COCKSCOMB CLIMB SEPT 2013
Fred Kohler
Jeremy Kohler and Sally Mitchley
Dirk and Jo-Anne
Graham Richards
John Nelson
This climb has been in the making since our Harkerville hike two months ago. Being allowed or invited on this hike is quite special. I have been fortunate enough to have been up this Eastern Cape landmark on previous occasions.
We left early Saturday morning 21st Sept. Graham left his car at my home, we fetched John and then all met at Fred's home. We left from Fred at about 5:30am. The drive to Cockscomb takes about two hours. There is a really long stretch of uneven, rocky and bumpy gravel road. Ahead you are able to see the mountain peak ahead. Quite imposing! My car temperature guage read 3degrees and then moved up to 6 degrees when we reached the foot of the mountain.
We parked our cars at the farmyard where the hike starts. Shouldered our backpacks and started the walk. The first section passes the hut and then we move along the bed of the stream. The stream was dry. After passing the disused windmill we cross the stream twice before starting the ascent. Fred led the way up this tough climb. Fortunately it was still early and cool. Those of us who had kept on a jacket were soom peeling layers off as we warmed up. I had come to terms with the fact that it would be a slow climb for me so I merely took one step at a time and made my way to the top at my own pace. The problem with this climb is that there is never a "top".
Each time you think that you have reached the top of a section you look up and see more climbing ahead. We made steady progress. While we heard later that there was a really strong wind blowing in PE, we had gusts but nothing like being buffeted around. Fred sets a steady pace. Pretty relentless in fact. However he would stop and regroup from time to time. We had one longish stop and took out something to eat.
The last section is also quite tough as there are some rocks and boulders to climb. We stopped just before the final ascent and could make out the Fence which we were aiming for. Once you are through the fence there is a final bit of rock climbing. Today the path was quite indistinct as a fire had killed off all the protea and other vegetation. We looked out for the Cairns and made our way across to the final climb. This is an "all fours" climb as you hoist yourself over the lip of the rocks, climb along a steep section where you are made safe by the ropes tied to stakes.
Finally we reach the cave. Every time I am up hear the cave takes my breath away. It is simply amazing. The height and depth and the structures in the cave are quite spectacular. We all set our matresses in place and then settle our sleeping bags and other comforts. Inside the cave it is chilly but as soon as you are in the sunlight you warm up. So we kind of found ourselves a rock or small place to sit and relax for a while. The sun warmed us up.
Across the valley we could see the extent of the damage caused by the fire. Where we would have walked in bush above our sightline, it was now barren. We could make out the path to the saddle on the other side of the valley. As we sat chatting in the sun I spotted a tiny Chameleon. It was perched on a blackened branch and had made itself almost invisible by merging in with the surrounding colour.
Fred suggested that we should attempt to climb to the peak of the mountain. I have never done this. I knew that it would be a tough climb and was hesitant but decided to carry on and that I would stop when I felt that I had reached my limit. Fred set off at pace. My left knee was particularly painful each time I stepped down so I was far behind him within minutes. They waited for me so I felt obliged to press on. Once we started the climb up to the saddle on the other side of the valley I felt a bit more comfortable and was able to keep up.
After the saddle there is still a VERY long climb to the peak. We started up an indistinct pathway. Following Fred. Sally and Jeremy seemed game. John was just behind them and I struggled at the back. It was not long before I saw this huge rockface ahead of me. John was on top, the others continued to climb. But that was it for me. John also (maybe in sympathy) decided that this was his limit. We climbed back down and then across the valley and back to the cave where we were greeted by a lazy group of sun-worshippers. After a shower and a bit of lazing on the rock next to the shower we joined the group in the cave for a lazy second half to the afternoon. We could see the trio coming back down. They then went over the ridge to the Mountain Club cave.
All of this sun and exercise made us rather sleepy but we managed to hold out until "the Boeing flew over" which it literally did (but a little later than was suitable for us. We lit an early fire, opened some snacks and beverages and had a really enjoyable end to the evening as the sun finally dipped over the mountain. It was still light in the sky but in the cave the temperature dropped quite drastically as the last rays of sun left us.
The Braai was excellent. I had crumbed chicken and veg, John had some venison wors and pork chops with sweet potato, Graham had chicken sosaties and veg. While the youger group had huge steaks and smash. Fred made his own appetising concoction on the stove. I was able to remain with the group for only a short while before sleep grabbed me and chucked me into my sleeping bag. And within seconds I was history. I had taken a pain killer for my knee which Jo Anne had given me. This and the red wine made for an extremely restful (and long) sleep.
Sunday morning 22nd Sept 2013.
I wake up a few times in the night but sleep really well. It is sunrise. The sun is bouncing off the east face of the mountain across the valley.
One by one the team starts to rise. First off is Ablutions and then Breakfast. I make some Oats so easy and banana followed by Tea and a rusk. We pack our stuff, tidy up the cave and head off back down the mountain. Graham and I take an early lead to get a bit ahead of the group. They catch up soon enough and we regroup with a stop before tackling the final descent.
The last part of the descent is reasonably difficult. There are a series of unseen drops ahead of us. Until we reach the last of the steep descents where the footing consists of loose shale. I consider each step before moving on. I am not nearly as confident on this trail as some of the group. At last we reach the stream where I find a small pool and have a bit of a face wash to cool off. The last little bit back to the cars is relatively easy. Unfortunately I have a flat tyre. We quickly replace the flat with the spare and say our goodbyes.
The Dirt road back is particularly long. I am not sure how far it is but I am cautious; more so now that I dont have a spare tyre. It seems endless. We have no sense of where we are or how much further to go. Each time we come around a bend we kind of think that we should be reaching the tar road, but no -- there is simply no end to the dirt road.
An interesting thing happened on our way home. We passed a flock of angora goats. The farmer was in the field with his two Collies who were hearding the goats. What was interesting to us was that the goats had different colour paint on their noses / faces. The farmers wife was in her bakkie and we asked about the painted goats. She explained that each of the colours (Blue; Green and Red) indicated a different week in which the goats had lambed.
Of course in the end we do reach the tar. Relief! It is a short easy drive from there. I drop John and then Graham who has left his car at our house. What a great weekend: thanks Fred and the rest of the team. ininAnd thanks Frans for allowing us to be up there.
Nice blog Peter, thank you for documenting our hike. We look forward to the next one. Dirk and Joanne
ReplyDelete