Devils Knuckles in a day

Hi Guys

Been keen to do a quick day mission to the Knuckles for a while. I know Bushman's Nek Pass well from running the Mutter a few times. Apparently there is also a path that follows the river up to the base of the Knuckles / Tarn Area instead of following the main pass up to the abandoned buildings.

Does anyone know the state of this path?

Also, best route to climb the Knuckles - start on South one and work North?

Hoping to do a speedy day mission with a few fast mates on Saturday - up pass, check out tarns, climb Knuckles and home.

Thanks in advance.
Andrew

Quite far to do the Knuckles in a day - but I assume you must be very fit. I've done Thaba Ngwangwe in a day, but it was a 13 hour day and is at least 5km shorter. Then again - I'm not the fastest hiker around, but just be aware of the difficulty going into it.

The only trail I am familiar with is what berg.co.za calls "Tarn Cave Pass". It is a good trail the entire way, and is shown on the map. It tops out near Tarn Cave. From there there is a vague trail along the border fence towards the Knuckles. Once you get close there is a very good trail which dies and restarts consistently as it goes through the route known as Knuckles Traverse Pass.

I am yet to summit any of the Knuckles - but there are 4 passes that I am aware of to access the top (you can also walk around the back from the north to climb them). I have had a good look up all 4 passes, the south and north passes look short and easy, the ones between the Knuckles look higher and steeper, but top out near the summits. The one between the north and middle knuckle is rocky, the one between south and middle is more grassy.

You can return to the car park from the north Knuckle by dropping back down to the Knuckles Traverse route, follow it up to Goat's Cave and then either drop down Lammageier Pass or Thamathu Pass (I would go with Thamathu).

Thanks very much - like to think we'll be ok - we do Mnweni Marathon (Mnweni Hike route) in just over 5 hours so hopefully won't bite off too much!

Will post some pics if all goes ahead.

Andrew5336 wrote: we do Mnweni Marathon (Mnweni Hike route) in just over 5 hours

Perhaps you will be back at BN Hotel in time for afternoon tea then

2 days was tough enough for the Mnweni Marathon route when I did it last year (not as part of a race though).

Did it last year and the path you mention is easy going. One slight scramble if descending. After getting on bushmans nek path ignore main path to the left going up the hill and keep to the right past the swimming spot and straight up the ridge and join the other path on top and carry on to the tarns.

Hi Guys

What a great day.

Disastrous in terms of route selection but good 6 hours out in the mountains is always special.

We went wrong almost immediately heading up the pass to Lammergeier Cave (thought we'd gone wrong but decided to "see where it goes"). Lots of very steep climbing and traversing after Lammergeier up to Goat's Cave (I think).

Even more steep climbing and tons of traversing around the feet of the Knuckles.

We tried to go up the gully to the North of the central Knuckle - blocked by a boulder 2/3rds of the way up.

Gave up, came back down via Tarns and Bushman's Nek Pass. Good 30km and 6 hours - at least half of which was off path burnt and un burnt tufty grass.

Will give it another go 16th August - will ensure to download GPS map or take my proper Berg hiking map so we get onto the correct pass up to Tarn Cave and then will climb all 3 South to North and hopefully go down Tomathu Pass.

I think that if we push and get the route right we can do all 3 up and down in about 5 hours.

Some Pics!

Sounds like a great day out!

Glad to see that the mountains (as usual) put up a good fight