If you are not interested in all the detail and just want the downloads you can get the dowloads here.
On the 2nd of February 2019 an intrepid team of FASYG members will be making a second attempt at the Northern Berg Traverse. The team will take on the 65km route between Sentinel Car Park and Cathedral Peak Hotel. You can find everything you need to know about the trip right here.
The Route
The route starts at Sentinel Car Park and proceeds via the switchbacks to the chain ladders and then up onto the escarpment. From the top of the chain ladders it is on to Thukela (Tugela) Falls. The plan is to continue along the escarpment passing features like Mount Amery, Singati Wall, Ifidi, Icidi, Stimela, Mbundini, Fangs, Rwanqa, and Pins. The route descends via Mlambonja Pass and onto the finish at Cathedral Peak Hotel.
If the GPX file is to be believed the route is 62.6km’s long, includes 2792m of ascent, 3860m of descent and has a maximum elevation of 3191m above sea level. Previous experience suggests that the actual distance will be a little further and that the ascent and descent figures will be a little less than predicted. A comparison of the as run GPX with the planned GPX will reveal all. The route profile is depicted below:
The length of the route and the limitations of what can be shown on the screen mean that a picture of the mapped route makes no sense here. Links to downloadable files are provided below which give a full “atlas” of the route. Here is a satellite image showing the route. The green branch represents a potential diversion for those wishing to spend the night in a cave:
The Plan
The team will depart Johannesburg on Friday the 1st of February and will travel to Witsieshoek mountain lodge. A transfer to Sentinel Car Park has been arranged for 5am on Saturday morning. The plan is to be running by 6am. The world class, world renowned second “Slim Jim” will drive from Witsieshoek to Cathedral Peak Hotel while the runners make their way across the escarpment. At some point relatively close to Cathedral Peak the running group will split into two groups with one group spending the night in a cave and the other proceeding to Cathedral Peak Hotel. Slim Jim will transport the second group from Cathedral Peak Hotel to Berg Backpackers and will provide one of his Michelin star rated meals to what will no doubt be a rather hungry crew.
The first running group will descend to Cathedral Peak Hotel at first light on Sunday morning and Slim Jim or one of the second group of runners will collect the first group at Cathedral Peak Hotel and transport them to Berg Backpackers for a hot shower.
The whole crew will then return to Johannesburg.
Resources
GPX files, maps, and route profiles can be found here.