Ifidi Pass

Wow, that looks like great fun!!, It would be great to use my ice pick and crampons again. but I don't think everyone in my group, would be happy with that.
I've already decided to rather head up Fangs, and if the gully and traverse is not stuffed with snow maybe down Nguza, I guess where the pass gets wet it would be low enough ASL not to be frozen.

I still rate going up corner pass in snow as one of my favorite drakensberg hikes ever.

Awesome pics, Intrepid, going up Ifidi!

I had also planned to go up Ifidi in a couple of weeks time, but the Pass will probably be iced up. A big section is in the shade in winter, so snow and ice can stay there when the rest is clear. Doing Mnweni instead.

I wasn't sure what thread to put this video under (moderators please feel free to move it if you think it belongs somewhere else). It's the story of what happened when Ralph, Benjamin and I attempted to get to the escarpment via Ifidi Pass. Despite the issues we had to deal with, it was still an epic hike:

2 Stars..... Ralfe & Ben

Well done on getting out of there safely. It must have been quite a shock for you. It's great to know that you have supremely capable hiking buddies for the next attempt!

Thanks Biomech

Honestly if it hadn't been for the snow turning us around, I'm 100% sure we could have done our planned route of Ifidi - Fangs. We were making good time and feeling pretty strong up until the accident. I am definitely going to head back there as soon as I can to complete the pass (and not fall down this time!)

Glad you all made it back down ok. Rocks are treacherous things sometimes, especially when wet.

Hello everyone,

We are planning on doing Ifidi and I'd love to get any advice on the route, where best to start, where to stay the night before and which spots are best to sleep in on the trail etc.

We would need to start hiking on the Saturday and finish Monday so only 2 nights available unfortunately... Any suggestions of route etc?

Thanks in advance!

We are planning on doing Ifidi and I'd love to get any advice on the route, where best to start, where to stay the night before and which spots are best to sleep in on the trail etc.

We would need to start hiking on the Saturday and finish Monday so only 2 nights available unfortunately... Any suggestions of route etc?

So I have never actually been to the top of Ifidi Pass (see the video link in the thread above), but I have attempted it twice Ifidi is definitely one of the tougher passes out there, so don't underestimate it! The boulder-hopping/scrambling/bundu-bashing/path-finding in the top half of the pass will slow your pace down a lot, and the highest elevation we were able to find a decent campsite in Ifidi Pass was just below 2200m above sea level. Another thing to consider is that it is perhaps not the greatest idea to sleep on the escarpment in that area (see the Berg Alert threads). If you only have 2 nights, perhaps camping in Ifidi as high as you can the first night, then hiking up to the escarpment and back down to your campsite for the second night might be an idea. I will say though, that coming down Ifidi can be quite treacherous

As a place to stay the night before, I would recommend the Mnweni Cultural Centre. They can also organise lifts as far down the road towards Ifidi as possible if you want to shave a little time off your hike in.

Hope this helps!

Awesome, thanks for the advice. Is there potable water along the route?