Drakensberg Wilderness Hiking South Africa - Mountain of the Dragons - Where Adventure beckons.....: THE DRAGON’S WRATH

Quathlamba

“A mass of Spears. Named thus by the Zulu warriors before the white man came. Today called the Drakensberg, Mountains of the Dragon. Evocative names, both equally applicable to South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.”

“Listen to the streams as they gurgle from their cradles and you will hear the story of the mountains. You will hear fascinating tales if only you listen! Lie next to a stream and listen to the song of the mountains. The smiling faces of the flowers, dancing in the wind. Venture into the remote valleys or stand on a peak at sunrise or sunset, after snow has fallen, and you will hear a song that you will never forget - the Song of the High Mountain".

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

“THE MOUNTAINS ARE MY BONES; THE RIVERS ARE MY VEINS,

THE FORESTS ARE MY THOUGHTS AND THE STARS ARE MY DREAMS,

THE WILDERNESS IS MY HEART, IT IS MY PULSE,

THE SONGS OF THE WILDERNESS WRITE THE MUSIC OF MY SOUL.”

UNKNOWN

THE DRAGON’S WRATH

STATISTICS OF DRAKENSBERG ACCIDENTS

According to records compiled a while ago (before and up to 1997), there have been 72 fatalities in the Drakensberg and Little Berg over the years. Sixty-seven of these have resulted from falls, rockfalls, lightning, floods, illnesses, snakebite, blizzards, and fire. The cause of death in the case of five people who simply disappeared in the mountains is not known. A further 18 people have been killed in 11 aircraft accidents in the mountains.

Research found that many accidents reported in the Press as “Berg dramas” were minor incidents. In deciding whether an incident should be recorded (this article), rescues are looked at. If the victim was brought in by helicopter, the Mountain club’s rescue team, on a stretcher, or had to receive hospital treatment, it is included as an incident.

These incidents provide so many variations that to draw statistical conclusions from the figures is almost impossible. The highest numbers of deaths have resulted from falls recorded. But what is a fall? Some deaths have been of trained mountaineers falling from the high peaks because of rock friability or equipment failure. Some deaths have been through hikers simply tripping while walking along paths as wide as central city sidewalks. Nearly a dozen of those killed were climbing alone or had strayed from parties. Two were roped together on a climb. One man fell thirty meters but a post mortem examination showed he had suffered a heart attack.

Thirteen rockfalls have resulted in three deaths. Rockfalls in the high mountains have injured climbers. On the other hand, a women hiker stood on a rock which rolled. She pitched forward and the rock rolled onto her, causing injuries from which she died.

Two people have drowned trying to cross flooded rivers. Three others died in a flood – either drowned or crushed by the grinding boulders swept along by the floodwaters. Eleven people have become seriously ill in the Drakensberg; five of them died of pneumonia or heart attacks, one died from heat exhaustion. Some of the seriously ill improved as their rescuers brought them down to lower altitudes – a sure sign of altitude sickness. The survival rate for the ill has improved since helicopters have been able to lift them to medical help.

Missing persons number five. A minister of religion, an entomologist, and two tourists went walking and were never seen again. A person was reported found – but not missing! A skeleton with leather shorts and a pocketful of gold sovereigns was found on the side of a mountain. Who was this rich man?

Where and when accidents occurred is proportional to area and seasonal patronage. In trying to localize these for statistical purposes it is impossible to pinpoint each incident. They are therefore placed in broad area bands. By 1983, most incidents had taken place in the Royal Natal National Park and nearby Sentinel/Mont-aux-Sources area, followed by the Cathedral Peak area. By June 1995, Cathedral Peak had emerged as the area where most of the then 160 incidents had taken place and National Park/Mont-aux-Sources was second with 45. Third in the listing is the Champagne Castle/ Cathkin/Monks Cowl area with 27 incidents. They are followed by Mnweni, Injasuthi, Giants Castle, Lotheni, Cobham, and Bushman’s Neck.

In the 1983 figures October and December (school and Christmas holidays) were the months in which most accidents had taken place. They were followed by April (Easter holidays). Since then January has joined April as being the months in which most accidents happened, with 23 each.

The statistics also show what an enormous debt of gratitude those who seek recreation and adventure in the Drakensberg owe to the men and women of the Mountain Club, and to the pilots of various South African Air Force helicopter squadrons. The first rescue involving members of the club was in 1930, when they carried Sally Walker out of the mountains. Since then they have responded to calls for help many times. They have brought back lots of bodies. Many people have been brought safely out of the mountains, many of them on stretchers.

The South African Air Force has responded to the call for help in the mountains many times since assisting the Mountain Club’s rescue team recover a climber’s body in 1963. The SAAF will sometimes throw more than one helicopter into a search. The hunt for the Harrison group, lost during the big freeze in 1988, saw two Puma and three Alouettes in the air over the Drakensberg.

The very few incidents up to the early 1940’s were almost exclusively among mountaineers, that limited band of people prepared to travel over dreadful roads to the mountains for recreational purposes. From the 1940’s patronage increased enormously, with the paths and trails of the Little Berg also becoming popular with inexperienced hikers. In spite of this, it is still safe to say, statistically, the Drakensberg is a safer place than most cities in the world.

Then again, do not be ill-prepared or take chances. By doing so, you will incur the Wrath of the Dragon and become part of the statistics. The Drakensberg does not tolerate fools.

The End.

Safe Hiking.