf in your second last pic?  Were you able to get anything to drink from that?  How much water was in the main Mlmabonja Pass, and do you recall when it petered out?
Tony and I were able to drink from that stream on the two crossings on the way down after or MlambuttNorth trip end of April this year. see pic. 
 

ST, there was a lot of water everywhere. All the waterfalls were flowing nicely, probably due to a bit of snow melt no doubt. In fact, the only place where we didn't find water was on the top of 1TreeHill itself.

We found water right up to about 2650m asl. In the main gully. There were small drips here and there higher up near the cliffs, but I wouldn't rate them as reliable water sources.

So nothing at this particular section related to your attached image?  It looks wet on the face, hence the question I was keen to use this again to gain access to MlambuttNorth instead of the main gully so water availablity was a question.

I thought that as you had taken this image at this spot, you may have stopped for a breather and a drink of water?
 

 

Thank you for sharing this epic adventure and the tips. Love the photos and In reading this I did the hike in spirit and felt the emotions as you negotiated the conditions. Special and great going on being safe.