Mafadi loop - Corner Pass NHA and Leslies Pass

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Our plan was actually to do this as a fast & light mission with the most direct route possible, using this as a bit of preparation for Mnweni Marathon next month.
I do understand how exploring can definitely add on some distance, but it seemed a bit much here. For instance, 8km from Leslie's Top to Marble Baths? That surely is 2km too much. And if that is the case, where else is there some distance added?
Saying this however, the 9km listed from Marble Baths back to Injiusthi via Poachers Stream, I'm certain is dead accurate.
I guess whatever this distance ends up being, will still be good training! Will report back.

Nope, Sunday we were going from Wonder valley cave south and then around back to tar road leading to the hotel. We walked back from Zulu cave to Wonder valley cave on Saturday morning.

Dillon wrote: Our plan was actually to do this as a fast & light mission with the most direct route possible, using this as a bit of preparation for Mnweni Marathon next month.

Hi Dillon

Using Leslies and Corner as prep for Mnweni Marathon seems the wrong way around. I can currently do a sub 6 hr Mnweni Marathon, but would really struggle to do Leslies/Corner in under 9 hours.

I am going for a run up/down Cathedral Peak this weekend, which to me at least seems better training. Up and down Grays would also work as you get a good run along the contour path

Smurfatefrog wrote:

Dillon wrote: I was just having another read through this report for a bit of research on the Northern High Approach for Corner Pass. Planning on giving it a go in a couple weeks time.
I couldn't help but notice the distances quoted for each day. The last time I did this was years before I owned a GPS, but I seem to remember the distances being not quite as long. Did you guys track each day with a GPS? Day 3 especially seems a bit excessive?
I seem to remember the entire loop being around the 45km mark.
Just curious, I don't want to head back out there again to find it's way longer than I remember!

Yup, my GPS was running the entire hike.
After accounting for some bounced signals in Corner pass the detailed distances are below.
Day 3 also included my strolling around the escarpment, only 1.5km though

For what it's worth, here are the distances my GPS measured this weekend. I actually have no clue why there are differences on almost every section, but it certainly is quite interesting.







We didn't walk down to the Triplets or climb Trojan Wall, so that will take off a couple of km's. We also returned from Marble Baths on the direct route (not via Poacher's Stream). Even with those differences, we still only logged 44km for the round trip.

Links to Garmin Connect uploads:
connect.garmin.com/activity/745126520
connect.garmin.com/activity/745126983 (My main GPS battery died 1km before UIC, tracked the last km on my backup)
connect.garmin.com/activity/745126505

Anyone have any ideas about the discrepancies? Perhaps my GPS is not taking the altitude changes into account correctly? In which case, I'm fitter than I thought!

AndrewP wrote:
Hi Dillon

Using Leslies and Corner as prep for Mnweni Marathon seems the wrong way around. I can currently do a sub 6 hr Mnweni Marathon, but would really struggle to do Leslies/Corner in under 9 hours.

I am going for a run up/down Cathedral Peak this weekend, which to me at least seems better training. Up and down Grays would also work as you get a good run along the contour path

Thanks Andrew.
Our plan was to do it as a 2 day mission just to try and get some proper distance at altitude under the belt. Must say, with how I am feeling today, I'm having serious second thoughts about Mnweni!

Exactly the same distance while hiking as per the report once uploaded to Garmin Connect.

I couldn't find any specs in the manual, but I found a quote on a Garmin forum where someone mentioned mine has "Smart Recording" which samples anywhere between 1-9 seconds. I would assume that the more often a reading is taken, the more the distance could potentially increase.