Mini Hike Reports

On the note of the register page being missing, that is really not good, we too have arrived back at the register and while our page was there, someone had signed it for us as if we had returned, also not good - happened at Monks Cowl earlier this year to us.

The paper book system is not perfect I have accepted that, so as far as possible I would get a family member or friend to make the necessary contact with EKZN if we have not advised them that we are back or if we have not returned within the time frames we set out.

I have been tempted to not sign back in before just to see if the office staff will do anything.

I think that most rescues are conducted based on the rescued party contacting someone to let them know they are in trouble, but the book entry could still help with a bunch of valuable information. My mom would be able to tell rescue that I was somewhere in the berg and that is about it.

I also did a cathedral peak loop this weekend and my page was missing from the book at Didima as well as at the hotel gate.

Hi Guys... A group of 5 of us went up a very well worn and eroded Grays Pass and to Didima Valley, tenting near the Didima/Witch Falls. Our last night we tented at Vultures Retreat and back down Grays Pass. A cool hike had by all...superb views and cold evenings. To see the photos of our adventure....richardhuntphotographer.blogspot.co.za/p/monks-cowl-vultures-retreatdidima-valley.html



Nolan, Elinda, Papa Dragon, Smurfatefrog and me hidden with the camera

Cathedral Peak Hotel- Rolands- Didima Mini Hike Report

Date: Thursday the 4th of May to Sunday the 7th of May

Route: Start out at Cathedral Peak Hotel, first night above Ribbon Falls, up the Camel into Organs with the second night in Roland’s Cave. Day three, descend Organs and onto the contour path leading to the old fire lookout with the last evening just past the old staff accommodation block. Last day down Mikes Pass into Didima and home.

On this trip I was joined by seven (yes 7) other hikers. At first I was nervous as I did not know any of the guys that well, and I was used to small groups of two or three. I was pleasantly surprised and deduced during the hike that, as long as the love of the great outdoors and the beauty of the Berg is a common denominator, you will always enjoy each other’s company.
As always time is an issue. I left Nelspruit at 03H00 on the first day of the hike, picked up one hiker in Volksrust and was completing the Mountain Register at Didima by 11H00. We hit the trail in near perfect weather and arrived at the top of Ribbon Falls by late afternoon.



That night the wind picked up. However, there was not a cloud in sight and we enjoyed a rather warm night under a blanket of stars.
We started out early for the Camel. Having done this route before, I was determined not to kill myself on the way up and planned the entire day to get to Roland’s. Nico bumped into what he thought was a snake. By the time I got there I managed to snap one or two photos. I wasn’t sure of the ID and said it was a grass or whip snake. It turned out to be very, very special find, if you zoom into the pic the snake has tiny legs, late ID as a Grass Lizzard.
The weather remained perfect, even the notorius nasty spot along the Camel route was OK, it was in such good condition that I only realised after I crossed it that we had passed it. We dropped into Organs and made it to the Cairn. We went to Roland’s immediately and two of the crew missioned down behind the cairn for water. Water was plenty, not even 300m west of the path between the top of Organs and Roland’s Cave.




Just for interest sake, eight adults in Roland’s is very doable, but tight. Not much room left for kit and cooking.
Awesome clear morning and spectacular sunrise.



Down Roland’s taking the path leading to the old fire lookout. Here something interesting happened. Only once we left the Organ Pipes Pass did I begin to hear other voices besides the group’s murmurs. I asked everyone to be quiet and in a short time noticed four Basotho’s on a high ledge, about where the Camel path enters the Organ Pipes pass. It struck me as strange that they waited for us to pass in front and below them before they made themselves known? We had met an old Basotho in the main pass and exchanged a greeting and a smile, this group seemed different. Anyway with eight adult males in the group I never expected trouble and we continued.
We found water about 2km passed the old staff block and made camp for the night. Again the weather was perfect and we sucked up the sunset watching Cleft Peak, Castle Buttress and the Pyramid disappear into the night.



Next morning, in no rush, we hit the Mikes Pass road. Here was the biggest treat of the weekend, the vultures, no less than forty and all three species present circled above our heads. We were so close that we could hear the wind through their feathers, this brought the group to a jaw dropping standstill.



We made it back to Didima, signed out of the Mountain Register, asked permission to have a quick swim, (yes a swim, that’s how good the weather was). After that we went our separate ways back home, energised and happy.

A Well Timed Hike

Every year a group of us try and arrange a hike, which generally falls on the same weekend, the second week in May. All of us have young families, so it is sometimes difficult to get a group together all at the same time, so it had been a couple years since our last hike. This year a group of 5 could make it.
The hike was planned for the 12-14 May, which was agreed upon early in the year. The planned route was to ascend Corner Pass after spending the night in Centenary hut, then heading to Upper Injasuthi Cave for the 2nd night, before heading back down to camp via Lesley’s Pass for an epic last day.
With an eye on the weather it was decided to revise that route to something easier and something with more “bail-out” options if the predicted weather materialised.
The night before, we decided to head to Giants Castle, with the idea to ascend Langalibilele Pass, camp on top, before heading South over Mount Durnford to camp near Giants Pass. This again changed due to the weather.

We started fairly late on Friday morning at 9:40, finally getting going after having coffee at the restaurant, we made steady progress until we started up the main ridge line, then it became apparent “who’s been training and who hasn’t”, but with the weather holding, and a clear view ahead, we kept going at a slow but steady pace.

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We stopped for lunch at the waterfall at the base of the pass, before continuing our slow ascent, with the forecast not great for Friday afternoon we were lucky to have the only clear pass around, as both North and South of us it was clouding out.
With around 200m to go to the top of the pass the first snow slowing started to fall. The first of the group getting to the top at about 4pm, we set up camp immediately, the rest arriving 20 minutes later.




The snow had by now started falling steadily and would continue steadily to entire night and in fact on and off the entire weekend.



We “woke” up the next morning to find a different landscape.




With the snow still falling and with some fairly deep snow around we decided to alter our route again. We decided to head down Bannerman Pass and hope nobody was in Bannerman Hut.
We inched our way towards Bannerman Cave, trudging through sometimes knee deep soft powder, stopping at the cave for a coffee break.



We then headed over the last ridge before dropping to the top of Bannerman Pass.




Heading down the pass was really quite an experience. The snow at the top was between shin and knee deep, some sections of the pass we just lay on our packs and slid down, it was the most fun I’ve had on a pass ever!

We finally got to Bannerman hut at about 4pm, happy to find the hut unoccupied. Settled down for a relaxing warm evening.
The next day was the quick walk out back to the car park.

Just before the recent snow dump, I completed a hike which allowed me to experience the Drakensberg from a different perspective.
I followed part of the contour path between Monks Cowl and Didima camps, visiting some rock art sights along the way. Although the path seemed a little more overgrown than I could remember from some 20-odd years ago, it was still a good path and provided an interesting view of the escarpment from below. My campsite on the second night provided a 180 degree view from Cathkin to Cathedral Peaks. I would highly recommend it as an interesting alternative to the more travelled routes.

An interesting view of Cathkin Peak, Monk's Cowl, Dragon's Back and Intunja (Gatberg).

Cat's Cave with a dead Rhebok, a Cat (possibly Caracal), a rare Black Wildebeest and an interesting action "shot".

The many river courses that need to be negotiated along the route, with Eastman Peak (centre) and Cleft Peak in the far distance.

A reverse view of Intunja (Gatberg), Amphlet, Turret, Sterkhorn and Cathkin Peak.

An awesome sunset over the Cathedral range.

My campsite looking South.

My campsite looking North.

Colour Contrasts looking up towards Eastman Ridge.

Eland Cave with the Main "Eland" Panel (top eland nearly half a metre in length), Bushmen on the hunt, Bushpig hunt and a Baboon.

Sunset over Eastman Peak.