THE DRAKENSBERG

“IT HAD TO DO WITH HOW IT FELT TO BE IN THE WILD. THE EXPERIENCE WAS POWERFUL AND FUNDAMENTAL, AND AS LONG AS THE WILD EXIST IT WILL ALWAYS FEEL THIS WAY.”

UNKNOWN 

THE DRAKENSBERG

The highest point on the Drakensberg is the incongruously named Ntaba Ntlenyane (nice little mountain), which reaches a height of 3483 m. The whole summit of the basalt island is a jumble of spongy, water-soaked bogs, complex, zigzagging valleys, springs, waterfalls, streams, mist, snow and clouds, all inextricably mixed into a gigantic scenic symphony perfectly described by the greetings exchanged by the Sotho horsemen when they meet one another on the bridle paths which seem to reach almost to the stars: ‘Khotso’ (peace); and ‘Pula’ (rain).

   The most spectacular length of the Drakensberg looks down on KZN, Griqualand East and the north-eastern portion of the Cape. For 350 km the Drakensberg presents a high wall of basalt precipices. There are no easy ways over this mass of rock. The few passes are steep, zigzag routes following water-courses. Bridle paths, wilderness trails and tracks follow the contours along the lower slopes, but it takes a mountaineer to find a way to the summit of most of the peaks. In some areas mountain hotels and holiday resorts have been established. Other areas remain completely wild and difficult of access, and demand no little endurance from those with the energy to explore them.

   Snow can fall along the Drakensberg in any month of the year, but winter usually sees the heaviest falls. The summer months are marked by some of the noisiest and most spectacular thunderstorms occurring anywhere on earth. From November to May these violent storms break in two days out of three.

   Clouds start to close in for the brawl at about 11 a.m. Preliminaries commence at about 1 p.m. with a few bangs and buffets. By 2 p.m. there is a general uproar. To a hiker caught in such a storm is something like trying to shelter in a box of fireworks after somebody else has thrown in a match. Tremendous flashes of lightning seem to tear the sky to pieces. Thunder rumbles, explodes and echoes in an incessant uproar. Rain streaks down at over 50 km an hour, usually turning into hail at some stage, with lumps the size of pigeon’s eggs.

   Even more abruptly than they started, these mountain thunderstorms end. The clouds suddenly lift, there is a real flaming sunset and by evening all the stars are out, quite dazzling in the well-washed, pollution-free sky. Storms of longer duration, accompanied by days of clammy mist, also set in at times and bring an average rainfall of 2000 mm, the water soaking into the basalt and then oozing out to feed the rivers.

   The vegetation on the slopes, a thick covering of grass and a few shrubs, is sufficient hardy to be able to shrug off these storms – not, however, without many scars. Slopes with a southern aspect – the coldest slopes – are particularly marked by such storm scars. Bare, crescent-shaped terraces pattern the slopes in the thousands. Each of these neat little terraces is about 1 m wide and up to 10 m in length. They appear to be caused mainly by melted water from snow and frost. This icy water saturates the soil, causing it to sag and form these strange-looking scars, rather reminiscent of the incisions made on the faces of certain primitive tribespeople.

   The north-eastern end of the basalt ‘island’ is fittingly marked by an outstanding, fang-shaped peak known as the Sentinel. It is 3165 m high and a dominant landmark, visible from KZN and the Orange Free State. Behind it lies a high, boggy plateau overlooked by a gently rising height known as Mont-aux-Sources (the mountain of springs), around whose slopes dozens of springs bubble up and combine their clear waters to form several major rivers in South Africa flowing east and west.

   This great watershed has a notable atmosphere. Surrounded by clouds, often with summer thunderstorms exploding below the level of the summit, it seems to be a small world of its own, lost in space. Jagged peaks menace it on all sides. Snow blankets it thickly in the winter, while the summer months see its bogs decorated with many flowering plants, notably red-hot pokers and various species of Erica which flourish happily in alpine conditions of incessant rain, hail, snow and powerful winds.

   To the east, the plateau falls away in some of the most majestic precipes of the whole Drakensberg.

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

 

 

 

The End.

 

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book: Southern Africa – Land of Beauty and Splendour – Readers Digest

Photos:  ©Willem Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser

HIKING THE WILDERNESS - WHAT CAUSES MENTAL MOODS

 

“ENDURANCE IS NOT JUST THE ABILITY TO BEAR A GREAT THING……… BUT TO TURN IT INTO GLORY……..”

UNKNOWN

HIKING THE WILDERNESS

WHAT CAUSES MENTAL MOODS

There’s more to wilderness hiking fitness than just physical strength and flexibility. As all hikers know – you often go through a full range of mental states on a long day in the wilderness. But what causes these see-saws of mental mood? You have to look at it from your brain’s point of view.

You start

   Commonly the point when people feel the worst. This stage of the walk is the equivalent of a short-intensity workout, which catches the body unawares. Still struggling to adjust to the new level of activity, your brain has not yet started to release inhibitor molecules called endorphins – a natural equivalent of morphine – secreted into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

Brain control

   Spend five minutes doing gentle stretching exercises before you start to ease your body into the increasing level of activity.

You click into gear

   At some point during your initial slog, you will experience a second wind. Exercise-induced acidosis of the blood occurs, due to reduced oxygen flow to the muscles. This is detected by the pituitary gland, causing it to release endorphins which bind to pain receptors and suppress discomfort. This results in a mild state of euphoria, making you feel far better about the steepening slope ahead. While endorphin release isn’t governed by fitness, if you are out of shape you may not feel the effects of endorphins at all.

Brain control

   Don’t be fooled by the release of endorphins: the euphoria will tempt you to speed up your ascent, but it is far better to stick to a comfortable rhythm that you can sustain during the entire ascent.

You hit a knife-edge ridge

   That flutter in your stomach or the weak feeling in your knees is all down to the hormone adrenaline. Released by the adrenal glands on the kidneys, it attaches itself to receptor sites on your heart, brain, eyes and intestines. It kicks your heartbeat up a notch, dilates your pupils and reduce circulation to your intestine and stomach, leading to that wide-eyed nauseous feeling you get in high places. This allows extra oxygen to be redirected to the limbs, so you may feel agitated, jumpy or unusually energetic. This is known as the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome. It provides extra energy to the parts of your body that will get you out of harm’s way quickly – at the expense of areas that won’t immediately aid your escape, such as your digestive system.

Brain control

   Your butterfly-filled stomach is a physical result of your brain recognizing the danger and not because you are a whimp. Take deep slow breaths to improve oxygen intake.

You reach a false summit

   The exhaustion that takes hold at a false summit is a balance between physical and psychological fatigue. As you approach a point you believe is the end of your ascent, it’s common to increase activity in a final push for the top, in much the same way as an athlete will sprint the last few yards of a race, using up the last of your energy reserve. Discovering the summit lies ahead, up yet more ascent, can cause apathy and fatigue due to your reduced energy levels.

Brain control

   Eat a banana. It’s not only a good source of slow-release energy; it also contains tryptophan and vitamin B6, which together help your body to produce serotonin, a feel-good chemical that improves your mood.

You hit the high point

   The euphoria you experience on hitting a summit may not merely be the result of achieving a hard-earned goal, though this does have a lot to do with it. Research has linked this feeling with a substance called phenylethylamine, a chemical naturally produced in the brain that’s linked to the regulation of moods during exercise. An enzyme changes the chemical into phenylacetic acid, which has a similar chemical structure to amphetamines and can cross from the blood to the brain. It has been suggested that phenylacetic acid may be linked to the phenomenon known as ‘runners’ high’, a feeling experienced by many top athletes on completion of a race. This may make you think you are ready for another summit due to its seemingly revitalizing effects.

Brain control

   Be aware that your brain, awash with chemicals, may trick you into thinking you are less physically tired than you really are. Sit down for five minutes and have a snack before making any decisions.

You descend

   The jarring movement of descent are the most stressful on joints, and the endorphin production of the walk’s earlier stage slows or even ceases as your heart return to normal levels. This makes you increasingly aware of your aches and pains. The fitter you are, the less you will notice this; but if you are only an occasional hiker, descent may well be the most uncomfortable part of the walk.

Brain control

   Break the descent into several short sections, with a food reward for completing each. This goal-achievement will heighten your mood.

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

 

 

 

The End.

 

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – The Ultimate Hiking Skills Manual – Hinkes/Bagshaw

Photos: Willem Pelser

Compiled by Willem Pelser