The Mt Aux Sources - Amphitheatre - Tugela thread

Hi all,

We want to go to the Amphitheatre in September over a weekend. Does anyone know where I could find historic info on the temperature, rainfall or ever snowfall that time of the year. What would you guys recommend end of August to end of September, when is the best time?

Is there a path leading up to Mt Aux Sources, or do you just tackle it straight up? What is the best route up?
I got this pic from one of the other posts - it shows crow's nest peak in front with Mt Aux Sources at the back. Any comments?




(It looks quite intimidating)

We were there earlier this year over Easter weekend. We just aimed for peak and walked up. When we were at the top of Mount Aux Sources we looked for a path down but saw nothing. It might look intimidating but it's really not that bad, just keep on walking

You don't need a path on the escarpment - just make it up as you go along

You think it looks intimidating in a photo - just wait till its in front of you! Shockingly I haven't done this khulu yet, but I have done many with similar or more substantial altitude gains - here's the secret: small steps, pace yourself, take it nice and slow, and look up every 5 minutes or so (no sooner) - you'll be up it before you know it.

Oh dear
I'm heading up there next weekend but according to www.yr.no/place/South_Africa/KwaZulu-Natal/Tugela_Falls/long.html there should be some precipitation so we might have drinking water (once melted).
Going to be a nice weekend to test some of my new lighter gear heading up chain ladders across to Mnweni on Sat and back on Sun.

It is dry as a bone up there. Tugela - nothing, Bilanjil - stagnant pools only (contaminated by dead fish), Kubedu-Kubedu marshes bone dry (not that these are of use even in rainy season anyway). So are the rivers either side of the ridge close to Ribbon Falls.

I expected this so took all my water up during a day hike earlier this week (will report in full soon). For a multiday visit it will be tough right now, sorry.

In theory the wettest part of the Berg is the Southern Berg (perhaps a tight contest with RNNP) - and even Bushman's Nek/Southern Garden Castle above 2000m was bone dry 2 weeks ago. We were also expecting it to be dry - hence hauling plenty of water from Bushman's Cave - but I expected to find water within 1km of Mzimude Cave. I wonder what the dryer parts are looking like - Mnweni and Didima specifically. I expect you could do the Thuthumi/Organ Pipes loop with the Camel approach for OP and the Thuthumi Hut approach for Thuthumi Pass and you would not encounter any water on the entire hike.

Anyone know the current condition of the Sentinel Car Park road?
I'm going up there this Friday and was hoping for a current condition report?
Thanks in advance

As for the water saga - I plan on taking an extra litre or two up there and hope to find some in the rivers further South from escarpment (we aren't following the escarpment route, will be following a more southerly route to Mnweni like the route they took in the record GT)

@ Grandeur

When you get to the fork (left going to Witsieshoek, right goes to Sentinel Car Park (SCP)), do take the left side and then switch right at the shortcut (i.e. the way you would have taken if leaving Witsieshoek towards SCP). The right hand side of the dirt road for that specific 100 meters alongside the fork is seriously bad and can damage a sedan I'm sure.

Then, once you are beyond the fork in the road on the way to SCP, the road up the hill is bad for the next kilo or so, but if you drive slowly it is definitely driveable in the normal sedan. Some exposed rocks here and there but nothing major.

Kilo's 2 and 3 are a bit corrugated, but again if driven slowly you will be absolutely fine in any car bar a sportscar.

Beyond 3 kilometers they have started grading the road in preparation of the paver laying work, so it is perfect to drive. They are progressing really slowly with the paving work, but have done a 100m or so, with another 300-400meter of concrete edging installed already (this happens from the SCP side)

So, as long as you take it slow in the first 3k's (and just avoid the right hand side of the fork) you will be fine.