April 2014 Grand Traverse

Our group of seven, Elaine, Richard, Christine, Stephan, Lorinda, Thora and Tony did the GT in April over 13 days.

Day 1 Sentinel Car Park to Ifidi Cave

We had a latish start, leaving from the car park at 10h30 up the zig zags,



past the Sentinel and arriving at the top of the chain ladders at 12h30.



We had lunch next to the Tugela River near the turnoff to the Mountain Club Hut,



and then went past the hut and over the low ridge behind the hut, with the view back to the Tugela Falls which had surprisingly little water, Beacon Buttress and Sentinel.



The view ahead to the Eastern Buttress, Devil’s Tooth, Inner Tower, Mount Amery and Mount Amery ridge,



our next major climb of day 1. After going over Mount Amery ridge, and descending into the Kubedu valley, we headed towards Ifidi Pass, collecting water for the night at the river crossing as the area was quite dry and we didn’t expect to find water closer to Ifidi Cave. After passing Ifidi Pass and contouring around the escarpment, we arrived at Ifidi Cave at 17h40.



Distance 14.6 km
Start Height 2545 m
End Height 3065 m
Total Ascent 920 m
Total Descent 400 m
Evening temp 9° C

Day 2 Ifidi Cave to near Fangs Cave Gully

The sunrise from Ifidi Cave, with a sea of cloud below.



We departed at 07h30 up and over Ifidi ridge, with Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summiting Ifidi Peak, 3204 m, with a spectacular view south past the Mnweni Needles to the Cathedral and Cathkin ranges.



Following the escarpment, Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summited Ifidi Buttress, 3148 m, joined the others and contoured around Icidi Crown passing Icidi Pass and starting the climb up Icidi ridge. The view back to Icidi Crown, Ifidi and Ifidi Buttress.



At the top of the ridge the group took a short break, and Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summited Icidi Buttress, 3243 m, before descending down to the stream towards Stimela Ridge for lunch. The photo below is taken on the descent and shows Stimela Ridge with the peak Caboose on the left and Stimela Peak the left hand peak of the two peaks on the right. This ridge was ascended through Stimela Saddle, the saddle between the two peaks on the right.



After crossing the Stimela ridge and having a wash and collecting water at the stream behind Mbundini Abbey, we paused to admire the view of Madonna and Her Worshippers from the top of Madonna Pass,



then past Rat Hole Cave and Fangs Pass to tent near the top of the gully above Fangs Cave at 16h15.



Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony visited Fangs Cave, quite a long, steep descent down the gully, and then of course the long, steep ascent back up.



Distance 12.0 km
Start Height 3065 m
End Height 3035 m
Total Ascent 610 m
Total Descent 640 m
Morning temp 6° C
Evening temp 5° C

Day 3 Near Fangs Cave Gully to Mponjwane Cave

We packed up the tents and departed at 07h30 up to the escarpment edge to take in the views, and get a group photo, fltr Lorinda, Stephan, Christine, Thora, Elaine, Richard and Tony.



View of the Fangs.



Heading south we dropped into the valley behind Rwanqa to collect water, and then ascended past Rwanqa Pass up the ridge where the entire group took a break on the summit of Black and Tan Wall, 3222 m, before descending to the Pins viewpoint on the way to Pins Pass. The Mnweni Pinnacles (Pins) are at the right foreground, the Mnweni Needles at the left, Ncedamabutho plateau and Mponjwane at the centre of the photo with Rockeries, Cathedral Peak and Saddle visible in the background.



Passing Pins Pass, we followed the escarpment, with the entire group summiting Pins Buttress, 3225 m, before descending into the Mnweni Cutback area to pass by the Hanging Valleys. The photo below shows the view into the Cutback from Pins Buttress, with the Hanging Valleys at the low point at the centre of the photo on the escarpment facing away, with Ucikikane and the Twelve Apostles on the escarpment visible facing towards the camera. The usual route done around this area follows the ‘highway’ path running on the Lesotho side of the ridge on the horizon from the right, and this view is seldom seen.



At the Hanging Valleys there are numerous towers and spires, and Stephan created this photo opportunity by descending and climbing up this one, with Ucikicane and Twelve Apostles behind.



We had lunch at the stream, before ascending over the ridge where Lorinda and Tony summited Twelve Apostles Peak, 3148 m, then followed the path around the Cutback to the top of Mnweni Pass, where Elaine, Richard and Thora headed off to tent in the valley towards Rockeries Pass, while the others visited Ledges Cave, at the centre of the photo below, below the upper rock band and above the lower rock band



On the way from Ledges Cave we collected water from some pools on the way to Mponjwane Cave, high up on the ridge in the background.



After ascending to the top of the ridge, and descending a short way down the escarpment side opposite Mponjwane, we arrived at Mponjwane Cave, complete with a generous amount of grass on the floor, at 16h25.



Mponjwane viewed from near Mponjwane Cave.



Tony summited Ncedamabutho Peak, 3074 m, from which this view of Mponjwane Cave below is obtained.



Distance 15.9 km
Start Height 3035 m
End Height 3050 m
Total Ascent 790 m
Total Descent 775 m
Morning temp -1° C
Evening temp 8° C

Day 4 Mponjwane Cave to Tseketseke

We departed from Mponjwane Cave at 06h30 along the path to the top of Rockeries Pass and met the others near the top of the pass, who had a very cold morning with ice on their tents. The photo below shows the top of Rockeries Pass with Cathedral Peak, Bell and Saddle North Peak in the background



South of Rockeries Pass we paused at the Vulture viewsite, where several vultures were already in the air, and had this view back across the Ncedamabutho plateau to Mnweni Pass, with Pins Buttress, Manxome Pass (the wide grassy gully in shadow), the Pins and Black and Tan Wall visible in the background.



Then it was up and over Nguza ridge, with this view back to Ncedamabutho, Mponjwane and Rockeries.



At the top of the ridge, Lorinda and Tony summited Nguza Pass Peak, 3067 m, then we descended the other side past Nguza Pass and followed the Koakoatsoan river upstream for a break, where we were joined by two hikers, Lynton from Australia and his local guide/porter. Lynton was doing a traverse from Sentinel to Mlambonja Pass, and had spent most of his journey in Lesotho valleys, his guide unfortunately not being very knowledgeable. We were quite amazed by this adventurer who was hiking in our berg without experience or even a proper map, and not surprisingly he was very interested to look at our maps and learn where he was, and then to tag along to Mlambonja Pass. We continued our journey together past Saddle, and had this view to the Cathedral Range from the top of South Saddle Pass.



Looking back to Saddle from the top of Ntonjelana ridge.



The mist was coming up from Natal below, and this can be seen looking ahead from the Ntonjelana ridge southwards up the Koakoatsi valley where we were headed. The low point on the escarpment at the left of the photo below with the mist coming in is Ntonjelana Pass.



We contoured down the ridge along the path, and descended through Ntonjelana Gap, a gap through a prominent rock band. In the photo below, Lynton and his guide are the two hikers at the back of the group, above Ntonjelana Gap.



The mist had come in quite thickly, and we finally found the path heading up the Koakoatsi valley and took a lunch break at the river crossing opposite Mlambonja Pass, where we bid goodbye to Lynton and his guide, pointing out the cairns marking the top of Mlambonja Pass and giving him a map and description of the route to Twins Cave and down Mlambonja Pass. With the mist obscuring most of the escarpment, we wondered how these hikers would have found the top of Mlambonja Pass without our help. After a leisurely lunch we continued south along the path with the mist coming and going, and went over the Elephant Cutback, with Elaine and Tony summiting Mahout, 3109 m just above the path. The photo below shows Mahout in the misty background, with the group commencing the descent around the Elephant Cutback.



Following the path down the ridge, we passed the top of Cockade Pass, and reached our campsite behind Tseketseke Peak at 15h30. The mist began clearing and most of the group enjoyed a sunlit wash in the stream. Later some of the group walked up to the escarpment edge, with this view of Pyramid and Column.



Distance 20.1 km
Start Height 3050 m
End Height 2955 m
Total Ascent 930 m
Total Descent 1025 m
Morning temp 4° C
Evening temp 2° C

Day 5 Tseketseke to Didima Cave

We departed at 07h00 up the Cleft Peak ridge and looking back had the view of the Elephant Cutback area that had been blocked by mist the previous afternoon. In the photo below Mahout is the peak at the left with the slope we descended, with Elephant behind to the right of Mahout, Cockade Pass, Cockade at the centre of the photo and the Cathedral Range to the right.



Continuing up Cleft Peak ridge, we went through a saddle to the escarpment side of the ridge and angled up to the top of the ridge, glad to be out of the wind and in the sun. Near the summit this view looking north never ceases to inspire (quite similar to the photo above) with Column and Pyramid in the foreground.



The entire group summited Cleft Peak, 3277 m, fltr Thora, Elaine, Lorinda, Christine, Stephan, Tony and Richard.



Descending the southern side of Cleft Peak ridge, we had grand views ahead to Castle Buttress, Organ Pipes and Ndumeni Dome, with the Cathkin range in the background.



Passing Organ Pipes Pass the mist was coming in fast and we went up the Ndumeni ridge, over Rolands Cave and below the Ndumeni Upper Caves around the escarpment side of Ndumeni Dome, dropping down to the Makhapung stream to collect water. Mist obscured the area around the escarpment as we passed Little Saddle, over Little Saddle ridge and down towards Tlanyaku Pass. We had lunch at the stream before Tlanyaku Pass, and descended past the Tlanyaku Pass area before ascending onto the slopes of Didima Buttress. In the photo below Tlanyaku Pass is to the left of the photo on the slopes of the Sphinx, the Sphinx, and Didima Dome to the right. Didima Buttress, behind and higher than Didima Dome is obscured by the mist/cloud. We ascended Didima Dome ridge at the right of the photo, passing through the saddle to the right of the Dome and angling up behind the Dome.



On the upper slopes of Didima Dome approaching the nek between Didima Dome and Didima Buttress, with Didima Buttress in the background. We later ascended up the face of Didima Buttress using the gully at the centre of the Buttress partially obscured by mist in the photo below.



The view through the nek between Didima Dome and Didima Buttress.



Ascending the gully up Didima Buttress, Didima Dome partially obscured by the foreground pinnacle, and Little Saddle just visible in the far background.



At the top of the gully it was a short climb to the top of Didima Buttress, and Stephan, Christine and Tony summited Didima Buttress, 3179 m. The mist had come in again, and we contoured along the ridge, joining the path to Didima Cave, where we arrived at 16h40.



Distance 18.1 km
Start Height 2955 m
End Height 3210 m
Total Ascent 1295 m
Total Descent 1040 m
Morning temp -1° C
Evening temp 9° C

Day 6 Didima Cave to Leslie’s Pass

We departed from Didima Cave at 07h20 in clear weather back to the saddle and up onto the Yodler’s ridge, following this ridge for a considerable distance. In the photo below the saddle near Didima Cave is in the foreground, and in the midground along the escarpment on the left is Didima Buttress, in the centre Didima Dome and to the right the Sphinx and Little Saddle.



Following the ridge, the entire group summited Yodler’s Peak 1, 3338 m and Yodler’s Peak 2, also 3338 m, before joining the path from Yodler’s Cascades. Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summited Yodler’s Ridge Peak, 3301 m, and the photo below is taken from Yodler’s Ridge Peak. The ridge on the left is the Yodler’s ridge with the saddle near Didima Cave visible near the right end of the ridge, and Didima Cave just visible to the left of the saddle. Didima Dome is at the centre of the photo, with Sphinx and Little Saddle to the right and the Cathedral Range and southern end of the Amphitheatre visible in the background.



Continuing along the ridge path, Tony summited Pampiring, 3337 m, before we left the path to continue along the ridge above the Nkosazana valley. In the photo below the group heads towards Ships Prow Pass with Champagne Castle on the left and Botlolong on the right.



Tony summited Ships Prow, 3325 m, and the group paused at the top of Ships Prow Pass with the mist again closing in on the escarpment. The photo below shows the top of Ships Prow Pass with the group heading over the low rise below Botlolong to descend the other side.



We stopped for lunch at the stream below Botlolong with many of the group using the sunny conditions to wash hair and clothes, before heading over the low ridge on the horizon.



At the top of this ridge we could see up the Moremoholo valley to Leslie’s Pass, our destination for the day, roughly where the shadows of the mist/clouds in the distance are.



We crossed the Moremoholo River several times,



before pitching our tents near Leslie’s Pass at 15h05. Note the aptly named peak Sombrero at the centre of the photo on the horizon.



Later in the afternoon Lorinda and Tony went up to the escarpment near Leslie’s Pass, and with the sun behind us and mist coming in in front of us, we had the cool phenomenon of our shadows being projected on the mist/cloud, at one stage complete with halos.



Distance 18.4 km
Start Height 3210 m
End Height 3010 m
Total Ascent 645 m
Total Descent 845 m
Morning temp 9° C
Evening temp 1° C

Day 7 Leslie’s Pass to Bannerman Pass

We departed at 07h05 up the ridge to Leslie’s Pass, following the escarpment ridge southwards. Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summited Sombrero, 3228 m, then we continued along the ridge to above Injisuthi Pass with the view to the Injisuthi Buttresses and Triplets.



We contoured along the ridge behind the Buttresses, going over the Red Wall ridge and descending the other side towards the Red Wall Falls, with the view back to the Injisuthi Buttresses and Scaly Peak,



and ahead to the Triplets, Red Wall and Red Wall Falls.



We had a break at the Falls, before starting the acsent up Injisuthi ridge past Injisuthi Summit Cave.



At the top of the ridge at the saddle between Trojan Wall and Injisuthi Dome we found the path and headed down the ridge, with the view ahead to The Corner, The Judge and Popple Peak.



Continuing on the path, we had lunch at one of the stream crossings heading up towards Popple ridge, and then leaving the path ascended to the top of Popple ridge. There was a shepherd at the top of the ridge, who was quick to point out some tents near Bannerman Pass to us, and we were glad to see that our resupply group were waiting for us. Soon another three shepherds arrived, and we shared some light hearted moments with them, giving them chocolates, taking photos with them and their dogs and listening to some interesting music the one played on a stringed instrument.



Descending the ridge we had the view ahead to Bannerman and our awaiting resupply,



and after crossing the stream at the bottom we headed up to the campsite near Bannerman Pass where our resupply group of Rob, Darell, Bevan, Barry, Dave and David greeted us warmly. We set up our tents at 15h00, and had a relaxed afternoon chatting with our friends and unpacking resupply parcels.



Later Tony and Bevan summited Gypaetus Point, 3120 m, to get cellphone signal. Thanks to our resupply group for carrying our things up, and for the morale boost we all got from seeing friends and having contact with the outside world.

Distance 16.8 km
Start Height 3010 m
End Height 3050 m
Total Ascent 925 m
Total Descent 885 m
Morning temp -3° C
Evening temp 8° C

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Day 8 Bannerman Pass to The Tent

We departed at 06h55 around Bannerman Pass and over Bannerman ridge, looking back to the view of Popple ridge in the background, Gypaetus Point on the right, Bannerman Pass in the foreground and our campsite behind Bannerman Pass on the right of the stream in the sunlit area.



We greeted the resupply party at the top of the ridge, they were going down Langalibalele Pass and we went via Bannerman Cave, skirting Langalibalele Pass, the low point in the photo below and heading right around Erskine (to the right of Langalibalele Pass). Mount Durnford is the peak on the right horizon.



Heading up the valley between Erskine, Bond and the Mount Durnford ridge, we took a break next to the stream near a waterfall before the long haul over Mount Durnford ridge.



Ascending Mount Durnford ridge approaching the top towards Durnford Gap.



The scramble through the narrow point of the rock band below Durnford Gap.



Christine, Stephan, Lorinda and Tony summited Mount Durnford, 3294 m, and we descended the ridge to Jarateng Pass North for a break. The photo below shows the view to Giant’s Castle from near the top of Mount Durnford, with Kambule in the foreground (Jarateng Pass North passes in front of Kambule, between Mount Durnford and Kambule) and Giant’s ridge on the right horizon.



We contoured south passing another of the Jarateng Passes, before heading up the Jarateng River behind Long Wall, and taking lunch next to the river. After lunch we ascended the ridge and passed by the Dakota crash site, where there were still a lot of small wreckage fragments to be seen.



Descending Giant’s ridge towards Loteni Pass, we followed the path contouring for a while, before descending into the valley and camping next to The Tent at 16h00. The photo below shows The Tent on the left, the valley next to The Tent where we camped and Redi ridge in the background.



Distance 18.9 km
Start Height 3050 m
End Height 2890 m
Total Ascent 900 m
Total Descent 1060 m
Morning temp -2° C
Evening temp 6° C

Day 9 The Tent to Mkhomazi Pass

We departed at 06h55 from The Tent upstream towards The Hawk, and then followed the path steeply up to the top of Redi ridge for a break near Ka Masihlenga Pass. The photo below shows the view to Redi and Terateng from near Ka Masihlenga Pass.



The view down Ka Masihlenga Pass with The Hawk on the left.



The view from the path below Terateng back to The Tent and The Hawk, with Giant’s ridge and Giant’s Castle in the background.



Tony summited Terateng, 3280 m, and then we followed the path contouring across the front of Redi to Litseketseke Spur, where Christine and Tony summited Litseketseke Spur, 3267 m, before the long descent down to Hlatimba Pass and the Duart Castle area. The photo below shows the view down the ridge to Hlatimba Pass on the left, Duart Castle and Mlahlangubo on the right.



After a break at the stream in the valley, we ascended the Mlahlangubo ridge, and the photo below shows the view from the ridge south to Ngaqamadolo and Lamunram, with Thabana Ntlenyana in the background.



We descended the ridge to the stream where we had lunch, and then continued around Lamunram to the right on a path that followed the Mohlesi River towards the Mohlesi ridge, on the right in the photo below.



We tented near the base of the ridge, with this view of the top of Mkhomazi Pass on the left and Nhlangeni Peak on the escarpment.



Later that afternoon Tony visited the top of the pass and summited Nhlangeni, 3068 m, in an unsuccessful quest for Vodacom signal. The photo with the summit cairn below shows Lamunram and Ngaqamadolo in the background.



Distance 19.7 km
Start Height 2890 m
End Height 2860 m
Total Ascent 770 m
Total Descent 800 m
Morning temp 2° C
Evening temp 10° C