It was renowned Polar explorer, Roald Amundsen, who said ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing’, and that doesn’t only hold true for polar exploration, but also Table Mountain hiking. If you only have one day available to hike Table Mountain and you wake up to find the mountain lost in rain and cloud, do not despair; simply layer up and hit the trail. The bad news is that you’re unlikely to get distant views. More bad news is that you’re going to have to endure some discomfort in the form of cold and wetness. The good news, in my opinion outweighs the bad: you’re going to experience the raw side of Table Mountain, see it like few people do. You’re going to have the mountain to yourself. You’re going to witness the formation of streams, cascades and waterfalls. You’re going to watch watercourses swell, some to torrents that thunders down the mountain. Most importantly, you will have conquered Table Mountain and set foot on the summit, flush with a sense of achievement, walk across the miry summit plateau in surreal surroundings, listen to the clicking and chirping of fogs and the hiss of cascading water. Hiking Table Mountain in these conditions is foolish and dangerous if you don’t know the mountain and you don’t take adequate precaution against the cold and rain, so best to team up with Table Mountain guides.
