All Table Mountain hikes are graded
Table Mountain hiking difficulty starts with understanding the route grades. A, A+, B, B+, C or C+. Grading denotes technicality, not physicality. Put differently, the grading gives you an indication of the hardest move required to complete the route, NOT how strenuous the route is. An A-grade route involves no technical difficulty, while a C+ route involves some elementary rock-climbing. Proper climbing (with ropes, gear and harness) are generally graded from D upwards. Some C-grade routes are less strenuous than A-grade routes, though more challenging in terms of technicality and usually exposure to heights.
What contributes to a routes difficulty?
When it comes to Table Mountain hiking, the following all contribute to a route’s difficulty: elevation gain / distance, terrain, technicality, exposure to heights. Only technicality is factored into the grade of a route. Rugged terrain (bush / loose rock) can add both to a routes technicality and physicality, and should not be underestimated. Exposure to heights can make a route difficult, not physically, but mentally – which in turn can make it feel harder physically. If you’re afraid of heights, you need to take into account the severity of exposure found along the route you intend to tackle.
Hiking outside your comfort zone?
To many, hiking Table Mountain is about the challenge as much as the views. The greater the challenge, the more sense of achievement to be had on the summit. But be realistic in the challenge you set yourself. An experienced mountain-guide can help with self-assessment and route selection, thereby optimizing your Table Mountain hiking experience. The best Table Mountain hikes are either strenuous or technical with some exposure to heights or scrambling. If you want to get the most out of the mountain, you have to be up for some sort of challenge, either in terms of pushing yourself physically or mentally. Motivation, determination and enthusiasm go a long way in tackling a route that takes you outside your comfort zone.
Table Mountain is not to be trifled with. For all its beauty and grandeur, it claims several lives each year. Many more hurt themselves or suffer all manner of ordeals. Most people grossly underestimate the mountain, thinking it to be tame – a misconception rooted in the proximity of the city and the presence of a cableway. Making use of a guide gives you peace of mind, allowing you to fully savour the experience.