Namahadi Peak (Drakensberg) Jul 2005

I drove to the JSE on Friday afternoon where Al and Zelda were waiting. We left soon after 4pm. The traffic was the same as always through Jo’burg and we took the alternative route to Warden. We arrived in Harrismith at 19:30 and had dinner at the Spur. We drove into the municipal caravan park just after 20:30 and got ourselves settled. We found a tree with some leaves on to sleep under as I thought we should try to keep the tent relatively dry. When we got up the next morning the thermometer read -6.2 degrees C.

Day 1 (9 July): We left Harrismith just after 6am and got to Sentinel car park just after 7am. I boiled some water for coffee, then we packed and were on our way at around 8am. It was very cold and we all started the hike with fleece jackets and long pants. Into the first zig-zag we walked into the sun and shed some layers for the first time. We made good time past the upper zig-zags and were soon on the contour path. Then the chain ladder came and went and at 10am we were standing at the large cairn at the top. I had a good look at the maps and started off in a westerly direction. Having reached altitude quickly and still feeling a bit chilled, we took our time up the long incline to the ridge leading down from Mont-aux-Sources. Getting to the saddle at around 11:30 I decided to continue to a little rock band a little more than a kilometer distant for lunch. After lunch we contoured around the first ridge and caught sight of what could have been Namahadi peak. After another contour through a large bowl I realized it was too close to be Namahadi. Then there was a long climb up an attached peak and on the way we had awesome views over the northern escarpment. Past the long climb we had to contour yet another salad bowl before getting up to a saddle and seeing for the first time the real Namahadi peak – it was still quite a way to go. As we trudged along at a gentle gradient to pass another ridge I decided that we should rather set up camp soon and climb the peak later, rather than trying to get up the peak with packs as I initially thought would be the best. So past the last ridge, with Namahadi peak straight ahead of us, we quickly found a suitable spot for the tent. Al offered to go and collect water while Zelda started the cooking and I pitched the tent. The idea was that we have an early dinner of hot food, wash up before it gets cold, and then climb the peak in dusk and early evening, returning to the tent for pudding. Al returned in good time with plenty water and we were able to wolf down some Mince Mate before 16:30. After a quick wash-up and dressing up for the expected cold, we walked up to the summit of Namahadi peak. The view from the top was good and we stayed quite a while, waiting for the sun to set. We got back to the tent before it was dark enough for torches and I quickly boiled some water for tea while all of us had pudding. In the tent we took great care to hide our valuables and boots inside. The packs were tied together and to the tent just in case. As everything got quiet I was sure I heard footsteps but later realized it was my heart beating against the fabric of the sleeping bag. Even so, I slept badly and got surprisingly hot in the early morning hours.

Day 2 (10 July): I woke everyone up at 6am. The coldest temperature during the night was about -5.5 outside and -3 inside the tent – not really as cold as I hoped. But as we made breakfast and waited for the sun to rise, the temperature dropped to a chilly -10.7! We managed to pack up quickly and were on our way just after 07:30. Because we had more descending than ascending to do, I expected to finish earlier than the previous day. Feeling strong, I pushed hard past the three bowls and even with short stops in between, we stood on top of the saddle at 09:30 and at the top of the chain ladder at 10:00! That meant we hiked 10km in 2.5 hours! Then I got the itch again to get back and after a break below the chain ladder we started moving fast. We passed a few people along the way but barely stopped to say hi. We were back at the car park at 11:15! We packed up and left for some greasy food in Harrismith.

It was a good long hike with the very notable peak of Namahadi to bag. Although not difficult at all the peak is quite remote and so far away from the usual hang-out at the Tugela falls that I suspect very few people ever see it. I expected there to be no snow but I was pleasantly surprised to see remnants of old snow in a few permanently shaded spots. The cold was not bad at all and I’m hoping that the next few winter berg hikes will be even colder.

Bermanzi hiking trail and abseil Jun 2005

I drove to George’s on Friday but we still had to wait until 3pm for Brian and Norma to show up. The drive took us just under 3 hours and we arrived just after dusk. Everyone else was already there and we quickly got ourselves beds. The coal stove inside was going but the smoke struggled to escape and we choked in it. The others had the fire going already and while I waited for some coals I had rolls for dinner. After dinner we all flocked inside to Norma’s apple crumble for pudding.

Day 1 (25 June): We started walking just after 8am. I was hoping to do some abseiling later in the afternoon and put on a little speed. Shirley and Elize kept up with me though and at the bottom of the descent to the river, we rested together. The path ascended again steeply to the Witkruisarend beacon and shortly thereafter descended back to the river. At this point George and I were in front and when we got to the river we decided it was an ideal place to have lunch. After a short rest I decided to go for the hut so we could go abseil. I got up and started walking in the river bed, passing the remains of a monkey on the way. George, Shirley and Eddy joined me and soon we were all ascending steeply to the top. We got to the junction where the paths went to the top and down to the waterfall. Deciding that we were going to go to the waterfall the next day, we all started for the top. Getting to the top was hard work but once there, it was an easy walk back to the hut. We had a little bit to eat and drink back at the hut before starting out for the crack where we abseiled last time. It took me a while finding good anchors but once I had them, I was able to set up two 20m abseils. I quickly abseiled on the one rope and then ascended on the second, changing over to abseiling, close to the top. Then I descended past a knot and waited at the bottom. Eddy was supervising George’s descent and then also Pam’s and Lawrence’s while I set George up for an ascent. Then I climbed back to the top and took some photos of George as he came to the top. I then decided to do a sequence of abseiling past a knot, changing over to ascent, passing the knot a second time, changing over to descent and passing the knot a third time. At rescue training we were suppose to be able to do this in 20 minutes. While I got ready, Shirley went to the bottom to take some pictures. I asked Eddy to time me as I got to the knot and then proceeded to do the whole sequence in 18:15 minutes – not bad! Then for a final exercise, Eddy timed me ascending the 20 odd meters back up – I completed it in 2:55! Both Pam and Lawrence wanted to abseil again so I supervised their abseils before we packed up and walked back to the hut for a nice dinner that consisted mainly of cake. We went to bed just after 8pm.

Day 2 (26 June): It was cold when we got up but as the sun rose, the temperature became tolerable. George along with most of the others wanted to do more walking and decided to do the extra trails. Shirley, Eddy and Elize walked along with me to the top of the waterfall where I intended to set up the highest abseil I’ve ever done. It took me a while setting up the anchors properly and Eddy and Shirley took the time to walk down to the bottom to take some pictures. I used about 20m of Eddy’s static for rigging, tied the club’s static to the bottom of that, and tossed it over the edge. I tied Eddy’s dynamic to my back and made sure I had all that I would need on the way down. The step-off was awkward and overhanging. I struggled getting the edge protection in place but when I had it in, I was able to abseil smoothly. It was extremely scary. The 30m to the first knot I took slowly making sure I was going smoothly. At the knot I was able to stand on a tiny ledge, easing the harness pressure slightly. I passed the knot safely but with shaking hands and then abseiled to a second ledge choked with fierce thorny bushes. I noticed that the second rope wouldn’t be long enough so I took the time to take the third rope off my back and tie it onto the second one. I then continued the abseil to the second knot which I had to pass hanging just below a ledge. About 20m down the third rope I got to a large bouldery ledge where I had to stop for a while to gather the bottom of the rope and throw it down the last little bit. The last few meters went smoothly and when I got to the bottom (in a shallow little pool), I measured about 9m of the third rope remaining. I struggled getting over the slippery boulders to the path where everyone was waiting. Shirley, Norma and Brian were there to congratulate me but I had to sit for a while to stop the shaking and calm the nerves. Then I sped off to the top to retrieve the rope and break up the rigging. I measured the rope used for rigging as about 19m, making the total height of the abseil 122m! The whole abseil took me about half an hour. Feeling very relieved and elated, we walked back to the hut, packed up and left for a late lunch on the way home.

What a fantastic weekend! I did the highest, scariest abseil to date and still got some good walking in. However, the paths on the hike need some maintenance especially the extra paths walked by George and the rest. The coal stove inside the hut can do with a chimney cleaning session and they would do well to grade the dirt road.

Mike's pass to Old Fire Lookout - Cathedral Peak (Drakensberg) Jun 2005

I picked Gordon up at his home and drove through to Bergville. There wasn’t anybody at the campsite’s office so we left R50 and a message that we were sleeping at the tennis courts. We read a little before bed but were trying to get up early so we went to bed just before 10pm. During the night temperature dropped to -2 degrees and I was optimistic about some really cold weather up on top.

Day 1 (11 June): We got up at 05:30 and were on the road before 6am. Just after 7am we arrived at Cathedral Peak and signed in. We left the car at the bottom of Mike’s pass and started hiking up, very hopeful in getting a lift to the top. After about an hour’s walk we started to realize that we were not going to get a lift. There were just no cars on their way up! There was one long section we could have skipped by taking a steep shortcut, but the hope of hitching a ride and the steepness of the path kept us on the road. We stopped once to take a quick breather but only sat down for a while once we reached the top of Mike’s pass. It was just before 10am when we started the slog up to the Old Fire Lookout. We made good time around the first few hills; the veld was burnt all around us and the path was as clear as daylight. Then the steep ridge to the hut began. Having already walked up Mike’s pass, the effect began to show and we slowed down considerably. Because I expected there to be water at the hut neither of us packed a lot of water. We had a few bites to eat before we got to the hut. Arriving at the hut just before 2pm, we were shocked to find the water tank in two pieces on the ground and the roof of the hut falling apart. The lack of water was appalling. With my feet packing up over the last 2km I wasn’t really in a state to go any further – we had already decided that we were not going to push for the top. But now without water, I had to rely on Gordon to take the Drom bag and go look for water. He left at immediately. I rested my feet and had a short snooze before a family from Qumbagana showed up at the hut. The kids poked around the hut and they all had a good lookout before going down again. Gordon got back at 15:30 having found some seepage water not too far up the path. He managed to collect a good 8 litres – more than enough for us. We started with food at 5pm and had a very nice dinner with mince, bacon, tomato and onion relish with some rice. After dinner we took pictures of a beautiful sunset and went to bed. The wind blew all night. Although we didn’t get any unwanted visitors, we barely slept with some very strong winds trying to take the hut off the mountain.

Day 2 (12 June): We got up early having grown quite tired of trying to sleep with gale force winds raping the hut. The temperature dropped to a low of 4.9 degrees only – very disappointing. We had a quick breakfast and left down the path. We made good time and was soon at the top of Mike’s pass. We were hoping to catch a lift down but once again, nothing came along. We decided to go down the shortcut this time and were able to skip a good 3km of the pass. The shortcut was steep and very loose in places but at least we saved a lot of time. We were down again just before 10am. After a good shower we signed out and left for home.

It was a rather disappointing hike. Although we managed to climb just over a 1000m in the day, we didn’t reach the top of Organ Pipes and the expected cold never came. But we also learned that we shouldn’t bank on water at the hut again.