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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

VWS Jonkershoek firefighters in the Franschhoek mountains

Ralph — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:55:29 +0000

Unfortunately – and unsurprisingly – my words were prescient: it has indeed become an “interesting” summer in the Boland mountains. Since December Volunteer Wildfire Services Jonkershoek (VWS-JNK) has been called out at least 6 times to fires in the local mountains (“local” is a relative concept – in our case it means 290 000 ha of mountain wilderness). The latest callouts were to Assegaaiboschkloof near Franschhoek last Saturday and last night. The fires are still raging as I write this, covering the Boland in a blanket of ash. Photos and a Google Earth track of Saturday’s firefighting effort follow…

A crew of 10 volunteers reported to the Jonkershoek base at 06h00 on Saturday and then trucked through to Robertsvlei near Franschhoek where the firefighting base had been established. We watched the four Hueys set off up the valley to waterbomb the fireline while we waited for the Fire Boss to decide how to deploy us. Eventually, after a couple of hours waiting we boarded a Huey and headed up to a high ridge west of Fortsnek, from where we had to hike a couple of kays along the watershed to reach a fireline. We spent the rest of the day securing the line towards Emerald Peak with rake-hoes and beaters in a raging north-wester. It is amazing how a fire slowly moves into the teeth of a gale by causing adjacent vegetation to combust. So we were quite chuffed that we stopped that movement on the watershed, because from there the fire would move north into the Jonkershoek reserve which after sustaining 30% fire damage a year ago, has a lot of fynbos veld that needs to be free of fire for up to a decade at least.

In the late afternoon we radioed for extraction and prepared a landing zone near one of the peaks, but apparently wind and altitude (about 1300m) were concerns for the pilots. A debate then ensued about whether we should wait or start walking down. Some were apparently prepared to spend the night, but from experience I know that wind-swept mountains are not places to spend the night without appropriate gear. Eventually the wise decision was made to head for the LZ where we had deplaned in the morning and as we approached it from above the Hueys thumped into sight. The fast hike down to the LZ caused a couple of injuries, but we were happy to board the yellow machines – especially as it had become too late to pick our way down the mountain via Fortsnek.

However, the LZ which had featured intact vegetation but a few hours before was now a fire-blackened ridge. I don’t quite understand how the fire which was always south of us and on the southern aspect of the mountains somehow flared up north of and below us in Assegaaiboschkloof – this while a north-wester was blowing – and raced up the northern aspect to take the ridge late in the day. Our earlier satisfaction was immediately replaced by deflation.

To our surprise too, the chopper dropped us in a charred wasteland south of Franschhoek peak, on the opposite side from the firefighting base with the result that we spent about three hours waiting for a lift back. That was my first experience of a black ash-storm – the black stuff is still coming out of my ears.

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 VWS operation’s Google Earth file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth) or see the Google Map below

The crew was ably led by Mark Randall and Hayley Marrison (VWS Jonkershoek station manager) who are both extremely keen volunteers. They pitch up at every callout and work party without fail – dedication to the cause.

In reflecting on the recent fires, it seems to be clear that almost without exception they were caused by human activity. The big one in the Groenland mountains was started by an arsonist, while this fire was apparently started when a Working for Water work party’s cooking fire escaped control. I would be quite happy to never be called out for a wildfire, unless it was caused by a lightning strike or to help control a controlled burn; my attitude is informed by concerns about the conservation of biodiversity and the effect of too-frequent fires on biodiversity. So I believe that the VWS should emphasise fire-prevention strategies such as awareness-building and education more in its activities. By “awareness” I don’t mean “awareness of the VWS” but awareness about the causes, dangers and ecological implications of fires…

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News reports on the fire (sites open in new windows):

Official VWS site – Want to volunteer? Click here (note: apply before March of each year)

Volunteer Wildfire Services Jonkershoek

Ralph — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:15:35 +0000

As I was contemplating a short post about the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS), and specifically its rookie branch in the Jonkershoek valley, we were called out to mop up a plantation fire above Rozendal yesterday at around 6 pm. It was our first op since 27 Jonkershoek volunteers qualified in November – so there was a fair degree of excitement and nervousness. But it went well and when we were withdrawn at midnight the fire was well under control despite the south-easterly gale screaming down the valley. The training is paying off and the growing camaraderie is palpable. Everybody is there because he/she wants to be there.

The VWS is an impressive organisation. Established in 1999 and entirely staffed by volunteers, it provides integrated wildfire management services to conservation agencies, specifically SA National Parks on the Cape Peninsula in Table Mountain National Park, and Cape Nature in the Jonkershoek, Hottentots Holland, Kogelberg and Limietberg reserves. Situated as we are in the fire-driven ecology of the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage Site, regular fires in the fynbos are a fact of life. And the summer fire season is underway…

There are 3 VWS stations: the HQ at Newlands, Scarborough and the new one at Jonkershoek. VWS can mobilise more than 140 volunteer firefighters and as I understand about 50 recruits were inducted in November. The training is thorough and the unit is well equipped – and I believe that VWS’ services are respected and appreciated by SANP and their professional, fire-fighting peers.

VWS Jonkershoek will be called out by the Cape Nature reserve manager in Jonkershoek, mainly to fight wildfires in the mountains of the reserve where the recent summer fires ravaged 30% of the vegetation. Biodiversity is consequently at risk should fires break out in areas that burned only 4 or 5 years ago, far shorter than the “optimum” no-fire period for fynbos. So where and when fires burn are crucial issues in Jonkershoek fire management during the next few years.

Much to our amazement we were informed that the patch of mountainous territory that we (VWS-JNK) are tasked to help protect is some 290 000 ha in extent! And a lot of it is pretty inaccessible except by helicopter. It could be an interesting summer…

For almost-realtime updates of fires refer to the Advanced Fire Information System.

VWS abseil training at Idas Valley dam

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This is a Flickr badge showing public items from Flickr tagged with Volunteer Wildfire Services. Make your own badge here.

VWS report on the Kleinmond fire

Jonkershoek colour explosion

Ralph — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:21:22 +0000

Photos of the Watsonias in Jonkershoek after the big summer fire and the winter rains. Deon and I took a cycle up the valley to capture them before the summer winds take their toll.

www.flickr.com

Jonkershoek hiking

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)

A caracal in Stellenbosch

Ralph — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:46:20 +0000

A few weeks ago, after the fires that charred the mountains in the Jonkershoek valley,

Caracal. Source: Wikipedia

I was cycling to work through the Jan Marais Nature Reserve which is located near the centre of town. As I rounded a corner I was stunned to see a beautiful big caracal standing in the path. He calmly trotted around a bend, watched me for a moment, and then disappeared into the fynbos.

Obviously, there was a lack of prey in the mountains and the resourceful cat had quietly slunk through the urban area to feed on the guinea fowl, squirrels, hares and buck that live in the reserve.

Now, I have been on a lot of wildlife safaris, but I have never seen a caracal in the wild. And here I see one in my backyard, in town… Nearly fell off my bike.

I have kept the sighting quiet because I know how people can react. Caracals have been terribly persecuted by farmers over the centuries. I did, however, notify Cape Nature, the local nature conservation agency. I haven’t seen it since, but I am happy to know that it is somewhere out there.

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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)