April 2014 Grand Traverse

Tony, first of all, great trip, great trip report, thanks for taking the time to do this report. Very enjoyable read.


I guess there is a first for everything...

tonymarshall wrote:

Tony in long pants.......

Highlands Fanatic wrote: I guess there is a first for everything... Tony in long pants.......

Perhaps not quite a first - 24 April 2012, Thabana Ntlenyana (Tony on the left)


Its quite funny - there are about as many photos around of me in shorts as there are of Tony in longs. There is usually snow in his and I'm usually crossing a river in mine...

Same jacket, same longs, you can see they don't come out often

Even a balaclava and gloves (well one on and the other under the arm with camera in hand), don't think I've worn gloves again in the two years since that day, but that wind on TN was really cold.

Thanks for the memory, really nice picture with Lorinda, my 2014 GT cave and joking around partner (Thora was my tent partner), standing on the cairn, doing our signature 'berg salute.

Thanks Tony for all your time and planning in making the 2014 a truly interesting one for us. Your knowledge of the Berg is endless and inspirational A fantastic leader. Awesome write ups for everyone to enjoy. Thank you. Thanks also to our resupply team, Rob, Darryl, David, Dave and Barry - it was a special afternoon/evening. Thanks for the effort guys.

The statistics for the total GT are:

Total Distance 225.9 km
Total Ascent 10665 m
Total Descent 11460 m

This is the distance, ascent and descent of our basic route done by the entire group, excluding extra khulus and other explorations. My total distance including the extras I did was 240 km.

Coldest Morning temp -3° C at Leslie’s Pass
Warmest Morning temp 9° C in Didima Cave
Coldest Evening temp 1° C at Leslie’s Pass
Warmest Evening temp 10° C at Mkhomazi Pass

Because we stayed in buildings at Sani, the temperatures there weren’t recorded.

Khulus summited by the entire group 8
Total Khulus summited 28
Total Passes passed at the top or used 30

tonymarshall wrote: that wind on TN was really cold.

It was particularly icy that day. But it was awesome when the mist cleared on the summit and the incredible view opened up. Good memories indeed

Thanks for the stats - 28 khulus, that is rather impressive. Do you have a list of them handy, I would be interested to know which ones you guys did.

tonymarshall wrote: The statistics for the total GT are:

Total Distance 225.9 km
Total Ascent 10665 m
Total Descent 11460 m

This is the distance, ascent and descent of our basic route done by the entire group, excluding extra khulus and other explorations. My total distance including the extras I did was 240 km.

Interesting to note the difference between a standard Grand Traverse and the more "optimised" DGT record route.

Distance: 209km
Ascent: 7810m
Descent: 8515m
Number of spectacular views missed-out-on: 417

Khulus summited on the GT, in order of sequence summited:

3219 m Ifidi Peak Mnweni
3148 m Ifidi Buttress Mnweni
3290 m Icidi Buttress Mnweni
3224 m Black and Tan Wall Mnweni Entire group
3225 m Pins Buttress Mnweni Entire group
3148 m Twelve Appostles Peak Mnweni
3080 m Ncedamabutho Mnweni Tony alone
3092 m Nguza Pass Peak Mnweni
3109 m Mahout Didima
3277 m Cleft Peak Didima Entire group
3179 m Didima Buttress Didima
3338 m Yodler's Peak I Didima Entire group
3338 m Yodler's Peak II Didima Entire group
3301 m Yodler's Ridge Peak Didima
3337 m Pampiring Didima Tony alone
3325 m Ships Prow Monk's Cowl Tony alone
3228 m Sombrero Injisuthi
3120 m Gypaetus Point Giant's Castle Tony alone
3294 m Mount Durnford Giant's Castle
3280 m Terateng Lotheni Tony alone
3267 m Litseketseke Spur Lotheni
3068 m Nhlangeni Peak Vergelegen Tony alone
3310 m Mohlesi Vergelegen Entire group
3324 m Sehonghong l Vergelegen Entire group
3309 m Sehonghong ll Vergelegen Tony alone
3344 m kaNtuba Buttress Vergelegen Tony alone
3101 m No Man's Peak Garden Castle
3096 m Isicatula Peak Bushman's Nek Entire group

I have noted the khulus which the entire group summited, and those which I summited alone. All others were summited by myself with at least one of Christine, Stephan and Lorinda (mostly with all three), except for Mahout, which Elaine and I summited.

The first khulu, Lorinda, Tony and Stephan on Ifidi.



The group taking a break on Black and Tan Wall summit.



Passes passed on the GT, in order of occurrence:

Chain Ladders
Ifidi Pass
Madonna Pass
Fangs Pass
Rwanqa Pass
Pins Pass
Mnweni Pass
Rockeries Pass
Nguza Pass
South Saddle Pass
Cockade Pass
Organ Pipes Pass
Ships Prow Pass
Leslie’s Pass
Bannerman Pass
Jarateng Pass Central
Jarateng Pass South
KaMasihlenga Pass
Mohlesi Pass
Nhlangeni Pass
KaNtuba Pass
Masubasuba Pass
Minaret Pass
Pitsaneng Pass North
Pitsaneng Pass South
Stones Pass North
Stones Pass South
Sandleni Pass
Mzimkhulu Pass North
Isicatula Pass
Thamathu Pass

These are the passes the group stood right at the top of and looked down (or used); passes that we could see at a distance (for example Thuthumi Pass which we looked down on passing above Roland's Cave) are not included.

Impressive list - thanks for sharing

Happy to see you got Ifidi this time. Memories of getting detached from the group after doing that one back in 2012...

As always, you write up a brilliant report...however this time you certainly have surpassed yourself.

Great images as well to document the entire trip, certainly a good resource for fellow hikers.

Thanks for the time putting this together.