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Climbing Haelkop, Jonkershoek

Ralph — Sun, 09 May 2010 19:16:35 +0000

Another mountain club uitstappie to Haelkop peak (1390 m), one of the loftier peaks that rim the Jonkershoek valley. The route upwards to the watershed north of Haelkop is a fairly easy, yet relentlessly uphill, hike. Near the top the gradients steepen markedly. From the summit the views are panoramic and breathtaking. On this occasion the group opted to descend via Sosysboskloof, which involved clambering down some exposed, near-vertical steps on the watershed. The 16km round-trip took us all of 10+ hours – but it was worth it. A Google Earth track and photos follow…

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Photos of the Haelkop hike

3D map of the Haelkop hike

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Another 3D map from Google Maps

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Google terrain map of the Haelkop hike

Climbing Twin Peaks, Jonkershoek

Ralph — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:47:23 +0000

Climbing Jonkershoek’s Twin Peaks (“Die Pieke“) is one of the outdoor experiences in the Jonkershoek mountains. On this occasion I went with the mountain club (MCSA) on the “uitstappie“. An uitstappie is one of those wonderfully euphemistic, Afrikaans terms that could mean anything from a stroll in the park to a mission. A Twin Peaks uitstappie tends to lean towards the “mission” end of the continuum even though our route up Langrivierkloof and down Nerinakloof is the easiest of the routes. There are steep scrambles and some bits around Vensterkloof that could test your head for heights. The round trip will take you the best part of a day and will thoroughly challenge your fitness levels as you go through 1200m over a 15 km hike from and back to the reserve gate.

3D map of Twin Peaks climb. If you can’t see the map, download the kmz file and view on Google Earth, or see the Google Map below.

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Stellenbosch MCSA outings often feature a number of ladies of … mature ages, shall we say. One of my climbing companions was 76 years of age – remarkable and inspirational. The photos below were taken on this particular hike. Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy. Click on the photos to view them in a larger size.




From Jonkershoek album

Photos of Table Mountain walks

Ralph — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:15:32 +0000

The Cape-based members of the Patagonia group are training for the trek through the Andes by taking regular walks in the Cape Peninsula’s Table Mountain National Park. Here are some photos from those walks along with some older ones…

Patagonia in March

Ralph — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:04:26 +0000

I’m looking forward to my first foray to South America, a series of treks in Patagonia across the Andes from Argentina to Chile and back, over 21 days in March. My good old pal, Peter, has taken some trouble to research and document the trip on his site, so I suggest that you go there to read what it is about.

The seed was planted last April on the Rim of Africa when Kelson, the Brazilian half of the Treksa team who has arranged the trip, and I were unsuccessfully sheltering from the rain under an oak in the Elandskloof, drinking hot chocolate. “You must come and hike in Patagonia”, he insisted, black eyes sparkling. At the time it sounded like a fine idea. As the departure date gets closer the idea becomes ever better.

Climbing Victoria Peak

Ralph — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:37:38 +0000

At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the Jonkershoek area. It is visible beyond the valley from Stellenbosch and is often – as it is today – covered in a white blanket of snow. The route as shown in this Google Earth track winds up the eastern edge of the Jonkershoek valley to Bergriviersnek (Berg River Saddle) and then continues easily up to the Dwarsberg plateau before one has to tackle the final 300 or so metres to the summit. From there the 360 degree panorama is simply stunning – see the photos below.

The summer fires have scorched almost all the peaks, but the expanses of green shoots promise a spring show second to none in a matter of weeks. The rains have been good and the spongy vlei on the Dwarsberg plateau, reputed to be the site of highest rainfall in the country, is saturated. The rain meter there gives the highest annual readings – but could it have something to do with the hikers’ “tradition” of topping it up from water bottles?

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Jonkershoek file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Rim of Africa Google Earth track

Ralph — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:22:25 +0000

A Google Earth map of the Rim of Africa Conservation Mega Trail, Stage One, 120km from Pakhuis Pass in the northern Cederberg to the Koue Bokkeveld mountains follows:

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If the track doesn’t appear in the window above download the Google Earth Rim of Africa file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

The GE track shows almost every step of the trail as recorded on my Garmin Foretrex 101 personal navigator, waypoints describing some features or places, and geo-tagged photos.

We left our camp below Pakhuis Pass on a grey, misty day and our steps would be dogged by cold fronts and rain, except for the balmy days of our passage through the central Cederberg wilderness area from the Crystal Pools area to just north of Middelberg Pass. For me, those middle days were the highlights, especially when we skirted what would become known to the group as “the rim” between Bakleikraal and Breekkrans Valley. On that particular day one could literally see forever to the west, mountain ridge upon valley, as we raced a rapidly-closing cold front to our next campsite at Slangboshoek.

The trail was often tough – especially for those with less than optimal gear – always spectacular and uplifting, seldom a slog. We gazed out on vistas that few local hikers will ever see and listened to the utter silence of the rock and the metallic click of our walking poles as we picked our way south.

Eventually, having been trapped in our tents for a night and a morning by a raging storm at the head of the Elandskloof valley, we struck out into the fire-ravaged Hexberg Nature Reserve, a “lost” reserve. From there we climbed fire-blackened and white rock slopes and a sodden, peaty kloof into a gathering front in search of the gulley down to a remote valley. It was on the exposed ridges in rain, icy wind and poor visibility that Galeo and Ivan made the wise call to abort some 40km and two days short of our objective. I think the group was a little relieved to spend the night in a friendly farmer’s shed.

What an adventure, what an experience. Fitter and leaner I now look forward to completing the last couple of days and visiting Turret Peak. And then… stage two….

www.flickr.com

Rim of Africa photos

Ralph — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:03:53 +0000

Here are the photos from the Rim of Africa Conservation Mega Trail. It was an epic.

www.flickr.com

Go to my Rim of Africa photo album

A Google Earth track of the trail, almost every step captured on a Garmin Foretrex 101, will follow shortly, along with a short account – once I have thought of something profound to write…

www.flickr.com

Go to the hikers’ photo pool on Flickr

Jonkershoek hiking

Ralph — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:19:47 +0000

Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The area boasts the highest rainfall in the Western Cape, and two major rivers rise at the valley head: the Berg and the Eerste rivers.

The Panorama route (or half of it) climbs the eastern slopes of the valley, traverses the ridge and descends Kurktrekkernek (“corkscrew saddle”) via first and second waterfalls . It’s a 5-6 hour leisurely hike, but fairly strenuous. I have done it many times, but the views and solitude are always worth it.

Towards Franschoek from Bergriviersnek

The Google Earth GPS tracks above show the routes up to Bergriviersnek, Swartboskloof and Botmaskop. At the top of Swartboskloof you will find wonderful vistas of the Helderberg Bowl and the Kogelberg coast. Some of these views are shown in the slideshow below.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Rim of Africa file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Cape of Good Hope Trail

Ralph — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:04:30 +0000

The Cape of Good Hope Trail starts at the main gate to the Cape Point section of the Table Mountain National Park, and ends there 33.5km and two days later.

Day 1 features a spectacular walk down the False Bay coast. There are commanding views across False Bay and over the peninsula south towards Cape Point. The distance is only about 13km, depending on the route option one takes at Kanonkop. But spend time lingering on the peaks and investigating the shoreline.

Overnight in one of three huts near Cape Point. We stayed in Erica Hut, which was part of the Dias Battery Observation Post in World War II. As you can guess, the views towards the north and west from the hut and the nearby emplacement are unhindered and command the Atlantic coast as well as the peninsula to Table Mountain in the distance.

Day 2 is far longer, about 20.5km. If follows the Atlantic shore and offers none of the rewarding views of day 1. Points of interest at the Hoek van Bobbejaan include ancient Khoi-San shell middens and the wreck of the Phyllisia (1968). When we walked there the area had been scorched and it was hot work. When the veld recovers, the fynbos will offer rich, flowering rewards.

Download the Google Earth trail track, or view the 3D map below:

Helderberg hike

Ralph — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 15:35:58 +0000

With Clarissa, a fellow mega-hiker, and Patrick I once more headed for Helderberg’s Dome. This autumn Saturday was hot and windless. On previous occasions over the years I have not climbed all the way to the top of The Dome and I was determined do it this time. But then perhaps I was younger and fitter because although it was only about 12.5 km x 1160m it felt a lot tougher than I remembered…The route starts at the very pleasant Helderberg Nature Reserve where one can spend many hours wondering through the fynbos.

Follow one of the tracks up to Disa Gorge, exit up the right slope and traverse a ridge into the next gulley. A track hugs the cliff up into the neck, from where you cross to the northern aspect and follow the contour path east. Climb a steep kloof that could be tricky in wet months and then bear left up a steepish ramp to follow the ridge to the Dome. It’s worth the effort…