DEVIL’S TOOTH - DRAKENSBERG

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

“MOUNTAINS ARE NEVER REALLY CONQUERED. RATHER THEY ARE CONFRONTED AND FOR A BRIEF MOMENT STOOD UPON.”

UNKNOWN

Devil’s Tooth from Tooth Gully

DEVIL’S TOOTH

DRAKENSBERG

Taking into account beauty, stature, technical difficulty, approach, reputation, exposure and mountaineering challenges, the Devil’s Tooth is regarded by many mountaineers as the peak of peaks in southern Africa. This sinister looking spire, piercing nearly 3 000 metres into the sky, stands affixed between two molar-like freestanding peaks, Eastern Buttress and Inner Tower. These three peaks form an extruding ridge flanking the eastern end of the Amphitheater, while the Sentinel and the lesser Western Buttress form the feature’s western edge. It is in this fantastic setting, that the Tooth points heavenward.

   

Mist envelopes the Devil’s Tooth

   Taking into account beauty, stature, technical difficulty, approach, reputation, exposure and mountaineering challenges, the Devil’s Tooth is regarded by many mountaineers as the peak of peaks in southern Africa. This sinister looking spire, piercing nearly 3 000 metres into the sky, stands affixed between two molar-like freestanding peaks, Eastern Buttress and Inner Tower. These three peaks form an extruding ridge flanking the eastern end of the Amphitheater, while the Sentinel and the lesser Western Buttress form the feature’s western edge. It is in this fantastic setting, that the Tooth points heavenward.

   The lonely summit, roughly the size of a double bed, remains for the most part hidden by the enormous peaks that stand to either side of it. When visible from below, the thin line of basalt rock silhouetted against the skyline lies distant and high above, particularly when viewed from amidst the rushing waters of the restless Tugela River.

Climbing the unclimbable

   For those who aspire to its final reaches, the Devil’s Tooth is situated in an extremely inaccessible position. Near vertical slopes of grass and rock sweep down into KZN on both sides of the peak, incised by treacherous gullies fraught with waterfalls and boulder strewn valleys, Classically proportioned, the peak itself is a thin, rounded column, with no discerning features such as faults, gullies or ridges. The lower sections are for the most part undercut and overhanging, while the upper sections are relatively more on-angled and less challenging. Between the peak and the Inner Tower, a smaller replica of the Tooth, known as the Toothpick, flanks its western wall.

   For many years the Devil’s Tooth was considered unclimbable. Pioneers of the 1800’s did not even consider attempting it. But the lure of such a pristine summit soon caught the imagination of ambitious summiteers. As with the Matterhorn in 1865, the Tooth soon became the greatest unclimbed summit in its range. Despite many attempts in the 1940’s, the Devil’s Tooth remained unconquered in the middle of the century. Of all the major climbing summits in the Dragon Mountains, only she and her equally challenging sisters, the Injasuthi Triplets, stood unscaled.

Devil’s Tooth from Inner Tower

   The main obstacle on the Tooth is an overhanging barrier that surrounds the lower reaches of the tower. This was finally breached in August 1950 by a team of three highly experienced mountaineers. The three climbers spend five hours on the crux, making use of bold and innovative, if not very graceful, climbing and aid techniques. To this day this route is still the only line established on the peak. It remains a testing, timeless and classic climb. Negotiating the overhangs via a bulging recess on the Tugela Gorge side, the crux is aided, made all the more severe since half of the pitch fell off in the 1980’s.

   There is great scope for new routes and the Tooth is likely to be a focal point of future climbing developments in southern Africa, luring summiteers full of courage, innovation and determination.

Devil’s Tooth Route

1   First climbed:   1950

2   Grade:    F3/A1

From the neck between the Tooth and the Inner Tower, descend to below the Toothpick. The route begins below the base of the gully separating the Tooth and the Toothpick, about 7 metres to the left.

‘Danger and Delight grow on one stalk’

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – “Serpent Spires” – D Souchon

Photos:  “Serpent Spires” – D Souchon

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser