Injisuthi Area Summit Escarpment Exploration

On the December long weekend after ascending Corner Pass using the Northern High Approach, elinda, Richard Hunt, Warwick Shaw, Sabine, Thora, Tish and tonymarshall, did a summit escarpment exploration heading northwards before descending Leslie’s Pass.

The view north-eastwards from the top of The Corner to Injisuthi Dome and Trojan Wall.



tonymarshall at the top of Injisuthi Dome with Mafadi in the background.



Some of the group at the top of Trojan Wall, Thora, elinda, Tish, tonymarshall and warwick shaw. (Photo courtesy of Richard Hunt.)



The view north-eastwards from the top of the Trojan Wall: the Injisuthi Triplets in the foreground just off the escarpment, the Injisuthi Buttresses and Scaly Peak just behind, and Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peak in the background.



We overnighted in the valley north-east of the Trojan Wall, with elinda, Richard, Sabine and tony tenting next to the stream while Tish, Thora and warwick preferred Injisuthi Summit Cave. There was a late afternoon thunderstorm with some small hail and rain after we had set up camp, and a rainbow appeared over our tents as I walked up to visit the others in the cave. The Eastern Triplet is at the left of the photo below, and the slopes of Trojan Wall are on the right.



The same view from inside Injisuthi Summit Cave, which was not in good condition, with local habitation evident.



The next morning we headed north-east, and I managed to stand in the clouds on a small escarpment outcrop in front of the Triplets. (Photo courtesy of Richard Hunt.)

Ascending over the ridge that runs down from Injisuthi Summit Cave, we had a great view to the Red Wall Falls. elinda sits above the two waterfalls, the main one clearly visible with the minor one slightly further back where the small valley visible meets the escarpment. The Red Wall ridge, with the highest point of Red Wall Peak, is in the background.



The lip of the Red Wall Falls, with the Injisuthi Lesser Buttress in the background surrounded by mist.



tonymarshall at the lip of the smaller falls with Injisuthi Lesser Buttress, Injisuthi Greater Buttress and Scaly Peak (just above the clouds and mist) in the background. (Photo courtesy of Richard Hunt.)



Ascending the Red Wall Ridge, we had a view back to the Triplets and Red Wall Falls.



The view ahead to Hilton Pass (the gully in the foreground), and the Injisuthi Butresses from the top of Red Wall Peak.



A view down Hilton Pass with the Triplets and Red Wall Falls in the background. We had hoped to see intrepid’s group ascending Hilton Pass, but only found out later that they had changed their plans and done a different route.



The view back to the Triplets, Trojan Wall and Red Wall Falls from the approach to the Injisuthi Lesser Buttress. The Corner and The Judge are the background peaks at the left of the photo below.

Sabine at the top of the Injisuthi Lesser Buttress with the mist and cloud closing in.



The view back to the Injisuthi Lesser Buttress from the Injisuthi Greater Buttress with mist all around.



The view north-east from the Injisuthi Greater Buttress across the Buttress Fork stream summit valley to Injisuthi Ridge. The Buttress Fork waterfall over the escarpment is in the centre of the photo below, with the top of Injisuthi Pass behind, higher up the ridge.



The view back to the Injisuthi Butresses and Triplets while ascending the ridge.



Looking down Injisuthi Pass.



Ascending the Injisuthi Ridge the wind was really blowing, and we were glad to get lower down behind the escarpment ridge as we headed north towards Leslie’s Pass. Warwick rests at the base of an unnamed escarpment peak.



Climbing down through a rock band on the descent to the top of Leslie’s Pass, Sabine, Tish, elinda, Richard and Warwick.



Various group members summited khulus (in order of summiting) along the way:

The Corner 3195 m
Injisuthi Dome 3410 m
Trojan Wall 3354 m
Red Wall Peak 3337 m
Injisuthi Lesser Buttress 3212 m
Injisuthi Greater Buttress 3202 m

Thanks for the writeup and photos

tonymarshall wrote: Various group members summited khulus (in order of summiting) along the way:

The Corner 3195 m
Injisuthi Dome 3410 m
Trojan Wall 3354 m
Red Wall Peak 3337 m
Injisuthi Lesser Buttress 3212 m
Injisuthi Greater Buttress 3202 m

And here I was thinking my list for the weekend was impressive:
- Walker 3306m
- Mashai 3310m
- Mzimude 3205m
- Bollard 3233m (well 3244m per my GPS that had been spot on with the others)

Another excellent write up Tony and photographic journey...well done!!!! Did you mention surfing down the rock in a gale force wind??

Looks amazing!

Have you maybe got a GPS track for that route??