DRAKENSBERG

2022-06-01 -

Pierre Jordaan and Nicolette Griffioen from Underberg write: We started our business, Mountain Abandon, in 2020. We’re both qualified adventure guides and certified coaches (running and triathlon but with a focus on mountain and trail running). Our aim is to share a love of movement and the magnificent Drakensberg with anyone who is willing and keen. In June 2021, we moved to Underberg for the winter. We arrived with the first snowfall of the season and before our boxes were even unpacked, we’d been invited to join a southern Berg snow mission (main picture). The following weekend found us knee-deep in snow and ascending towards the Devil’s Knuckles.

But that was just a taster… As mountain guides, we’re extremely weather conscious – a necessity in ensuring the safety of our clients. In order to hone our own mountaineering skills, we started planning something more extreme: We wanted to spend a night on the escarpment, above 3 000 m, during a blizzard.

We monitored the weather closely. In late August 2021, everything came together. We selected a pass that we knew well and embarked from Hermit’s Wood Campsite at 11.30 am. We were warmly dressed and moved fast for the initial few kilometres. As predicted, the first snowflakes fell at about 2 000 m (soon after lunch), but we continued upwards (pictured, right). As we approached 2 500 m, about halfway up Rhino Pass, the conditions intensified and within minutes we were surrounded by whiteness. We knew that keeping our core temperatures up was the key to survival. Route finding became trickier as the upper reaches of the pass were choked with “black ice” – a treacherous layer coating the stream and the rocks.

We eventually got to the summit of Mashai Pass and had to make a decision. With the prevailing conditions and our decreasing body temperatures, we knew that we wouldn’t make it safely across the escarpment to Mzimude Cave, which had been the initial plan. Instead, we quickly headed to the nearby Mashai Shelter, an overhang just big enough for two people, that provides a little bit of protection from the elements. We set up our bivvy sleeping systems underneath the overhang – our minimalist approach to this trip meant we didn’t have a tent… Finally, with water boiling and the scent of hot chocolate in the air, we could relax just a tad and settle down for the cold night ahead.

The skies started to clear and by 10 pm we had the most magnificent full moon view: Rhino Peak protruding about 2 km to our right and a white wonderland into Lesotho to the left.

With not a soul in sight, nor a whisper of wind, this frozen moment in time was one of the most memorable of our lives. We spent the remainder of the night shivering and waking frequently to knock snow drift off our sleeping bags. We were treated to a spectacular sunrise: shades of purple, pink and orange reflecting off the ice stalactites that had formed above our heads overnight.

With a clear sky but solidly frozen shoes, we set off down Mashai Pass, thinking we’d merely retrace our steps from the previous day. But it was astonishing to see how much snow had fallen in the previous 18 hours!

Our trail was barely visible and we had to move with extreme caution over the steep terrain. Eventually we exited the gully onto the lower and more forgiving slopes of the valley.

The morning sunshine was blissfully warm on our faces and before long we found ourselves trotting into the Garden Castle campsite, shoes only just thawed out. As I was signing the mountain register and informing the ranger of our safe return, I couldn’t help but laugh at what we’d just done… There, in the campsite, 10 m from the office, families were playing in the snow. Why had we climbed all the way to the top of the Berg to see it?

I guess the answer is because it’s what we like to do. We prefer to choose paths that test us and broaden our skill set. It’s better to put yourself in a situation that you’re prepared for, and practise dealing with it, than be caught off guard and be found wanting in the wilderness.

You can experience a Drakensberg snowfall any way you choose. You don’t necessarily have to venture far and high to witness the magnificence of the Dragon! But remember, never head into the mountains unprepared or oblivious to what nature might throw your way.

Follow them on Instagram (@the.flying.runner and @nicolette7g) and visit their website mountainabandon.com if you’re keen to go on a guided hike with them.