Legends of the Drakensberg

 

 

  

“PROUD TO VISIT THE MARGINS OF DEATH”

                                 ER

Legends of the Drakensberg

Once in a while the mountaineering world throws up a climber who, with no training or experience, produces the most sensational climbs from the very start of his climbing career, individualists who break all the rules, and yet who “get there”. Of such was George Thompson.

   Thompson was quite the most extraordinary climber ever to visit the KZN Drakensberg. He was a New Zealander who came out to this country in the early 1940’s. Fair haired, wiry, tough, he pitched up one day at Cathedral Peak Hotel and asked for a job. George was bricklayer by trade, and a deal was made. The only problem was that he had a bad heart, but he set to work. He was about 40 years of age.

   George had never climbed a mountain in his life before, though in New Zealand, where he was a keen fisherman, he used to descend difficult rocks to out-of-the-way fishing spots. In the intervals of building he would look up at the majestic peaks around him, and he soon decided to have A crack at them. He did not know the first thing about mountaineering. He did not know that you should never climb alone. He did not even know that you should always use a rope, especially for the descent, until the fellows of the Natal Mountain Club got hold of him and taught him. But he tackled alone, and without rope, and conquered, peak after peak in the Drakensberg that had never been climbed before.

   In spite of his bad heart he had tremendous energy and stamina. He was known to set out from the hotel at first light with a couple of companions, climb several peaks steadily, and without a break throughout the day, and arrive back just before dark. His companions were exhausted, but George promptly attacked a four-course dinner, and then danced well on into the small hours.

   His most remarkable climb was undoubtedly that of the Column. Have you ever seen the Column? It towers up, a terrifying 500 meters, from the Tseketseke valley, 500 meters of sheer, incredible rock, like a huge, protruding fang. Half-way up the face is protracted on all sides by a tremendous overhang. It had never been climbed, and according to every knowledgeable expert, never would be.

   One day in December 1945 George decided to have a go at it. He persuaded another young fellow to go with him, and together they made their way to the foot of the peak. Arrived there, his companion took one look at the staggering precipices towering into the sky above them, and said “Not on your life! You can break your neck if you want to, but not me!”

   So George proceeded to climb the peak alone, and without rope. Slowly, inch by inch, he worked his way up the sheer face of the peak, up and over the overhang, across the final slabs with scarcely a toe-hold, while his friend watched, spell-bound, from down below. At last he heaved himself over the final rocks on to the summit, and stood there, the first human being to do so, a tiny speck against the sky.

   If the ascent had been extraordinary, the descent, without rope, must have been terrifying, even for a man of George’s iron nerve. Soon after he left the summit on the way down, he lost his route. He found himself on a narrow ledge, less than a meter wide, with no way down from it and no way of reversing his climb and climbing back. He was alone, on top of a most exposed, detached peak, without a rope, and a sheer drop of 500 meters below him. The only hope was another ledge, about 3 meters below him, equally narrow. He knew he would have to jump it, and he knew with cold certainty, that it would be almost impossible to keep his balance once he landed on the ledge. But below that was a small bush, in a chimney, 12 meters down. He calculated that if he went over the ledge he might manage a “controlled fall”, with arms and legs pressed against the walls of the chimney, and that with luck he might be able to grab the bush as he falls past it. He didn’t liked the look of it, but said to himself, “George my boy, the longer you look at it, the worse it gets, so – just you jump!” He jumped, landed on the ridge, grabbed at a tuff of grass, which came away in his hand, and slid right down into the chimney. But as he went down he was able to grab at the small bush, and this saved him. He had sustained a nasty cut on the leg and was badly shaken, but that didn’t worry George! Calmly he continued his descent.

   His next pitch was an “F” standard grass pitch, 45 meters long, and horribly steep (an “F” standard grass pitch is more dangerous even than “F” standard rock, for rock is at least firm, while a grass slope at that angle offers neither foot nor hand-hold.). This was nearly as unpleasant as the chimney down which he had fallen, but he managed it, and then continued steadily on down severe rock until, several hours later, he was down and off the mountain. Two years later Jannie Graaff called the Column “In all probability the most difficult peak in the country.” And it had been climbed by a novice, solo, and without a rope!

   The Column taught George a lesson. It was after this that he began to learn the technique of roping, and soon he became an expert.

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 – “Barrier of Spears” – RO Pearse

Photos:  ©W Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser

Organ Pipes Pass - Central Drakensberg

 

 

"Some passes lead to summits. Organ Pipes leads to wonder."

 

Organ Pipes Pass

Central Drakensberg

The Stairway to the Cathedral

 

"Some passes take you to the escarpment. Organ Pipes takes you into the heart of the Drakensberg."

The Beginning

Every great mountain has its gateway.

For Cathedral Peak...

that gateway is the Camel.

The journey begins at Didima Camp, where the trail gradually climbs through montane grassland beneath towering cliffs. At first, the mountains seem distant.

Then, almost imperceptibly...

they begin to close around you.

Ahead stands one of South Africa's most recognisable mountains—

Cathedral Peak.

 

Why "The Camel"?

One of the Berg's most famous landmarks is the broad ridge leading toward Cathedral Peak. Seen from the right angle, it resembles the back of a kneeling camel. The resemblance is so striking that early hikers gave it the obvious name. For over a century, thousands of boots have crossed its "back."

Today...

The Camel has become almost as famous as Cathedral Peak itself.

 

A Geological Symphony

This is one of the finest places in the Berg to understand how these mountains were born.

Nearly 183 million years ago, enormous volcanic eruptions covered southern Africa with layer upon layer of basalt lava. These successive flows cooled into the hard, dark rock that forms today's escarpment.

Over millions of years, water, frost and gravity carved away the softer weaknesses.

The result...

The magnificent basalt buttresses of Cathedral Peak. The Organ Pipes themselves are spectacular examples of columnar jointing. As the lava cooled, it contracted into tall polygonal columns.

Nature built a cathedral. The basalt became its organ.

The Organ Pipes

Nothing prepares you for seeing them in person. Towering vertical columns rise hundreds of metres into the sky. Standing beneath them...

you understand immediately why they were named.

They resemble the giant pipes of a church organ. When mist drifts through them...

it almost feels as though the mountain itself is breathing.

 

The Pass

Unlike steep gullies such as Fangs or Corner...

Organ Pipes Pass is surprisingly logical. The route follows grassy slopes before entering rocky sections that wind naturally toward the escarpment.

Although never technically difficult...

It demands fitness. The altitude gain is substantial. The final approach always seems one rise further than expected.

 

Windy Gap

One of the best-known landmarks is Windy Gap.

Anyone who has stood there knows exactly why.

Even on calm days...

The wind often accelerates dramatically through the gap. It is here that many hikers first glimpse the vast Lesotho plateau beyond.

 

The Escarpment

Suddenly...

The climbing stops. The horizon opens. Behind you...

The cliffs fall away towards KwaZulu-Natal.

Ahead...

Lesotho stretches into infinity. Many hikers simply sit in silence. No words are needed.

 

Cathedral Peak

Although Organ Pipes reaches the escarpment...

Many continue to climb Cathedral Peak itself.

The summit has inspired generations of mountaineers since the first recorded ascent by members of the Mountain Club of South Africa in 1917, using what has become the standard route involving exposed scrambling and ladders near the summit.

Standing there...

You are surrounded by some of Africa's greatest mountain scenery.

 

The Bell Traverse

No story about Organ Pipes is complete without mentioning perhaps South Africa's most famous mountain traverse.

The Bell Traverse links Cathedral Peak with the Cathedral range in a spectacular route beneath soaring cliffs.

It is not technically extreme. But it demands confidence. Exposure accompanies every step.

Many experienced hikers regard it as the finest traverse in southern Africa.

 

San Heritage

Long before hikers...

The San knew these valleys intimately.

The Didima region contains one of the richest concentrations of San rock art in the Drakensberg. Nearby rock shelters preserve paintings that are hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years old.

These paintings are far more than decoration. They record spiritual beliefs, hunting traditions and ceremonies.

Whenever we walk these valleys...

We are following paths that people walked long before there were maps.

Flora

The Cathedral Peak region is a botanist's paradise.

In summer:

• Red hot pokers blaze across the slopes.
• Wild gladioli emerge after rain.
• Helichrysums perfume the air.
• Giant lobelias cling to rocky ledges.
• Proteas dominate the lower slopes.
• Delicate orchids appear where water seeps across the grasslands.

After a summer storm...

The mountains become a living garden.

Fauna

The wildlife remains remarkable.

Among the regular inhabitants are:

·       Bearded Vulture (Lammergeier)—one of Africa's rarest birds, often seen soaring effortlessly beneath the cliffs.

·       Verreaux's Eagle patrols the rock faces.

·       Eland, the largest antelope in Africa, still graze these slopes.

·       Troops of Chacma baboons inhabit the cliffs.

·       Rock hyrax (dassies) bask among the boulders.

And, if fortunate...

You may glimpse the shy Grey Rhebok on the higher grasslands.

 

Incidents and Mountain Rescue

Organ Pipes has seen its share of emergencies. Not because it is unusually dangerous. But because it is so popular.

 

Weather

The greatest hazard remains the weather.

Dense mist can engulf the escarpment within minutes. Navigation becomes difficult. Summer thunderstorms produce intense lightning. Winter brings snow and ice.

Falls

Although the pass itself is relatively straightforward, hikers venturing onto Cathedral Peak or the Bell Traverse have suffered falls over the decades.

Several rescue operations have involved climbers stranded on exposed sections of Cathedral Peak.

 

Exhaustion

Many parties underestimate the distance.

Attempting Organ Pipes and Cathedral Peak in a single day has led to numerous evacuations for exhaustion, dehydration and injury.

 

Helicopter Rescues

The Didima area has become one of the classic operating grounds for Mountain Club of South Africa Rescue teams working alongside the South African Air Force and later civilian helicopter services.

Strong winds, cloud and steep terrain have often made these rescues challenging. Every successful rescue is a tribute to the skill and courage of the crews.

First Ascents

Unlike technical peaks, passes rarely have a "first ascent."

For thousands of years, shepherds, hunters and San people moved through these mountains. The first recorded European exploration of the Cathedral Peak region occurred during the nineteenth century.

The first documented ascent of Cathedral Peak itself came in 1917, but the Camel and Organ Pipes route almost certainly saw human footsteps centuries before that.

There are mountain journeys.

Then there are pilgrimages.

Organ Pipes belongs to the second.

Nobody walks this route unchanged.

You begin beneath forests.

You cross the Camel.

You climb toward giant basalt organ pipes.

You emerge onto Africa's roof.

It is a journey through geological time.

Through human history.

Through your own thoughts.

 

"Organ Pipes Pass is far more than a route to the escarpment. It is one of the Drakensberg's great pilgrimages. Beginning on the broad back of the Camel, the trail climbs beneath towering basalt columns sculpted by volcanic fires nearly 183 million years ago. Along the way lie echoes of the San, rare mountain wildlife and the ever-present challenge of Berg weather. Those who reach Windy Gap and step onto the escarpment discover not only one of South Africa's finest mountain journeys, but also a place where geology, history and wilderness come together in perfect harmony."

 

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:   Drakensberg Wilderness – A Solo Journey Through Paradise –                               W Pelser

Photos:  ©Willem Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser