Gallery | Hike Table Mountain

August 27, 2018 | by Riaan | Comments Off

Winter ‘sunrise’ from Kasteelspoort. #kasteels

Winter ‘sunrise’ from Kasteelspoort. #kasteelspoort #kasteelspoorthike #kasteelspoortroute #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #capetownhiking #capetownhikes #tablemountaintrails #twelveapostleshiking

A spot of guiding up Myburgh’s Waterfall Ravine.

A spot of guiding up Myburgh’s Waterfall Ravine. Clarisse from Pretoria loving the diversity. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainroutes #myburghswaterfallravine #capetownhiking #tablemountainhikingroutes #capetownnature

Unrecognizable. Table Mountain from the back. #ora

Unrecognizable. Table Mountain from the back. #orangekloof #orangekloofhike #tablemountainhike #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #capetownhikes #capetownnature #capetownhiking

Four more routes ascended in the HTM Route Challen

Four more routes ascended in the HTM Route Challenge, now totaling 84 / 101 routes. 1. Frustration Buttress, a mediocre scramble on an impressive Orange Kloof buttress. Got its name in 1935 from climbers who met with frustration a mere 4 meters from the top of their new route. 2. Hawk Ridge, a forgotten old route that features a stellar scramble pitch adrift in a sea of bush. Ponderous progress throughout. 3. Rooikat Ravine. One of the easiest routes opened by climbing prodigy of the early 1900s, George Travers-Jackson. 4. Cecilia Gorge. The largest ravine on the southeastern flank of the mountain. Location of the well-known Cecilia Waterfall. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikingroutes #tablemountaintrails #capetownhikes #capetownhiking

Fun family all the way from Oakland, New Jersey hi

Fun family all the way from Oakland, New Jersey high up India Venster in moody conditions. #indiavensterroute #indiavensterhike #indiavenstertrail #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikingroutes #capetownhiking #capetownhikes

Rainy day sunrise. #indiavensterroute #indiavenste

Rainy day sunrise. #indiavensterroute #indiavenstertrail #indiavenster #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhikingtrails #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #capetownhiking #capetownhikes

Bee 🐝 in the moment. Waboom protea buzzing with

Bee 🐝 in the moment. Waboom protea buzzing with activity at dawn. #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainfauna #tablemountainflora #proteanitida #waboom #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #indiavensterroute #indiavenstertrail #capetownnature #capetownhiking

Two more routes added to the Hike Table Mountain r

Two more routes added to the Hike Table Mountain route challenge. Completed, the tally stands at 80 / 101.

1. Porcupine Anvil. Leads up the lower portion of Porcupine Buttress, first and highest of the Twelve Apostles. Packs a lot of spice for a relatively short route. Difficulties are concentrated and include narrow ledges, chimneys, corner cracks, bulges, faces, a step-over and a wormhole, some with considerable exposure. The photo shows the (in)famous step-over, where one’s faltering efforts in executing the awkward moves often provides hilarity to fellow climbers.

2. Orange Ridge. Like Anvil, straddles our difficulty cut-off: D grade in the 1935 Mountain Club Journal and C in the 1952 Mountain Club route book. The latter being our definitive reference, we readily included it and ended up taking the rough with the smooth on what turned out to be a laborious climb. Opened in 1935 on a remote part of the mountain, it likely hasn’t seen climbers in decades. The kind of route you remember, but not repeat.

Note: The above Orange Kloof route is closed to the public. Special, once-off permission has been obtained from SANParks. #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikingroutes #capetownhiking #capetownhikingtrails #tablemountainscrambling

Four more routes completed in the Hike Table Mount

Four more routes completed in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, now totaling 78 / 99 routes.

1. Hout Bay Corner. A superb scramble route up the southwestern extremity of the Table Mountain massif. Initially omitted from the challenge for its D-grade first pitch, nowadays bypassed to keep it pleasant C-grade. In the spirit of purism, we climbed the D-pitch to find it harder (not surprisingly) than any thus far encountered in the challenge.
2. Llandudno Gorge. Steep and straight as a chute, with loose and shattered rock all the way. Redeemed by dramatic surroundings and views.
3. Grove Walk. Slightly more than a walk. Leads up nondescript slope on the southern Apostles.
4. Grove Ridge. Swings into action with a stack of exciting scramble pitches on a blunt ridge. Runs out of rock midway up before finishing with a flourish of interest. Very rarely done. #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainhikingroutes #tablemountainscrambling #capetownhikes #capetownhiking #capetownhikingroutes

A happy family of Chicagoans midway up India Venst

A happy family of Chicagoans midway up India Venster, the summit appearing as a pointy peak above ethereal cloud. #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #hikingtablemountain #indiavensterroute #indiavenstertrail #indiavensterhike #indiavensterhikingtrail #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainadventure #capetownhikes #capetownhiking #tablemountainroutes #capetownhikingtrails

Six more routes completed in the Hike Table Mounta

Six more routes completed in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, totaling 74 / 99.

1 and 2. Myburgh’s Corner. One of five corner routes that pegs out the 40km circumference of Table Mountain (the others being Constantia Corner, Saddle Corner, Kloof Corner and Hout Bay Corner). A blunt, bushy ridge steepens to a spicy scramble that quickly dispels the tedium of the lower section. Above, a sweeping ridge leads to the summit, offering congenial morsels of scrambling in a setting that enchants and entrances in equal measure. Very rarely done.
3. Myburgh’s Kloof. Formerly Myburgh’s Waterfall Ravine. Cuts up the foot end of the Twelve Apostles, featuring two waterfalls in winter and an attractive swathe of indigenous forest.
4 and 5. Orange Kloof (Watercourse). It took two separate outings to follow the Disa Stream (Table Mountain’s largest stream) from the edge of Hout Bay to the Woodhead Reservoir on the lower plateau. A veritable lost world marked by pristine equatorial lushness. The first winter rains added considerable spice to the upper reaches, above the point where the Apostles Tunnel captures most of the Disa’s waters. Rarely done in its entirety.
6. Orange Kloof (Path). The via normale into Orange Kloof. Leads from Constantia Nek to the Woodhead Reservoir.
7. Fragrant berg buchu along the Original Disa Stream, largest tributary of the Disa Stream. Leads up to the De Villiers Reservoir through patchy forest. Unpleasant (except for the buchu).
8. Cecilia Ridge. Described in the Mountain Club’s 1952 Route Book as ‘an uninteresting bushy slope’, it nowadays features a neat trail, improving it to an uninteresting slope. #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #orangekloof #tablemountainadventure #disastream #tablemountainforest #afromontaneforest #capetownnature #capetownhikes #capetownhiking #tablemountainhikingroutes #buchu #agothosma #hikecapetown #orangekloofhikes

Superb morning up Blind Gully with this winning co

Superb morning up Blind Gully with this winning couple from Colorado. Two black eagles and zero other hikers encountered. With a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to crown the experience. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #blindgully #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainoffthebeatentrack #tablemountainhikingroutes

India Venster serving up a few gems. Brilliant mor

India Venster serving up a few gems. Brilliant morning out guiding Jeff and Karen from Boston. 1. A Brocken Spectre, an atmospheric phenomenon occurring when sunlight coming from behind a person falls onto mist or fog. 2. The gendarme (a pinnacle on the side of a cliff) on Fountain Ledge, looking like a seated giant staring out to sea. 3. The plateau-like flatness of Table Mountain’s famous tabular summit, seen in the vicinity where India Venster tops out. 4. The King protea, South Africa’s national flower. #indiavensterhike #indiavenster #indiavensterroute #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainguide #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainadventure #kingprotea #proteacynaroides #brockenspectre #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikingroutes

Table Mountain’s diverse landscapes and views ma

Table Mountain’s diverse landscapes and views make it a hiker’s paradise. #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainviews #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hiketablemountain #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikingtrails #tablemountainhikingroutes #tablemountainviewpoints #capetownviews #capetownnature

A rare view of Table Mountain - from the far back

A rare view of Table Mountain - from the far back - its famous tabletop summit visible in the distance. The mountain covers a vast area, much of it pristine wilderness. With a 40km circumference, it’s much bigger than city views onto the iconic front lead you to believe. Frogs can be heard clicking and chirping in the marshes. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #capetownnature #capetownhiking #hikecapetown #tablemountainexplore

Scrambling up the lower section of Bosch Kloof Nee

Scrambling up the lower section of Bosch Kloof Needle below the climbing pitches. #hikingtablemountain #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainoffthebeatentrack #tablemountainscrambling #capetownadventure #capetownnature #12apostleshikingroutes #12apostleshikes

From primeval forest to sun-baked crag. Five more

From primeval forest to sun-baked crag. Five more routes completed in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, bringing the total to 68 / 99.

1. Bosch Kloof. A small, forested ravine tucked away on the remote southern Apostles. Inaccessible and hence rarely ascended. Bosch Kloof (Dutch for grove / forest ravine) was pioneered in 1911 by Ken Cameron, prominent and prolific climber of the time, but likely named sometime in the 1700s by the Dutch owner of the erstwhile farm Oudekraal, located on the slopes below the ravine.
2. Bosch Gully. Small, bushy, infested with Blister Bush. And nondescript but for a massive boulder wedged treacherously midway up. Another Cameron route (though it hardly deserves the title), opened on the descent. Possibly the most worthless route on Table Mountain.
3. Spot the climber. Bosch Kloof Needle. A superb route up what must be Table Mountain’s most striking pinnacle. More a rock-climb than a scramble, it offers sensational positions in a wild setting. Yet another Cameron route, certainly one of his best.
4. Needle Ravine. An open ravine that offers an easy, though tedious descent.
5. Spot the hiker. Frustration Gorge. The only frustration about this beautiful ravine is that it’s over too soon. Leads up from Orange Kloof through pristine indigenous forest reminiscent of the Amazon. Tops out on the 12 Apostles, where you’re greeted by sea views.
#hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainadventure #frustrationgorge #orangekloof #12apostlesroutes #12apostleshikes #capetownhiking #capetownhikingroutes #tablemountainguides #tablemountainhike

High up on India Venster, one of the best half-day

High up on India Venster, one of the best half-day routes up Table Mountain - if you have a decent head for heights. The route packs superb views, dramatic settings and a healthy dose of adventure. Few people know its intriguing history. India Venster, originally named Venster-India, is a composite route that evolved from two very old routes, Venster Buttress and India Waterfall, opened in 1898 and 1904 respectively. What caused the link-up? A mere 2 meters of vertical rock. Join us on a hike for the full story... #indiavenster #indiavensterroute #indiavensterhike #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikingroutes #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainviews #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainhistory #tablemountainadventure #capetownhiking #capetownhikes #tablemountainguides

Old, moss-grown cairns on forgotten routes far off

Old, moss-grown cairns on forgotten routes far off the beaten track have become a regular occurrence in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge. Built around a century ago, often in a distinctive style, these little rock stacks still assist with route-finding. They’re often all that remain of a route, other than a token reference in the 1952 Mountain Club route book.

Three more routes completed, totaling 63 / 99:

1. Hout Bay Face. Seldom done, if ever. Takes a beeline up the foot end of the 12 Apostles range, serving up some spicy scrambling.
2. Myburgh’s Buttress. A solitary scramble pitch adrift on nondescript slope. Best done in the spirit of trying everything at least once.
3. Long Kloof. Exquisite indigenous forest in the lower reaches falls away all too soon, leaving you stranded in dense shrub.
4. A fragment of Table Mountain history. A cairn marking the summit of Myburgh’s Buttress. Likely built in 1935, the year the route was first recorded. The extent to which lichen (open locations) or moss (shaded / forest locations) covers the openings between the rocks gives an indication of a cairn’s age. Discoloration of the underlying rocks is a second indicator. And often style, a third. Solidity is a fourth: back in the day cairns were built to last, and mountaineers took pride in their handiwork. Modern-day cairns are often delicate structures easily toppled by the ravages of mountain weather. #hiketablemountain #orangekloof #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainhistory #capetownhikes #capetownhiking #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainoffthebeatentrack

Searching for the ancient bifurcation of the Disa

Searching for the ancient bifurcation of the Disa Stream, Table Mountain’s largest watercourse. At some point in the distant past, the Disa captured the waters of another primary stream, now called the Original Disa Stream, severing it from the mother stream and greatly reducing its flow. A privilege formulating working hypotheses with geology professor John Compton, author of The Rocks and Mountains of Cape Town, Human Origins and West Coast: A Natural History. The photo shows the Victoria reservoir minus its water, located on the Back Table at the source of the Original Disa Stream. #tablemountaingeology #tablemountainstreams #tablemountainexplore #tablemountainhikes #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #victoriareservoir #johncomptonbooks #tablemountainhistory

Braving a cold, wet Southeaster to complete four m

Braving a cold, wet Southeaster to complete four more routes in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, totaling 60 / 99 routes.

1. Corridor Ravine. A broad, open ravine presenting no challenges. Convenient as a descent.
2. Corridor Face, a fun scramble route up to the sensational prow-like summit of Corridor Buttress. Seldom done and not for lack of merit.
3. Oudekraal Ravine. Tucked away beneath Corridor Buttress’ towering south face. A nondescript ascent redeemed by dramatic surroundings.
4. Spot the hiker. Oudekraal Ridge. A small, blunt ridge offering a few morsels of scrambling. No shortfall in setting or views. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #corridorravine #oudekraalravine #12apostleshiking #tablemountainexplore #12apostlesroutes #capetownnature #capetownhiking

Making inroads into the unfrequented southern Apos

Making inroads into the unfrequented southern Apostles. Four more routes completed in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, bringing the total to 56 / 99.

1. Victoria Gully. Tucked away between Victoria Buttress and Separation Buttress, two lesser known ‘apostles’ on the Twelve Apostles range. A delightful little scramble on a remote part of the mountain. The long approach should be treated as a route in itself, the gully as the final flourish.
2. Victoria Ravine. A broad, open ravine presenting no difficulties. Leads up under Separation Buttress’ imposing south face.
3. Hairpin. In my opinion, the remotest and most inaccessible hiking / scramble route on Table Mountain. Opened in 1927 and described as an ‘extremely pleasant climb’ in the 1930 Mountain Club Journal, our experience of it was somewhat different. The overall ascent can flatly be described as an interminable approach with a bit of scruffy route on top. But then you look around at the wild and dramatic scenery, and it all becomes very worthwhile. The route name is a mystery: at no point does it make a U-bend suggestive of a hairpin.
4. Myburgh’s Waterfall Ravine. Named after Hugo Hendrik Myburgh, who farmed near the foot of the ravine in the late 1800s. Formerly known as Long Kloof, now the name of the adjacent ravine. One of the most beautiful ravines on Table Mountain, thick with indigenous forest, at one point narrowing to a corridor with sheer, uniform sides. Leads into a charming hanging valley where the choral chirps and clicks of frogs greet you in winter. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #12apostleshiking #12apostleshikingroutes #victoriagully #myburghswaterfallravine #capetownhiking #capetownnature #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainexplore #twelveapostleshiking #tablemountainscrambles #tablemountainhikingroutes

View north from the slopes of the southern Apostle

View north from the slopes of the southern Apostles. Lion’s Head adrift on a sea of cloud. A portion of Table Mountain’s tabular summit visible in the distance. Join us on a journey of exploration and discovery through wildest Table Mountain. Experience the mountain like few people ever do. Get far off the beaten track and immerse yourself in wilderness. Soak up the solitude and enjoy communion with nature. Get to know the soul of Table Mountain. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainexplore #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainguide #tablemountainexperiences #tablemountainroutes #capetownnature #tablemountainviews #capetownhiking #capetownhikes #twelveapostleshiking

Another 6 routes take us to 52 / 99 in the Hike Ta

Another 6 routes take us to 52 / 99 in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge.

1. Orange Buttress (Orange Kloof), a fun scramble up the crest of the buttress. Very rarely done.
2. Spot the hiker. Bosky Buttress (Orange Kloof), an open buttress presenting no difficulties. Tops out at remote meadowlands southeast of Grootkop.
3. Llandudno Ravine (right-hand branch). Short and sweet in an impressive setting.
4. Llandudno Ravine (left-hand branch), the quickest and most popular route up the southernmost Apostles
5. Bee Buttress, a challenging scramble route on great rock. Slightly contrived, but happily overlooked on the sensational top pitch.
6. Llandudno Buttress. It took two separate outings to locate the elusive upper pitches of this stellar route. Nowadays done as a composite route, bypassing the ingenious and intimidating top section via a link-up to the easy top pitch of Llandudno Ravine (right-hand branch). This hybrid route has become the modern Llandudno Buttress - described even in guidebooks - as no one ever suspected the existence of a direct continuation to the lower section. Unearthing two exceptional C-grade pitches from the depths of obscurity, thereby solving the mystery of the forgotten top section, gave us one of our best experiences thus far in the challenge. Note: The above Orange Kloof routes are closed to the public. Special, once-off permission has been obtained from SANParks. #hiketablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #orangekloof #llandudnoravine #tablemountaintrails #capetownhiking #capetownnature #capetownadventure #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainoffthebeatentrack #tablemountainhikingroutes

The perfect setting for Conan Doyle’s ‘The Los

The perfect setting for Conan Doyle’s ‘The Lost World’. A rare angle into Orange Kloof, a pristine wilderness at the back of Table Mountain - worlds apart from the front. #orangekloof #hiketablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainexplore #tablemountainadventure #capetownnature #capetownhiking #capetownhikes #tablemountainroutes #afromontaneforest

Orange Kloof, a secluded valley at the back of Tab

Orange Kloof, a secluded valley at the back of Table Mountain, serves up enchantment and adventure in equal measure. Its main attraction: pristine indigenous forest, 700mm rainfall short of classification as a rainforest, but zero shortfall in appearance. Five more routes completed in the HTM route challenge, bringing the total to 46 / 99.

1. Orange Gully (Orange Kloof): a rugged though non-technical ascent through Tolkienesque forest.
2. Black Slab Gully (Orange Kloof): Impressive from below, less so as a route. A nifty traverse midway up provides welcome sensation. The views high up and the solitude where it tops out redeem an otherwise mediocre route.
3. Orange Face (Orange Kloof): A wild and difficult route slung across the center back of Table Mountain. Unattractive, yet exotic through a combination of equatorial lushness and constant exposure to heights.
4. Klaasen Buttress (Orange Kloof). A delightful scramble to the buttress’ labyrinthine summit, offering mesmerizing views across Orange Kloof.
5. Bridle Path. A very old route steeped in history. Ascended on horseback as early as 1798 - the first horse ride up Table Mountain. Two years later, Dirk van Renin repeated the stunt, arriving on the summit to find Lady Anne Barnard sketching landscapes. She described him as ‘very lazy, very large and fat’. James Holman’s ride in 1829 was exceptional as he was totally blind. In 1928, A. P. Cartwright thought it suitable for cars and proceeded to drive his Baby Austin up there, an antic that took all of 4 hours. In 1937, Sydney Jarman cycled to the summit, aged 72. An easy route to the Back Table and therefore very popular. Note: The above Orange Kloof routes are closed to the public. Special, once-off permission has been obtained from SANParks. #orangekloof #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainadventure #tablemountainroutes #capetownhiking #capetownhikes #afromontaneforest

An exciting development in the Hike Table Mountain

An exciting development in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge: South Africa National Parks have very kindly granted us unrestricted access to Orange Kloof, a protected area at the back of Table Mountain. This opens up 12 additional routes not allowed under the standard permit system, bringing the total route count to 99. One route, Slangolie Gully, has been struck from the list (for reasons outlined below). We’ve replaced it with Hout Bay Corner, a classic scramble route originally omitted from the challenge for its single D-grade first pitch (nowadays bypassed).

Two more routes completed, bringing the total to 41 / 99 routes.
1. Intake Ravine (Orange Kloof), an easy ravine containing no difficulties. Indigenous Afro-temperate forest, reminiscent of tropical jungle, extends up the lower section (the case with all Orange Kloof ravines).
2. Frustration Gully (Orange Kloof). One of our most challenging outings so far. The only reference to the route, a few lines in the 1935 Mountain Club Journal, sums it up: “...the writer disdains praise and hopes that R. E. Anson-Cook will be equally modest about the small offering they made to posterity. Not that this gully in its lower portions is anything but a lovely spot, but the two easy-looking waterfalls in the upper half bring disillusionment...”. They sure do!
3. Slangolie Gully. We came, we saw, we retreated. A disintegrating fault marked by rotten rock. Legendary SA mountaineer, Mike Scott, suggested we stay away from it unless we have a death wish. After surveying the route from several angles, we understood what he meant. What possessed pioneers K. Cameron and R. Hallack on the 29th of March 1914 to perpetrate such a route, we will never know. Scarcely did we turn our backs on it when two Himalayan tahrs (non-indigenous mountain goats) proceeded to climb it with perfect poise. Cameron and Hallack reincarnate? The strip of shade in the center of the photo indicates the lower half.
Note: The above Orange Kloof routes are closed to the public. Special, once-off permission has been obtained from SANParks. #hikingtablemountain #orangekloof #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #capetownnature #capetownhik

A rare angle on an obscure buttress. Set back from

A rare angle on an obscure buttress. Set back from the Twelve Apostles’ castellated façade, Woodhead Buttress never made it to Apostle status. And not for any deficiency other than not occupying front-row position. Tucked away between two larger buttresses, it rises magnificently from low down Slangolie Ravine. The photo shows the sheer lower section, first ascended in 1963 by leading climbers of the time. They named the route Virago, and it goes at a respectable grade. #hiketablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #hikingtablemountain #12apostleshiking #pipetrackhike #pipetracktablemountain #capetownhiking #capetownhikes

A spot of guiding up India Venster. 1. South Afric

A spot of guiding up India Venster. 1. South Africa’s national flower, the King protea, in full bloom. 2. The well-known ‘venster’ (window) overlooking India Ravine, giving the route its name. Pic: @wiebke_wenck #indiavenster #indiavensterroute #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainroutes #indiavenstertrail #indiavensterhike #kingprotea #proteacynaroides

Four more routes bagged in the Hike Table Mountain

Four more routes bagged in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, bringing the total to 39 / 87. 1. Woody Buttress, the seventh of 17 Apostles collectively known as the Twelve Apostles. One of the best scramble routes anywhere on the mountain. 2. Three Firs. A fun bit of scrambling followed by a dangerous traverse leads to a nondescript upper section, redeemed by the dramatic setting and a charming boulder garden at the top. 3. Slangolie Ravine. An impressive place dusted with menace. Location of the old Woodhead Tunnel, c. 1891. The middle section is badly eroded and needs care. A patch of forest near the top brings a sense of calm and safety. 4. Slangolie Face. A grand route in the style of old-school Table Mountain scrambling. It picks a swashbuckling line up Slangolie Buttress’ imposing north face, the crux pitch touching on proper rock-climbing. A route characterized by big drops and shattered terrain. Rarely climbed, for good reason. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #woodybuttress #slangolieravine #threefirs #12apostleshikingroutes #12apostleshikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainroutes #tablemountaintrails #capetownhiking #capetownhikingtrails

Topping out on the lower section of Kasteelspoort

Topping out on the lower section of Kasteelspoort (Standard Route), just below the well-known Bandstand on Kasteelspoort (Path). #kasteelspoorthike #kasteelspoort #12apostlesroutes #12apostleshikes #tablemountainroutes #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainhikingtrails #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain

Three routes completed on Kasteels Buttress (Twelv

Three routes completed on Kasteels Buttress (Twelve Apostles), bringing the total to 35 /87 routes in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge. 1. On the stellar top pitch of Kasteels Gully, a short, punchy route overlooking the impressive Valken amphitheater. 2. Kasteels Buttress (Original Route): Sweeps across the buttress from low down Valken Ravine. Liberally sprinkled with fun scrambling on great rock. Table Mountain’s famous tabletop summit visible in the background on the photo. 3. Kasteelspoort (Standard Route). There’s nothing standard about this route. A small, steam-driven cableway ran up Kasteelspoort ravine from 1893 to 1904, transporting equipment and materials during the construction of two dams on the summit. A total of 14 pylons (formerly called standards) held the cable in place. The pylons have long since been removed, but still remained in place when the route was opened in 1910. The route intersects Kasteelspoort (Path) where the uppermost pylon / standard used to stand, on a rock platform now known as the Bandstand, which still bears the scars of the pylon’s four corner posts. Hundreds of hikers pass the place every year, oblivious to the fascinating events that unfolded there more than a century ago. The route has all but vanished in the mists of time: no one bothers with it anymore. The photo shows the pitch above the Bandstand (visible in the background). A challenging route steeped in history, and picking an attractive line up the mountain, but not worth repeating. #hiketablemountain #kasteelspoort #kasteelspoorthike #kasteelspoorttrail #12apostlesroutes #tablemountainhistory #hikestablemountain #hikingtablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainscrambling #tablemountainroutes #tablemountaintrails #kasteelsbuttress #kasteelsgully #tablemountainadventure #capetownhikes #capetownhiking

Another four routes completed in the Hike Table Mo

Another four routes completed in the Hike Table Mountain route challenge, bringing the total to 32 / 87. 1. Kasteelspoort (Path): The oldest and most popular route up the 12 Apostles. Afrikaans for Castle’s Portal, it takes its name from the easy access it offers up what was once known as the Castle Mountains, together with its location next to Postern Buttress, formerly known as Kasteelsberg (Castle Peak). The route played a vital role in the construction of the Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson reservoirs on the lower plateau at the turn of the 19th century. 2. Postern Ravine: Located on the far side of Postern Buttress, taking its place as the postern entrance to the ‘castle’. A small ravine that had its dubious heyday in the early 1900s, it has long since acquired the status of a forgotten route. Overgrown on its lower section, and nondescript all the way. 3. Woody Ravine: Formerly known as Seventh Apostle Ravine and also Boomsluit. Charming indigenous Afromontane forest on the lower section gives way to impressive surroundings further up. A section of the Spring-Wood Traverse can be seen in the background on the photo. 4. Spring-Wood Traverse (Composite Route): An audacious high-level traverse across the imposing northwest face of Spring Buttress, finishing high up Woody Ravine. Narrows to a climbing traverse where it passes around the outside of a boulder obstructing the way, necessitating an awkward stride over a huge drop. We used a combination of the Mountain Club’s old and obscure ‘recognized’ approach and Spring Buttress Traverse to reach the start of the actual traverse. #hiketablemountain #hikingtablemountain #hikestablemountain #tablemountainhikes #tablemountainhiking #tablemountainroutes #tablemountaintrails #tablemountainadventure #springbuttress #woodyravine #kasteelspoorthike #kasteelspoort #12apostleshikes #12apostlesroutes #capetownhiking

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